Tramps Modifications

[Super]

Awesome Tramp

Spencer makes Gordon look like he is running on an old motor and weak battery. If it weren't for the fact that you could see how fast Gordon was really going by looking at his side rods I would think he was stock slow. Thanks for sharing.

Nice one Tramp

So I finally finished defacing spencer, the thing is the battery is toast now! I need to get a replacement but I guess it's still a work in progress!

[Super]

Oh, that looks great Tramp. What did you use, modelers bondo and shaping it with sandpaper and file? Are those factory side rods or did you paint them? Personally I think swapping out the engines wheels for black ones, like the tenders, would look cool. Nice work, what happened to the couplers they were in the videos. Too bad this Thread was upended by PhotoBuckets nasty doings as the pictorials were quite good if I remember correctly.

Yeah Photobucket has caused me some serious problems! Ideally I'd like to re-populate all my threads, it's just a lot of effort to go through them all,

Yeah that's exactly what I did, Spencer's face is cast so I sanded it off, I then used 'kneadite' or 'green stuff' which is a two part modelling putty, I pushed it into the general shape and then when it was dry I sanded it into shape.

I have the missing coupler somewhere, I'll have to find it out, I also need to secure the tender cover because I had to remove the original central mounting post to fit all the electrical gubbins in

Hi all,
is there a "defacing" guide somewhere?
We have a bunch of Thomas and Percys, like 5 or 6 of each. I wouldn't mind taking the face of of one or two, maybe painting them some random fun color, buying some fun decals. maybe adding some LEDs (I loved your Salty with flashing lights)(I have some red/blue flashing LEDs that I bought a while back for one of the kids other projects somewhere).

Anyhow, if y'all could point me in the right direction, that would be cool.

Thanks

Hey kmott,

There is not a guide per say. But don’t let it put you off! just have a look at the train and see if the face is a separately cast piece of plastic, if it is a separate piece there will either be a screw to secure the face - accessible from inside the body, or it will have stalks of plastic melted into place, usually removing the screw (if fitted) and using a stanly knife or simalar can part the face from the body.

If the face is cast into the body itself it’s a little bit harder sometimes you can get away with filing/sanding the face down (like I did with spencer) or by completely cutting the face out (like I did with devious diesel)

Have a go it’s all fun!

As for lights, it’s something else which isn’t hard to do but can be really effective, the best trains to convert are the trains with enough space in the body to house the voltage booster.

I’m looking forward to seeing some of your creations!

Thanks

[Super]

In addition to Tramps suggestions above you can also use 1.5volt grain of rice, grain of wheat bulbs and wire them up directly. Although not as bright they still have a good look.

[ripley802]

The GOW (grain of wheat) bulbs do have a nice look. Sometimes these are better than the LEDs due to being a little less bright and more realistic in my opinion.

My avatar has a GOW installed in the Plarail Streamline Gordon.

Tramp
Hi, you mention a 'step up booster' is that referenced elsewhere here? or curious what that does?  sounds like it helps the ~1.2-1.5volt battery run a 3V LED.  am i guessing correctly?