I have a playmobil diesel pusher engine. The body is trashed beyond repair. The block works perfectly. Not having a 3d printer, I am considering what else I can do with it. Possibly finding a caboose to convert to a tram? Any other thoughts or suggestions. I did look for a replacement body and parts…but havent found anything complete or reasonably affordable.
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Aloha a me e como mai! Aloha and welcome!
Have fun with that motor block. We don’t have a 3D printer, either, but we’ve had fun crafting stuff from basic, precut timbers like you can get at craft stores and hardware stores. You might also try carving a core from m foam or balsa, which, in fact we’ve been weighing…if we can stumble upon a motor block! Finally, how thrashed is the body? Can you turn it into a rail borne razee and build upon the remainder, as if the owners salvaged and repurposed the wreck?
Looking forward to seeing your ideas take shape!
Eric
Welcome aboard John, I’m sure you will find some ideas around here somewhere.
I have a weird cut-down Bachmann coach that makes a nice inspection engine. It has a motor block from something.
Banta makes a wooden kit for a boxcab that fits a similar motor block.
This critter has a motor block under it.
Hope you got some ideas!
If you got the engine block, you got 75% of it done, the mechanical part. There are many little engines that are made from wood, plastic, and metal, the sky is the limit. If you have some modeling skills than your 75% there. Look on YouTube under the On30 small RR’s and you will see many scratch-built engines, etc. Just scale it up to large scale. This can be a fun project, plus rewarding for you.
Saw this on YouTube, this is a kit, but a modeler does not need a kit, just something to look at. I can easily picture your motor block under the wood cab and go from there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_cfhsnB2no
This is the Bachmann Davenport “critter” locomotive. There are all kinds little industrial locomotives working as switchers for various industrial concerns, so don’t be afraid to “have a go”. The “imagineering” should be fun.
Best, David Meashey
P.S. Kinda’ surprised Rooster hasn’t turned me in for showing a Hooker tied to a Davenport!
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You can have a lot of fun with motor blocks.
Here are some 7/8" scale critters that I have built and used motor blocks in,
One has two motors in it.
There are a lot of UK kit manufacturers making little locos that need a good motor block. Check out IP Engineering, or Boot Lane Modelworks.
Love your train people, John. Can you tell us more about them?
Welcome John,
I converted an Aristo track cleaning caboose with a cheap bachmann motor block into a high speed box cab.
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Bill,
They are resin cast by someone who is no longer making them.
Here is a little more info and pics:
They really add character to the railway. You must have a steady hand for painting.
I would like to say one thing about the Playmobil motor block, I have no experience with them and I would find out from members on this forum on how well they hold up under all running conditions. I personally would go with an LGB motor block just because of their reputation and run forever, but that’s just my thought on what I would do.
The PLAYMOBIL trains, which hit the market when I was in grade school, came in sets with LGB tracks. I would not be suprised if the motor blocks are LGB, too. A quick search showed the project was collaborative ( History of the Playmobil train), but the article did not say what was manufactured where. Interestingly, the collaboration went two ways, and you could buy LGB battery powered starter sets with PLAYMOBIL figures, too.
Eric
i have got both. the blocks are similar, but not the same. - and inside of playmobil blocks are no Bühler motors. but they (mine) are long lived too.
the skates are at least very similar.
while LGB then still had couplers with metallic coils, playmobil already had these zic-zac plastic springs, that one finds now everywhere (like on newqida)