Can't take myself to kitbash the 4-4-0....just yet. But the 2-2-4 Forney that had given me all sorts of problems if coming under the knife.
OK here goes. Cutting the connecting wires. Scribe a line and cut with a Dremel tool cutting wheel. Most of the cut is plastic except the two chassis rails.
For the tender I wanted to use the original but without the weight of the loco, the wheel truck is too springy and the truck is designed to swing from left to right by about an inch which makes the platform too unstable. Some thoughts might be helpful.
From my 4-4-0 I have the wood pile tender top and for the tender pickup trucks from an extra caboose I don't need.
I have never been brave enough to chop up many dollars worth such as this, and yet to achieve a desired outcome. Following with much curiosity and interest!
I am planning something similar. Just waiting to find a deal on an old beat up loco. Porter made a lot of interesting designs. I like the one at the bottom of this page. http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/porter07.Html I think I could do a decent approximation with an old AHM 0-6-0 side tank loco model.
Removed everything from the caboose (Save for other kit bashing). Measure the center cutout area, repeat, repeat, OK cut. Glue back together. I'm using the original mounting for the electronics so marking and drilling holes for the speaker in the floor of the caboose. Paint black then mount the speaker and boards. Now I find I don't have any wire small enough (smallest I have is 20 AWG) so waiting on some 30 AWG to make the cable to the loco.
I have seen photos of some tender wood stacks which are heaped quite high. Very high, in fact. As a comparison point, looking at the cab height, covering those electronics should not seem to appear out of place at all.
I'm going to give it a go, not that happy with the Bachmann wood pile, it's definitely a 10 feet away pile.
What was I thinks? Letting the trucks turn more will not help to go around a tighter curve.... Hmmmm maybe single axles are the way to go.
The radius for the stock Bachmann locos is pretty tight already. How sharp do you need to go? I found this list here on a quick internet search. http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/DwightEnnis/On30/On30Loco_n_Car_Radius.pdf I am pondering similar issues on my future loco build. How sharp can I go with my current car roster and a 1/55th loco based on a old rivarossi 0-6- mech.
There is just one section where it tightens to about a 13" radius so I'm thinking one truck or like an English car with just 2 axles.
If you look for something like an old AHM, Tyco, or Bachmann, bobber caboose you'd have an instant base for your tender. Or, if you just use actual HO scale trucks under the tender the axles may be closer together.
You can get the trucks so close together, they have been limited in ability to take a smaller radius.
A little progress with the Forney bash. Tender is now a single truck. Trying to devise the linage to the tender (Any suggestions more than welcome)
