Let us see your Homemade Lionel (or Other) Style Cars or Engines you have Made or Modified

https://youtu.be/xmCfwymNLjk

Heres my legacy Akron canton & Youngstown H16-44, painted the trucks & fuel tank black. & put South Brooklyn decals on it SBK, here’s a video of it transferring some New York Subway cars

Mark Diff posted:

Thanks for the kind comments. I love doing these kinds of projects. Here is one I did earlier, converting this Weaver reefer...

into a double sheathed box bar...

Here is the prototype used for inspiration...

 

Very nicely done!

The GARX car is based on real cars from the past leased to the QA&P Rwy. The silver painted express boxcar is “pretend”. 

Three Mile Island car

Yellow Submarine Operating Launch Car

 Speedy Gonzales Missle Car

Big Jim posted:

Three Mile Island car

Yellow Submarine Operating Launch Car

 Speedy Gonzales Missle Car

 

I've seen it, but thought the Yellow Sub was an actual release 

The Speedy Rocket Launcher; I want to know everything about it 

Adriatic posted:

I've seen it, but thought the Yellow Sub was an actual release 

The Speedy Rocket Launcher; I want to know everything about it 

The Yellow Submarine started out as a log unloader. I just made a cradle to hold the boat.

Speedy is from a Revell BOMARC kit. I credit "ScaleRail Don" for the inspiration! The launch pad is bolted down to the car from underneath into the jack-stands and the boxes are from Frenchman River, the decals I made. It was nice that the wing tips were separate parts. They are in the retracted position for clearance.

It was awhile before I realized this thread included locomotives, so here is my "Frankenstein" loco,..

THe story goes like this, years ago I bought an early Williams SD-45 with the idea of converting it into an SD-38. When I was ready to start the project, I opened the box and immediately noticed those Trainmaster trucks. Ugh! no way I can use those for an SD-38, so I decided to make a trainmaster. The shell is an MTH version, with Precision scale details, Scale coat paint, Shell scale decals, ERR sound commander and Evans designs LED Head light.

BTW I did eventually acquire another Williams SD-45 with the proper 6 wheel trucks, so that project will be done one day.

Rob Leese posted:

  

Rob,  How did you make the modified Bettendorf trucks with roller bearings?  I remember seeing these back in the '70s on the Penn Central.  I would like to model this feature on some of my rolling stock.

Tom

I might as well throw my hat into the ring.  I have modified/kitbashed several cars over the past few years.  This was mostly out of necessity as models of these cars are not commercially available in 3 rail.

The first is a Penn Central N9 transfer caboose.  I started with a Lionel PS-1 boxcar.  Stripped it down to the frame and built everything on top. My model represents an earlier version that used propane for heat.  Later units used fuel oil for heat.  The propane tanks were replaced by a rectangular tank that fuel oil could be pumped into.

This is a Penn Central N8A cabin I kitbashed.  Penn Central inherited NE6 cabooses from the New Haven.  Most were in poor condition and relegated to transfer duties.  The best ones were modified for road service by sealing off the copula windows and adding bay windows.  Toilet facilities were added, with water supply tanks installed in the copulas.  Roller bearing trucks were also installed for road service.  My model is based on an Atlas O NE6 which I modified by adding bay windows and sealing several other windows.  The picture shows the car with friction bearing trucks, but these have since been replaced by roller bearing trucks.

This is a MTH Railking crane car right out of the box.  I felt the cab sat too high and the ride was too high.

I lowered the cab by modifying the pivot.  The ride was lowered by modifying the bolsters.  Bettendorf trucks replaced the factory roller bearing trucks.  The smoke stack was cut down.  A heavy dose of weathering completed project.  I was originally considering adding smoke and work lights, but the smoke unit would have required extensive modifications to the cab mounting.  Wisdom told me that was a can of worms I didn't want to open.

The modifications took away the toy-like appearance and made a respectable model of a 150 ton crane.

Tom

Tom those are some intriguing kit bashes. The transfer caboose looks cool, and I like the historic detail on the propane tanks. 

That 150 ton crane looks like a real nice piece of "Hi-rail scale" to me now. The lowering really takes it out of toyland; the weathering looks spot on.

This began as Lionel's Union Pacific 19121 smooth side dome car. With the help of some Plastruct, it is now D&RGW's California dome lounge, used for special occasions and the Ski train.

Terry

Terry, how did you do it?

Here's an easy one to build.

After I sold my crane car, I converted my work caboose into a flatcar.

tcripe posted:

This began as Lionel's Union Pacific 19121 smooth side dome car. With the help of some Plastruct, it is now D&RGW's California dome lounge, used for special occasions and the Ski train.

Terry

Plastruct makes several sizes of corrugated siding. I used "N" gauge for the roof fluting and "O" gauge for the side fluting.  Both applied with epoxy. The roof sections were then wrapped tightly with thick rubber bands every 1/2" or so until  the epoxy had set. I used clothes pins to do the same for the sides. Small pieces of Plastruct were used to blank out window areas per photos of the car,  also held in place with epoxy. I made some decals of screening and applied them over small pieces of Plastruct and glued to the roof to simulate the air vents along the sides.

Terry

Terry, thank you for that comprehensive reply--that was quite an undertaking.

And using the UP smooth-sided offset dome car, 6-19121 as the donor is close to home since I'm using one to make a dome car for my NP North Coast Limited train.  

Here is a bulkhead flat made from a K-line flat...

1st here is the prototype...

and here is my model...

I made thisout of thisand moved an ISO tank from one flat to another to make room for a rocket launcher

Nice work Coach!

custom reefers....

Alco HH660. I use Lionel Alco S2 trucks, cab and a some another parts. S.B.R. -transfer caboose was earlier a MTH -crane tender.

Wow, you guys have some great ideas for cars and do great building work.  I am enjoying see all your cars and love that others enjoy this section of the hobby too.

Santa Sled and Reindeer Flat cars for my Christmas Train

I know this is a week late for Christmas but I find after Christmas and New Years, with the lousy winter weather, a great time to build train cars and stuff.

I added a Santa, sled and 8 reindeers plus Rudolph the red nosed reindeer to my Christmas train.  I made the reindeer cars from three junker scout sized flat cars and figures and reindeer from a Hallmark Cards Santa, Sled and Reindeer set.  I painted the flat cars white as reindeer like snow and will show up better with a light color. 

One car carried the Santa sled and two reindeer, a second car carried four reindeer and third car carried two reindeer and Rudolph the red nosed reindeer.  The reindeer were simply glued to the flat cars with 5 min epoxy glue.

The original Hallmark Cards Santa sled was too big so a smaller one was made from balsa wood and sized for Hallmark Cards Santa.

A blinking red light was installed in Rudolf’s nose and a power pick up was added to the car. 

The Christmas Train is usually stationed on the hidden track behind the background and comes out by surprise for the kids after watching the trains run for a few minutes.  The train has a Christmas candy in a gondola also and is one train always used at Christmas time.

Charlie

I did not build this unit but i thought i would post this home built E-unit.

This locomotive started life as two Postwar Canadian pacific F-3's and a postwar Trainmaster .

Found this at my local shop in a collection they had acquired. I enjoy collecting some of the period custom built units as it turns the clock back on our Hobby.  This locomotive shows us a time in our hobby when building was the only way to ever get a locomotive that would never be produced. 

The creativity and the skill of the people that created models like this out of what was available is fun to study. 

Here is a modified sloped back coal tender I made years ago and just found it on the train shelves.  Seems Lionelville coal tenders are always full of coal.  This one is empty and the switcher was heading for the coal tower when the tender derailed.  I just cut out the coal load added walls and a floor.  Being empty will make it easier to put the lead trucks back on the tracks!

I love coal tenders.  I picked up a box of 30 or so junked coal tenders years ago so hacking up one is no big deal.

Charlie

You better throw a few shovels full in there before you start loosing pressure and foul a line Charlie

Here's my contribution to the thread.

My heavily detailed Chessie Steam Special. This is an LTI 6-18011 with a 6-18064 Mohawk Tender. There is work that still needs to be done. Up grades include AC Commander, Super Chuffer, Fan Driven Smoke Unit, Large Steam Rail Sounds, Electro Couplers on the tenders plus all the detailing on the front of the engine and the painting of course.

Here's our take on a yellow submarine car.  Built/assembled the model kit and mounted it (with magnets) to a well car:

Scooby-Doo, painted for my daughter when she was in the middle of a Scooby phase:

A dragon transport car I made to go with our Hogwarts Express:

P-51 transport car.   This one was actually my first ever "kitbash" attempt...  Lots I would do different today, but still a fun piece:

McQueen and Mater...  this one was for my kids' "Cars" phase while running trains at the club:

Coyote and Roadrunner:

...and speaking of Acme, here is my high-powered magnet car.  Works really, really well for clearing the tracks of small metal debris:

The magnet lifts out from the top, allowing all the accumulated debris (clinging to the underside of the car) to fall into a trash can:

...and, of course, on our layout Thomas blew-off his responsibilities one too many times.  He now stands as a reminder to other engines to be really useful:

Frizzenbee you are one very creative fellow.

I designed and made this Bell Car for my Polar Express Bell a few years ago.  This is the bell that came with the set and wasn't doing anything setting in the box. 

coach joe posted:

Frizzenbee you are one very creative fellow.

I bow to his superior Weird-Fu. 

Mitch

THOMAS?????!!

Firewood posted:

...and, of course, on our layout Thomas blew-off his responsibilities one too many times.  He now stands as a reminder to other engines to be really useful:

ROFLMAO!

Mitch 

This is my entry into this thread. This is my built-from-scratch EMD F3 diesel unit. Downloaded a parts diagram from Lionel and began assembling the various parts from a number of different sources. Took about 3 months to get everything. Custom paint and decals by me. Full TMCC electronics, LED lighting and rear electro coupler.

Erica Ann I would have never guessed you assembled that whole F3 from pieces.  Well done!

Diverging Clear posted:

Great work by you Erica Ann! I will need some custom decals done in the future, so, I'll check out your website! 

Seconded!  I plan to drop NIMW a line about painting a trolley... 

Mitch 

Mitch, what no Razorback red rattlecan this time?  Does Fortesque approve?

DD40B

coach joe posted:

Mitch, what no Razorback red rattlecan this time?  Does Fortesque approve?

This time, the paint scheme is a bit beyond my talents...  

I know when I'm in over my head...   

Mitch 

Frizzenbee

My favorite of your many cars is the P 51 plane in crates on a flat car.  Great job.

Charlie

Choo Choo Charlie posted:

Frizzenbee

My favorite of your many cars is the P 51 plane in crates on a flat car.  Great job.

Charlie

Thanks!  Even though that's one of my early ones, that's a favorite of mine as well.  My number one favorite, though, is probably the passenger cars in my daughter's train set.  Back when she was ~3, we put pictures of all her favorite stuffed animals in the windows.   I could do a better job of this today... but for nostalgia reasons I like it the way it is: