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New large scale critter

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New large scale critter
Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 12:23 AM

I got a power truck from a Bachmann 45 ton side rod diesel today. I thought it would make a nice critter. I looked at one of my Hartland ore car bodies, and yup, it's a perfect fit. More to come.

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 11:10 AM
Hey that will make a great critter!!! Can not wait to see it finished Tongue [:P]
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Posted by vsmith on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 2:55 PM

Open to Suggestions ???

From the http://www.gearedsteam.com/ websiteTongue [:P]

Or maybe...

from the  www.northeast.railfan.net website.

A Mack 12tonner should fit nicely on an HLW flat bodyWink [;)]

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Posted by altterrain on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:49 PM
 vsmith wrote:

Open to Suggestions ???

From the http://www.gearedsteam.com/ websiteTongue [:P]

Or maybe...

from the  www.northeast.railfan.net website.

A Mack 12tonner should fit nicely on an HLW flat bodyWink [;)]

That Mack is pretty cute but that monstrosity on top is mightly ugly. This is the first time I have seen a "sandbox" on a loco.

-Brian 

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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 5:43 PM

This is what I have in mind for the first one. It'a a mix match cab and old Mack hood, my buddy Dawg is gonna send me.

Since I have one more side rod power truck on the way, I might do a little steamer. That would negate my need for the LGB Daisy or the like. Thanks for the idea, Vic....sandbox and all. LOL.

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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 8:16 PM

The power truck is kinda tall, so I have to make some end bolsters. I don't want um to look too good, because this is going to be a crappy little short line. WIth that in mind, I cut up some dowel rod, scraped it with a saw to simulate wood grain and glued three pieces together. The small 1/8" dowels go through the deck and into the bolster to give some more support, since the couplers will be attached to the bolsters.

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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 6:53 PM

More progress.

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Posted by trainboy414 on Thursday, July 19, 2007 2:24 PM

i bought a 45 tonner block too and i built a little critter but mine is in 7/8 scale.

 

PS. You can see it in my avitar but it is painted now.

__________ !_o_ !_ o _! !____!____! o OO = OO o
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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Thursday, July 19, 2007 3:00 PM
 trainboy414 wrote:

i bought a 45 tonner block too and i built a little critter but mine is in 7/8 scale.

 

PS. You can see it in my avitar but it is painted now.

That looks nice. How bout a larger picture?

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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Friday, September 7, 2007 8:57 PM

I was faced with a delima. How to mount the cab. The siderod power truck has a threaded nipple in the center which allows for a retaining screw.

I had planned on using that to retain the body to the power truck. Next, I had to figure out how to mount the cab. It has to be removable, because I could not access the retaining screw in case I had to remove the body in the future from the power truck. Here is what I came up with.

The long screw in the foreground will go all the way through the critter body through the now drilled out radiator cap.

A close up of where the radiator cap was.

Now, the longer screw holds the entire assembly together kinda like a critter "sammich". The fact that the screw is black, also makes it look like a radiator cap, so I have not lost the look. Am I genius or what?

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Posted by IRONHORSE77 on Friday, September 7, 2007 10:15 PM

ROBERT

The only thing I see that is wrong is the fact the old Mack bulldog engine has the exhaust manifold on the passenger side not the drivers side.

CHUCK

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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Saturday, September 8, 2007 12:00 AM
Yeah well, this ain't no specific model of anything for one, and secondly, the driver's gotta see somehow. LOL
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, September 8, 2007 12:51 AM
Robert,
Tought the driver was blind Big Smile [:D]. Since he crashed the last one Whistling [:-^]
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Posted by John Busby on Saturday, September 8, 2007 2:52 AM

Na you got it all wrong It was because red ones go faster and ol Fred thought he would test the theorySmile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

Just don't tell the Loco ForemanBig Smile [:D]

Nice little critter, though I am not sure about the end beams.

regards John

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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, September 8, 2007 3:01 AM
 John Busby wrote:

Na you got it all wrong It was because red ones go faster and ol Fred thought he would test the theorySmile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

You know when I was a cop I never stopped alot of red cars/trains. All in all it was about the same.Cowboy [C):-)]

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Posted by bman36 on Saturday, September 8, 2007 9:38 AM

Hey Guys,

Neat project! Looking forward to seeing it ready to run. What sort of freight is allotted for the shortline? Later eh...Brian.

 

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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Saturday, September 8, 2007 9:43 PM
Not sure about the end beams? Heck, don't stop there. Gimmie ideas, man. If you gotta suggestion, I'm all ears. My idea was that it was a little logging critter that the crew just hacked together using some trees for the end beams. I'm open to suggestions, though.
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Posted by S&G Rute of the Silver River on Sunday, September 9, 2007 8:45 PM

cool. for the pilot you might wanta take a que from them ol' back woot shays and use one giant block. like this

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Posted by idahocookie on Sunday, September 9, 2007 10:20 PM
that looks great but what is a critter Smile [:)]
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Posted by vsmith on Sunday, September 9, 2007 10:35 PM
A "critter" is a term used to describe small gas mechenical engines.

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Posted by vsmith on Sunday, September 9, 2007 10:37 PM

 GearDrivenSteam wrote:
Not sure about the end beams? Heck, don't stop there. Gimmie ideas, man. If you gotta suggestion, I'm all ears. My idea was that it was a little logging critter that the crew just hacked together using some trees for the end beams. I'm open to suggestions, though.

Most timbers would have been squared off to fit together better, tied together with flat iron plates and had the couplers bolted thru them, like the pic of the Shay shows.

I did a similar critter years ago when I first started large scale using an MDC speeder chassis.

Its a poor runner, the MDC chassis isnt the best, your Bmann will be a far better runner

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Posted by S&G Rute of the Silver River on Sunday, September 9, 2007 11:28 PM

Check thes out.

I couldn't help it.

"I'm as alive and awake as the dead without it" Patrick, Snoqualmie WA. Member of North West Railway Museum Caffinallics Anomus (Me)
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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Monday, September 10, 2007 1:03 AM

 vsmith wrote:
A "critter" is a term used to describe small gas mechenical engines.

Doesn't necessarily have to be gas.  There are steam and diesel critters, too. Critter refers more to a small size than anything.

 

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Posted by S&G Rute of the Silver River on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 8:28 PM

Wile crusing the internet for truck parts, I found this. Now is it a critter?

San Luis Southern D-500 was powered by a 1091 cubic inch International Harvester engine using a hydraulic transmission. This powered the euclid truck axle that is used to transmit power to the chains for the axles. The turret cab was provided for maximum visibility. It was built in 1954/1955 by San Luis Southern workers.

And then the classic. There are a pair of these right close, shoot I work there.

Behind the D-500 is the remains of Plymouth ML8 ex Utah Power and Light and bought in 1977. The gasoline engine was pulled in 1980 so that a caterpillar engine could be installed but the work never finished so it has sat here since.

The railroad owned seven different steam locomotives over the years they are: #100 and #101 both Brooks 4-6-0 Locomotives bought used From Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, #102 (2-6-0) built by Baldwin, bought new by the San Luis Southern, #103(DRGW 657), #104(DRGW 633), #105(DRGW 688), #106(DRGW 683)all C-28's (2-8-0) bought from the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. The railroad also operated a motorcar built by Timpte called the M300. It possibly resides derelict at a museum in Texas.

 

"I'm as alive and awake as the dead without it" Patrick, Snoqualmie WA. Member of North West Railway Museum Caffinallics Anomus (Me)
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Posted by GearDrivenSteam on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 7:29 AM
I consider the 45 ton siderod locomotive a critter.....probably about the largest, so yes, that funky lookin one qualifies, I would think.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 7:46 AM
 GearDrivenSteam wrote:

 vsmith wrote:
A "critter" is a term used to describe small gas mechenical engines.

Doesn't necessarily have to be gas.  There are steam and diesel critters, too. Critter refers more to a small size than anything.

 

"Critters" - Racoon: with jack-up all 4 wheel drive and tail for hooking on, can rail a tree or any other surfaces. Big Smile [:D]

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