DalaGStanator's Customs, Mods and Experiments

That system is called Technic. It's been around since the late '70s, and just about any component from it is used in one way or another in average sets. In fact, they were made to be used with bricks since their inception, and "studless construction" only appeared around 2000. Most of my Technic parts came from two NXT kits, while some came from Power Miners and a few other themes.
 

---

Aptly considering what number he is, I made Sir Handel as the third top for my "narrow gauge chassis". Notably, I took out Fergus again to make a new mould for the face so I could reshape the nose. It came out rectangular at first, but was easily corrected with scissors. Might replace it with a new one from the old mould, with the nose reshaped on the cast itself. In particular, I'm very pleased with the Cobalt blue I chose for him. Since the cab floor is too low, I couldn't give him his signature "steamroller wheels". Like on Skarloey, the tank lid was made from a googly eye and the dome made from two glued to each other.

Lastly, we have Peter Sam - my final NG engine in this style. He proved surprisingly hard to paint since I started with two near identical greens that had (nearly) run out, until I mixed a bright green, a dark blue and a white to finish off. He still turned out a little too dark IMO. Unlike either of his filmed models, he has the Giesl ejector instead of the "flower box" funnel he had. Even though he appears to have a firebox in the sixth image, he actually doesn't. The old face mould was worn out and had to be recreated. Yes, I'm aware his left side is uneven compared to the right (when on the chassis). Apart from that, he turned out the best looking of all four.

At some point in the future, these may be recycled and given their own (unpowered) chassis, couplings, coaches and trucks. If successful, they could also be joined by Rheneas and an updated Rusty. To finish off, here's Skarloey next to a TOMY Thomas and a shot based on "Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out":

Behold - my first non Thomas custom in this thread. From the collection reveal:
 

Due to its' wonderful potential, I hope to use the [powered ex Annie] chassis for an even bigger fleet of custom shells depicting diesels, electric engines, railcars, coaches and large trucks (not necessarily from TTTE). One downfall is the battery pack will limit what shapes I'll be able to use. If I knew how to reduce it to one battery on top and still get it to run, I could've had a bigger variety of design options.

This is not Bear or the Works Diesel, and the number has no relation to Daisy (who shares it in The Railway Series). Even though I still haven't been able to fix the chassis, I finally decided to try building a top for it. I made up a "freelance" diesel with features of various European classes, only to unintentionally base the livery on Rail Blue. Not wanting to use red again right after Jack and Skarloey, I chose to avoid using an Israel Railways livery for instance.



The shell isn't secured to the chassis, yet fits tightly enough to take the battery pack with it. After the photos were taken, the headlights were poked out for potential LED installation (would be wired to the former steam/sound switch). As long as the battery pack still isn't soldered, I'll be able to use the chassis for locos with different bonnet/cab designs (with a weight in its place to prevent wheelies). I actually quite like the result despite having a livery I didn't initially want to use.

For the second shell, I built one that can't fit over the battery pack. A small, flat magnet proved sufficient to keep the chassis down at the front (though it's not secured and can fall out easily; that, and the shell alone still pushes it down anyway). I chose a typical diesel with American elements, mainly the cab design and handrails along the body. It was done both for the nose shape and as a homage to Supes' no eye mod for Zack. The orange livery with the grey roof and chevrons was envisioned before the loco was built. Have to say I like it even more than the "not Rail Blue" one.



Once I could perfect a design for a scratch built "Thomas drive" chassis (complete with activation tab), I could use these shells with it in such cases where they don't fit over the 2x AA pack.

[Super]

I love the colors and striping you chose for this LaG, great combination.

Interested in your modified Annie chassis. I have had a few of these pass through my hands but never got into them before reselling them. Am I right to assume that the chassis housed 3 AA batteries? Two on to and one accessed under the chassis? It looks like you did remove the double battery pack housed under Annies shell and kept the single AA under. Is that switch for a light right? What is that square black plastic looking thing on the top and how did you solder the wires under the chassis for the terminals? Have a picture on the underside of the chassis?

Exactly. I'm sorry to say it's not really modified, but rather in not very good condition. It was able to run when I tried it with new batteries in 2020 (after replacing the worn out traction tyres), until one or two wires under the loose battery pack snapped and it came off. Because it's the Steam Along Thomas variant, the only modification so far was removing the remnants of the huge wire coupling and adding a screw as a post to attach the hook from Emily's tender (when coupling something in front of it). The switch was for Thomas' steam and sound function, hence why three batteries were needed. Thomas is long gone, so I wish to repurpose the switch to power optional LEDs.

That (metal, not plastic) piece is the aforementioned flat magnet I used to keep the chassis down without the 2x AA pack. Otherwise, it will tip backwards unless there's another weight like one of these shells in front.

Any few mentions of soldering I've made until now have been only in theory with no experience at all. I now have a soldering iron, a homemade station and several components, and have started learning to actually do it.

[Super]

You plan on installing LED's but you only have 1.5volts right? Are there LED's that can work on 1.5volts or are you going to add a voltage generator or use 1.5volt incandescent grain of wheat/rice bulbs?

Yesterday, at perhaps one of the unlikeliest places (a supermarket), I came across a 3D pen and took it without hesitation. I've been wanting to try one of these for a long time, so it was a pleasure to find one for ₪60 in a brick and mortar store. After making random test objects that don't represent anything, I thought I should start using it to form parts that are too small and/or complex for hot melt glue (among other uses). As a minor update to the North American diesel, I made an end rail and added it to the front:



Have to say it turned out quite good, and in fact the PLA set hard enough that scissors could barely cut it. Hoping to do the same to create the "hoops" for Henrietta's balconies. Once I could get used to how the pen operates and find more (and better coloured) filaments for it, I look forward to making/duplicating more intricate shapes and components later on.

[Super]

I never saw the practicality of one of those 3D Pens until now LaG. Good job.

Next up is a shunter based on a very well known class, which has been available in both Plarail and TrackMaster - a British Rail Class 08. For the proportions, I looked at a single image of the RC Diesel (which also has two batteries on top while keeping the same shape as other variants). They matched up almost perfectly, albeit with my typical asymmetry on one side. That, and the cab also has an unwanted dip towards the front. I initially didn't know what livery to use for it, until I found an image of no. 08590 in [urlcrimson and dark blue (most likely edited). My initial mixture gave me a bluish purple that looked too similar to Splatter's, so I added orange to the pink and ended up with this colour. If/when I'll make any of the Class 08s from T&F, they should look even more similar to their commercial variants.



I wanted my third shell for the chassis to be a main line electric, only to end up scrapping two designs and going with this. Any electrics with pantographs will be too tall for most tunnels/risers to make them look better.