I have been a member for a week or so now. When I first joined I spent some time reading over old threads. I found a Thread about this Japanese Rail Truck. I wanted to see if I could find a way to buy one of the kits. I asked for some help and was given a few places to look. I looked all over the companies web site but could not see a way to order a kit. I decided to just wing it, sort of, and make a card stock mockup. I did a cut and paste on the photo etch picture and this is where I am with it so far. After I get a few detail parts I will scratch build another Rail Truck using the mockup as my pattern. The next one may be made out of plastic and wood. After I got the body finished I looked through my stuff and came up with one of the HO Bachmann MOW Vehicles. I removed a few parts and the Rail Truck was a perfect fit. I sat the Rail Truck on the MOW frame, put it on my test track and off it went. The scale is sort of On30. 1. 2. 3.
That is brilliant! I'm the one who started the original Rail Truck thread. and I like how you were able to scale this up to (roughly) On30. As for availability, I believe the brass kit just became available for sale in Japan. The gentleman at the link below sells Japanese kits and ships internationally. The HOn30 rail truck kit w/power unit is 6000 yen or about $60 plus shipping. E-mail him for availability. He accepts PayPal. http://www.hpmix.com/home/yoshiya/Yoshiya/A4_1.htm#3 My other POC for Japanese models would be Jun-san at Plaza Japan in Osaka. He communicates via e-mail in fluent English and they accept PayPal as well. PlazaJapan@sunny-life.net
Thanks to all who have look at this thread and left a comment. Thanks also for the additional links. I spent way to much time looking at several Japanese Model Train web sites. ======= Partt #2. Changing Wheel size from 18" to 28". The wheels on the Bachmann MOW Car wheels measure about 18" in On30 (1/48" scale) and are really to small. I had 2 pair of some larger wheels that I thought would work better. They are 28" wheels in On30 (1/48" scale). To use the bigger wheels required several modifications to the MOW chassis. I also had to remove the gears from the other wheel set and put them on the new wheel set.
Part #3. Chassis Modification. To fit the larger wheels to the chassis it was necessary to cut away some of the chassis so the top of the wheels would not rub. I first had to remove the electrical contacts Bachmann had installed. After installing the new wheel sets I checked to make sure everything still ran Ok. I used a battery for current on this test. The motor and wheels run OK.
Partt #4. New look. The larger wheels give the Rail Truck a new look. I am going to modify the Cab and Hood area and start a search for some detail parts. You can see the difference in wheel size between the small wheels and the new larger wheels in this picture. Left over parts.
I'm not a big fan of rail trucks...but... I love your approach to this. It is great. Your decision to replace the wheels is commendable, as well as your mock up. Kudos to you! Michael
Very interesting project. And quite imaginative I would agree. Thanks for sharing. I'll be watching got my attention:thumbs_up:
First I want to thank all those that have looked at my Rail Truck Project and a big thank you to those that left a comment. I am sort of new to model trains so almost all of what I do is the first time for me. I am learning as I go from reading about what you all are building and how you are doing it. =============== Post #5. New Cab Design. I wanted a Cab on my Rail Truck a bit different then it was so I played around with a bunch of early American Truck Designs and settled upon this one. It is sort of like a very early Grabowsky Motor Car company Truck. If you have never heard of this very early company think GMC and you would be close. The pencil drawing is a little hard to see. The new Cab on a new Rail Truck. The sides are a bit higher to hid the Radio Control Receiver and the Battery. I didn't tell you all that I am into small trains with Radio Control and powered by a Battery. I am in the process of converting all my HO, HOn3 and the few things I build in On30 to Radio Control with Batteries. This Rail Truck has been running on Radio Control. I will post some pictures of how I install Radio Control soon. Both Rail Trucks.
Part 6. Radio Control for Small Trains. I use a Radio Control System made for small scale trains by a company named "All-Trol" as in "All Control". All-Trol Model Train Controls - Home Page I have 7 of their RC Receivers and 2 of their Hand Held Controllers. Their Controller works very much like a DCC Hand Held. This system is very easy to setup and the wires are color coded like many of the DCC Decoders sold today. For now the Rail Truck Receiver is only wired to the motor and the battery. The Receiver has wires for both a front and rear light and a sound module. I have 2 sound modules one for steam and one for diesel. The sound module will make 3 noises, engine, whistle and bell. This picture shows my Rail Truck with the Radio Control Hand Held, the Receiver, a Team Lois, 7.4 li-po rechargeable battery, and the Rail Truck chassis and body The next couple pictures show the RC items in the Rail Truck and running on my test loop. When the Rail Truck is finished all the RC items will be covered with a fake load of some sort and will not show. The battery is always put where it is easy to remove to re-charge.
I bit my tongue on the old design...it doesn't look American enough for my taste (presuming that you are modeling US rails)...so I applaud your call to modify the design to Americanize it/fit you taste. :thumbs_up: Michael
Part 7. They say it isn't over till the Fat Lady sings. So here is the latest version of my Rail truck.
