I’m a big fan and former Metra Commuter. I grew up riding the power cab cars instead of the diesel locomotives that so many have taken pictures of. My question, is it possible to convert a bi-level commuter car into a locomotive to make it somewhat a powercab that you see on certain lines on the metra lines?
I am not sure exactly what you are asking here.
The engineer cab versions of the Chicago bi-level cars are not powered – they are just along for the ride. They have full controls, horn, bells, etc. but are being pushed by the locomotive at the other end.
A train with cab cars at either end would go nowhere.
Note that sometimes you even see the cab cars in the middle of a train.
Sure you could power the car using the power train thingies from NorthWest Short Line – or at least that is where I would start – and have a dummy locomotive at the other end. Possible to do for sure, but why bother? That power chassis from NWSL costs as much as powering the locomotive if not more.
Now if you are asking is it possible to kitbash a regular bi level coach into a cab car version, I suspect the answer is yes, with some difficulty and needing some skill, but few would bother because Walthers and Kato and the now defunct Three Brothers all offer(ed) their bi levels in cab car versions. It would call for modifications repainting and the like. Even a quick and dirty modification that ignores changes to the body sides and focuses on the cab ends would be some tricky kitbashing. Indeed the easiest bash would be to take the cab end from a cab car and graft it on to a normal coach – but that means either having the cab car anyway, or finding a junker. Most likely – finding a Three Brothers kit you do not intend to build, and just using that one end casting – but it does not come painted and you’d need to match the paint. And … you still would not have as accurate a car as you can buy off the shelf.
My advice? Until you get a cab car model, just run your train backwards and say it is a cab car. Given the other false things we ignore (22" inch radius main line curves, anyone?) it actually ranks pretty low on the list of hard-to-swallow.
Dave Nelson
“Power car” seemingly is LMDs way of trying to say “EMU” (i.e Electric Motor Unit).
Metra Highliner EMU (Electric Motor Unit): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highliner
Stein
I heard it was called power car, power cab, and EMU, but I didnt think of EMU when I posted this.
[quote user=“dknelson”]
I am not sure exactly what you are asking here.
The engineer cab versions of the Chicago bi-level cars are not powered – they are just along for the ride. They have full controls, horn, bells, etc. but are being pushed by the locomotive at the other end.
A train with cab cars at either end would go nowhere.
Note that sometimes you even see the cab cars in the middle of a train.
Sure you could power the car using the power train thingies from NorthWest Short Line – or at least that is where I would start – and have a dummy locomotive at the other end. Possible to do for sure, but why bother? That power chassis from NWSL costs as much as powering the locomotive if not more.
Now if you are asking is it possible to kitbash a regular bi level coach into a cab car version, I suspect the answer is yes, with some difficulty and needing some skill, but few would bother because Walthers and Kato and the now defunct Three Brothers all offer(ed) their bi levels in cab car versions. It would call for modifications repainting and the like. Even a quick and dirty modification that ignores changes to the body sides and focuses on the cab ends would be some tricky kitbashing. Indeed the easiest bash would be to take the cab end from a cab car and graft it on to a normal coach – but that means either having the cab car anyway, or finding a junker. Most likely – finding a Three Brothers kit you do not intend to build, and just using that one end casting – but it does not come painted and you’d need to match the paint. And … you still would not have as accurate a car as you can buy off the shelf.
My advice? Until you get a cab car model, just run your train backwards and say it is a cab car. Given the other false things we ignore (22" inch radius main line curves, anyone?) it actually ranks pretty low on the list of hard-to-swallow.
D
A company like Kato will make whatever you want, whenever you want it, the only catch is you must buy the entire production. 
ROAR
I thought I read all of these…
The Cab Car was just a car with engineer controls as previously stated.
They would control the HEP loco’s on the oppsosite end of the consist, they had no individual power themselves…
The Three Brothers HO versions of the cars I have were extruded Aluminum & mine all all the 6 window Coach version, not a Cab version. The Kato HO versions were available in 4 Window Coach, 6 Window Coach, & 4 Window Cab Car. I was lucky to get a few of each. Again, I’m speaking of HO. In addition, the Cab cars have a small ‘weed cutter’ style snow plow on their cab end.
Hope that helps…
thank you for your comments. However, I wanted to know if I could turn one of the passenger cars into a power cab but either kitbashing or just putting the body of the car onto a diesel frame and run it.
If you find out how to do this, let me know. The LION would like more powered cars on his subway layout. Him uses six car trains. If him buys three sets he has two full trains, but only three power cars, one train set must have only one power car which does not climb grades as well as it should.
roar
I am wondering if I could take an already DCC locomotive, remove its shell, and replace it when a Bi-level shell.
Is that possible or no? I am wanting to do this because I used to ride the Metra and I always wanted a powercab locomotive fleet of cars. I will not use any other locomotive because I want my passenger trains to look exact like the Metra Electric Line.
I have a N scale layout only.
It would take some “kitbashing”, or whatever the proper term would be, but I have to believe that you could modify a loco frame to accept a Metra passenger car shell. That would take quite a lot of work though.
You say that you want the passenger trains to look exactly like the Metra Electric Line. In that case, you will also need an overhead catenary system which will require modifying the passenger cars to mount all of the paraphenalia that goes with a catenary system.
Rich
My plan for my passenger service is to have the commuter trains to run above and below ground into 3-4 stations and I do understand that. My first thought was to have a third rail but I changed my mind when I wanted to look like the Metra.
You could drop a shell on loco drive, but the wheel base wouldb’t even come close to matching. Now you could use the loco parts, trucks & motor and build a new chassis with an extended drive shaft within the floor of the cars, but that would require skills you done seem to have. I have done this in HO with the unpowered Jouef Turboliner.
If the truckset are black then I will not have no problem in having two or more locomotives with that set. However, if I have to I will look for a person who make custom locomotives.
Actually, somebody who is sufficiently skilled may be able to transfer the motor and drivetrain into one of the Metra Highliner cars rather than trying to put the shell from a Metra Highliner car onto a locomotive frame.
Rich
Do you know anyone like that by any chance?
Do you know anyone like that by any chance?
Unfortunately, I do not know anyone who could convert a passenger car to a motorized car by placing a locomotive motor and drivetrain into the passenger car. However, I would bet that someone on the forum either knows someone with those skills or, in fact, could do it for you.
What I would do if I were you is start a separate thread, maybe with subject title such as Motorizing a Passenger car, and explain what you are trying to accomplish.
One thought that comes to mind is the “doodlebug” which looks like a passenger car but is a motorized locomotive. It would seem to me that this presents the best opportunity for such a conversion. Here is a link to a doodlebug:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-81404
I hope that you can somehow accomplish your objective.
Rich
LMD,
Just what are you trying to model???
Out over in Elgin, Big Timber & Chrystal Lake ways, I have only seen true Locomotive powered inits with Remote Control rear cab cars,
Are you talking of modelling the “Electrified Line” that has units like the one in this link??
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2072207
Sorry, I was not sure what you were trying to accomplish, sometimes I need more details.
Please fill me in! Thanks, & good luck!
Chad, if I can be so bold as to speak for the OP, that is exactly what he is trying to model.
The Metra IC Electric Line, unlike all of the other Metra commuter lines in Chicago, uses electrically operated cars to pull its commuter trains through the use of an overhead catenary system. All of the other Metra commuter lines in Chicago use diesel powered locomotives to operate its trains.
Rich