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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 1097 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!)
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:13 pm
by 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 1089 times
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:20 pm
by Old Man Aaron
Forgot about those two. Terrific little conversions.
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:47 pm
by Phil.P
You wait ages.......
And then:
Bernina Drasines
IMG_20240207_165748.jpg (1.88 MiB) Viewed 1078 times
Phil.P
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:52 pm
by drewzero1
Peter Butler wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:13 pm
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.
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 3:45 pm
by Peter Butler
Phil.P wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:47 pm
You wait ages.......
And then:
IMG_20240207_165748.jpg
Phil.P
Go for it Phil.... they would look perfect back-to-back.
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 4:02 pm
by philipy
drewzero1 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 1:48 pm
And with a clever built-in turntable system as well!
Clearly the Germans pinched the idea from the Wickham Trolley!
Phil.P wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:47 pm
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
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 7:02 pm
by Peter Butler
Phil.P wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 6:49 pm
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.
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2024 9:17 pm
by 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.
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 2:53 am
by dudeface
Peter Butler wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 12:58 pm
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
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:00 am
by dudeface
drewzero1 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 2:52 pm
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! )
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 4:38 am
by Old Man Aaron
dudeface wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:00 am
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.
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 9:36 am
by 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 981 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 981 times
Rik
PS Sorry about the thread drift, Peter
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 11:08 am
by Peter Butler
dudeface wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:00 am
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 966 times
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 11:39 am
by philipy
Dual gauge Peter? Now that would be a trackbuilding challenge!
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 1:12 pm
by GTB
Peter Butler wrote: ↑Tue Feb 20, 2024 11:08 am
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.
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
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 1:34 pm
by 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?
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 2:11 pm
by 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.....
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 3:01 pm
by drewzero1
I have a 1:19ish Isetta in my 3D print queue... Looks like it's time to restock my filament!
)
