Time to build a railway...but where?

[drewzero1]

I've looked into doing a similar conversion. Unfortunately, that particular image is a clever fake... Deutsche Bahn did use VW Bus "Draisines" for inspection motors, albeit in un-lengthened form:

germany-vw-bus-1200x834.jpg (308.75 KiB) Viewed 710 times

And with a clever built-in turntable system as well!


Here's a longer video with some nice shots underway:


Here in the US, the LIRR also had some hi-rail converted Buses that kept their street wheels and added liftable flanged wheels fore and aft. (Sorry if it's a bit much, I'm a huge fan of air-cooled VWs!)

[Peter Butler]

Thanks Drew, if you are a VW fan you might be familiar with this one, which I made many years ago...

IMG_2195.JPG (156.85 KiB) Viewed 702 times

[Old Man Aaron]

Forgot about those two. Terrific little conversions.

[Phil.P]

You wait ages.......

And then:

Bernina Drasines

IMG_20240207_165748.jpg (1.88 MiB) Viewed 691 times

Phil.P

[drewzero1]

Thanks Drew, if you are a VW fan you might be familiar with this one, which I made many years ago...

Yes, no need for a turntable with that one! I've always admired Citröens from afar, especially the 2CV and DS, but with my Volkswagens and SAAB I've already got enough weird cars to keep me more than busy for a while.

[Peter Butler]

You wait ages.......

And then:
IMG_20240207_165748.jpg

Phil.P

Go for it Phil.... they would look perfect back-to-back.

[philipy]

And with a clever built-in turntable system as well!

Clearly the Germans pinched the idea from the Wickham Trolley!

[Phil.P]

You wait ages.......

And then:
IMG_20240207_165748.jpg

Phil.P

Go for it Phil.... they would look perfect back-to-back.

Unfortunately, neither of these two are mine..
Both are to be 'breathed upon'. - Pickup problems on one, and the chassis of the other is suffering from 'mazac rot', so I am having to get a little less subtle, with the engineering..
I am watching a yellow and white one, on EvilBay, presently..

Phil.P

[Peter Butler]

I am watching a yellow and white one, on EvilBay, presently..

Phil.P

The yellow and white one appears to be a smaller scale and not to be confused with the die cast, Road Signature manufacture. 1:18 is the nearest to our 16mm/ft. scale.

[drewzero1]

I've been keeping an eye out for 1:18 vehicles since seeing your street scenes earlier in this thread, Peter... However many pages ago that was! I have a toy VW type 2 truck around here somewhere that seemed like it would be a perfect little rail motor, but I think it might be 1:24 and thus somewhat smaller than it should be.

[dudeface]

Constantly thinking about what to do next my eyes gazed upon an item which I have shown in the past. This is something I decided not to modify, but time has a habit of changing things and so I set about it as my latest project....

IMG_3128.JPG

It is the VW camper van, which I have seen real-life photographs of, having been converted and even extended to run on standard gauge line....

long VW.jpg

So I thought I might give it a try....

100_0766.JPG

It is a nice model, well detailed die-cast body with opening doors, sliding sunroof, detailed interior etc.
Way back in about 2014 I did convert it to RH drive but had no plans to cut it up at the time. Once separated it looked possible, although tricky, as the plastic chassis appeared to be anything but keen on the idea. However, there seemed to be room within the body to accept the flanged wheels of the same diameter as the road wheels, so out with the razor saw and off we go!

Oh boy..... here he goes again

[dudeface]

but with my Volkswagens and SAAB I've already got enough weird cars to keep me more than busy for a while.

Big fan of funny little cars myself, especially Messerschmitts... (Try making one of those into a railcar! )

[Old Man Aaron]

Big fan of funny little cars myself, especially Messerschmitts... (Try making one of those into a railcar! )

Never realised they built things without wings. Old and weird, just how I like a car.

[ge_rik]

I remember being deeply envious of a chap in our class at secondary school who had a Messerschmitt. Another classmate had a Bond Minicar.

1964_Bond_Minicar_Mark_G_Tourer.jpg (369.33 KiB) Viewed 594 times

What perplexed me about it was having to kick start the engine directly mounted on the front wheel

Bond_minicar_engine_bay_1959.jpg (64.46 KiB) Viewed 594 times

Rik
PS Sorry about the thread drift, Peter

[Peter Butler]

Big fan of funny little cars myself, especially Messerschmitts... (Try making one of those into a railcar! )

Little three wheelers possibly wouldn't be suitable for conversion to narrow gauge, but if you feel confident enough, try this for size...

Isetta.jpg (82.21 KiB) Viewed 579 times

[philipy]

Dual gauge Peter? Now that would be a trackbuilding challenge!

[GTB]

Little three wheelers possibly wouldn't be suitable for conversion to narrow gauge, but if you feel confident enough, try this for size...

It's been done with an Isetta ........ I've seen an article somewhere on building a model version.

https://m.facebook.com/OnlineTransportA ... mQTQHlNCnc

Converting a three wheeler to four wheels isn't a big issue, in either full size or model form. Anything is possible with the right tools and some imagination.

Graeme

[Peter Butler]

Thanks for the link Graeme, I thought I had recollection of something similar but expected it to have been in model form. Perhaps it has been done somewhere?

[Scrat]

I am still looking for a proper model in 1:10 or 1:11 to bonvert a VW bus to a railcar.
Some yeara ago a company came up with the HO gauge DMC DeLorean time machine car (running on rails).
Sometime ago I took photos of a railcar based on an Opel Olympia.

There are so many possibilities.....

[drewzero1]

I have a 1:19ish Isetta in my 3D print queue... Looks like it's time to restock my filament!