Couldn't Help Myself... PRR Electric Switcher

[Lemosteam]

http://prr.railfan.net/RubberTiredSwitchers.html

sirenworks, that is a great link- Thanks for sharing it!  the 12th shot pulling the H30's is a perfect diorama scene.

[Philip H]

yeah, the grooves in the tires to ride the rails are a neat innovation.  And I love the license plates!

[bbussey]

Keep in mind guys that this is a static model, as the wheels don't turn.  Even if they did, the amount of intricate interior detail leaves no room for automation.  This beautiful model is designed to elicit oohs and ahs from a prominent stationary location on the layout.

[SkipGear]

yeah, the grooves in the tires to ride the rails are a neat innovation.  And I love the license plates!

The grooves are simply the joint between two narrow rubber tires. The track width of the unit is much wider than the rail gauge. They are designed to ride outside of the rails.

As far as charging the batteries..... lower down the page, they show the gas/diesel generator in the cab.

After seeing the size of the one pulling the H30's, it is very possible to make a running version. If Trix can mass produce these....

....with DCC included, it can be done.

[Bob Bufkin]

I think I read something years ago about these.  The drivers were called chauffeurs and they were members of the Teamsters union, not a typical railroad union.

[Philip H]

Keep in mind guys that this is a static model, as the wheels don't turn.  Even if they did, the amount of intricate interior detail leaves no room for automation.  This beautiful model is designed to elicit oohs and ahs from a prominent stationary location on the layout.

Now Bryan, if DKS can make a working z scale barber pole SOMEONE somewhere can make this thing move.

[Lemosteam]

Where's peteski or Max Magliaro when you need them!   Max would find the smallest corless motor with a redux gear and peteski can wire the lights.  I'll add the magnet to keep it centered on the tracks....

[bbussey]

Now Bryan, if DKS can make a working z scale barber pole SOMEONE somewhere can make this thing move.

I'm certain someone can, and without reinventing the wheel to do it.  But at a cost the market would accept?  Have to be able to sell more than a handful in order to recoup the investment.

[sirenwerks]

sirenworks, that is a great link- Thanks for sharing it!  the 12th shot pulling the H30's is a perfect diorama scene.

No problem. The 18th shot down is my fave. I used to live on the top floor of the building to the far left. The street is still cobblestone and the tracks are still there too.

[Ian MacMillan]

I once saw a farm tractor with couplers used to switch a grain elevator, which, again, is the same idea.

One of our former customers at New England Southern had a bucket loader with couplers on the rear, and one welded to a pocket on the bucket.

[wazzou]

One of our former customers at New England Southern had a bucket loader with couplers on the rear, and one welded to a pocket on the bucket.

That's pretty common.  I've seen a few examples of that.

[elnscale]

http://prr.railfan.net/RubberTiredSwitchers.html

Those are great photos. There's one from 1962 and, to me, it looks like it should be dated 1862!

[DKS]

Now Bryan, if DKS can make a working z scale barber pole SOMEONE somewhere can make this thing move.

Bear in mind the barber pole mechanism is huge by comparison to the pole; since it's not seen, it can be as big as necessary. Now, the switcher is another matter. Consider that it does not run on the rails (unlike the Trix unit), so how is it to be powered? Battery? And how are you going to steer it? This is not impossible, but it enters the realm of custom microelectronics and micromechanics, which can only be made by a very few lucky individuals. Not many practical examples of this exist; here is the only device I know of that comes close, and I doubt many of us on Railwire could afford one, even if it was for sale:

BTW, this is real, not a hoax. There used to be a website showing how it's built (it's since been [re]moved). The steering is accomplished with muscle wire.

[Chris333]

I like this one:

[bbussey]

... BTW, this is real, not a hoax. There used to be a website showing how it's built (it's since been [re]moved). The steering is accomplished with muscle wire.

The German version still exists.  Click HERE for the English translation.

And HERE is the VW Bus construction page.