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 Posted - January 10 2014 : 01:53:01 AM
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One of my favorite things to do at home is to visit the Outlet Goodwill store. Here, everything is dumped into bins and you dig through the bins to find stuff. Most everything is priced by the pound. I spent a few hours at the outlet today, and the big find was a beat-up-but-repairable HO scale brass interurban car (Pacific Electric, I think). That'll probably appear in a different thread someday.
While searching through the bins, one will often come across various pieces of slotcar track, Thomas the Tank Engine sets, Hot Wheels, and lots and lots of crapola. Most of the trains that come out of the bin are only usable for parts (though I did make a good haul of good-condition Bachmann N scale equipment earlier in the week).
Today, I found the locomotive, a couple cars, and some track from one of those super-cheap battery-powered O gauge train sets. I enjoy kitbashing these trains into pseudo-models that represent narrow-gauge railroad equipment.
First off, the locomotive looked horrible. Annoying sound effects, unrealistic shape, missing parts, and the piston rods are static. Ultimate junk, right? Well, the drive train, wheels, and traction tires were intact. I had also found a nice diecast model of a Chevy Cameo pickup, but it was just the body. No chassis, no interior, and even the floor of the bed was missing. Perfect!
I got home, and about two hours later (after some trimming, hacksawing, soldering, and a whole lot of hot-gluing) I had a narrow-gauge Chevy Cameo Galloping Goose with a couple small cars to tow behind.
In hindsight, if I were to repeat the build, I would either use a bigger motor or use a plastic pickup shell, rather than a metal one. The weight is hard on the motor, and it does heat up if you leave it running. Oh well, it was a fun build. It needs some more work, including a freight box on the back to hide the motor and battery holder.
Oh yeah, and the BIG bag of kitbash fodder I picked up today a the outlet (which included the parts I used to build the "Goose") only cost $10, which roughly equates to about 20lbs of material! 
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/weekendrailroader?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase
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Posted - January 10 2014 : 07:38:21 AM
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Nice! You used one of my favorite trucks, the Task Force. I have a 55 Chevy Suburban I still hope to get roadworthy before I die.  Shame the chassis was missing, but you at least you saved the truck, neat project! Thanks for sharing this.
Jerry
Tri-Chevy owner/lover.
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 10 2014 : 12:00:50 PM
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| Andrew that is really creative and cool. And great photos.
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Posted - January 10 2014 : 2:21:38 PM
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Some years back there was a magazine called AW NUTS (Always Whimsical, Not Usually To Scale). It was always a fun read and contained lots of projects of this sort. It's no longer published making projects like this all the more fun to see from time to time.
There aren't that many people taking this approach, but I think it's obvious that there's fun to be had here.
Carpe Manana!
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Posted - January 10 2014 : 3:32:00 PM
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I remember seeing ads for that mag, scsshaggy!
Wish I could find them issues!
Sides isn't Brown Box Tyco abit AW NUTS? 
This is cool
Tho I do wanna build Goose #1 in Standard Gauge aka 1:1 Scale
What you could do to hide the motor is put a topper on the pickup or a camper shell
Edited by - microbusss on January 10 2014 3:32:52 PM
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Posted - January 10 2014 : 8:31:40 PM
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Repurposed materials are par for the course when it comes to galloping geese-gooses. Here is my scratch built G scale goose with a bit of tinplate thrown in for good measure. I had to pester a local pizza place for a week to get my hands on that Del Destino olive oil can. The cab is loosely based on an old Mack.
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Posted - January 10 2014 : 10:17:29 PM
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quote:| Repurposed materials are par for the course when it comes to galloping geese-gooses. Here is my scratch built G scale goose with a bit of tinplate thrown in for good measure. Originally posted by metalsmith1Â -Â January 10 2014Â :Â 8:31:40 PM
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Does that run? I can't see for sure, but it looks like a pair of bevel gears drives the rear axle.
Also, what are those headlight jewels?
Carpe Manana!
Edited by - scsshaggy on January 10 2014 10:19:26 PM
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Posted - January 11 2014 : 08:56:22 AM
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| hi metalsmith1,i love recycling,but this is even better,using it,great work ken
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Posted - January 11 2014 : 10:20:40 AM
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Love the kitbashes and scratchbuilds!
This topic is becoming a flock of geese!
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Posted - January 11 2014 : 12:01:08 PM
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| Yes it does run. It is powered by a repurposed Hankscraft store display motor and four D-cell batteries. Best of all the switch to turn it on is activated by the shifter lever in the cab. You put your finger in the opening of the side cab windows and give it a nudge and the goose takes off waddling away. The headlight jewels are plastic costume jewelry.
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 Posted - January 11 2014 : 3:32:56 PM
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& now for the REAL Galloping Gooses!
This was at the CRRM in Golden CO During Goose Fest
recreated Goose #1 from Ridgeway, CO
Do want to build this but in 1:1 scale & Standard Gauge
Goose #2 & #6 from CRRM
Goose #3 Not there  Still at Knott's Berry Farm
Goose #4 from City of Telluride
Goose #5 from Galloping Goose Historical Society in Dolores,CO
Goose #6 from CRRM (see above)
Goose #7 from CRRM One I rode in
Now anyone who reads this just got a "goose"
Edited by - microbusss on January 11 2014 3:52:24 PM
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Posted - January 11 2014 : 8:54:14 PM
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That's a nice flock o'geese there, Ben! Nice that you got some pictures of the event. A bit far for me to travel for that. Sweet indeed....
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - January 12 2014 : 12:18:49 AM
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TY Jerry What I want to do someday Either in G or HO/HOn3 is do the entire museum
BUT all the "displays" RUN hehe
Plus have a "connection" to the Ridgeway Railroad Museum
& keep both up to date
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Posted - January 12 2014 : 10:27:04 AM
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| i like the idea of the geese or goose,but dont float my boat,unless of course they are well cheap ken
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Posted - January 12 2014 : 10:47:25 AM
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they WERE cheap, ken As a alternate cheaper way of keeping Rio Grande Southern afloat & to keep the mail contract
Plus the Geese were cheaper to run than a steam loco & RGS refered the Geese as Motors
Course I watch a video on one of these Geese on the Cumbres & Toltec Senic Railroad
One was restored & one said the Goose got 1MPG up hil & 3MPG going down hill!!
So it averaged 2MPGs!!
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Posted - January 12 2014 : 12:03:25 PM
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ben i was refering to models not the real thing ken
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