What did you do to your trains today?

I had given thought to using modeling filler and sanding that down to fill in the front, installing a single up high, working headlight and maybe some type of HO louver or vent for the front of Dennis along with some metal hand rails but never got around to that. I will be interested to see what you come up with.

(03-01-2017, 03:22 PM)Super Wrote: I found it a lot easier modifying Salty than Dennis because of the odd angle front of Dennis. In fact I find my "Menace" is one of my least favorite work of all my customs and might revisit him in the future. On the other hand, my "Salt Substitute" (green Salty) is one of my favorites. Tramp also has a custom red Salty which had inspired me.

Thanks Super,
That modification was one of my favourites to make. Your green salty was a fantastic conversion too, the Trackmaster 1 'saltys' really lend themselves to conversion due to the recessed face oriface which is perfect for a mesh!

(03-01-2017, 07:13 PM)Super Wrote: I had given thought to using modeling filler and sanding that down to fill in the front, installing a single up high, working headlight and maybe some type of HO louver or vent for the front of Dennis along with some metal hand rails but never got around to that. I will be interested to see what you come up with.

With my 7.4v Spencer I'm halfway through defacing him, his face was moulded plastic that was painted so I had to grind the plastic away to remove it, at the moment his 'face hole' is filled with modelling putty (green stuff) it's roughly applied but I intend to rub it down and neaten it up before I paint it




M

(03-01-2017, 05:13 PM)Off The Rails Wrote: I appreciate the advice and it sounds like my initial assessment of these engines as well. Salty's flat, multi-part front and rear seem to offer so many customizing possibilities. With Dennis, I feel like a custom toy version of the South Park Underpants Gnomes: 1- Deface; 2- ????; 3- Custom!

As for Dennis, I've not customisedhim before is his face cast as part of the body or seperatly cast then fitted? With my devious diesel (with a face cast as part of the body) I had to cut the face out of the body to fit a grill,

https://www.blueplastictracks.com/showth...ght=Diesel

Good luck with your custom!

(03-01-2017, 03:46 AM)Ucwepn Wrote: Day 1 of my secret project, much harder than I thought hope to have a mock up by tonight, lots of cutting, gluing and sacrifices are being made haha, carry on

Secret project… Hmm. Maybe my Salty brainstorm inspired this?
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E9u9...sp=sharing
EDIT: if it is my Salty brainstorm, you must be going all out! Handrails, MU hoses, more things.

(03-01-2017, 09:17 PM)Tramp Wrote: As for Dennis, I've not customisedhim before is his face cast as part of the body or seperatly cast then fitted? With my devious diesel (with a face cast as part of the body) I had to cut the face out of the body to fit a grill,

https://www.blueplastictracks.com/showth...ght=Diesel

Good luck with your custom!

Thankfully, the face on Dennis appears to be separate. I'm kind of leaning towards a piece of photo etched mesh with maybe a fan behind it and a dual Pyle headlight for Dennis and possibly Salty too. It's just a matter of finding the appropriate parts and the time to finish it!

Thanks for the good luck wishes!

Day 2: Well I'll show a rough mockup which I did today, I have constructed the front bogie from scratch and I now know how to mount it and make it swivel freely. I have used 2 scrap Henrys for the chassis and smokebox extension. (so far ).

So much more to do yet and this is just the chassis sitting on the wheels with no drive unit and the glue barely dry

   

I am amazed no-one's done this before! The modifications look great!
I'm not wondering how it will take turns... and where you sourced the front bogie wheels from... and also why this isn't how the original Henry (or Gordon) was. Cuz it looks great.

Another inquiry- how will you go about the pistons?

It should turn corners very well. Pistons will come later once I work out mounting the bogie and clearance issues etc. Wheels are from a very unlikely source neither TOMY or Trackmaster

Take-Along perhaps? I haven't seen many wheels like those... or have I?

Could be...

They look like the wooden track engine wheels, maybe Percy's?