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This drawing shows how I used two combine car kits from RLW to produce the sides and front and back of the Doodlebug.
The Roof requires only minor modification. The end that will be over the control cab must have the vestibule area
filled in and sanded smooth and level with the rest of the roof base where it attaches to the car sides. From the
floor of the Combine you need to remove one porch plus a "U" shaped plug. The porch is attached just
like it would be on the normal combine. The "U" shaped piece that goes inside the car must clear the
rear of the F7 chassis when lowered over the MTL chassis. These photos are courtesy of Mark Fielder of the UK who
took pictures of these units at the Nn3 convention held in conjunction with the San Jose Ntrak convention in early
August 2000. |
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The pilot is made by removing the center part from a Micro Trains pilot conversion for a Rivarossi
Steamer. The cow catcher is held in place under the front deck of the conversion by two very small screws. I removed
the screws and pulled the piece away from the MTL pilot. I then taped a set of holes to mount the pilot under the
front end of the doodlebug. The pocket will hold an Nn3 MTL coupler and I drilled a hole from the below and behind
the cow catcher for holding the coupler in place. Then styrene strip material was used to fill either side of the
pocket and a side piece of the same material was constructed and glued in place. We also added a small pilot step
on each side of the cow catcher for a brakeman to use during switching operations.
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The standard MTL F7 chassis is used for the power. I removed the truck side frames and the couplers and their mounting
brackets from the trucks. New side frames are fitted. These come from the Bachmann N-scale Brill trolley. The mounting
tab is removed and back smoothed with a file and then glued in place on the mounting pad on the MTL F7 truck delrin
frame. I use contact cement for this. The exhaust stack is make from a paper clip and a piece of styrene tubing.
The horns, lights, bell, and ladders come from detail parts sources. The radiator grill on the side was cut from
scrap piece of shell for some diesel. |
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I used an observation car kit from RLW to create a trailer for the powered rail car, sorry no photo of the trailer.
In the shot to the left you can see the rear platform which is formed from part of a coach floor and the RLW brass
etching creates the deck and the end railing with brake wheel. The Nn3 coupler is body mounted under the end platform.
I am sorry I do not have a photo of the opposite side of these units, there is a door for the engineer and a roof
ladder on that side. |
