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Thomas the tank engine model

Paul’s been in touch with a clever way to get a Thomas the tank engine model running on your layout without spending a fortune:

“My two year old grandson is a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine, so I thought I’d purchase one for my n scale layout.

After a lot of searching, including a number of hobby shops in Japan, I finally found one on the Plaza Japan’s Ebay store.

It was on auction so I had a punt at US $75. (all prices estimated in US $s) It finally went for close to $200! Seems Thomas and friends are in very short supply!

My “toy bashed” version based on a Fisher-Price diecast toy, worked out at around $22.

A WARNING from the outset!

The Fisher-Price Thomas is over scale, so you may have to fiddle around a bit to get Thomas to make it around your n scale layout. My layout has several tunnels and Thomas was unable to get through some of them. Signals and station platforms might also be too narrow on some layouts. However, with a few minor adjustments to Thomas and to my landscaping, I was able to get Thomas around a simple routing avoiding the major trouble spots.

Materials:
Thomas The Tank Engine, Take-n-Play By Fisher Price ($4)
Kato 11-105 Powered Motorized Chassis, n scale mechanism, Plaza Japan ($13) plus $5 postage to Australia. North America and European postage will be slightly dearer.

Tools:

Small vice (optional, but useful)
Small file
Hobby Dremel (Rotary tool) with cutting disk and small burr.
Small snips
Power drill
Glue

Construction:

The difficulty in ‘bashing’ any Fisher-Price toy is a testament to the quality product this company puts out! They can be tough to crack!

To remove the diecast shell from its plastic base, drill out the rivet like ends of the small retaining posts holding these parts together. The rear post is metal and will require some gentle pressure on the drill to sever it from the plastic chassis. I had to complete the job with a sharp tap on metal punch. The front post is plastic and burs out easily.

Remove the three blue wheel sets. Cut the wheel axles and remove the wheels. File or grind down the small studs in the back of all wheels and set aside for now. . The black plastic portion of the chassis can be discarded.

The Kato mechanism measures 58mm x 15.3mm. (Sorry Americans, Burmese and Liberians, but metric only!) As it turns out, the inner portion of the red chassis is also very close to 58mm long. For a perfect fit, a ‘whisker’ might need needs to be filed off the end of the mechanism. (either an imperial whisker, or a standard metric whisker will suffice! )

Cut out the base of the red chassis to accommodate the mechanism. This is very much a ‘cut and file’ process until the mechanism fits snugly. Cut off the ends of the mechanism’s cowling as shown. below.

Now cut and grind off the plastic and metal posts on the diecast shell. I added two packing strips to the red plastic chassis to lift the chassis a little higher (see photo) to avoid major grinding out of the diecast shell. The opening for the couplers will also need to be enlarged to allow the bogie to swing freely.

Optional LED light
An LED and 600 ohm resistor will fit neatly behind Thomas’s face and with a little careful burring-out, to thin the plastic; Thomas can have spooky glowing eyes!)

I then glued the shell to the chassis and very lightly glued the mechanism into the chassis. (This final joint can be easily levered open if required.)

Cut the wheels just above the raised hub and glue them to the side of the chassis.

Thomas is now happily chugging around dragging a couple of vintage DB Rail coaches. My next project will be to ‘toy bash’ a couple of Fisher-Price “Clarabel and Annie” coaches.

Best of all, 2 year old Jack (aka Captain Chaos) just loves HIS Thomas.

Paul”

Well, I have to say, I never thought Thomas would be appearing on this site – but I’m glad he has, it’s an excellent ‘how to’ what ever cab you use.

A huge thank you to Paul for sharing his Thomas the tank engine model ‘how to’. It really did make me smile when I saw it in my inbox.

It also reminded me of Mike’s post:

Kids model train.

And if it’s got you thinking too, there are lots more like it here.

Please do keep ’em coming.

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here. Some cracking stuff about at the mo.

Best

HO scale yard layout with mainline loop – Colin’s

Grant’s been in touch – He shares Colin’s HO scale yard layout with mainline loop:

“Hello Alastair

A few years ago I was lucky enough to meet the lady that would eventually become my wife. With this romance came the dreaded meeting of her father. Luckily we both share a passion for model trains.

Building on that connection we have shared many hours with his HO layout.

I model in N-Gauge, as you have shown before, and Colin in HO. But with these differences put aside, we have simply enjoyed our hobby.

Colin does not follow a particular prototype, but puts down trains that he enjoys from all corners of the globe, including Australia, where we reside.

Colin’s layout has evolved over the years, graduating from small shed to large and like all great efforts has never really been finished. Recently Colin retired and set about a major overhaul of the electrics and scenery of the layout, including the expansion of one loop of track. I was honoured to be invited to share my knowledge and skills to help this veteran of the hobby. (It should be noted that he let me marry his daughter before he let me touch his trains. hehe. )

As Colin is a life long electrician, the layout wiring is is a high quality industrial standard, all highly organised and professional.

Over the years, the original flocking grass has faded in the Australian heat to a plain brown, so much of that needed relaying, as did the roads and some new buildings. Starting with a clean slate, the entire town was pulled up and re=laid. The old stick town pond was replaced by a routed out one filled with resin, the station was spruced up and the church was added, along with cemetery and funeral.

The old plastic trees were pulled up and new trees and terrain were added, including a few new hills and cuttings.
Slowly and surely an whole new layout evolved.

while the layout is still not finished, it is currently in one piece. I thought I would share with you what it looks like now.