Blue Plastic Tracks
Thomas traction rod mod - Printable Version

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Thomas traction rod mod - ROCKINATOR - 12-14-2014

    hello everyone this is the ROCKINATOR. Bringing up my original inspiration to modify locos. I thought my idea was genius at first. Layed around in my head for months before I decided, I'm gonna do it. I used cheap school glue to hold the traction rods together at first, since it was just a prototype. I soon realized there were two problems-thomas traction rods were hitting the the bottom of the running plate, and the tab to hold thomas' shell were causing the traction rod to fumble and break the glue and it would have to be re glued. So I filed the bottom of the running plate to the point when the traction rod wasn't hitting. Then I took an old Tomy shell and cut the tabs off. Solved the problem with fumbling the rod. Then about a week ago I superglued a front coupling to thomas. In the front of course. After I completed that, I noticed it seemed to sound like it was hitting on turns. I added more weight (two weights inside his shell). Helped cope the problem a little better. Never will be perfect on corners, but it has came a long way since I got idea. And the idea isn't original, Ucwepn came up with it first. He just gave up on it. Hope this was a interesting read, only one more custom left and he has a backstory as I came up with the character myself. And I apoligize that its the read is a bit long. Blush

ROCKINATOR

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - Super - 12-14-2014

OK...I am not that into the Thomas & Friends trains but doesn't he already come with side rods from the manufacturer??? Huh I do love the front hook. Wink

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - NWRMainLineTerminal - 12-14-2014

Good job ROCKINATOR! I should try that sometime...

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - ROCKINATOR - 12-14-2014

    here is a side by side comparison of the two thomas'. stock standard is on the left and modified on the right. It's just poor detailing that is half rubbed off on the stock standards side rod.

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - Super - 12-14-2014

Ahh...I see now. Why doesn't the one on the right have the rod running on the front axel? I can see why it would hit the running plate. Is that the way it came? Are these Tomy or Trackmaster versions? Just curious. Good job on the front coupling BTW.

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - ROCKINATOR - 12-14-2014

Thanks super. I swapped the old front axle for a broken drive wheel set so the modified rods would connect to the drive wheel whiteout the end of the axle getting in the way. They're both Tomy versions. Only the drive wheel on the left loco is Trackmaster. Had to destroy a Trackmaster thomas to make things work. So it didn't come with two driving wheelsets Wink and got my new lamp today, just look at how much brighter the picture is!    

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - Ucwepn - 12-15-2014

Nice work buddy. one day I will revisit this mod

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - ROCKINATOR - 12-15-2014

It's a quite interesting build, the original one you did. Do you still have it?

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - Ucwepn - 12-17-2014

Yep I still have it in one of my storage boxes

RE: Thomas traction rod mod (it works Ucwepn!) - ROCKINATOR - 02-13-2015

This is a update (sort of). My thomas wheel is superglued together by my complete insanity. Anyone know of anything that destroys a krazy glue bond? Because if I can get over that hurdle all I got to do is put a light in and he will be complete (hopefully).