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

Hi everyone', here's a  scratch built ,"Payroll Car" from a half of an "All Nations ", diner car.  The red side is pieces of balsa wood. It is based on a kit of an actual wood payroll car.  [not sure of the brand] . The trucks are old school "Walthers, cast white metal, with old plastic and metal wheels from various scrap parts.  The actual kit was in a million pieces of small 1 x 1.5" sheets of basswood.  No hint of instructions,  I couldn't figure out how to put  it together, so I designed and built my own version.  Complete with the pay master and RR uniformed police, for security, and the gang foreman...

In case you are wondering why I write in bold'?  It helps me see the print'.. poor eyesight'

Actual 'Payroll Car'

Quarter Gauger, that is an interesting-looking railcar.

Did a little more work today on one of my Williams Brass K4s. So far have cut out 1/8” in the frame between the cylinders and drivers and maybe 3/16” from the nose of the frame. Also cut 1/8”ish from the front of the second course just behind the smokebox. Temp 36” dia freightcar wheels for the pilot and shortened the pilot by abot 3/8”. Today I got around to soldering the boiler back together, not done but in solid and seemingly straight but still a lot of fiddling to go. Looks like it will take my 0-42 curves as is. Its getting there slow but sure.

The cab steps for one of my prewar switchers were missing, as is a common issue...so I fabricated a new step from copper and JB Weld filled it in. This topic is so long, sorry if I posted this before!

Tom  

A minor alteration when my orange cable reels got lost.  Just a couple of YoYos.

Charlie

A MTH NE style caboose converted to two rail, repainted, weathered and has the trucks pushed outward for a prototypical spacing.

Glad to see this thread still going.  I'll have to see if I have pics of some more homegrown cars.

I see Porter09 and another have done inspection engines ...l was planning one, but has seen a photo of a similar, but longer steam coach, and built and posted it.  Think l used a Walthers combine kit. I have a number of "critters", some I'd forgotten, such as an 0-8-0 switcher with Elesco and flying pumps.  Others are a steam dummy, a Lionel 0-8-0 bashed into a Great Western consolidation, pickle plant factory branch cars, etc.  Will have to post photos.

Hello again! I've added steps to the Excelsior. Yes , that is the name of locomotive.

 I also really enjoy  this thread,it's a reminder of model railroader ingenuity at it's finest.

Please keep posting the pictures,it really shows the creative side of the hobby that makes it more than just cookie cutter train running .

Hey Porter09, The Excelsior looks just like the 'executive inspection' cars for the big railways of the steam erra...  Nice job'....

I have posted these railcars before, with the steam coach centerpiece. I will build a Walthers gas electric and maybe an inspection engine to join them.  I have a Mack rail bus and a very rare Sykes rail bus, in brass, 3 railed, l can't quickly find. Both need reverse installed.

Photos:

Now photo of steam coach, also previously posted:

Now will add photos of steam coach, #60 Consol. on the Great Western, with a stand-in tender, built from a Lionel 0-8-0, a switcher maybe built from same source, for my free-lance road, with Elesco, flying pumps, and Vanderbilt tender (as l want all equipped), and a Marx #1829 bashed into a Mikado.  All need better tenders...#60 a scale one, all others good models of varying lengths of coal Vanderbilts.

And the free lance Lionel 0-8-0.

Lionel Standard Gauge  339 cars converted  to M.U. cars that actually run off a live catenary .

Added a cover to one of my 512 Standard Gauge gondola cars.

Here is another standard gauge car I worked on . I took a 513 cattle car and converted it to a lighted poultry car.

Homemade Longer Vanderbilt Tender

Got around to making a second longer Vanderbilt Coal Tender, marked up as a Rock Island.  It is identical to the shorter Vanderbilt Coal Tender except it is 1 inch longer. 

I cut up an old coal tender with the band saw.

Added 1 inch to the side bottom rails from the plastic from the not needed part of the CT and added pieces of tin to strengthen with J B Weld.

A bottom was made from a piece of sheet metal roofing bending the folds in a wood working 4 x 10 inch Columbia vise.

The water tank section was made from part of a 2 inch dia. mailing tube and decking and reinforcing was make from popsicle sticks.  Dark red sealing was from 60 year old model airplane dope.

The crack between the coal pile and water tank was filled in with balsa wood.  A pair of six wheel Williams trucks, one with a coupling, were purchased years ago at a train show just for a large Vanderbilt coal tender.  The tank domed back is from a hair spay can bottom, ground off with a grinder.  See the back up light and hand grab ready for the ladder to come.

A back up light and ladder (made from N gauge track with every other tie cut out) and hand hold were added to give more detail.  The first shorter Vanderbilt CT also got new ladder and hand hold.  The CT was painted with Krylon semi gloss black spray can paint.

Decals were applied and sealed with clear spray paint.  The 50 year old decals had to be sprayed with clear before applying as they disintegrated in the  water.

The new, longer Vanderbilt Coal tender is only one inch longer than the first one and the same length of the longer Lionel 6 wheel CT sold with longer engines.  The big boy CT sure makes the shorter one look stubbier.  The longer CT and the longer Lionel 2065 will not quit fit on my turntable so the get to stay on the layout cruising.

Charlie

Nice work Charlie,  good use of on hand materials and tools'... very clever'.. The tenders look great'..

Made this BN F3B unit from an MTH B&M B unit. Scalecoat paint and Microscale decals.

This F7 is an unpowered unit that became my second attempt at painting Frisco mandarin orange/white. The “two foot rule” definitely applies here. To make it more authentic to SLSF I added flared smoke arrestors, a yellow beacon, and a forward facing 5 chime horn.  The decals are from K4. This will look right at home hauling the QLA, QSF, or CTB from Birmingham to Floydada, TX. 
When I get better skills at painting, I may start taking better photos.  For now, I will just weather it Heavily with road grime and blame the Springfield diesel shop for the appearance. 

I didn't know where to begin, so here's a view of the Razorback Traction Co. empire,  where pretty much every bit of rolling stock has been tweaked or outright fabricated in one way or another... 

With the sometimes dubious assistance of the staff, of course... 

Mitch 

Did this one 10 yrs ago this mouth..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4eK3Qe2g84 

Working on my own version of the Diesel Polar Express. Not sure if I'll leave the trucks silver or paint them black.  This is the first train related project in awhile, but it's fun to get back into it!

Nick

At the July Greenberg train show in Monroeville, PA, I purchased a 2-rail U.S. Navy Helium car that needed some work.  It had one panel missing on the top by one ladder, but was otherwise intact.  It was missing some handrail and door lock details which were never installed by the original builder, and the original decals had been incorrectly applied.  It appeared to have been made some time in the 1930s or 1940s due to the now yellowed lacquer that was used to seal the car. 

I started working on it to repair it, add the missing details, and convert it to 3-rail for regular operation.  I made the missing panel out of bass wood and installed Lionel LionScale trucks to the metal Westbrook frame.  The end sills had to be ground down a bit to allow clearance for the couplers.  Also, I am not sure if it is a Westbrook kit, as it appears that the original builder updated a few details like the end sills, side steps, ladders, and frame.  I added the missing brake details to the bottom of the car as well.  I started painting the car silver with a black undercarriage.  I used Tichy Train Group decals for the U.S. Navy Helium car.  The decals are for the 3rd generation Helium cars and the model is of the 2nd generation cars, so I had to take a little liberty with them.  I had to create the eagle decal from a picture of the original on the car.  I took a clear photo of it and edited the photo with Microsoft Paint to create an outline of the eagle that I could print on decal paper.  I finished applying the decals last week and put the final clear coat on Friday morning.  Please see the attached photos.

Here is the car the day I got it.

Here is the car after I made the missing roof panel and converted it to LionScale trucks.

Here is the final product after working on it over the last four months.

Here are my custom painted, by CJB painting, Lionel 2243's done up for Autism Awareness.  She painted these two F units for me a few years ago back when I was not working.  Both F units were given to me for the purpose of this project.  Times are much better now and its time to dust these off and run them again.  I wish I still had the 2333 NYC's.   Mike the Aspie

Here's my homemade Holiday Train!  

https://ogrforum.com/...9#115459344504647519

Mitch 

Howdy, I have shamelessly posted these elsewhere on the site but as they show the only railroad construction project completed in 2019 I will bother you again.     This is a kit-bashed Labelle traction motor. It was a hoot to get done in general.

Jim K

Jim,

 Very nice & unique.

Tom

Past and current endeavors for my military consists.....

Jesse   TCA

wbg pete posted:

Pete, I really like that. I've had the very same idea of shortening a 4-bay quad hopper for quite some time, but couldn't visualize how it would look. Now I know thanks to you. Super!

I prefer the Industrial Rail and MTH Rugged Rails versions of the quad hopper as they are smaller than the Lionel one. Seeing this photo gives me cause to reconsider that thinking.

@Nick R.  I'm not a fan of the Polar Express, though I am appreciative of what it has done for the hobby as a whole. That said, I really like the project you have going there. 

Beats me, why Lionel didn't try the same idea, other than it wouldn't be representative of the style of engine and cars in the movie. Therefore maybe also a licensing issue.

Still that engine and cars would look right at home on 027 curves. Which is why I do the projects that I undertake. Nice idea. Post some more photos as you progress with the project. I like what I'm seeing so far!

Here are some of mine....

One I'm still working on.

midnightwrecking posted:

Canadian National Hudson tank engine, commuter service to Montreal.  I had to have one first time I saw a picture of one!

Came across this and just wanted to say, wonderful job!! Is that PS1? I have the Pennsy 1014 from MTH with PS1 (same engine besides the decals)

NS6770Fan posted:

midnightwrecking posted:

Canadian National Hudson tank engine, commuter service to Montreal.  I had to have one first time I saw a picture of one!

Came across this and just wanted to say, wonderful job!! Is that PS1? I have the Pennsy 1014 from MTH with PS1 (same engine besides the decals)

 This is absolutely outstanding and an incredible customization!!!!  I've seen plenty of scratch built and modification engines, in all scales.  This is one of the best.   Congratulations on your excellent modeling skills.  You have also given me an idea of using wire to make piping'.  Thank you" I never thought of that until I saw your work'... And impressive work it is indeed'!!!!

Wanted a newer steel caboose to go along with my CNJ plywood one (posted earlier in the thread). Started with an MTH C&NW Northeastern caboose (looked great in the green and gold, but I have no other C&NW equipment, and it was available for $15), filled in the end windows and the side window by the stove (this window had the frame removed and was welded over on the prototypes), removed whatever that little thing MTH had sticking out of the roof was, and painted her up for CNJ. Left the handrails by the filled in windows on the end rather than pull them out and replace each one with 2 as on the prototype. Still have to add the hoop handrails to the roof, and eventually weather her up some (as "maintenance" was often a dirty word on the CNJ)...