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Miniatures Adventure => Railway Wargaming => Topic started by: Rob_Jedi on October 08, 2012, 02:07:25 PM

Title: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Rob_Jedi on October 08, 2012, 02:07:25 PM
Hey folks I picked up a new train today from Toys R Us, just curious if anyone else has painted or modded up one of these.

I did a repaint on the smaller Fast Lane trains I picked up a few years ago and started a bit of a flood of other trains in the Warmachine forums. This one uses the same gauge of track but has pivoting bogeys and is a fair bit bigger.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3685.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3686.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3687.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3688.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3689.jpg)

nice you can easily fit 40mm bases in the goods car and with a bit of a squeeze a 50mm fits.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3691.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3692.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3693.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3694.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3690.jpg)

the half a train station is nicely scaled for minis too, helpfully I have another half from the previous train so can glue the two together to make a whole building, it could use a platform though.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: 6mmfan on October 12, 2012, 01:58:35 AM
That would be great for Wild west gaming

Cheers
Kieran
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Marine0846 on October 14, 2012, 03:17:50 PM
I have that train,
Paints up pretty nice.
Wish it came with more straight track.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Rob_Jedi on October 15, 2012, 05:18:32 AM
 Marine0846 I'm curious to see how your's painted up.

I agree about the straight track but thankfully it also fits on the my previous smaller Fast Lane train's track which I have lots of straight bits :)

With this one I've already gutted the locomotive and cut out it's windows. Now to build a deck inside the cabin and detail the cab. I'm not sure if I should shorten the carriages or not, they seem a tad tall. I wish they at least had removable roofs.

Will post WIP shots soon.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: FramFramson on October 15, 2012, 07:35:55 AM
Shame it didn't come with just one more goods car. A box car or something.

Also a car you could use as a "Military car" would be neat like this:

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/US_Civil_War_railway_gun_and_crew.jpg)

or the other kind with a goods car built up with sandbags and barricades, possibly with a machine gun emplacement, but more typically with a brace of soldiers. Usually set before the locomotive and sometimes behind as well (with more in between for longer trains). For the life of me, Google images won't cough up a decent picture of these, but I hope you know what I'm talking about.

I wonder if you can find any matching bogies to make your own spare cars?

Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Rob_Jedi on October 15, 2012, 09:50:26 PM
I really wonder if there was an easier way to do this but I cut out the windows on the cab like this

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3718.jpg)

pin vise to drill holes along the outline of the window

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3720.jpg)

then a keyhole saw blade

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3721.jpg)

which leaves fairly messy holes so then you spend a few hours filing

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3723.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3724.jpg)

if you were wondering about the yellow tape it was so I could work out the straight lines to cut windows at the front

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3725.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3726.jpg)

then I added frames

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3729.jpg)

and a bit of an edge at the front of the roof

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3731.jpg)

and started on an interior, not sure if this boiler looks right or not

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3730.jpg)

sorry this is a bit blurry but I just spent a few more hours cleaning up all mold lines on the top thingies.




Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: mysteriousbill on October 15, 2012, 10:54:02 PM
There are other versions with a freight car. Also some of the versions come with tank car comes off easy and gives you a flat car you can build on.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Rob_Jedi on October 15, 2012, 11:15:38 PM
I'm pretty sure those other versions are the smaller trains. I'll take a pic of my older train next to this one for a size comparison.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: FramFramson on October 16, 2012, 04:28:13 AM
I think that if this was his only set he could probably convert the caboose to a box car anyway. With two good cars (one open and one box car).

For gaming purposes you really don't need more than two passenger cars (two cars is enough for a mixed train or a short passenger train), plus you can't really use the interiors, so they're not that interesting other than as blocking terrain or as an objective. Ideally, the following would give you enough for about 90% of the gaming scenarios that might involve a single train:

- Locomotive & tender
- At least 2 passenger cars
- At least 2 closed goods cars (box car, with interior space accessible, preferably with doors able to open on both sides)
- At least 2 open good cars (with or without sidewalls. If without, you can make some removable ones easy enough)

You can easily make a removable layer of sandbags or a machinegun/cannon emplacement to use an open-top goods cars as troop transport or military cars

With the set you have, you could get at least 2 passenger, 1 closed goods car (if you do the conversion) and 1 open goods car, wihch is probably going to be good enough 70% of the time! You'd be able to run a regular passenger train or troop train (passenger train plus an open military car) with no problems and can manage a small civilian freight train. A military supply train might be sort of unconvincing visually, but you could do it (open topped car as a military car carrying the guarding soldiers and a single box car with the supplies).

How well do the two sets mix? Can you use the cars together without it looking terrible?

EDIT: By the way, I like the boiler. I think that once the firebox is in and there are one or two gauges or controls on the rest of the cabin surface you'll be set.  
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Schogun on October 17, 2012, 04:57:38 PM
Stopped by my nearest TRU (US) this morning, but they didn't have the train set. A whole section of Fast Lane toys, but no train.

Fast Lane was on sale though -- buy one, get second for 50% off. Sales runs through October 20.

Online search of TRU site shows 3 different train sets. Two are labeled as "Western" but they have different locomotives. One is more decidedly western while the other could work for WWI/Interwar/WWII. The third set has a more modern, streamlined locomotive that could work for later years (but still maybe back to WWI/RCW).

Also stopped at Walgreen's (US) drug store yesterday. That's where I first saw the Goldlok/Fast Lane train sets. I haven't seen them for 2 years now and nothing yesterday. I fear the worst though because they had a bunch of Xmas toys all stacked on the very top shelf seemingly waiting to be brought down when the season officially starts...and no train sets.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Rob_Jedi on October 19, 2012, 02:05:09 PM
Took some pics of my old train compared to the new one.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3838.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3839.jpg)

can really see the size difference from above

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3836.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3831.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v71/Rob_Jedi/Work%20In%20Progress/IMG_3830.jpg)

comparing them the locomotive isn't hugely different in length but is much taller. The other carriages are all much longer and taller. I'm really not sure which of the 2 sizes is best for miniatures but the new one does give that massive feeling much better, will be harder to fit on the table though
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: FramFramson on October 19, 2012, 04:32:09 PM
Looking at your minis, I do actually think they look a bit too tall now. If you imagine a mini in the passenger car, he could look out the window, but not while sitting down! Maybe you're right that cutting them down a bit might be an idea. I don't think it's a big deal though, so if it's too much work then never mind.

The two locos work well together though. I love your Russified war-train.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: OSHIROmodels on October 19, 2012, 04:51:05 PM
Coming along nicely, are you going to do anymore conversions to it?

I really like the original train  8)

cheers

James
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Cory on October 19, 2012, 05:01:56 PM
I'd cut the new passenger cars down, probably about where the top of the green sticker is.

 A 19th century coach ceiling isn't very tall, at 6'2 I've had to duck on a few of the doors of restored cars and been darned close on others. Moreover they are long and a reduced height will give the car more of that feel.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: FramFramson on October 20, 2012, 12:08:14 AM
Yeah, I see slightly longer passenger cars as a bit of an advantage rather than a drawback.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: Rob_Jedi on October 20, 2012, 11:03:10 PM
Thanks for the comps on the war train that was fun to do up ages ago. The photos show how dusty it's gotten :(

As for convertin the new train. Well I still need to add a floor to the cab and a bunch more pipes and dials in there. I'm really unsure how much to convert the rest of the train. The carriages do seem too tall but I haven't worked out how to pop them apart yet to see how hard it would be to cut them down. I think the entire carriage body and roof is one piece which is a shame since it would have been nice to have removable roofs. I may just leave them well alone and just paint them as is.
Title: Re: New Train - Fast Lane "Western Express"
Post by: bandit86 on November 11, 2012, 01:55:00 PM
I did this with one of my cars.  It was a real pain got get anything taken apart on those but if you wanted to shorten it you could saw off the bottom, the pry whats left of the carriage and re glue it.
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