# mule train



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,

For a while now I have been painting/building pack and pack saddles for a set of Mules that are now a small train. 





First a little history re mules – though in America mules are much better known and used than in the UK, which have been used for ages as pack animals being able to carry much more than donkeys as they are larger, and very sure footed when trained properly. They are still used by the armed forces, and salso in such places as Grand Canyon, and at the ‘Trail Ranches’ in the USA, and also in many other countries still. 





Getting back to the models; they are being sold by Florida based company , their models are made in China, the company is called Safari has at last made a model of a mule, to approx 1/24th (matching the Schliech horses), they are really nearer to 1./20th being the equivalent of 16 hands high at the shoulder (5 feet), which is just right! There are some slight differences in them with the position of the ears, which being mules are larger than horses and thus they can be a bit delicate! 


One of mine had a broken ear, this was immediately replaced without any questions though they did have a photo of the casualty. Full marks to ‘Utterly Horses’ (the supplier here in the UK) for superb service! After some messing about with some small bits of aluminum sheet another was made that looked right, and replaced the missing one (which was not in the packet) fixed with glue, and a wire peg, plus some filler, I now know how to rotate those ears for more variations! 


First, all were repainted from the original colour, after wandering through the web for ideas; mules being the product of a donkey & a horse can be all the variations of horses in colours so the choice is endless: whether the choice was as large in the 1880’s I don’t know but suspect not so ‘its my choice’ rules. 


Once satisfied with their new coats more trawling the web produced a ‘sawbuck’ pack saddle and some bits of plasticard were used to good effect making 3 of them. One had such a size load that the saddle was superfluous, as it would not be seen. 


Then the loads for them were made up from polystyrene and card, and the saddle cloths from my favourite aluminum sheet: this (from food trays this time – it’s more pliable) was also used for the mule’s harnesses. These have straps and buckles everywhere! The rings for the bits, and the pack saddles were made from 30 thou (.75mm) wire. 


One thing missing was just how the mules were roped together – the web was again used (to the Mule Ranches, and harness suppliers) and the answer was found. Another tiny piece was added to the harness. The ropes are not fixed tight – they are fitted with thin rope for to the rear of the saddle, and looped round a strap under their head so they can if required break away etc easily. The mule skinner has his end of the front rope looped round his thigh so he has an instant indication of any trouble as well. 


All was fixed together, a base made for the 4 mules (these mule trains could be up to 20 mules long! – no space or cash for that many, though some will be bought for some of my vehicles, replacing horses) and also a Schliech model for the mule skinner. 



The weather decided to relent, (rain being promised all day) though still being cold, so it was ‘out with the camera’ set it on ‘aperture choice’ to get the depth of field, and here are the results. The train is 21” long and the single horse base is 4” long. One of the photos show the train outside one of my buildings for a scale. 











This is the model as supplied - there are variations avaiable in the ears.













A view of the whole train, with the Mule Skinner opn the front.











The mukle Skinner himself, being a Schliech figure, slightly repainted and aged at the same time, the horse also having a partial repaint.












Nuymbers 1 & 2 with their loads; the barrels are bought the other load being scratch built.











Numbers 3 & 4, the sheeted load is polystrene packing wrapped up with thin plastic sheet for the 'tarps' ; the other ones load is made of various bits and pieces from the capacious spares box! 










Finally outside the Bakers Shop.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Cool.









We use mules to drag the ore cars through our mine. Mules were better in the mines than horses due to their size and stamina.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Check out the song; Miracle Mule by The Subdudes

I couldn't figure out how to attach it.

Nice models

John


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter, 

You come up with more neat stuff. That's a swell looking train. 

And John, I'm more partial to "Mule Train" sung by Frankie Lane.


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## dana (Jan 7, 2008)

DONT FORGET TOO MODEL A CAMEL TRAIN 

BREIFLY TRIED IN ARIZONA & TEXAS(THE US CAMEL CORPS ) AND HERE IN CANADA ( BC'S FRAZER RIVER GOLD RUSH 1860'S ) 
BC'S CAMELS ARE HONERED BY A BRIDGE 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 
Jump to: navigation, search 
Bridge of the Twenty-Three Camels is the official name of the highway bridge over the Fraser River at Lillooet, British Columbia, Canada, on BC Highway 99. It replaced the older 1913-vintage Lillooet Suspension Bridge, just upstream, which had no highway designation but connected the town to BC Highway 12, a designation which today only refers to the Lillooet-Lytton highway but, until the extension of the 99 designation from Pemberton, also included the Lillooet-Cache Creek highway. 

As something of a joke on this name, the crossing of the Yalakom River at Moha, a small concrete truss span, sports the sign "Bridge of the Twenty-Three Chimpmunks".


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Peter

What a wonderful refreshing idea, and well executed too. That's really neat.


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## docwatsonva (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic job Peter. How do you keep coming up with all your neat ideas?

Doc


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## Rich Schiffman (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,

Wow, what a wonderful model unto itself. It will go well with your other carriages and structures. When you tire of the Mule Train, pack it up and send it here to Texas. Yep, I even have a Schleich camel...


Rich Schiffman


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Great model. The harness' are fantastic.


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