![]() No, I’m not talking about a crazy mail carrier… a guy asked about transporting model engines. Here are some photos of a couple of carriers I built that allow me to do just that. This is one I made for my lighter B'mann plastic locos. ![]() ![]() I also filed the tops down on each end to create little ramps. (More detail on how I did that later.) The loco gets is power through the aluminum base plates that are in direct contact and aligned with the track on the layout. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Pieces of foam rubber keep the locos snug and in place when the sides are raised and secured with barrel bolts. ![]() ![]() I cut another rabbet in the long wooden rail to which the metal base plate is attached. It’s about a half-inch wide and exactly as deep as the thickness of the metal stock. The plates are glued ‘n’ screwed into the rabbet from the underside. I countersunk the holes – set about an inch and a half apart along the rail – and used short flathead woodscrews so that the bottom of the carrier is completely flat. I had to bevel the inside top edges of the wood in order to clear the cylinders, valve gear and other overhanging parts of the loco as it runs on and off the carrier. If you can find aluminum bar stock wider than two inches to use, then that last step probably won’t be necessary. BTW, I wouldn’t try using anything less than two inches wide, either – at least not for 1:20.3 scale steam locos. ![]() ![]() Here’s how the whole thing sits on the track. ![]() ![]() ![]() These three shots show the same thing from another angle. ![]() ![]() Again, you can see here how I put all the parts together. ![]() I do hope this inspires you to try to build carriers of your own. If you do, I’d love to see photos of the results of your efforts. Good luck. the wire cables on the Accucraft carrier insurance against the carrier buckling due to the added weight. I can't tighten them fully without bowing the whole thing up at the ends (making it impossible for the loco to drive onto the carrier from the tracks) so I've got them set just this side of "taut" in order to pick up any unexpected strain. I suppose I could have gotten away without them, but they seemed like good insurance at the time. |