Bachmann coach to Railbus conversion

[Peter Butler]

Having 'won' a Bachmann Jackson Sharp Passenger Car kit on Ebay I couldn't decide what to do with it.
It just sat in its box for a few months until one day I saw a railbus advertised somewhere and suddenly bells began to ring.....
The conversion was pretty straightforward once the idea formed. It consists of a cab roof extension at one end, cab sides and front, bonnet for the engine to live, and a sort of crash-bar at the front to give it that American flavour!
The bogies which came with the kit are well made with heavy duty solid metal, free rolling wheels set at 45mm gauge (which I don't do normally. The advantage of extra width made it possible to fit a gearbox to one axle with Delrin chain drive to the other. The motor is battery powered with the holder attached underneath the chassis for easy access but hidden from view.
Also supplied are interior lights which are powered from a separate, switched battery holder placed underneath.
I am pleased with the result. It looks quite convincing, seems to run very well and could be radio controlled as there is ample space inside for the neccessary gear.
Pictures show progress so far and include shots of details like the battery boxes and switches, engine sump... (who on earth is going to see that???) driver, bogie and drive mechanism.













Now what can I do to the second kit????

[MDLR]

Very nice! Did you build the cab and bonnet yourself, or was it robbed from something else?

[Peter Butler]

The cab is scratch built, as is the radiator. The bonnet came from an old style American Fire Engine kit which I never made but have used many of the parts for other projects, (as you should!!)
The plastic moulded seat came from another unknown kit and the front crash bar from a G scale American bogie tender, which was yet another ebay 'win'. The remainder of the tender (cut down along its length) went into an armoured personnel carrier which will go with my military train.

[Peter Butler]

The finished article.
Photgraphed outside where it should be but on a length of 32mm track because I don't have any 45mm to put it on.....use your imagination!

[invicta280]

what a beauty!

[Dave]

Looks great whats does it run like, seems a very small motor and gearbox for quite a large railbus

[Peter Butler]

Dave,
I have run this Railbus on a flat tiled floor only and it goes just great. If you read the posts about this you will see I have said I have no 45mm track to run it on so how long it runs on the batteries I have no idea.
If a bigger, rechargeable battery and speed controller/radio gear was fitted inside I think this would be a great addition to any garden railway......just not mine!!!

[sstjc]

That is superb... very well done !