Very impressive. Will be something very interesting to see in operation.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
Nice Work.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I've been working on a project this week after considering it for sometime, even before I built the Telluride & Tin Cup on the patio this spring. The base/donor for this project is the G scale Bachmann Closed Streetcar (#93939) I bought back in the late 1980s. This was either the first or another early run, but look later runs over and you'll likely fiund them similar enough that a hack on them will work. You don't need to follow all the details of what I did, as wide variations in this bash are possible depending on your tastes.
The key to my conversion was rearranging the parts on one end to create a cab and lengthen the resultuing car enough so a 2-wheel pony truck and engine compartment can be added. I tried to reuse or repurpose as much of the donor car as possible. Here I have the cuts on the platform laid out, then the front pilot has been cut.
I MADE A SHORT EXTENSION TO PROVIDE all the space needed for a control cab, hood over an engine (where I hope to hide at least some of my RC components), and make room for a front truck. After I glued the frame extensions in (the gray Plastruct H-sections), I added 4 screws to stengthen everything. The pilot was then glued onto that.
Next I mocked everything up I had cut apart in my mind and it looked well. The pony truck axle comes from the Bachmann 4-6-0. Other than that, it's all part of the streetcar.
The pieces of one end bulkhead rearranged as the front of the cab.
A better pic of the frame extensions and pilot.
I added reinforcing material that doubles as the floor of the cab and engine compartment. The inner bulkheads on the streetcar serve to hold and allow the sliding doors to operate. This one becomes the back wall of the cab.
To lessen the streetcar look, I filled the lower section of the carbody, which angled and curved inward. I added small plastic ribs, then a smooth outer finish.
I next started assembling the cab, paying attention to the roofline.
Next was the hood. It's removeable, so I can maybe hide the Pololu simple motor controller or other components inside.
I added an express and baggage compartment, even though I lost half the passenger space. I could've made the vehicle longer, but that would have ruined the looks IMO.
Then it was time for paint. I like green.
With the basics together, I still have electrical work to do to get the battery/RC stuff aboard, followed by the final detailing. Then I will have another train to run opposite the big Shay on the T&T.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL