And There It Was!

I was in the market today and the next railcar was just sitting there on the shelf.

This will be done up "disconnect style" though I don't know how elaborate it will end up.  I do know that I want a platform at the spout end with a Homie-type figure taking/trying to take beer from the bottle. I'll probably put a scale/near scale spigot into the bottle cap.  The wheels will receive "chrome spinners" and the trucks will be painted Candy Apple Red.

Also note that I was able to make Kadees work with the existing USA coupler pocket on the lowered reefer to bring the coupler up to standard Kadee gauge height while close coupling it to the body.  It still works on 8 foot diameter turns too.  (This could be done with a standard height (non-lowrider) USA reefer using a straight shank Kadee.)

Posted By kormsen on 05 Aug 2011 05:23 PM
maybe you equip your homie with an old fashioned drill and a bucket?

Work continues.

I decided that the bottle car would have a spine rather than be separate disconnects.  This would make it easier to physically handle and move, would give me someplace to mount the Kadees, provide a surface to mount deck work, and if I got thirsty, I could drink the beer without having to undo it from the car.

A piece of scrap 1-1/2" 1/8"-strap iron was thinned down to 7/8" on the belt sander so that the trucks could pivot about the spine within the space of the wheels.  Wooden bottle mounts were made from 1/2" square wood with the curves cut on the drill press by clamping the wood next to the bit before lowering it.  (Don't try to physically hold the wood bare-handed, I almost lost a thumb.)  The wood will receive cork inserts along the curves to hold the bottle.

  

I reamed out one of the spinners for a trial fit to the wheels.  Unforetunately, the bulge in the center of regular train wheels puts the spinners out too far and they interfere with the trucks.
 

Voila!

Posted By astrayelmgod on 10 Aug 2011 12:39 AM
You NEED something that plays La Cucuracha on a car horn. I was talking to Phoenix about this several years ago; I forget what they said, but they didn't laugh (to my face anyway) or tell me to get lost. But that project is still in my queue, and I have not followed up on it.

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Bajito y Suavecito

Today the vatos 'jacked some motive power.  When they saw the profile of the engine, it was a natural selection.  Look at that chopped top with the sweep roofline.  And all that gold??? Orale!
 

They are already fitting it for a continental kit and other mods.
 

A charp chort was brought in and mounts to the flatcar with a rubber band through the front two wheels to the stake pockets.  This lets it do it's thing unencumbered as would occur if both front and rear were fastened down.

The railcar trucks were painted metallic silver (were black) in preparation for the candy apple red to come.  I'll probably mount super white LEDs with 556 strobes to shine on the spinners if I can squeeze the LEDs to where they will do any good.
 

I've worked out the electronics using 556 chips and car will alternate a 3-4 hops on the front then rear and by using two "oscillators" for each end of the car (four in total), and setting their timing a bit different, make the hopping psuedo-random after it cycles through a pattern couple times.  I'll probally let it hop for 1 min than be still for 1 min.
 

The slammed beer reefer will house the electronics.

And the beer bottle car will receive additional detail.  These trucks will also be in candy apple and may receive alternating red/green lighting on the spinners.
 

Finally, all homies need a home.  This also looked like a natural.  The windows are already to the roofline.  The two axle set up and removable floor will allow for a new floor up into the body slamming it over the trucks.

 This is the list of job applicants.  Not all will make the cut.
 

El diablo is in the details.
 

Posted By cape cod Todd on 02 Sep 2011 08:23 PM
This has got to be one of the coolest trains I have ever seen. The caboose is great but don't ruin it by putting graffitti on it you could paint flames and then pinstripe the crap out of it. Just a thought. That caboose is so low luckily there are no speed bumps on train tracks or you would never make it over without scrapping.
Maybe you could put some blinking lights inside the beer bottle and have the low rider song playing as the train goes round.
The continental kit on the engine is a hoot.
When it is finished be sure to post more pics.
Todd

Posted By Dave Meashey on 08 Sep 2011 11:19 AM

"That caboose is so low luckily there are no speed bumps on train tracks or you would never make it over without scrapping."

 

Todd;

 

Would you care to make a bet on that?

 

 

It's just possible you could lose.  Seems that there IS a prototype for almost everything.

 

Best,

David Meashey

Posted By cape cod Todd on 15 Sep 2011 11:30 AM
It's getting there. Good stuff. Along with the bobble headed dog don't forget the fuzzy dice. I remember back in the day when cars had rear decks you would often see the gold crown air freshners. I remember seeing one that was a gold fist.
Keep us updated.

Posted By SoCalStu on 15 Sep 2011 11:17 PM

You'd better get a wash tub under that bottle cap or you're going to lose half its contents shortly!

Posted By Totalwrecker on 23 Sep 2011 09:02 PM
Back light the wheels (wheel wells) in neon purple and you've got it!!
Mon tres charp!

Jaun