My Searchlight Wagon Has Arrived Today!!

... along with a couple of small diesel shunters that I picked up, though being USA outline HO models they are remarkably similar to the Hornby class 04 little shunters I'm pretty fond of. The main difference with these are they have working lights both front and rear whereas the Hornby models don't have lights as standard. These were manufactured by Mantua and I managed to snag them at a very good price, both brand new and in sealed boxes - the inner poly packing even still had a cellophane seal over it

Anyway here you go, first a picture of all three, then some closeups of the individual models, oh and I almost forgot, yes the light on the searchlight car is fully functional as well That is made by 'Life Like' models of the USA, lovely wagon (although the box is all but destroyed), but I may give it a bit of a paint job as it looks a bit dull at the moment, even just a weathering wash would make it look 100% better

[Super]

I Love That Searchlight Wagon with all its wood and steel. A small light in the shack a workman or two along with some weathering would look great. The wooden parts could be weathered different than the steel. Maybe a little rust wash on the steel and just a little darker gray wash here and there on the wood maybe? Or a more Military or Civil Defense/Air Raid theme. It is fantastic.

You read my mind super, I've already got some military rolling stock and have been thinking of scratch building a large railway gun on a flatbed I've got in my scrap box, so I had been thinking military camo for the searchlight then if I can lay my hands on some sand bags and anti aircraft guns in Ho scale for two smaller flatbeds either end of the searchlight and...

[Super]

That sounds cool Nigels. You would think that there would be plenty of HO sandbags available with the military diorama hobby's.

That’s a nice haul! While the spotlight flatcar is really cool, the two little switchers are what caught my attention. I want to say I remember these from when I was a kid but I might have them confused with a similar engine produced by Bachmann. I’m curious about what real world prototype they’re based on, since side rods are less common on US diesels as opposed to say British or German.

[Super]

I imagine those counter weights at both ends of each rod look pretty cool once in motion too.

I did some digging around and switchers are apparently based on a Davenport diesel. The prototype has a hydro mechanical transmission rather than electric motors. The front wheels are driven by the transmission and transfer power to the rear through the connecting rod-counterweight system.

Thanks for the info OTR, always nice to know the background to these locos you're not familiar with, I just got them as I liked them

I just got this passenger wagon to add to my military train I'm working on, may try this style of camo on the searchlight wagon

I Have that rio grande loco I beleive they are quite rare