My wife and I are huge fans of the movie The Polar Express, but neither of us care for the Lionel one, its great for kids, but doesnt really convey the feelings of the train in our book. The new scale version from Lionel in the 2009 book 2 is awsome, but your wallet better be deep to afford the whole train. So, at the train show this Sunday I picked up an old PFM NKP Berkshire for $100 needing some repairs. The previous owner was in the prossess of converting the model to a PM berk so the headlight and number boards have been removed. I can use Railroad Roman lettering in Delux (gold leaf) to create the "Polar Express" on the tender. I also picked up a compelte Rivarossi heavyweight train with sprung trucks. I cant find any bluish grey so I will just use a normal medium grey with a wine red for the middle strip. I will also have to spend the time doing each letter seperatly on each car. The tail car will be fun, a normal heavyweight observation has a square platfrom and rear roof overhang, the PE train needs a rounded end roof and platfrom. The platform is easy, just some new handrail material and plastic to make the rounded end. The roof, I am not so sure. Maybe the rounded end from a streamlined tail car blended into the heavyweigh roof? Open to ideas on this part. Cheers Mike and Michele T
LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case!
That sounds like a fun project. And its a great movie. keep us up to date with pics. Good luck
Might post some in progress pics tomorrow if things go well, I shot the grey base color earlier today, just masked and shot the wine red window band on one of the two cars. In about 20 min when its dry to the touch, we shal see how well it comes out. I have decals being made as we discuss it here. I had put an old sagami can motor in the berk, but it had an annoying sqeaky noise coming from the motor in forward direction and the speed was unsteady, the old Pittman runs better so I put it back in. Will have to find a different can motor prior to putting sound in the loco. Those old PFM's ran well, even with the open frame motor in them.
As far as the bluish-gray, check at the LHS. I'd bet you'd find something useable in the military paint section.
You might want to search the past posts, the subject of doing and HO version of the Polar Express has come up at least once in the past, some folks had some good suggestions as I recall.
Its a fantisy train anyways, so mine is medium grey with a wine red window band. Once my guy weathers it with the frost and snow on the roofs, they will look good considering the only cars done this way was in a CGI world. Lionel doesnt even get them right, they put the lettering above the windows, whilest in the moving, we plainly see the lettering is below the windows. I wish some of the other threads had posted pics of thier progress if they ever got beyond the concept phase. I have the locomotive and 2 cars ready for decaling. My only sticking point is that rounded heavyweight tail car. I may just make a balsa extension to the standard Rivarossi observation car, then fabricate a new flatform and railing. Need to look in my walthers catalog and see if anybody offers some HO scale wrought iron railing in metal that I can form around a round object.
climaxpwrI may just make a balsa extension
Balsa is such a soft wood, and can be damaged easily; I suggest you use basswood. Fine grain, moderate hardness and it will keep its shape with handling. Midwest Products has a good selection of sizeshttp://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=&manu=472&item=&keywords=basswood&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=300&Submit=Search
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I rounded off the rear platform and recontoured the roof to match on the tail car. I need to stop by hobby lobby and get some modeling putty or I could fill it with my fiberglass reinforced bondo I guess to finish contour it. I put a brass tube in thru the roof for the rear light. I will measure it with my mic so I can order a red MV lense for it. Still looking for a source of wrought iron style railings in sheet brass that I can bend to the contour of the platform. I have ladder matterial to make the side ladders that was on the car in the movie. I have every car but the observation painted now. The obs will take sometime before I am happy enough to paint it up. I think it will come out ok. Only item I havent decided to try, is the rear wall of the observation is rounded as well on the movie car, and flat on the model. I will probably just leave that alone. Mike
Here are some teaser pics of the Polar Express under construction, tail car is stil a work in progress so you dont get to see it yet, this is the rest of the train, RPO/Baggage, Pullman, Diner, Coach, Coach, with 1225 leading the parade. Headlight is lighted with a 1.5vt light bulb, but I dont have a circuit to power it just yet.All the cars but 1 coach ride on Central Vallet 3 axle sprung trucks, if anybody has 1 pair that need a new home, espicaly if you want to donate to the cause, I would greatly appreciate it, I had to borrow from savings to order the decals, should have those by thursday or friday I hope. Enjoy my progress! Mike
Looking good, but that locomotive looks awfully shiny... might be the lighting though... I always liked the look of the loco in movie...flat black and a little grimy was a nice contrast to all the glimmer of the snow and lights in the film.
The whole train is shiny right now, has to be for decaling, after the decals are one, it will get dull coated and weathered just a bit. So, yes, right now she is to shiny
Nice. If you don't mind, I'd be happy to show you mine, minus the engine and round deck, but it's an approximation for the kiddies. I had problems with lettering not showing on the blue/grey, but I printed my own. The professional letters will get around that.
-Morgan
Sure, lets see everybodies non Lionel Polar Express trains. I know more than myself have done this, but nobody else is really posted pics of thier trains. Mike
I don't have pics of the one I did for the "grands", but I glued the WS "hobo" and campfire on the roof!!
Looks great, I am more closely following the movie pics with the Polar Express name under the windows and not above. I should have my decals later this week. Which brand engine are you planning to pull it with, Lifelike, Rivarossi or other brand? Cheers Mike
climaxpwr Looks great, I am more closely following the movie pics with the Polar Express name under the windows and not above. I should have my decals later this week. Which brand engine are you planning to pull it with, Lifelike, Rivarossi or other brand? Cheers Mike
So that's why I couldn;t find the road name. Looking in the wrong place. I may move them then, We'll see. was looking to use a Bachmann loco, they also offer PM 1225, I'll just take the PM off. Also need to put the hobo on the roof. I have him, just haven't put dude to car.