I want to add a doodlebug to my railroad since space limitations prevent me from running any passenger trains. I've looked at the Bachman Gas Electrics, but I want something more of my own. Does anyone have any suggestions on where I should begin this task? Thanks for the help.
scratchbuilding/kitbashing a doodlebug
- Thread starter JGuess733
- Start date
Hi JG, many people start with the Bachman Doodle and shortin it a lot or bash it. As it is a front wheel drive only you can do a lot with it at a good price. I got one to do that but I liked the looks of it so I just relettered and new logo for my road and left as is. Luck, Jim 
I scratchbuilt one and used a power truck from an Athearn SW-7. Then Shortened a set of Athearn streamliner passenger truck side frames to the same wheelbase.
A Model Die Cast Harriman Combine might be a good shell to kit-bash into a gas-electric.
This thread by interurban may help.
It describes how to modify an Athearn SW chassis and a combine shell to build an interurban car.
The same principle could be used to build a gas-electric.
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=7224
A Model Die Cast Harriman Combine might be a good shell to kit-bash into a gas-electric.
This thread by interurban may help.
It describes how to modify an Athearn SW chassis and a combine shell to build an interurban car.
The same principle could be used to build a gas-electric.
http://www.the-gauge.com/showthread.php?t=7224
I'm currently building a doodlebug using the MDC Harriman combine. I'm using an article out of an old Model Railroader as a guide. It's the Feburary 1979 issue. You require: 1 SW7 chasiss, 1 MDC Harriman Combine, and 1 Athearn GP-7/9 shell. Plus some detail parts. The cutting and splicing on the Combine is fairly extensive, so be careful.
Hi Jason,
I see you made it over here from trains.com MR forums. I hope you are finding useful information. The thread by interurban (Chris) should help, and Ray and others are great at kitbashing/scratchbuilding, so you should get lots of help.
Andrew
I see you made it over here from trains.com MR forums. I hope you are finding useful information. The thread by interurban (Chris) should help, and Ray and others are great at kitbashing/scratchbuilding, so you should get lots of help.
Andrew
I forgot to post the picture of mine under construction:
The body was cut into 4 different parts and reassembled to give a little better dimesions for the motor area/bagage room. The roof was shortened and filled in the front using the interior walls included in the MDC kit. The front door also came from the MDC interior wall.
The body was cut into 4 different parts and reassembled to give a little better dimesions for the motor area/bagage room. The roof was shortened and filled in the front using the interior walls included in the MDC kit. The front door also came from the MDC interior wall.
Glen,
I like the looks of your doodlebug so far.
I didn't know there was an article on how to build one using the MDC Harriman. I'll have to find a copy of it.
I like the looks of your doodlebug so far.
I didn't know there was an article on how to build one using the MDC Harriman. I'll have to find a copy of it.
Hi Glen, that is one nice project you have please keep us posted on your progress.
Hi Jason, hope you got my PM .
I note that our friend Ray has posted one of the links I mentioned, thanks Ray.
I did say I was not impressed with the motor in the doodle bug but hey try it out first you can allways gut it
Tell us more about your L/O Jason.
Here is the link to pole making for you.
in the How to section
http://members.rogers.com/urbanscene/startpage.html
Hi Jason, hope you got my PM .
I note that our friend Ray has posted one of the links I mentioned, thanks Ray.
I did say I was not impressed with the motor in the doodle bug but hey try it out first
you can allways gut it Tell us more about your L/O Jason.
Here is the link to pole making for you.
in the How to section
http://members.rogers.com/urbanscene/startpage.html
Hey Guys, wow I'm impressed with all the help I'm getting. Glen your doodlebug looks great. I must admit that looks a bit overwhelming for me. I'll have to take it slow and easy if I decide to kitbash. As far as my L/O goes, right now it's only 4x5 feet, I just got done setting it up in the spare bedroom room of the house, my wife doesn't know it yet, but it's going to slowy envelop the rest of the room. I figure if I go slow enough she won't notice until it's too late. It's a ficticious line (that just got renamed again it's now the Foggy Bottom & Beaver Creek RR) set in some mountians somewhere set in the 1940's, with an independant narrow gauge railroad that connects the town of Foggy Bottom to the routin toutin wild west mountian town of Fontana. The narrow gauge railroad has yet to be named occupys a 6 inch by 3 foot scrap piece of plywood. Thats about it for now. I'm getting ready to add a 2x4 foot extension so I can throw a small yard and some engine service facilities. I've also decided to throw an interurban line in there that the FB&BC interchanges with. I've been working on the railroad for the last four years but with my work schedule being the way it is (I"m in the Navy) progress has been extreamly slow. I usually take a few projects to sea with me.