Older model Doodlebug information

I'm gonna guess strictly free-lance; very interesting...

Mark in Oregon

I think it was/is kitBASHED with emphasis on the bash part.     It looks like the body shell is one of the "modern" extruded passenger cars made by a number of builders including MAC shops and LIonel.    It looks like it was shortened.     The front looks to be the Walthers front for a Gas-electric.    They made a kit for this and I am almost sure offered the fronts and rears separately.     The body is not quite right for a gas-electric.    The section behind the cab would have the motor-generator set and be 10-12 feet long maybe (2-3 inches).    It would be closed off without windows and may have vents.    The roof should have some exhaust stacks.    As you say, it is hard to find a prototype with ribbed sides.    All the photos I have seem have flat sides like heavy weight passenger cars - some rivet lines.

Looks for some photos of what the Sunset or NJCB gas electric models have.    To me they look like AAR diesel trucks.    An interesting note, many of these cars had shorter trucks in the rear than in the front, probably because they only had the front truc powered.    To power the model with a vintge truck, an old Thomas truck or the one used by All Nation in their early single power NW2s would be used.    Another option is some sort of streetcar/interurban truck model which would have been easy to find in those days.

Hey thanks prrjim, I knew there were problems with the models design like the lack of space for a motor. However the front is a casting and the body is an extrusion so I was looking for leads. I plan to keep the original builders vision alive while improving on its over all design. Come up with something that will look like a railroad converted existing equipment to meet a need. Blank out a window or two up front for an engine compartment and have a branch line passenger service.

Thanks

Ian

@Ian McKinley posted:

My goal is to end up with a reasonable 2 rail model with a vintage look to it.

It looks mighty "vintage" right now, so you can check that box!

Hello ...glad you came out the shadows ...looks like it might be a marriage with  Walthers nose and a Kaisner car body .....   

here is a Walthers Doogle bug nose casting ..with modified pilot...   Kaisner cars came out 1948 ...and were available through the 50's ..  as was the Walthers piece ...

cheers Carey 

Hey thanks Carey

Any chance of a side view of this model,  glad to get additional info on the parts origin. I found an old ebay add for the Walthers Kit which is helpful.

Ian

Definitely blank out one window on each side, probably 2 would look even better maybe. 

You only need a single power truck.     You would be able to pull one or two trailers with that.    The AAR trucks are the same look as an Alco 4 axle diesel. 

You have not mentioned if you want to power 2 or 3 rail.    If 3 rail, any truck out of a diesel from MTH or Lionel, or even Weaver.     They have all done Alcos and would be something that would pass.    The back truck should look the same but can be a dummy.   It would be neat if you make it shorter than the front one as on many prototypes.   Perhaps use a passenger truck.

For 2 rail, MTH and weaver die the trucks with motor on truck also.    Another option is a drive from P&D which is a descendent of the weaver single motor drive.    Just power one truck.

Make a frame/floor out of some very good 1/8 inch plywood or 1/8 styrene.

Thank you prrjim

It will be two rail and needs an engine compartment and a door for the engineer and maybe a baggage door. Looking at all the pictures I can find on the net and had noticed that many had different trucks. I appreciate the info on drives as I did not know what was available beyond Stanton Drives which would need side frames. I will be doing more research on line using these leads.

Thanks 

Ian

Most gas/oil-electrics, rail motor car, had rear trucks with a shorter wheelbase than the front truck. For the reason Jim cited. Not powered.

For example, the Brill 660/880 car (think PRR 4666) had a rear truck one foot shorter than the front. A good option would be a commonwealth express truck.

A lot depends on precise you want to be.    I was under the impression, this was to a representation not an accurate model of a prototype.    The ribbed sides make that hard.     so my power truck suggestions were based on pretty loose criteria.

Another power truck option that I mentioned before was used quite commonly for the walthers kits and others.    This was the single power truck that General Models and later All Nation  used to power their NW2 diesels.    They are similar to the modern trucks with motor on truck, but perhaps a little shorter wheelbased for the NW2.    These are not popular among modelers and therefore if  you find one at a show the price should be right.    They were sturdy and should clean up well.

I like the idea of the commonweath express truck for the rear unpowered one.

Thanks Jim, around here almost no one at train shows have two rail, its all 3 rail. Hopefully shows will start back up ?????  But I will keep looking on the internet, it helps to know what to search for.  And yes all I can do is try to capture the flavor of a Doodlebug.

Ian

Hello   here are some photos of a Walthers Doodlebug ..O scale one I believe is factory built ..39 /40 ..HO one much later 1960 + -

cheers Carey

Note that the Walthers car and HO car both have RPO sections, which many cars had.    However, many cars did not have RPO sections.   I'm not sure about baggage sections.    PRR gas-electrics did not have RPO sections.    When one ran on an RPO route, it pulled an RPO.    I think most or all PRR cars did have small baggage sections in addtition to the passenger section.

Awesome, thanks for the pictures. This car is to short so something will be left out. I have seen some cars on line with out a baggage compartment but really want to include that. Some have very short passenger compartments so I think a compromise will work out. I will be on the lookout for a power truck and a passenger truck.

Thank you

Ian

The body was made by Kasiner. They made extruded aluminum kits in ~15 inch, and longer for the scale crowd.

You can look for Kasiner on eBay and see some examples.

Thank you  RoyBoy,  I appreciate the lead.

Ian