These two rail vehicles are a type of railcar called a Galloping Goose, and are slightly inspired by seven real vehicles built and used by the Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge railway back in the 1930s to 1950s, when the little railroad was torn up. Six still exist in original form, with one being a reconstructed replica. These machines are really something Doctor Frankenstein would love - a bus body or boxcar welded to a road vehicle (usually a Pierce Arrow limousine, though bus bodies were later used) for the front end, with train wheels added underneath.

My interpretations of this type of vehicle are built in freight (red) and passenger (blue) versions, even though the real-world ones are all silver / light gray painted. (NOTE: This vehicle's front half was inspired by @hachiroku and his Indiana Jones "Raiders" staff car MOC from 2019.)

The rear of the Galloping Geese. As a play feature, you can open the doors to the drivers compartment and place a driver at the wheel. The back half of either vehicle is not meant to be accessible.

The free LDD file for both Galloping Geese can be found at my Bricksafe page. I'm currently building the blue Galloping Goose in real life, so keep your eyes peeled for that separate thread later!

Thoughts, questions, complaints, and suggestions welcome!

Edited November 8, 2024Nov 8 by Murdoch17

Could you use this

in the back corner of the bus?

Those galloping geese look great!  I have seen pictures of one or two of the real ones, and they look quite cool. You could make a small apartment in one for a mobile rail home.

12 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

Could you use this

in the back corner of the bus?

I could have, but since the bus is already 99.9% built and due to to the fact I don't have those parts, I won't be doing that. Thanks for the suggestion though, @zephyr1934!

11 hours ago, ILoveSeatron said:

Those galloping geese look great!  I have seen pictures of one or two of the real ones, and they look quite cool. You could make a small apartment in one for a mobile rail home.

Thanks @ILoveSeatron! However, I think the railroads might not like you operating your mobile home on their rails unless it was planned well in advance. Otherwise, you might get a head-on / cornfield meet!

36 minutes ago, Murdoch17 said:

I could have, but since the bus is already 99.9% built and due to to the fact I don't have those parts, I won't be doing that. Thanks for the suggestion though, @zephyr1934!

Thanks @ILoveSeatron! However, I think the railroads might not like you operating your mobile home on their rails unless it was planned well in advance. Otherwise, you might get a head-on / cornfield meet!

 Yea, I agree! I didn't mean you should do it, but just it would be something that would be fun to do. I think that the railroad companies would not like it ! It would still be cool though, even if it just sat on a short strip of rail in your yard.