# A little Boxcab bash for the Harbor Layout



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

It was suggested I needed to build something to pull all my recent car bashes. I had this idea in my head and had done a couple line sketches. I have been battling a cold/flu/bug since last weekend, it blew up bad Friday so I thought no time like the present to try it. So I was able to spend some quality time at the bench, Here's where my mind goes under the influence of some very good cold medication, the usual results end up being something zany...like this:












It started as the wood deck of my old Mack railtruck that became the LBH railbus combined with Stan Cederleaf's AC brick he sold me at last years SWGRS:


The base drive: Basswood, 7/8" slate car journals, and some Bug Hauler end steps:






















The body is a Bug Hauler cab, with styrene body parts added front and rear to cover the openings, other Bug Hauler stuff rooftop, whatever I could find:


















































































Lots of pics I know but this thing is different from almost every angle, Interior pics:






















Some old LGB bits I had on the inside with styrene bashed controls: 


This will live on the Harbor layout, hence the knuckle couplers, besides I think the Bmann cab makes it too wide for the Pizza.

Painting currently underway, maybe post some painted pics later tonight when Dowager Abby is on.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Downandout Abbey is on, so now I have free time to post these.

Painted:























































This was a quick really fun bash, I hope it lets folks know that kitbashing isn't that hard to do, and once you done a couple its becomes a great fun addition to the scale. 

This will probably be one of the last I do for a while till I get the Harbor layout's track changes back in order. Still have a couple other things planned, but without a working track plan its kinda futile to keep building more stuff, besides I need something to do in the heat of this summer.

Not quite finish yet, still need to add some grab bars, glass, numbers and weathering


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Real nice (and fast!) work so far. What a beautifull ugly duckling! 
That is gonna be a perfect critter for on you harbour layout for sure.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Victor; 

Great job! Y'know I think there was actually a switcher offered by Mack trucks that looked a lot like your critter. Sometime I'll have to check my copy of the 1929 Mack railcar and locomotive catalog to see. OR it could be in that Lehigh NRHS book I have on Mack railroad equipment. Anyway, your critter looks familiar to me. 

Best wishes, 
David Meashey


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Dave,

Yep its based on a Mack but not the little 15 ton unit, I have a book on Critters and it had a Mack 3-axled unit that was more or less the inspiration for this model. But as I build based on the "found objects" principle the end result is a little more unique from the inspiration.










Would love to build that little 15 tonner as well:












Could probably build this one alot closer to prototype


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Victor;

Yeah, that 15 ton model is just what I was thinking of.

I used a photo from the Lehigh NRHS Chapter's book when I added detail to my Heartland Mack switcher. By the time I got my job at Mack Trucks, Inc., all the Mack built plant switchers were gone. I did get to copy old documents to fulfill requests from folks restoring Mack locomotives and railcars. That is how I got copies of my own.









Have fun,
David Meashey


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Well Dave they say idle hand are the devils tools, he's been having some fun with mine










I sat down last night and before I knew it I made a working drive train out of a HLW mini flat and a HLW Wadling Goose drive I had. (it wasnt that hard, I just cut a hole in the deck of the car and stuck the wheels into the journal and fixed the motor in place with a screw). the upshot is that it looks like I will be adding yet another dismal to the harbor layout.


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Cool little loco! Man, you get a lot done for a guy with the flu. I have had a cold the last few days and have a hard time getting anything done. I love seeing what you can do with left over parts.


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