# Ideas for a 'Tote'?



## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

I have to transport my locos back and forth to the Club layout. I have been using the original styrofoam packing/box to move them. This is a bit laborious, as well as having broken a piece off my engine...%&^**((()$!.... Can you guys give me some ideas of simple ways to build a 'Tote', or direct me to a thread (s) that show construction? Bill


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Here is one I quickly built. The 'floor' is a piece of 3/4"x6" ash flooring the end walls are 1/2" cabinet grade plywood, I cut dados in the 'floor' for the wheels to rest in. Use the foam to secure it or Velcro straps. I like the clear sides to show off the loco while I carry it around. 


http://picasaweb.google.com/Bunky39/Jigs#


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

This has aluminum angle on the bottom spaced to sit on the track, just roll on/roll off.
Velcro straps hold it down and a piece of wood swivels over the ends. I used some Oak I had.


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## leftyfretguy (Jan 2, 2008)

Our club's president came up with this simple carrier 
http://wnygrs.com/projects_mike_carrier.html 
Matt 


From Peter Bunce - moderator - link made active, ALSO please remember to click on the photos, which are for a rolling stock (not locos but still good) carrier and they will then enlarge.
Thanks for the link Matt.


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## Bunker (Feb 7, 2009)

Posted By Jerry Barnes on 05/22/2009 7:57 PM








This has aluminum angle on the bottom spaced to sit on the track, just roll on/roll off.
Velcro straps hold it down and a piece of wood swivels over the ends. I used some Oak I had.











Looks nice Jerry. I need some polyurethane on mine.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Cap'n Bill

The following is a link to a PDF file, which contains a compilation of various topics posted on MLS that have described the building of various designs of carriers, hopefully it will provide you with information that'll lead you to building your own.

*Rolling Stock Carriers
File Format: PDF - File Size: 16.6MB
Left-click to open / Right-click to download*


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## Dougald (Jan 2, 2008)

Cap'n Bill

Others have given some fine examples of the various totes they have built.

I want to relate a short story of my experience. I transport a loco every week from my home to our club operations in Ottawa (a distance of about 50 km). When a number of us built our totes, we built using 5/8 inch plywood. These totes were very heavy and certainly not elegant in appearance. One day during my trek in to our operation with my pickup truck, I had to slam on the brakes on the freeway. The tote slid the length of the pickup box and crashed into the wall against the cab. Solid tote construction coupled with proper foam packing to keep the loco firmly in place prevented damage to the loco and of course, the tote escaped totally intact. 

As you might expect, I am a believer in making these totes strong and functional.

Regards ... Doug


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

Thanks, Gents, for the tips! The concept of strong and simple is the way to go. When carring stuff in a vehicle, things like this need to be secure! I tell my wife when you look at the number of people talking on cell phones while driving, and the number of drug users, it's scary to consider how many drivers are in total control of their vehicles. Then there's text messaging....and twittering(?). Well, got to get to the lumber pile......! Bill


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## emartin187 (Jan 19, 2008)

Guys 

Here's another idea. TrakrTotes were developed for our own use on my Thunder Valley Narrow Gauge Railway. I was looking for a better, easier way for handling live steam and onboard battery locomotives and storing/transporting them in carrying cases. Then, other individuals saw us using TrakrTotes and asked if we would build some for them. This is when we decided to market the TrakrTote commercially. 

TrakrTote is a new idea for handling, servicing, and storing locomotives. It was designed for handling locomotives with tenders, multi-unit locos, locos with trailing onboard battery cars, and live steam locos having wiring or drawbars which would otherwise require disconnecting/re-connecting each time you put them on the track. TrakrTotes allow you to keep such locos together while handling them, storing them, and carrying them from place to place. TrakrTotes eliminate the need to handle locomotives with the fingers (avoiding finger prints and damage), and having to get all wheels on the track. Very handy, especially for heavy, long locomotives! 

In use, the TrakrTote is set over down over any section of reasonably straight track, supported by a support block at one end. The other end fits down over the rails in such a way that locomotives can be run, under their own power, onboard the TrakrTote. Then, using the carrying straps, the TrakrTote and locomotive(s) can be picked up, turned (similar to a turntable), serviced, moved to a storage location, or placed in a carrying case. This means that locos can be run, under their own power, from track to TrakrTote and back to track without the hassle of disconnecting/re-connecting wiring or getting all the wheels on the track. TrakrTote provides extra advantages for handling, re-railing, or recovering hot live steam locos (e.g., not burning fingers). TrakrTote also can be used to recover and re-rail locomotives which have left the track, by towing uprighted locomotives backwards onto the TrakrTote, and allowing wheel flanges to drop into the TrakrTotes flangeways. Then, you run the locomotive back onto the track from the TrakrTote. As an additional use, the TrakrTote can be used to “rail” passenger and freight cars by setting the cars on the TrakTote, sliding the car slightly sideways until wheel flanges drop into TrakrTote flangeways, then allowing the car to roll onto the track (like a mini-hump yard). 

Originally developed for non-track powered locomotives, a track-power version has been developed. Brass angles, functioning as running rails, were connected to pickups in the rail slots on the underside permitting TrakrTote to be used for track powered locomotives. To insure proper pickup contact with both rails, the plug-in support block is designed to be rotated to compensate for cross-level differences in the rails. 

Typical costs for TrakrTote versions are: $65 for a 35 inch live steam/onboard battery version and $105 for a 35 inch track powered version, plus $15 shipping and California sales tax (7.5% if applicable). Sizes from 24 inch to 48 inch are available, including custom sizes to fit carry cases.. Contact us for quotes. For purchasers using Kadee couplers, a slot has been milled for clearance. TrakrTotes are clear-coated on natural wood, not painted. If requested, a coupler or bumper post can be added to the upper end. 

The TrakrTote was favorably reviewed by Garden Railways Magazine. If you have questions, please feel free to call or e-mail me. 


Earl Martin, 4019 Pine Cabin Way, Roseville, CA 95747 Ph: 916-773-0933 
[email protected] or [email protected] 5/21/09


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

we built using 5/8 inch plywood. 


I made trays similar to the bread tray's mentioned by Matt. 1/4 Plywood is quite strong when glued into a box [not as strong as 5/8 but also not as heavy!] The ends are 1x8 or 1x10 pine, with slots for dividers along the length which keep the cars apart and give me somewhere to put the foam sheets for protection. 

I put expensive locos on the back seat with a seatbelt around them. 

They all fit in a yard storage shed:


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*Heres what i use, custom built wood boxs for engines, bread trays for rolling stock. 4 to 6 cars per tray and there stackable..*


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry B, I love those aluminum angles!


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

I made totes for my heavy, live steam K-27 and K-28 that keep them secured in transit. All the materials came from Lowe's and not very expensive.


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## Cap'nBill (Dec 27, 2008)

I got my aluminum angle and ply, I just have to decide which design to go with. I like the 'drive on' construction-seems the best way to avoid damage. Hope this inspires some others to build one. Great ideas, guys, thanks! Bill


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I want to combine drive-on construction with Doug's heavy box protection, but all my tools are 250 miles away. Anybody nearby with a circular saw?


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

You want simple & cheap?

Put 3 wallpaper wetting trays on the bottom with some rags draped over it. Put the model in the tray. Put osme foam rubber on top of the model. Put 2 trays on top of thatand use veldro straps or duct tape to fasten it together.

The wallpaper trays come form the hardware store. I have my SD-45 in one right now. It works just fine.


I also built a fancy one out of birch, fancy catches & all. It's works well but is rather expensive. I took an engine across country on Amtrak and then by car to Ottawa in this one and it survived just fine.


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