Building a Doodlebug

On the layout my main goal was point-to-point operation but I added a return loop on the lower level between the stamp mill and the roundhouse.  The purpose of this was to run a railbus on autopilot to create interference for yard and switching operations.  I found a "Doodlebug" kit on eBay  that fit the era, 1920's, but would need some modifications to suit my eye.  The running gear for this kit was supposed to be an HO scale Bachmann trolley car but I felt it looked kinda wimpy and the overall profile was too high above the tracks.

The first thing I did was to carve out the frame and floor to allow use of an HO SD40 diesel switcher. The power trucks from this switcher looked much better than the puny wheels of the trolley and the drive motor from the switcher was already set up for DCC.  The wheelbase measurement was spot on too.  I used a Dremel to carve out the base of the Doodlebug and did it in stages so I wouldn't go too far too fast.  My first attempt looked good but the body sat too high.  I lowered it an additional 12 scale inches and then added running boards to visually lower it even more.

The cow catchers that came with the model was small and clunky so I made my own.  I used scale 1" square and L plastic shapes and formed them up using tape to hold the rounded shape while I glued it together.  I added grab irons next to the doors made from brass rod.  I used thin clear plastic sheets made for my printer and fogged with flat clear spray paint for the windows.  I plan to use most of the interior for electronics so fogged window panes allowed light to pass but didn't provide a clear view of the interior.

I couldn't find suitable headlights so I made my own using plastic straws and 0.010" styrene shapes.  I placed LEDs inside the new housings and wired them up to the diesel switchers control board.  I also added a brass bell above the windows at one end of the Doodlebug.

I painted the body Pennsylvania RR maroon with black trim to give it a sharp, early 1900's look.  The prototype for this model was an awkward looking homemade affair with a center control cab and a small steam engine for propulsion.  My modified version has the cab at one end sharing space with the baggage compartment and using gas/electric propulsion.  I installed a bulkhead at midpoint to separate the driver from the passenger compartment and to add some needed bracing to the car body.

This came out pretty sweet.  The SD40 mechanism runs quiet and smooth and can do creepy-crawly very well.  I'm pleased with the final paint colors and I think it gives it the right look for the 1920's.  The cowcatchers also give it the right look, at least to my eye.  I'm sure someone out there will point out that this combination isn't correct but I don't even care.  It gives me what I wanted for my layout and it runs great.  I still need to convert it over to deadrail operation and add sound but for now it's complete.  Fun project.