Project ideas

This is my collections of interesting project ideas.
It is a menu to choose from when you want inspiration, definitely not a "to do" list..

Note: "L&G" references refer to Labbe &Goe´s classic "Railroads in the woods"
- the best general book on railroad logging ever published!

Many links will take you to external web pages. Use your browser´s "Back" button to get back to this site!

Steam locomotives
x-4-x
x-6-x
- geared steam
Internal combustion locos
Speeders
Cars
- passenger cars
- box cars
- flat cars
- log cars
- disconnects
- tank cars
 - gondolas etc.
Reefers
-work equipment, MoW
-cabooses
-snow plows
Scenery detail
Buildings
Log camp
Logging equipment
Sawmill
Pile drivers
Bridges

Steam locomotives

x-4-x

10t Porter 0-4-2ST - Bachmann
8t Porter 0-4-0ST - Bachmann
8t Porter 0-4-0ST logging loco - Bachmann Porter, Add homebuild cab. ( Gary Nash, March 85 Gazette, Jim Barron , Dec 94 Gazette).
Canopy cab Porter - Bachmann 8t Porter 0-4-0ST, Add canopy style open steel cab from Grandt Line´s side tank Porter kit
Early tank enigne "Ant" - Bachmann Porter 0-4-0ST: Homebuilt cab, square saddle tank, homebuilt 4-wheel tender
Empire City/Sloat Lbr #4 Porter 0-4-0 T - Grandt Line 18 t side tank kit
four wheel aux. "Porter" tender - BVM kit 501
Mich-Cal #11 - Rebuilt Grandt Line 18t kit
Porter 0-4-2T, enclosed cab - Bachmann Porter, Banta cab
Porter 0-4-4ST - Bachmann Porter, Add trailing truck, extended "canopy" steel cab and rear fuel bunker, as used on the 20" gauge 0-4-4ST mining Porters in southern Arizona
Porter 2-4-0+tender - Rebuilt Grandt Line 18t kit, Tom Yorke idea (LIQ 2:1)
Steam Dummy - Bachmann Porter, Grandt Line steam dummy body
"Yeon&Pelton" logging loco - Bachmann 8t Porter 0-4-2ST, Homebuilt cab on former steam dummy (Duane Ely, June 89 Gazette)
YSL/EC 12t 0-4-0T side tank Porters #1 & 2 - Scratchbuilt body on Bachmann Porter chassis

[ Return ]

x-6-x

0-6-0ST - Backwoods kit, Bachmann HO saddletank mechanism
0-6-0ST Porter with covered tender - Bridal Veil Lbr Co (L&G pp70-72)
0-6-0ST tank loco - Miniatures by Eric Bachmann conversion
0-6-2/2-6-2ST - Backwoods kit, Bachmann HO saddletank mechanism
B F Brock´s "Rattler" 0-6-0ST+t - Bachmann 0-6-0ST mech, Backwood 06-0ST, tender on disconnect (Labbe &Goe p 176)
Caspar SF&E "Smilax" 2-6-2T - Use Bachmann 2-6-0 chassis
Porter 0-6-0ST - Bachmann HO saddletank kitbash, Allen K Littlefield idea
Porter 0-6-2ST - Bachmann HO 0-6-0ST chassis, Miniatures by Eric Hawaiian superstructure

[ Return ]

- geared steam

Canopy cab Shay - Bachmann Shay conv.
T Boiler Shay - Bachmann
T Boiler Shay - V&T Shops MDC Shay Conversion kit V-17
Vertical Boiler Shay - Wiseman conversion kit for Bachm. Shay (forthcoming)
Vertical boiler Shay - MDC Shay kit, shorten to 2 cylinders, boiler over gearbox, fuel load over motor
25 ton class B Climax - Bachmann forthcoming
Class "A" Climax - Diesel chassis
Closed cab Dunkirk locomotive - BVM kit, Athearn SW700 chassis
Vertical boiler Dunkirk locomotive - BVM kit, Athearn SW700 chassis
2-truck Heisler - Rivarossi conversion, V&T Shops kit (Gaz 80/5)

[ Return ]

Internal combustion locos

IC Boxcab - BVM kit
5-ton Critter - BVM kit
Short boxcab - Shortened BVM kit on single truck
Sekiu Lumber #8 boxcab - Jeff Saxton design, use Athearn SW drive

[ Return ]

Speeders

BVM "Mudbug" speeder -
Logging speeder - NTT kit, uses Porter Hustler chassis
Speeder - BVM single truck caboose, SPUD power truck
Speeder - Banta kit
Wrightlines "Pickup Pete" -

[ Return ]

Cars

- passenger cars

"CSFE" crew car on WMS disconnects -
Open coach - BVM kit 512
Short coach - Shorten Bachmann coach
Workmen´s coach - Splice two Chivers waycars

[ Return ]

- box cars

20' box car - FMW2306 kit
20' box car - Shortened Bachmann car (Jim Ellis idea)
H&LoB box car - NTT kit
Mich-Cal refrigerator car - Chivers ventilated boxcar body on lengthened Bachmann skeleton car, Bachm. caboose end ladders
Swayne Lbr boxcar - (use for track cleaner?)
West Side Lbr boxcar - Foothill Model Works kit
YSL boxcar - scratchbuilt

[ Return ]

- flat cars

16' flat car - Chivers kit
18' flat car - FMW 2305
20' flat car - Chivers kit
21' flat car - Shortened Bachmann car (Jim Ellis idea)
Ex SPC flat car, Swayne Lbr -
four wheel flatcar - BVM kit 505
four wheel flatcar w. endboards - BVM kit 506
Four wheel pedestal flat car - BVM kit
Frame for tender / small 4-wheel car - Use passenger truck: Cut away equalizer, springs, truck bolster..
Utility flat car - On Bachmann skeleton car. Mann´s Creek prototype
WSL 24' Flat Car Kit - Foothill Model Works kit
YSL flat car - Ted Wurm photo (Gaz 78/3, drawing Gaz 88/3)

[ Return ]

- log cars

Argent Lumber skeleton log car - SMMW kit
Skeleton log car - Bachmann
Skeleton log car - Ian Lindsay kit
Skeleton log car - MDC HO skeleton car with Backshop detail kit

[ Return ]

- disconnects

Old time disconnects - BVM kit (forthcoming)
Old time disconnects - Jack Hess idea
Steel disconnect log trucks - Allen Brewster (MR 71/06), based on WSL trucks
WMS disconnect log trucks - WMS kit
WMS disconnects, new bunks -
Wood disconnect log truck - BVM kit, Coronado TR122 sideframes
Wood disconnect log trucks - Rusty Stumps kit

[ Return ]

- tank cars

22' logging tank car - J Ullimon (GMR 92 )
"CSFE" tank car on WMS disconnects -
Doane Valley tank car - (Gaz 93/1)
four wheel tank car - BVM kit 504
Green Swamp Lumber tank car - Smoky BottomLumber Co kit tank, WMS disconnect trucks
Logging tank car - FMW 18´flat car, BVM round tank, scratch squaretank
Pakesley Mill & Lumber tank car - 18' FMW flat car, MDC Old Timer tank, new dome, detail
Single truck tank car - On Kadee disconnect
Tank car - FMW2308
Wooden water car - Mich-Cal prototype (Gaz 2003/3 p32)
Wooden water car - "Mich-Cal" type on WMS disconnects

[ Return ]

- gondolas etc.

18' high side gondola - FMW 2304
18' low side gondola - FMW 2309
20' gondola - Chivers kit
Bachmann wood sidedump car -
Fairbanks Morse dump car - Grandt Line kit
four wheel gondola - BVM kit 503
Four wheel slab wood car - (OR 94/4 p77)
Four-wheel ballast cars - Backwood Miniatures ore car kit
Gilpin large ore car - Grandt Line kit
Koppel ore/dump car - Grandt Line kit
Merced ore/dump car - Grandt Line kit
Ore car - BVM Ore jimmy (discontinued)
Wood block car - D&C prototype (TT #30 p18)

[ Return ]

Reefers

14' ventilated boxcar - Chivers kit
"Mich-Cal" reefer - Chivers reefer body on Bachmann skeleton car

[ Return ]

-work equipment, MoW

18' work flat car - FMW 2307
Blacksmith car - Sierra West kit
Blacksmith car -
Fire engine on donkey flat car - Used when burning debris (Pino Grande, p42)
Flatcar / caboose - BVM single truck caboose on flatcar
H&LoB Box car/work car - NTT kit
Saw filer´s car - Rob Stephens (OR 94/4)
Steam winch on flat car - Steam from loco boiler (Labbe & Goe, p ??)winch kit
Steel gang´s foreman´s car - Yorke idea(LIQ 1:3), use Grandt 18t Porter cab
WSL parts car -

[ Return ]

-cabooses

20' waycar - Chivers kit
Caboose - Bachmann caboose, lower frame, remove cupola, side door on one side only
Doane Valley caboose - (Gaz 92/5)
four wheel caboose - BVM kit 508
"Gilpin" caboose - Chivers kit (new roof, side door?)
Logging caboose - (Gaz 83/6, p84)
Logging caboose - Jeff Saxton idea (OR 95/1,95/2)
Northern Redwood Lbr coach/ caboose - Bachmann coach kitbash
Single truck caboose - WMS kit
Single truck caboose on Bachmann dump car frame
Tool car / caboose - Ron Tarjany (RMC 79/06)
Tuolumne Forks single truck caboose - (Gaz 87/3)

[ Return ]

-snow plows

WSL Powderhouse plow - (Sn3 Modeler, 95/2)
WSL wedge snow plow - (Gaz 89/6)

[ Return ]

Scenery detail

Rough track - Yorke idea (LIQ vol 1 #3)
Big pine trees - balsa trunk, W.S. trees as branches (RMC 94/4)
Big pine trees - balsa trunk, Caspia branches (Paul Scoles, Gaz 99/2)
Handmade tree stumps - (TT #30 p40)
Large tree stumps - Rusty Stumps castings
Medium tree stumps - Chooch castings (disc)
Pine trees - wood trunk, "bottlebrush" top (RMC 97/3)
Second growth forest - O-scale (old growth) stumps, smaller 2nd growth trees
"Clutter" - Bob Brown (Gaz 87/2, MR 75/08)

[ Return ]

Buildings

Greeley´s place - BTS kit
WSLCo River Bridge tender's shack (ca 1957) - FMW kit
Car repair shop - Bob Clarke, Gaz 1996/5, use WSM/SW machinery, steam engine
Enginehouse at the end of dump trestle - Oregon Lbr Co (L&G p63)
Hand car shed over storage tanks - Yorke idea (LIQ 1:2)
"Leaning" repair shed - (Gaz 92/1)
Open air post & beam enginehouse - Yeon & Pelton ( L&G p66)
WSL open oil storage shed -
yard shed (YSL boxcar) -
Bellgrade lumber water tank - (OR 94/4 p 49)
Oil tank - (Gaz 79/6 -Yorke ad)
Water tank on tree stump - Yeon & Pelton prototype (L&G p66)
Water tanks - (RMC 76/07, Gaz 94/2, MR 84/11 etc)

[ Return ]

Log camp

Blacksmith camp car - On Bachmann dump car frame, (Labbe&Goe p 148)
Bunk Houses - Master Creations kit
Camp cars - Banta Modelworks kit
Freelance woods outhouse - FMW kit
Log camp cook house - (Gaz 82/2 -Yorke ad, RMC 85/5, Gaz 86/4)
Portable cabin add ons - Porch, outhose add-ons; 2 cabins joined (Thunder in the Mountains, p70)
Portable logger´s cabins - (RMC 88/2, Bob Love)
Log camp buildings - Portland Lbr Co (L&G p37)
Portable bunk house - FMW kit 1525, 1526, 1527
Workshop on skids -
Steam powered ditcher - Lionel Power Shovel kitbash (RMC 2003/12)

[ Return ]

Logging equipment

Single drum steam donkey - Milestone MW kit
Single drum steam donkey - Milepost Model Works kit 9425
Single drum steam winch for hoist etc - Milestone MW kit
Two drum wide-face steam donkey - Ian Lindsey kit
"A" frame unloader - Use Milestone Model Works single drum hoist
Log loading A frame - Deep River Lbr Co (L&G p69)
Surry Parker log loader - Use ILM two drum hoist
Two-drum Log loader - Use Ian Lindsey two drum hoist kit Scratchbuilt sled & roof (Gaz 96/4)
Yarder - ILM two drum kit
Yarder - Use Ian Lindsey two drum hoist kit . Scratchbuilt sled & roof (Gaz 96/4)

[ Return ]

Sawmill

Coon Gap slash burner -
S awmill - L Nyce: Montezuma Lumber Co sawmill (Gaz 99/6)
Sawmill - JV Models Lucas´Sawmill, Keystone interior detail

[ Return ]

Pile drivers

Benson Lumber pile driver - Use Ian Lindsey two drum hoist . Scratch-built frame (MR 90/5, RMC 76/9)
Pile driver - Big Creek Lbr Co (L&G p28)

[ Return ]

Bridges

Log crib bridge - Santa Cruz Lbr Co (L&G p28)
Log span bridge - (TT #30, p20)

[ Return ]