Is this what SRR needs?

Really Nearly There!

Just waiting on the new two-piece seat for Car#2.  White bead on the front and black on the back, at the moment... Grommets for cables to Anderson Plugs, 6 pin data sockets, two red LED markers on the rear on each car.

Nearly there...

Figure that the 1.5m riding/passenger cars are the right size for SRR. Fit in the 1.8m trailer, don't overhang the inside of the tight curves too much, fit three adults - cosily... And are not to heavy to lift.

This is how our cars are constructed.  Warrick Sandberg's bogies.
Simple frame - 25x25x3mm side rails, 75x10mm bolster support, 50x50x3mm buffer bar/ends, 20x20x3mm corner supports. 
Sides are one piece with 20x20mm top fold, 245mm high  side, 100mm footboard with 15x20 folded edge. This is Car#2 with 1mm steel sides and ends... I have ditched the handles on both - just as easy to grab under the ends.

Lights and cabling to go... Both cars are directional, having the brake pedal only on the driving end of Car#1, and Car#2  also has only one  braked bogie - which should be on the front for effectiveness. So red lights only need to be on one end - of each!

The Carriages

The Indian Red carriages so far. I used incompatible primer on one side of #1 and had to strip it and start again... bugga!

Coupler Pockets

First pair of coupler pockets for the ride-on cars. 40x40mm outside 32x32mm inside. 1/4" pins, per AALS  5"gauge standards. The mounting holes are 70mm between centres for 1/4" HT bolts through the buffer beam. Height above rail top 3 1/4" or 82.5mm to the centre of the pocket...  Like this...






Shows the different colour too, Heritage Red semi-gloss (on the drawbar/ coupling bar) to Indian Red full gloss. The drawbar will probably end up shorter too.

Carriage rebuild

New buffer beams from recycled angle

Another Board decision: to rebuild the original ride-on with coupler pockets, and repaint Indian Red!
The original coupling bar passed through a slot in the end panels - to keep the pivot close to the bogie pivot. Examining the geometry in use indicates that a coupler pocket on the end panel will be okay, easier to couple - and more conventional. 

Welded cleaned up and painted

So I have two new ends for Car#1, have added (internal) buffer beams to both cars. So basically dismantled Car#1 and rebuilding to match Car#2...

Car#2 is a little different with narrower angle side frames, bogie support plates of 10mm rather than 8mm flat bar, and the sides are 1mm rather than 0.8mm sheet.

Bogies back on with 1/2" UNC bolts as pivots

Now I am busy repainting the original sides and new end panels... A bugger getting the signage off!

Also making coupler pockets out of 40mm x 5mm SQ RHS to weld onto 50mm flat and bolt on through the buffer beams. Will still use the same coupling bars and 1/4" pins.

Before you know it there will be two ride-on cars... All we need then is something that will pull six people...

Connections... and Braking

A decision was made by the SRR Board (me) that train carriages and locos on the SRR will be connected by 12mm, 6 pin plug/socket with multi-strand 6 core security system cable.

The cable is really data cable but should easily carry enough current for led lighting and relay coils. The pin connections are rated more than 5A.






This will be the electric brake actuator for carriage #2, activated by microswitch on the mechanical brake, and a relay. It's a  24v push solenoid 20kg at 10A, 50% duty cycle

Instant Thomas the Tank Engine

Thanks to Rob VDD  we have another option for the universal chassis. $4 from the community op shop. Still some work to do, like a short Troublesome Truck body for the back half...