Large Scale Central

Narrow Gauge Diesels (1:22.5 - 1:24)

Modeling Rolling stock
#21

There’s a series of books from Railhead Publications called “Critters.” There are 4 volumes, and they feature manufacturer ads and specs for a variety of industrial diesels. Most of these are 2-axle types in a variety of flavors.

If you can find an older LGB 2090 diesel, that might be a good place to start. I did a very simple conversion of one when I was a teenager that has since been de-motored and is now used by my son to push around the railroad.

I’ll be working on upscaling a 1:29 NW-2 to 1:22 for my dad’s railroad this spring. (I’m waiting for the new G-wire receivers to show up before having everything shipped out to me.) I just finished installing a Revolution in a friend’s NW-2, and took the liberty while it was here to make notes of what I’d do to it–most of it along similar lines to what Ray did with his RS-3 conversion; larger cab, adding a bit of width to it, and new front/rear pilots.

Andrew already posted links to my “downsized” B’mann 45-tonner, but if you’ve got the trucks, that’s not a bad place to start, either. A simple boxcab a la Bruce Chandler (either his 4-axle or 2-axle job) wouldn’t take a ton of time to scratchbuild.

Later,

K

#22

LGBs dismal was based on a real WP&Y engine.

You could always build your own, all you need is a bobber caboose shell and a drive brick:

#23

That bobber-boxcab with counterweights and siderods? KILLER!!!

Later,

K

#24

Kevin Strong said:

That bobber-boxcab with counterweights and siderods? KILLER!!!

Later,

K

I’m thinking the 'Zact Same Thing…have always wondered what I’d do with that Bachmann Bobber I had on the shelf…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/randongas/beast.jpg)

Victor, if you have any more pics, would you mind sharing?

found it:

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/17394/new-boxcab-aka-the-bobbercab-al

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/17281/sc-sj-new-boxcab-out-of-the-shop/view/page/1

now i wanna hurry my Mik-Build…

#25

Cale Nelson said:

Kevin Strong said:

That bobber-boxcab with counterweights and siderods? KILLER!!!

Later,

K

I’m thinking the 'Zact Same Thing…have always wondered what I’d do with that Bachmann Bobber I had on the shelf…

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/randongas/beast.jpg)

Victor, if you have any more pics, would you mind sharing?

found it:

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/17394/new-boxcab-aka-the-bobbercab-al

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/17281/sc-sj-new-boxcab-out-of-the-shop/view/page/1

now i wanna hurry my Mik-Build…

Is it done yet ???

#26

I need to peek around in your junk bin for some bits…esp those air tanks, where do those come from…th

and speaking of peeking…I found a boxcab build in 7/8th’s on MLS…oh my…first one goes 1:22.5 for continuity of line though…

#27

Cale, the ones on top are the air tanks from a Big Hauler loco, the ones on the front are from a batch of MDC parts I have

#28

Cale, when you said you had three side rod blocks, I thought that’s an ‘odd’ number and came to the above conclusion.

When the Bachmann Davenport first came out it didn’t appeal much to me. Too boxy and uninteresting but I eventually got one and they are a beefy little unit. It still seems characterless to me but I’m sure this could be modified to something that oozes with charm.

For a few weeks now, on my desk I have had a disassembled Bachmann Davenport thinking it would be nice to make a low decked narrow gauge center cab with two of them but the motor/gearbox and truck are all held together by it’s beefy metal chassis making things very difficult to free into a swiveling motorized truck. It could be done but the main problem is the motor would be way off the center requiring too much swing when going around corners. They could be hidden in the lower part of the cab though. Perhaps not such a good idea… Half of two Davenports would become waste, better to leave the well made chassis in one piece as is and rebuild above the deck to something nicer.

Andrew

#29

#4 currently sits under Toby

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/calenelson/thomas_and_friends/toby1.jpg)

for some 'Purty" Davenports look here:

http://www.finescalerr.com/june2004/FR8-2-pp28-39.pdf

#30

Ahh! that’s where it went. Toby nicked it… No wonder he won’t show his face!

Andrew

#31

Cale, thanks for the link. ‘Old Bill’ is more my thing. That could be done to the Davenport side rod. I do actually like boxy cabs but the steel one on the Davenport is just way too ‘Plain Jane’ for my liking.
I was thinking of a wooden cab, there is more detail to them which I think is important on small models. They lend themselves to detailing and character more than a large locomotive does so there is more to look at.

Andrew