I came across this item this week, and got me to thinking- how many of you own or run the occasional “motorized unit” around your track? Do you have any favorites?
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Both pretty neat for sure
Well, unless you count my MTH UP snowblower (not self propelled but does have working blades), I don’t have any motorized units or the like.
My motorized unit wish list is longer than the Lignite Subdivision’s mainline run!
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Tom, is that a Corgi model converted to S gauge?
I have a number of motorized units at this point, but am definitely looking to expand.
In O gauge, I have a pair of 3927 track cleaning cars, a pair of 50 gang cars, a 6-18406 Maintenance Car (reissue of the 69), 41 US Army switcher, and a 6-18405 AT&SF Burro Crane (reissue of the 3360).
In S gauge, so far I just have a non-reversing handcar. But I have a spare handcar motor that I would eventually like to perhaps use to make an S gauge Birney Safety Car or something of the sort.
I also collect the lines of HO trains from the ‘big three’ of the postwar era- I have several of the Lionel HO motorized units, including the 0050 gang car (2 complete cars, one incomplete), 0055 M&StL switcher, 0057 Union Pacific switcher, 0059 Minuteman switcher, and 0545 Erie Lackawanna 44-tonner.
For trolley cars, I have a pair of O gauge Pittman models- an express freight motor, based off of a Lehigh Valley Transit prototype, and a double-truck closed car based off of a JG Brill prototype. Both my models are set up for tinplate operation (large flanges + center rail pickup rollers), as well has having working trolley poles and pole reverse. Pittman also offered these cars for scale, 2-rail operation. I’m still on the lookout for the third car Pittman produced, a single-truck line car. They’re a bit less common, and tend to demand a higher price than I am interested in spending to acquire one. Bowser reissued the Brill car, as well as producing a Birney on the same truck the work car used.
It’s hard to play favorites, but the Pittman trolleys and my 41 Army Switcher never fail to delight me when I run them. I’m quite fond of my HO scale Minuteman- despite the likelihood they were produced in smaller numbers than the O gauge counterpart, there is less demand, and they do not command as high a price.
I would love to acquire a 58 Rotary Plow, I’m a big fan of the green & white. The HO scale 0561 rotary would be fun to have, but it’s a tough piece to find.
-El
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Wow that’s quite a collection @El_Fixes_Things. A couple of us have used the S gauge handcar motors to fit into trolleys.
https://forum.trains.com/t/dinkyville-trolley-af-motor/406206?u=matt_wilson
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anyone got suggestions on how to take an r/c trackhoe and put train wheels on it and have it drive down the track that or maybe a r/c grapple truck
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Without listing them all I’ve got eleven trolleys (I’m not really a trolley collector but the purchases seemed like the thing to do at the time!) and nine do get run on the layout’s dedicated trolley loop. The remaining two are going to be repaint projects and then they’ll get their turns.
The only motorized unit I’ve got is a handcar that was sold as a club fundraiser. I don’t run that one at all it being “Neither fish nor fowl” and not really fitting the collection.
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The PCC streetcar is a Corgi. A company called PA. Heritage Models sold them as completed S gauge operating units.
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I’m not really a handcar person either
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I forgot to mention I sort-of have a Lionel 65. More like, I have… pieces of one. And unfortunately the motor was pretty ruined. I’ve been hoping to find some way of reviving it eventually, but it’s been more than a ‘simple’ re-wind job. The shell is of course damaged, but maybe one day it’ll be a runner?
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You might try scavenging the mechanism from one of the K-Line Superstreets vehicles. I know of a guy who motorized quite a few static vehicles with them.
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Beautiful layout and pictures. Thanks for the work you’ve done and for my enjoyment. regards mike endmrw0523251101
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Wow, I’d swear I was looking at the real thing!
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thank you ill look into it it would be nice to have some r/c work vehicles helping out trackside since one of my layouts is outdoors it takes a while to do maitnance with vehicles it would help tremendously
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also im gonna post tomarrow when its day but i was at the flea market again. 4 o guage. 2 2bay hoppers(one from lionel the other K-line) a 3 dome tanker and a single level auto carrier with 2 1960s cars+ a full bridge+ a fully assembled swamp shack with working sliding door for $20
also i talked to another vendor at the flea market he said he might have new train bins coming in and when he goes to the flea market next weekend he will have more stuff for me same guy who sold me these 3 train cars with the bumper posts that are all metal from body to wheels as well as a tote of ho track 5 transformers, 1 O guage caboose, 1 ho car, etc for $20
so im gonna have alot more videos coming out hopefully of train related bin finds the reason im waiting til tomarrow to post is because i build the bridge already on my outside layout and its dark outside i wouldnt be able to show it off.
also on the outdoor layout since its so long i found its best to have 3 spots to plug in transformers and 3 transformers ready and just plug one in and when i have to move down to see unplug it and plug another one in down the line to where i can see the train better, since its the bachmann e-z track it was simple to have 3 crossing plugs 1 on the company office end 1 in the middle of the long stretch and 1 at the mine since i have to bring in and park cars anyhow.
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