DalaGStanator's Customs, Mods and Experiments

This thread has been long overdue, even though I posted in WDYDTYTT more than [redacted] did before starting her own thread. I was also initially reluctant to jump straight to subsequent projects rather than tracking down my earliest posts. Either way, I will now try to reserve WDYD for things that don't quite fit this thread's title (such as repairs, layouts, simple changes and a few other exceptions).

 

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You may remember I expressed interest in developing a "one of a kind" narrow gauge system as an alternative to Take Along, Capsule Plarail or other commercial small scale options. Having recently found another small track system from a (currently unidentified) non Thomas set I had, I wanted to see what I could actually do with the idea. I built this prototype Rusty by measuring the Take Along Mavis, and the face is a hot melt glue cast of hers. The hot glue was used for the buffers, radiator cap and fuel tank as well. Given it's not the final version, he will most likely not be painted.



I've experimented with using metal wick sustainers (tabs) and clay to fabricate custom wheels for non Plarail use, each one being made of two sustainers on either side. They tend to get bent easily and are difficult to align with precision, but they can still roll fine. Might be a reason why I've never seen anyone use them for this purpose before. Here's a test fit on Junior Train track with two such wheelsets (not connected):



Unlike Take Along/Take 'n Play, where the wheelsets are fully exposed under the running boards, my narrow gauge stock will have the tops of the wheels going through (like on Plarail/TrackMaster/ERTL/My First Thomas). After the above test, I remembered finding this (unpowered H0) bogie from a Smart Toys set. I found out it fits on the other, more complete track system and attached Rusty to it.



The condition of this bogie compared to the other ones made him unstable and a tad difficult to center (one side of each wheelset is almost falling out). It can work well on both systems, though it runs much more smoothly on Junior Train. Given this track is slightly wider, most TA/TnP items that have less wheels than Edward, James, Arthur, etc. (by extension, Adventures/Collectible Railway) work on it flawlessly. Oddly, regauging the wick tab wheelsets didn't work and the wind up engine from Junior Train is too narrow for it. My only real problems are the traction grooves on the outer rails, weak connectors and lack of points (switches). Nevertheless, I'm glad I still have it and the set came with straight pieces in addition to curves.
 

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(image from an eBay listing)

Before collecting Thomas & Friends, another childhood train set I had was one of these S scale sets known as Union Express. It came with an 0-6-0T powered by two D batteries with a headlamp and smoke unit, a red coach, blue caboose, silver tanker and a dark green station building that uses the typical "whistle-chuff-bell-track" sound board. Like Junior Train, it has countless variants with different boxes, colours, rolling stock, accessories and track layouts, but the locomotive and coach designs are largely consistent. I chose an image of a variant where they have the same liveries as mine. Here's the track system and two of the rolling stock from it:



As shown below, it's quite similar in size to TrackMaster but with flat sides, non rounded connectors and a much bigger curve radius. Rather than flat wheels on the inside, the rolling stock uses flanges on the outer rails. My variant only had curves and two very short straights (presumably to complete the oval), while some others come with full straight and cross pieces to build a figure 8.



Just about any non powered TOMY or TrackMaster item will fit on this track. In fact, they run even more nicely than the train it was made for. However, driven axles on engines and other power units make them too wide for it. Seeing as it's much more limited in piece variety, I don't think it would be advisable to sand/file the rails to help fit the engines. Furthermore, chances are they might wheelslip on it due to lack of inside traction grooves. I could possibly regauge certain engines by replacing the driving wheels with front ones, in exchange for battery power and coupling rods. Mega Bloks don't fit either because they only have sliding axles. I would love to be able to use it as alternative track for its neat looks. Now for the best part...



...except for the curve radius and connectors, the unknown system I showed above makes a perfect narrow gauge version of Union Express (even though it was made by an entirely different company). This is the main reason why I'd want to use UE with TOMY and TM. In addition to having the same outer rails and similar joints, it even has less sleepers like real NG track normally has. Another (not as fortunate) similarity is both their own trains don't run as neatly as those that don't belong to them, especially the small one. Of all the various track systems I've owned, these are the only two that look similar but are different scales (unless I would repaint TM1 black with silver rails to match Smart Toys, or the other way around).

[Super]

This is going to be a very nice Thread LaG

Regauging a TOMY engine the way I described turned out possible and worked as expected. A front wheelset can fit under the drive unit or in the rear of the chassis (not without some light effort), but not simultaneously. I temporarily mounted a spare one from a previous Thomas and folded a piece of paper to hold it in. He would've rolled better if I made an actual retainer from something like LEGO. Now that I think about it, the first image helped me figure out how to classify the set; I remembered this S gauge conversion of a TOMY Thomas (+Annie and Clarabel), and the photos Trainfanz provided show the exact same size compared to the track. If I had the Diapet range, they would've been the obvious choice of models to use. Great to know I found a "harmless" solution, even if it means disabling engines and having no coupling rods. Should I ever perform this mod again in the near future, I might also put my Flip Face James back together and adapt him the same way.

I've done some long awaited adjustments to Spenry, mainly giving him his own smokebox with proper supports and a more accurate funnel. Now he no longer has to share it with the working (Fisher Price) Edward, and it's also glued to the boiler and running board. Admittedly, it did turn out slightly too long at the front. I transferred the face cast and gave it a repaint due to the faded gloss. Everything else went 98% unchanged. I chose to ignore the tender wheels being black, in part because I still want the option to revert him to Spencer with ease.



Naturally, this meant I also made a new cast for Edward after returning the smokebox to him. Apart from the eye direction, I recreated the TOMY features as accurately as I could. Have to say it turned out brilliant compared to the paper face and failed tracing from earlier. I might have to find an alternative to the gloss to prevent/reduce fading wherever applied.

[Super]

Looking good LaG. Was this face made with your Hot Glue method?

Yes. Both he and Henry use hot melt glue casts made from clay moulds of the TOMY Edward face.

My custom Henrietta used a premade orange paint that gave her an unsuitable "neon" colour, so she's been repainted with my own mixture. The only clear indication on camera is in the underneath shot, where the previous shade remains on the inside. I would've preferred to get a similar mixture to the first version, though it's still a welcome improvement.

[Super]

Looks Good LaG

I've made a new scratch built Jack with better proportions to supersede the first version (repainted Mighty Wheels backhoe). This was mainly done in an effort to reduce the scale, because he, Alfie and Byron were oversized. The front wheels came from a (low quality) pull back fire engine, while the rear ones were from a portable concrete mixer (which I used to use as Dizzy). This time, the hydraulics are fake and the arms don't usually stay up. While I sadly didn't get the "Take Along size" I wanted, he should still look better next to TOMY engines, coaches and trucks. At the time of writing, he just needs his detail, the face, the rear axle cut to size and a front axle and he'll be done. The face is expected to be a slightly reshaped cast of Take Along Thomas'. Alfie will be updated as well, with the excavator arm from the previous version.

Edit:



The detail has been added and the face cast was made, though the Take Along Thomas face was too small even after being expanded. The front wheels are the same size the face should be, so I took one of them and "carved" the features inside the mould (while filling the gaps and then smoothing the whole thing). Turned out very effective.

Edit 2:



Now finished. I thought I wouldn't be able to trim the rear axle since I don't have a rotary tool, but a strong set of pliers worked fine. The front axle is a cotton bud handle and may sometimes lock up. Here's how he looks with an engine and a motorised vehicle (pretend Elizabeth is Isobella). Shame Jack is still too tall and wide, however:

[Super]

Wow, excellent work out of cardboard LaG.