I’m thinking of kit-bashing an electric box-cab or steeple-cab on to an old Marx motor I salvaged from a find at a train show last year. I want keep it simple. Has anyone else kit-bashed a box-cab or steeple-cab locomotive? If so lets see them.
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Its the body of a French steeplecab with a custom frame to use a Marx motor unit. I used a tinplate looking trolley pole from a cheap windup knockoff. The headlight mount bracket was fabricated. I did the paint job. I used it wth prewar Flyer and Lionel consists circa 20'-30's....With compromise couplers.
I am almost done with a scratch built steam clockwork...using a Hornby drive. Ill post it when done. It uses a Marx tank car for the boiler..Ill post it when completed.
Great looking one 
Here's my "Ode to Prewar" centercab I built to haul some prewar AF coaches. It's powered by a Marx double reduction motor and made of wood and PVC pipe, a Radio Shack light socket and other herbs and spices. lol
I painted it like an old Ives cast iron engine, including some "chipped" paint around the edges of the roof.
Great looking one
A suggestion..The body was made by Jouef in France and across the pond, steeplecabs in tinplate are much more common and my strategy was to go to the UK version of Ebay, as U.S sellers want an arm and a leg for this stuff. Also..I have bought Hornby etc there and the shipping costs are not as bad as you would think. Often they are comparable to U.S costs. Its a matter of having the patience to search for bargains as always. More often then not it pays off..
Here's my "Ode to Prewar" centercab I built to haul some prewar AF coaches. It's powered by a Marx double reduction motor and made of wood and PVC pipe, a Radio Shack light socket and other herbs and spices. lol
I painted it like an old Ives cast iron engine, including some "chipped" paint around the edges of the roof.
Thats simply brilliant. Amazing! My favorite is Prewar A.F. This is one I restored the headlights, pantograph and replaced the wheels on...
Here's my "Ode to Prewar" centercab I built to haul some prewar AF coaches. It's powered by a Marx double reduction motor and made of wood and PVC pipe, a Radio Shack light socket and other herbs and spices. lol
I painted it like an old Ives cast iron engine, including some "chipped" paint around the edges of the roof.
Love it awesome great job 
Here's one that started off as this:
and after adding a Weaver drive and a little bit more......ended up as this:
Here's one that started off as this:
and after adding a Weaver drive and a little bit more......ended up as this:
Came out great very nice
Ive seen very nice cab body units, and GG1s carved in wood. Couldn't tell that it wasn't cast without really looking hard. I think wood would work well(
). The motors shape screams electric center cab. A tall hood "block" profile short diesel switcher would be easiest, just keep the body's edge low enough to hide the big wheels(like the long tin MARX cab bodies with the steam sized drivers up front.
Here's one that started off as this:
and after adding a Weaver drive and a little bit more......ended up as this:
Wow...I am in awe of your metal working skills etc. If you taught a class. Id attend and sit in the front row. Are the Weaver drives available separately? I have a interurban freight motor I cannot find three rail trucks for. Converting the common two rail trucks seems too daunting.
Ive seen very nice cab body units, and GG1s carved in wood. Couldn't tell that it wasn't cast without really looking hard. I think wood would work well(). The motors shape screams electric center cab. A tall hood "block" profile short diesel switcher would be easiest, just keep the body's edge low enough to hide the big wheels(like the long tin MARX cab bodies with the steam sized drivers up front.
Did not even think of doing a electric center cab might have to now
That thing was a total bear to work with - better than 0.080 thick galvanized steel! Soldering was "educational" to say the least, 
Weaver drives? I just buy up old RS-3 or FA units and strip out the drive components, and either resell or give away the body shell. Cheap and reliable drives.....
A year or 2 back I adapted a Weaver drive into a set of Current Line traction side frames and put that under one of those old IMP ED144 boxcabs that KTM made that were imported in the 50's. It's serialized in my column in O Scale Trains.
That thing was a total bear to work with - better than 0.080 thick galvanized steel! Soldering was "educational" to say the least,
Weaver drives? I just buy up old RS-3 or FA units and strip out the drive components, and either resell or give away the body shell. Cheap and reliable drives.....
A year or 2 back I adapted a Weaver drive into a set of Current Line traction side frames and put that under one of those old IMP ED144 boxcabs that KTM made that were imported in the 50's. It's serialized in my column in O Scale Trains.
Still very nice work
That thing was a total bear to work with - better than 0.080 thick galvanized steel! Soldering was "educational" to say the least,
Weaver drives? I just buy up old RS-3 or FA units and strip out the drive components, and either resell or give away the body shell. Cheap and reliable drives.....
A year or 2 back I adapted a Weaver drive into a set of Current Line traction side frames and put that under one of those old IMP ED144 boxcabs that KTM made that were imported in the 50's. It's serialized in my column in O Scale Trains.
Still very nice work
Thanks!
Still have 3-4 more boxcabs and a few steeple cabs to power stacked up in the projects queue. 
Thanks!
still have 3-4 more boxcabs and a few steeple cabs to power stacked up in the projects queue.
Cool 
Back when I could see small parts better, I built these On30 infernal combustion locos, both built from styrene on HO drives. Adding side rods to a Bachmann F-unit was a real treat! LOL
Back when I could see small parts better, I built these On30 infernal combustion locos, both built from styrene on HO drives. Adding side rods to a Bachmann F-unit was a real treat! LOL
They look great
Here's my "Ode to Prewar" centercab I built to haul some prewar AF coaches. It's powered by a Marx double reduction motor and made of wood and PVC pipe, a Radio Shack light socket and other herbs and spices. lol
I painted it like an old Ives cast iron engine, including some "chipped" paint around the edges of the roof.
What are the dimentions of the engine?
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