Toy Upgrading and Model Building

LeksServices

New Member
I have put some thought in to the upgrading of the toy trains that I have right now. I have drawn some conclusions about what I want, and where I want to go with my layout. These conclusions mean that I am not too likely to want much done with the toys that I have beyond repowering them.

Perhaps they could be relics running on the railroad.

I prefer to model heavy, modern, American deisel freights, unless I decide to build a passenger train, which is the case here. I prefer passenger trains to be more sleek, streamlined.

I love the cab of the F59PHI, and it's full body profile. Unfortunately, it has a platform on the back end :eek: which kinda' ruins it for me.

I'm looking to repower the toys I have. Mebbe give them new trucks, new couplers, and stuff like that. I certainly do not believe I will be adding any new manifolds or anything to them, although ... maybe ... in the end ... I might.

The toys are just "for now" models, until I can build the equipment I really want.

The locomotive I would want to haul passenger cars would have to be constructed on an SD90MAC Chassis with Bolsterless Trucks or an SD60MAC chassis with SD50 trucks {I can not remember their technical name}. It would have the F59PHI cab, SD60MAC or SD90MAC roof where appropriate, and F59PHI Full Body Elements. I would enclose the back platform, perhaps by tacking on the end of a passenger car. It would be a complex job, but I believe it would be worth it.

I would probably make most of the locomotive out of plastic, and add weights to it afterward. It would be constructed more like an HO unit than an N one. Subsequently, it would be great if I could get a flywheel drive for these units.

The passenger cars that would follow it would be bilevel cars of an odd sort. They would really be two passenger car bodies stacked one atop the other, would ride on heavyweight trucks, and would have to be skirted.

I'm an oddball fruitcake.

I would really love to know where I might cobble together the parts for these models. I would also love to know what tools I will need for this, and where I can get them.

I already have a Dremel. {Gigglez}

The toys I'm looking to upgrade, they're unlikely to be upgraded much beyond couplers, repowering, and trucks. My excuse for their existence on the model railroad would be "Legacy Units," or older motive power and equipment that were constructed before the railroad got their newer rolling stock.

Lynn
 

Triplex

Active Member
an SD60MAC chassis with SD50 trucks {I can not remember their technical name}
SD50s use HT-C trucks, the same as 6-axle Dash 2s and the SD60. Except, of course, for Conrail SD50s which used trade-in Flexicoil C trucks like Conrail SD40-2s. These are the trucks of pre-Dash 2 6-axle EMDs.
 
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