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As we all know, the very hardest part of starting a project is coming up with a name for it.  When, the other evening, I came up with the idea of plopping an Atlas/Industrial Rail Brill shell onto a single-truck RailKing bump and go chassis (both of which were idly knocking about the workshop up to no good), the name "Ratlas" came tripping across the tongue... 

Here we have the initial mockup.  

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Atlas bumpers fitted to the RailKing bumpers.  These were bolted into place later.  

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The Railking reversing headlight assembly is a clever bit of gear which wound up not being used.  

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One of the better moves I made some years back was to buy a lot of mixed Erector Set brackets.  You can use 'em for all kinds of things!  

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Erector set bracket plus old Marx screw in sockets = nice spot for an LED headlight. 

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Initial test fitting to ensure the thing is pointed in the general vicinity of the headlight lens.  Lenses were fabricated by clipping the bodies off the factory LED headlights.  That will learn 'em to cement the little indefinites in place!   

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Body brackets fabricated from Evergreen square tubing, clipped in half diagonally.   Was originally going to go with Erector brackets, but I couldn't get them to work properly. 

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The wiring of the RailKing cars is rather interesting.  One end feeds AC power to the overhead bulbs, while the other end feeds DC to the LED headlights, making for reversing headlights if you wire it properly.  And I did!  First time out of the box!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.   

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The completed item, ready for road testing... 

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The "Ratlas" graces the tracks of the Razorback Traction Co.!  

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Before - and - after with an unconverted IR Atlas car.  

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The Ratlas in action!  

Hope you enjoyed this and hope it gives you ideas!   

Mitch 

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That ain't no pygmy pony  

But it nicely forces that perspective 

.....is yours  

 

I just stumbled on an old 2014 trolley molestation thread of yours last night  online looking for random regear /repower articles and what are doing the next time I see you  .

I'd say your like clockwork, but that's just setting you up for trouble too.

 

Mitch, I did just the opposite and with the opposite results!

 I was looking to power a Corgi PCC trolley and the old Bowser power kits are long gone or findabe.  So, I bought an IR Birney and after much fiddling and rebuilding, got it to fit into the PCC trolley.  Testing the IR mechanism before placing it into the PCC and it ran fine all over my trolley line.  I put on the Corgi shell and it would not run at all!  Turns our the IR mechanism is so wimpy, it would run the all plastic Birney but did not have nearly enough power to run with the heavy Corgi shell!  So, my beautiful Corgi trolley is now a shelf piece and the IR mechanism waits another brain storm!

PeterA posted:

Mitch, I did just the opposite and with the opposite results!So, my beautiful Corgi trolley is now a shelf piece and the IR mechanism waits another brain storm!

Tch! I do have a Chicago Corgi PCC knocking about with Bowser power unit.  Ran it for the first time in a couple of years just now, works quite well.   

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Interested?  Drop me a line!   

Mitch 

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