Meet the Chugging Chicken, a rail car built by committee.

Part Boulder Valley Models, part Chivers Finelines, part Grandt Line
and a big part imagination. It is in the category called ugly-cute.
The cab and
boxcar are
articulated to
handle tight
curves. Crates
hide weight for
better traction.
The frame was modified and details added to the roof, doors slide
open (or closed depending on the 1/2 full 1/2 empty point of view),
interior is detailed, bell is Grandt Line, air tank scratch-built. The
donor mechanism is of course a Bachmann old 44 toner. Wheels are
GL caboose.
  I created a small diorama to
show off the Chicken in a
more natural habitat.  Some
have affectionately renamed
the beast the "Choking
Chicken". The scene on the
left is entitled "recipe for
disaster". Can anyone see why?
  Here is a dramatic
shot from a low angle.
This represents a view
that one might have
track-side and places
you the viewer in the
scene.    >>>>>
 This is a detailed and re-worked Banta Speeder on a
Bachmann HO San Francisco cable car mechanism.
 The first thing I did was to
extend the frame so I could
have room for the toolbox in
the back. I also made a new
engine cover out of styrene,
detailing it with a new seat,
shelf, controls and access
doors.
 The radiator is an Evergreen
detail with a styrene extension.
The headlights are from a 1/43
scale truck. The exhaust pipe
is a bent piece of plastic. I also
added a Grandt Line bell, tissue
on the roof (note the patches).
The toolbox is scratch built as
is the windshield wiper.
 I also modified the seats
provided in the kit by cutting
them in half and installing them
around the sides  instead of in
the middle as in the kit. This
leaves more room for the crew
and looks more interesting, to
me at least. I added lots of
interior details too.
 The two figures are Arttista, I
like the weight they add for
extra traction. Later I will
fabricate an engineer to fit the
seat and space. Later...
 This was a fun conversion, I like the Banta Speeder as is  but I think this puppy has a bit more character.

Somewhere I have 35mm pictures of the building process, but first I have to LOCATE them, take digital
pictures, THEN I will post them here so you can all see how I did it.


Bookends?
This is my mogul, the first On30 I ever "bashed".
I removed the air tank (now on my Silver bell Mining Co. critter), built a new pilot, the bear trap spark
arrester, opened the rear of the cab,  added  a floor plate so my crew doesn't fall off while working, increased
the size of the  coal bunker with "hungry boards", added a tail light with directional lighting and I plan to add
constant lighting and a sound system would be nice too.
More On30 Motive Power
Another page devoted to self-propelled machines.
Another is planned for; might be for sale, might not.