Custom Bogey/Truck for Santa Fe?

[j3tang]

With sets/parts for the Santa Fe trains crazy expensive, does anyone have any ideas for custom bogey/trucks?

I've seen numerous bogey/truck from other designers, but I don't think I have come across something that would fit particularly well for the Santa Fe? I'm talking about the engine or the B-unit. I'm not crazy about substituting the light grey wheelholders with black ones.

I own an original Santa Fe Super Chief and one of the luggage cars and recently pieced together parts for a B-unit. The only thing I am lacking are those grey wheelholders (if that's what they're called) for the bogey/truck. It would be perfect if there was just a substitute part (which I don't think there is), or custom build design that would fit where the original wheel holder would go keeping the remainder of the bogey/truck the way it was designed, or lastly, a total redesign.

One last thing is, the Santa Fe Super Chief comes with 2 side pieces for the bogey/truck that were meant to attach to a 9V train motor. If there are designs (other than building a black chunk to mimic a 9V train motor) to incorporate those pieces, I'd be interested in as well.

Any help is much appreciated :)

Edited September 9, 2010 by j3tang

[roamingstop]

Check through the varios issues of Railbricks - there are some nice model of bogeys which do not use the fancy plate. Sometimes it is better to also change all bogeys into a nice design.

Edited September 9, 2010 by roamingstudio

[legoboy3998]

if you dont mind black trucks you could simply use the black wheel holder. In regards to the decorative side pieces, you can go on the LEGO website and click on customer service and building instructions and find the new train sets and they have a design for trucks using those side pieces in the locomotive.

Sal

WFB, WI

[WesternOutlaw]

Check through the varios issues of Railbricks

Railbricks is an excellent resource and provides some great articles.

You might also try seraching Brickshelf and MOC Pages. Good luck with your efforts.

[peterab]

With sets/parts for the Santa Fe trains crazy expensive, does anyone have any ideas for custom bogey/trucks?

There are a bunch of ideas in the Lego Train ideas group on Flickr Here

Not all of them are successful so read the comments, as there may be improvements mentioned. The Flickr Train groups haven't been mentioned much on EB, but they are also a great resource.

[j3tang]

Check through the varios issues of Railbricks - there are some nice model of bogeys which do not use the fancy plate. Sometimes it is better to also change all bogeys into a nice design.

I am aware of what's in railbricks. thanks

if you dont mind black trucks you could simply use the black wheel holder. In regards to the decorative side pieces, you can go on the LEGO website and click on customer service and building instructions and find the new train sets and they have a design for trucks using those side pieces in the locomotive.

Sal

WFB, WI

like I said, I'm not crazy about replacing the grey with the black wheel holders.

Railbricks is an excellent resource and provides some great articles.

You might also try seraching Brickshelf and MOC Pages. Good luck with your efforts.

I've done some searching before on brickshelf and MOC pages, but nothing jumps out at me. i'll keep trying those though. railbricks has actually featured some of what's found on BS and MOC.

There are a bunch of ideas in the Lego Train ideas group on Flickr Here

Not all of them are successful so read the comments, as there may be improvements mentioned. The Flickr Train groups haven't been mentioned much on EB, but they are also a great resource.

Not sure why I haven't thought about this before, but I do remember seeing a lot of neat stuff form the Flickr train pool.

Thanks everyone, but it appears there isn't something that's really been tried and tested yet I guess. keep the suggestions coming :)

Cheers!

[Carefree_Dude]

you can get the grey wheelholders for as little as 4 bucks each. I just bought 10 of them to build some santa fe cars.

What is really going to kill you are the 2x3 rounded slopes that make the top. those cost about $2 each, and you need 32 of them.

[j3tang]

you can get the grey wheelholders for as little as 4 bucks each. I just bought 10 of them to build some santa fe cars.

What is really going to kill you are the 2x3 rounded slopes that make the top. those cost about $2 each, and you need 32 of them.

I've used those only on the undercarriage and have accumulated enough of them over some time at much less than the $2 they're at now. I've also substituted them with 1 x 2 x 1 1/3 with Curved Top bricks for the roof. They are 1/3 higher than the original ones, but there are a few areas where you can shave 1/3 off from the height of the train.

At the moment, the concern are just the wheels. I see a few that are slightly more than what you've found them for, but I'm just not sure if they are worth that kinda money. Hence the search for an alternative design :D

edit ... nevermind, found what I was looking for :)

Edited September 12, 2010 by j3tang

[peterab]

edit ... nevermind, found what I was looking for :)

Please share, I'm quite interested to see what you were looking for since I think many of the suggestions made here were good.

[j3tang]

Please share, I'm quite interested to see what you were looking for since I think many of the suggestions made here were good.

Sorry for misleading you (and anyone else in the process), what I had originally typed in that edited post was another question about locating parts list and instructions for James Mathis' El Capitan cars. I've since found that information in his Brickshelf folder. No, I haven't actually found a good solution to the OP. I would definitely share it if I did :)

Edited September 13, 2010 by j3tang