Under The Hood: Polar Express Elf-Powered Observation Car!

That's cool!  They did that in the movie didn't they??  I need to watch it again! 

Jim 

"I've replicated the scene where elves on a hand car push the Polar Express' observation car back into place.. "

Mitch,
Why do you run everything at breakneck speed? If the elves couple up that fast, there is going to be an earth shattering KaBoom!

Sometimes I doesn't read so good LOL   Especially with such awesome pictures!   Cool cool cool at any rate!

Jim

That's FUN!!!

Big Jim posted:

"I've replicated the scene where elves on a hand car push the Polar Express' observation car back into place.. "

Mitch,
Why do you run everything at breakneck speed? If the elves couple up that fast, there is going to be an earth shattering KaBoom!

That's part of the fun!  ;-)  

carsntrains posted:

Sometimes I doesn't read so good LOL   Especially with such awesome pictures!   Cool cool cool at any rate!

Thankee!   

Popi posted:

That's FUN!!!

Yes.  Yes, it is.   That's why I do it!   

Mitch 

Lookit them elves go!  Must serve 64 oz. Triple-Power Monster-Red-Bulldogs in the cafeteria at the North Pole this time of year! 

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

At the request of @JohnD's dad, Joe D aka "Mickey Mantle",  I've replicated the scene where elves on a hand car push the Polar Express' observation car back into place.. 

The main issue was the pickup on the Elf handcar.  It wasn't playing nice with the track on Joe's layout, so he requested I run a jumper wire with plug from the pickups on the observation car to the handcar.

A small length of Plastruct tubing was cemented to the underside of the observation platform.

In operation,  the jumper is discreetly tucked beneath the railing. 

Joe also wanted a push bumper on the handcar.  A pocket clip salvaged from a scrapped ballpoint pen was repurposed for this. 

The jumper is attached to the power lead of the handcar. 

The plug is a cutdown spade socket. 

Wiring in place,  ready for reassembly. 

Final connexions before field testing. 

Success! 

Mitch 

 This is just great.  

I can't find the part number for that clip listed though in the Lionel book.  Is there sub-section for BIC or Papermate?

Fun & fast!

Very creative, and pretty cool too! 

SteveC posted:

M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

Joe also wanted a push bumper on the handcar.  A pocket clip salvaged from a scrapped ballpoint pen was re-purposed for this. 

 

Mitch 

 This is just great.  

I can't find the part number for that clip listed though in the Lionel book.  Is there sub-section for BIC or Papermate?

Fun & fast!

I have a heck of a time trying to find parts on Lionel's web site, too!