Roundhouse Harriman Doodlebug

[mlehman]

Henry,

Not sure any of that really matters. It's fresh info for many here. Heck, even for us old guys, it's freshened info. I knew it was old when I looked at it, but was surprised to find I'd replied to it. And I just happen to recently be thinking of hacking a doodlebug, so this saved me looking some info up.

I agree that the triple quote was pretty unnecessary, but that's easy enough to ignore. When you have only 10 posts, the training wheels are still in use.

[BigDaddy]

Necro Thread Alert

People write that they don't understand why people complain about necro threads..

Here is why:

There is a link to a dead, 7 years old, Ebay link.  At least two people liked the picture but none of us can see it.

Doc Wayne's post, who always has good stuff to show us, was quoted twice in a reply, but if there is new information in that reply......it's lost in the quote from Wayne.

 

[rivabruc]

doctorwayne

I've got one that I plan to build eventually, but the procedure for building one is similar to that which I used for the one I have in service.  Mine was free-lanced, as were many of the real ones, and I simply removed what didn't look correct for a doodlebug, changed what needed changing, then added whatever seemed appropriate.

 

Mine was built from a Rivarossi combine.  I cut out and framed a couple of additional windows in the passenger section, then cut the entire car ahead of that and also near the opposite end of the car and rotated the middle segment 180° in order to relocate the baggage door.  New doors were fabricated and new windows cut into the front of the car for the motorman, as shown in the photo below.  The front truck and the frame on which it's mounted, along with the fuel tank are from an Athearn F7, although I replaced the sideframes with Detail Associates C-Liner ones, a snap-in fit.  The remainder of the Rivarossi car's underframe was re-built.
I then added detail parts from Detail Associates, Details West, Cal-Scale, MDC, and my well-stocked scrap box.  The pilot is from a Bachmann Northern.
Power is supplied by a Mashima flat can motor in the baggage compartment, and connected to the lead truck with Athearn driveline parts.  The rear truck is unpowered, but collects current from both rails.

I added a basic interior using Walthers old-time passenger seats and some sheet styrene partitions.  The car, dubbed "The Bee" by locals because of its paint job and the noise it makes, weighs almost 18oz., and will pull more cars than a similar prototype could possibly have handled.  Mine usually runs solo or with a couple of freight cars or an occasional coach.

 

 

The Harriman car will get a similar makeover, including the paint scheme.  One of the best things about a car like this is that many of these cars were built-to-suit, and many were modified over their lifetimes, too.  Consult prototype photos, then pick the features which you find most appealing to include on yours.

Wayne

 

 

 

 

doctorwayne

I've got one that I plan to build eventually, but the procedure for building one is similar to that which I used for the one I have in service.  Mine was free-lanced, as were many of the real ones, and I simply removed what didn't look correct for a doodlebug, changed what needed changing, then added whatever seemed appropriate.

 

Mine was built from a Rivarossi combine.  I cut out and framed a couple of additional windows in the passenger section, then cut the entire car ahead of that and also near the opposite end of the car and rotated the middle segment 180° in order to relocate the baggage door.  New doors were fabricated and new windows cut into the front of the car for the motorman, as shown in the photo below.  The front truck and the frame on which it's mounted, along with the fuel tank are from an Athearn F7, although I replaced the sideframes with Detail Associates C-Liner ones, a snap-in fit.  The remainder of the Rivarossi car's underframe was re-built.
I then added detail parts from Detail Associates, Details West, Cal-Scale, MDC, and my well-stocked scrap box.  The pilot is from a Bachmann Northern.
Power is supplied by a Mashima flat can motor in the baggage compartment, and connected to the lead truck with Athearn driveline parts.  The rear truck is unpowered, but collects current from both rails.

I added a basic interior using Walthers old-time passenger seats and some sheet styrene partitions.  The car, dubbed "The Bee" by locals because of its paint job and the noise it makes, weighs almost 18oz., and will pull more cars than a similar prototype could possibly have handled.  Mine usually runs solo or with a couple of freight cars or an occasional coach.

 

 

The Harriman car will get a similar makeover, including the paint scheme.  One of the best things about a car like this is that many of these cars were built-to-suit, and many were modified over their lifetimes, too.  Consult prototype photos, then pick the features which you find most appealing to include on yours.

Wayne

 

 

 

 

doctorwayne

I've got one that I plan to build eventually, but the procedure for building one is similar to that which I used for the one I have in service.  Mine was free-lanced, as were many of the real ones, and I simply removed what didn't look correct for a doodlebug, changed what needed changing, then added whatever seemed appropriate.

 

Mine was built from a Rivarossi combine.  I cut out and framed a couple of additional windows in the passenger section, then cut the entire car ahead of that and also near the opposite end of the car and rotated the middle segment 180° in order to relocate the baggage door.  New doors were fabricated and new windows cut into the front of the car for the motorman, as shown in the photo below.  The front truck and the frame on which it's mounted, along with the fuel tank are from an Athearn F7, although I replaced the sideframes with Detail Associates C-Liner ones, a snap-in fit.  The remainder of the Rivarossi car's underframe was re-built.
I then added detail parts from Detail Associates, Details West, Cal-Scale, MDC, and my well-stocked scrap box.  The pilot is from a Bachmann Northern.
Power is supplied by a Mashima flat can motor in the baggage compartment, and connected to the lead truck with Athearn driveline parts.  The rear truck is unpowered, but collects current from both rails.

I added a basic interior using Walthers old-time passenger seats and some sheet styrene partitions.  The car, dubbed "The Bee" by locals because of its paint job and the noise it makes, weighs almost 18oz., and will pull more cars than a similar prototype could possibly have handled.  Mine usually runs solo or with a couple of freight cars or an occasional coach.

 

 

The Harriman car will get a similar makeover, including the paint scheme.  One of the best things about a car like this is that many of these cars were built-to-suit, and many were modified over their lifetimes, too.  Consult prototype photos, then pick the features which you find most appealing to include on yours.

Wayne

 

 

 

 

[hon30critter]

Alex:

Welcome to the forum!

Really neat project! I have been wanting a doodlebug for some time and now you have led the way to showing me a very entertaining method of getting one.

Wayne:

Impressive as always!

Dave:

Thanks for the lead on the article.

Dave

[ALEX WARSHAL]

Wow i really like the work.

[steemtrayn]

Here it is...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MODEL-RAILROADER-FEBRUARY-1979-CUSTOM-CAR-CHOPPING-/181267366766?pt=Magazines&hash=item2a3460836e

[steemtrayn]

Model Railroader (or was it RMC?) had an article on kitbashing the MDC Harriman car into a doodlebug about 35 years ago, shortly after the cars came out. It might be easy to find if you have the DVD=ROM, since it's pictured on the cover.

[mlehman]

Really nice, efficient bash you have there, Wayne.

[zstripe]

Wayne,

Glad you chimed in. My forgetting about you was not intentional. 

I really like your ''Doodle Buggy''. 

Frank

[doctorwayne]

I've got one that I plan to build eventually, but the procedure for building one is similar to that which I used for the one I have in service.  Mine was free-lanced, as were many of the real ones, and I simply removed what didn't look correct for a doodlebug, changed what needed changing, then added whatever seemed appropriate.

 

Mine was built from a Rivarossi combine.  I cut out and framed a couple of additional windows in the passenger section, then cut the entire car ahead of that and also near the opposite end of the car and rotated the middle segment 180° in order to relocate the baggage door.  New doors were fabricated and new windows cut into the front of the car for the motorman, as shown in the photo below.  The front truck and the frame on which it's mounted, along with the fuel tank are from an Athearn F7, although I replaced the sideframes with Detail Associates C-Liner ones, a snap-in fit.  The remainder of the Rivarossi car's underframe was re-built.
I then added detail parts from Detail Associates, Details West, Cal-Scale, MDC, and my well-stocked scrap box.  The pilot is from a Bachmann Northern.
Power is supplied by a Mashima flat can motor in the baggage compartment, and connected to the lead truck with Athearn driveline parts.  The rear truck is unpowered, but collects current from both rails.

I added a basic interior using Walthers old-time passenger seats and some sheet styrene partitions.  The car, dubbed "The Bee" by locals because of its paint job and the noise it makes, weighs almost 18oz., and will pull more cars than a similar prototype could possibly have handled.  Mine usually runs solo or with a couple of freight cars or an occasional coach.

 

 

The Harriman car will get a similar makeover, including the paint scheme.  One of the best things about a car like this is that many of these cars were built-to-suit, and many were modified over their lifetimes, too.  Consult prototype photos, then pick the features which you find most appealing to include on yours.

Wayne

 

 

[zstripe]

Alex Warshal,

This is a long shot, but this guy has scratch built and bashed a lot of Models of the sort you are asking about. Maybe if you get in touch with him,he may be able to give you some info. Unless others on our site can help more.

http://www.tomsmodeltrains.net/

Frank

[ALEX WARSHAL]

I have seen people created some of these out of the harriman cars, so has anyone done this and would like to share some pictures/explain how they did it.