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@Dave_C posted:

Lee, yes those are Farmall’s  I was at a show a few years ago and there were a bunch on a table for sale. I had seen flatcars with tractors in some pictures and decided to buy them. Really just bought the Farmall’s because there were plenty of them versus the others and I wanted it to look like a factory shipment. They are cool looking. Just not sure of when they were built or where.

Sorry I misread the title of 027 flatcars and posted. Glad you enjoyed them though.

Thanks I don’t care if there not o27 I was glad you shared them

Nice work on your "027" trailers Lee. You wrote previously on my photo thread, that my work had inspired you. And now, your alterations shown here have inspired me.

Some photos below that may have been on my other thread...

Shortened Lionel Trailer Train flat car

Above, a traditional Lionel flat car that I cut a piece out of, to shorten and get it more to proper "027 scale." Since taking this photo I have painted the treadplate ends of the flatcar a blackened silver. May not be accurate, but I like it better. The trailer is one I found many years ago at a dollar store, that is perfect "027 scale." Slightly smaller than the traditional type Lionel containers. I wish I had gotten more of them at that time, as I have never seen them again since.

Shortened Trailer Train flat car

Above, an originally much longer flat car, that I chopped down to more "027 scale" proportions. The trailer is one of the traditional type containers made by Lionel for many years. I also cut the length of that down, managing to keep the original factory lettering, but painted the roof of the trailer silver to help hide the cut line which was more visible on the roof.

027 Deep Well Container Car

Above is fun project that had been on my mind for years... an 027-friendly deep well car, albeit a representation versus an accurate scale replica. The flat car is an MPC era 8-inch one. I used styrene on the sides for the alterations, and other scrap parts, like some cut down K-Line metal ladders from their boxcars. The bottom container trailer is one of the Lionel 027 ones, that I cut the bottom off of. It fits snuggly over a piece of foam board that is glued to the flatcar surface. This is so I can change the bottom CSX container if I wish. The top container has the wheels and everything else on the bottom, cut off. It stays put on the lower container via some pieces of hobby foam glued to the bottom of the upper container. Since this photo was taken, I have added JB Hunt decals to this trailer.

Trailer Train flat converted from dump car

I have several of this type of car, which started off as the frames from the Lionel spring activated dump cars, BUT which had the dump tabs broken off of when I bought them. I make various alterations to the flat car, so that I can use a variety of containers or trailers on them. The container shown above is one of the traditionally sized Lionel type.

Now when I get the Lionel dump cars of this type, I make supports to reinforce the tabs for the dump frame on the car itself. It's much easier to replace the dump frame if the tabs break on those (or even fix them, though kind of a pain), than it is to repair the ones on the car itself... and get the repaired tabs to match the existing color of the car. Much easier to take preventative steps.

CNJ 027 Flat Car with NH Trailer

I believe this was the photo Lee that you commented on previously. I like what you did with the wheels on your trailers, and my have to make some alterations to mine. I have these Lionel pup 027  trailers repainted in Reading, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Conrail, Chessie System, Jersey Central, Burlington Northern, JB Hunt and many others now.

Given that Lionel's tooling dollars are completely lopsided to the high-end side, we 027 and traditionally sized operators really have to take matters into our own hands. I have always found it somewhat ironic that I get so many positive comments about my alterations from HO scale guys. The very first time I did a show with a traveling layout I had, the HO guys were just raving about it. "Hey, take a look at what this Lionel guy is doing... you've never seen anything like this."

I've asked a few of them as to why.  They have told me that even though what I am doing isn't to precision scale, I am doing what they have done for years: Being a model railroader.

Thanks Lee for showing us your projects. Call me inspired. May be others will be too.

Attachments

Images (5)
  • Shortened Lionel Trailer Train flat car
  • Shortened Trailer Train flat car
  • 027 Deep Well Container Car
  • Trailer Train flat converted from dump car
  • CNJ 027 Flat Car with NH Trailer

Nice work on your "027" trailers Lee. You wrote previously on my photo thread, that my work had inspired you. And now, your alterations shown here have inspired me.

Some photos below that may have been on my other thread...

Shortened Lionel Trailer Train flat car

Above, a traditional Lionel flat car that I cut a piece out of, to shorten and get it more to proper "027 scale." Since taking this photo I have painted the treadplate ends of the flatcar a blackened silver. May not be accurate, but I like it better. The trailer is one I found many years ago at a dollar store, that is perfect "027 scale." Slightly smaller than the traditional type Lionel containers. I wish I had gotten more of them at that time, as I have never seen them again since.

Shortened Trailer Train flat car

Above, an originally much longer flat car, that I chopped down to more "027 scale" proportions. The trailer is one of the traditional type containers made by Lionel for many years. I also cut the length of that down, managing to keep the original factory lettering, but painted the roof of the trailer silver to help hide the cut line which was more visible on the roof.

027 Deep Well Container Car

Above is fun project that had been on my mind for years... an 027-friendly deep well car, albeit a representation versus an accurate scale replica. The flat car is an MPC era 8-inch one. I used styrene on the sides for the alterations, and other scrap parts, like some cut down K-Line metal ladders from their boxcars. The bottom container trailer is one of the Lionel 027 ones, that I cut the bottom off of. It fits snuggly over a piece of foam board that is glued to the flatcar surface. This is so I can change the bottom CSX container if I wish. The top container has the wheels and everything else on the bottom, cut off. It stays put on the lower container via some pieces of hobby foam glued to the bottom of the upper container. Since this photo was taken, I have added JB Hunt decals to this trailer.

Trailer Train flat converted from dump car

I have several of this type of car, which started off as the frames from the Lionel spring activated dump cars, BUT which had the dump tabs broken off of when I bought them. I make various alterations to the flat car, so that I can use a variety of containers or trailers on them. The container shown above is one of the traditionally sized Lionel type.

Now when I get the Lionel dump cars of this type, I make supports to reinforce the tabs for the dump frame on the car itself. It's much easier to replace the dump frame if the tabs break on those (or even fix them, though kind of a pain), than it is to repair the ones on the car itself... and get the repaired tabs to match the existing color of the car. Much easier to take preventative steps.

CNJ 027 Flat Car with NH Trailer

I believe this was the photo Lee that you commented on previously. I like what you did with the wheels on your trailers, and my have to make some alterations to mine. I have these Lionel pup 027  trailers repainted in Reading, Norfolk Southern, CSX, Conrail, Chessie System, Jersey Central, Burlington Northern, JB Hunt and many others now.

Given that Lionel's tooling dollars are completely lopsided to the high-end side, we 027 and traditionally sized operators really have to take matters into our own hands. I have always found it somewhat ironic that I get so many positive comments about my alterations from HO scale guys. The very first time I did a show with a traveling layout I had, the HO guys were just raving about it. "Hey, take a look at what this Lionel guy is doing... you've never seen anything like this."

I've asked a few of them as to why.  They have told me that even though what I am doing isn't to precision scale, I am doing what they have done for years: Being a model railroader.

Thanks Lee for showing us your projects. Call me inspired. May be others will be too.

Brian thanks for sharing your story and pics. I’ve always had this idea in my head for years but never persuaded it. My life has changed since I go Covid I deal with post Covid every day and life is just too short anymore so that’s why I’m really going to focus on building as many of these as I can. This is what it’s all about inspiring each other and sharing ideas. I’ll be posting more later.

@coach joe posted:

Lee, those Lyon decals make that pup look sharp.

I notice David's Nickel Plate pups have a squarer nose and tandem axles.  I wonder how many of the Lionel TOFCs came that way?

Thanks Joe I can’t wait to get the wheels on it and seal the decals but it’s very cold here so I’ll have to wait to seal them when it warms up. I just bought a Western Maryland and it is a square nose with tandem wheels. I have 2 sets of Nickel Plate I think there’s a Lionel trailer that’s a square nose. I plan on making these square nosed ones my “West Coast” trailers. I hope you guys follow along. If you have any pics of these O27 Lionel piggybacks please post them

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