# New Icing Facility and More



## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

‘Cause a Chilly Willie Makes a Real Dilly

(Or Gustav Becomes a Pusher Man)

Over the winter when things were quiet, the head “Bearewer” fell into the vat of Winter Brew, usually shipped out in the _Beary Whizmas_ reefer. With everyone gone home for the Holiday, the Bear only had one option to keep warm and keep from drowning…, start drinking and producing more _Bear Whiz_ at the natural bearewing temperature of 98.6 degrees, continually warming the mixture.

Two days later when one of the bunnies came in to clean, he heard the sounds of a very happy Bear and found a vat of product that was much colder than the normal bearew. Never letting anything go to waste, the new bearew was further filtered though the kidneys and kept chilled “‘Cause a Chilly Willie Makes a Real Dilly.” In fact, it was found that the only way to keep the putrid flavor of the new bearew intact was too keep it cold though out its natural life. The head Bearewer then found that all Bear Whiz Beer keeps better when continually refrigerated. 

It was instantly determined that an icing plant would need to be built into the overhead structure adjacent to the Bearewery. With the attraction of all the free beer that he could stomach, Gustav, who was found unemployed at _The Big Train Show_, said that he would become the head ice pusher.


































Gustav is animated and pushes a block of ice into a reefer. He takes a 25 second break, then pushes the ice into the hatch at a rate of about ¾ second per stroke for 25 seconds. He will attach to any USA reefer by friction fit and does not require any modifications to the car. He can even run around the railroad while pushing his ice.

Bits of Plastruct make up his stand and his existing base had to be trimmed a bit.

















The ice is kicked up from below by a “teeter-totter below. A miniature solenoid pulls down one side raising the other. A rod attached to the other end protrudes up through the hatch insert and pokes the ice pushing Gustav’s arms up. Timing is accomplished using two 555 timing chips; one for the work/pause speed and the other for the speed of the stroke. All components are held to the floor with double-sided foam tape.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

VERY NICE! 
Would love to see a movie of Gustav working!


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I don't have movie capability.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

You have accomplished what I have wanted to do for many years. I have always thought of how important icing facilities were to the railroads and how disappointing it has been that no one has ever marketed an icing facility.

I LOVE it.

Jerry


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## Agra (Jan 15, 2008)

I like the mechanism inside the reefer, very clean. Where did you get the mini solenoid and the timer chips? 

Thanks, 
André


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Solonoids were from Electronic Goldmine (or Allelectronics) online, but their stock continually changes. I got a pair many years ago to do a pair of crossing gates, but gave the gates to a club member who needed them more than I. The 555s are also available at these online places, but also at RadioShak.


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## Agra (Jan 15, 2008)

Thanks for answering my question about the solenoids etc. I've been away from the Internet for a couple of days, so didn't notice until today. 

André


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Very cool ! (oh oops, was that a pun?)







That's a great looking facility and animation always makes a scene much more interesting. I like the way you made the mechanism so it doesn't harm the car to install it.







Well done!


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