Rail Tractor

Needing a shunter for Redan industrial sidings, I looked to see if I could build a rail tractor out of the bits in scrapbox.  The mechanism is a Mashima spud, which is slightly too short in the length of the wheelbase but this isn’t noticeable when the side steps are added. The body is scratch-build out of styrene with wire for the handrails.  The underframe is from Steam Era Models M cattle wagon.  The engine is from a Lifelike Farmall tractor with additional pieces of styrene added to widen the frame and hood.  All that remains to be added is the exhaust stack.

The model is light (even with lead weight in the cab) so is limited in its haulage capacity to two or three 4-wheeled wagons.  Its also inclined to stall on points. I’m therefore looking at fitting wipers for additional pickup off the rails.

 

Painted and in service, shunting the sidings at Redan.  The RT is numbered 21, a long-time resident of Ouyen in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

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