@SuperDobby23 The locomotive was purchased from JusTrains of Delaware and the cars were purchased from Charles Ro and Train Universe. All have online stores.
I love the craftsmenship on this train! I have several train sets one of them is an antique I got from my dad. Its an Old Scout train set he got when he was 3, it completley original with the box and it still works and looks brand new!! Funny thing is the box still has the original price tag on it! 11.48$ lol along with its original catalogs! But I have a Polar Express train set but I dont have the legacy tendar.. lol someday
@3riversrambler Thank you very much. I'm glad you like it...it took some time to do. I started off just wanting a hobo on the roof. I modified a scale PE observation car. It involved creating a whole new back-end and cutting and rebuilding the roof. This was the first time I ever did something like this, so I had to get it right. If I can do it, anyone can. I made two. I can send you a link to photos of the build, if you want.
First, your train is quite lovely. Excellent work. I have a few questions:
I'm aiming to replicate your custom hobo as it's much nicer than lionel's. What LED from Evans Design did you use to hide underneath the Woodland Scenics Fire piece? Was it the fire kit 3mm? What voltage option did you choose?
Yes, it is the FIRE kit with 3mm LEDs with the middle option...5-19 Volts AC/DC/DCC(+3.00) .
The FIRE LEDs come with a piece of plastic like material to put over the LEDs for a better fire effect...I used their other suggestion which is to attach a wisp of cotton over them. To me, the cotton looks better.
Ive always loved model trains. I have a santa fe locomotive w coal car and caboose but since i was a kid I lost all of the track. All I have is the variable dc transformer w accesory power supply left.
@godisgoodatht My first train was in the early '80s...a Lionel plastic bodied steamer that operated on DC. I got back into the hobby four years ago. I was blown away by what toy trains had become.
Thanks for the link to the photos. You are truly an artist! I decided to give the roof one more try using ideas from your photos. What kind of putty did you use to shape the roof and where did you get the round ruler? Also how did you form the rivets on the door frame?
@dcappl the putty for the lower roof area is Squadron White Putty and comes in a tube. Put on a little at a time and once the area is filled, let it dry for a few days then it sands easily. The grey putty, on the upper roof, is Epoxy Putty...you cut off what you need and knead it together then you have about 15 minutes to shape it. This also is easy to sand. Once dry it is hard as a rock. After shaping was complete, I drilled the hole for taillight and made a bezel for it.
@sunfiregts The epoxy putty should be available in plumbing area of hardware store. I used coarse then fine sanding sticks for shaping the roof. The round ruler/circle maker was purchased many years ago...sorry I do not know where.
@sunfiregts The rivets are from Tichy Train Group...Google them; they have a website to order from. You get 200 rivets for $3. I used the O Scale .020" rivets. You need a #77 drill bit to put in the rivets as they have a stem. I use Plastruct Plastic Weld to secure them to the styrene. To line up the rivets straight, I printed a bunch of + signs in lines, on sticker paper and place them on the item. Then I drilled through the center of the plus(+) sign. Set your font to 9 then do this +++++++
Thanks for your reply. I am currently kitbashing some railking cars into a polar express train. The roof on the observation car has been the most difficult. I just couldn't shape the curve so I have resorted to using the roof off of the lionel car. Any tips on how you formed the roof or if you posted some pictures of the project while it was in process would be great. Thanks agian for your info and for posting the video!
@dcappl You're welcome. I sent you a personal message, last week, with all the details and a link to my photo album full of pics of the build. If you have any question, just contact me.
Great setup! Where did you get the hobo on top of the observation car? Also is the back of the car rounded like that from lionel or did you do some custom work on it to make it look like the movie? Thanks, it's cool to see this kind of work!
@dcappl Thank you very much! I did the customizing to this car. It involved removing the back end and making a new on with curved wall/windows. I also had to reshape the roof, make a larger railing, make a larger drumhead and taillight. All lights are Evan Designs LEDS. The three observation deck lights can be turn on/off via a switch on the bottom of car.
@dcappl The hobo is Arttista figure #1305 Brakeman stooping w/lantern. I cut off the lantern and replaced it with a coffee pot from Woodland Scenics Camping Set...which is also where the campfire came from. I made a camping coffee cup from a scrap piece of wire casing and painted it silver. I painted the gloves red. I later painted the hobo's coat brown...it was a grey color. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
No Offense dud but why would you spend over $1000's of dollars on an engine and Tender and weather it it ruins it value I mean alot of people would agree
@Railroadtrip445 The weathering on this locomotive is not permanent. Many hobbyists weather their engines regardless of price. It is part of the hobby for some. I enjoy seeing others weathered items "a lot of people would agree". Mine only get a light amount of baking soda. Very common to represent snow. After Christmas, I attached a straw to a hand vac and the baking soda came right off. Even if it had been permanent, there is no need to worry about ruining the value as I will never sell it.
THATS A WOUNDERFUL SET I LOVE THE SOUNDS I WAS JUST LOOKING AT MY #1225 POLAR EXPRESS SET MINES THE STARTER SET FROM 2007 NOT AS NICE AS YOURS BUT STILL A NICE SET
Thank you very much. I really enjoy this set. The PE starter set is very nice. I am a C&O, Pere Marquette fan, and the Polar Express, so I "had" to get the Scale Pere Marquette 1225 when it was offered the second time.
Hello. Lionel lists it as O-54 minimum curve. I run it on O-60. I do have an area that uses two full O-48 curves in a row and this locomotive makes it through them with no problems.
I wonder if folks will start to switch from traditional O to standard O, now that Lionel is making the Polar Express in the larger O gauge, even though there is a significant price difference? That 1225 berkshire is a beautiful piece of work.
Some may but I think most will stick with the Ready-To-Run set...more affordable and less delicate around little ones. I think Lionel should really come out with a LionMaster version of the Polar Express. It would be more detailed then the RTR set and could still handle the O36 curves. Price wise it would fall between the two current lines and they may get several hobbyists that would upgrade from the RTR set. They should get all they can out of the Polar Express licensing.
What color paint did you use for the milk car? And where did you get the ladder, marker lights, and the drummhead for the observation car. Thanks Awsome Train!
@LoganisTrainBoy1 Thank you very much. Not much room to tell the details here, but I color matched the milk car to Lionel's scale Polar Express cars using Floquil paints. I'll send you a personal message. I have an album that shows the build of my observation car.
Where did you get this train
SuperDobby23 2 months ago
@SuperDobby23 The locomotive was purchased from JusTrains of Delaware and the cars were purchased from Charles Ro and Train Universe. All have online stores.
sunfiregts 1 month ago
@sunfiregts lol im about to go to charles ro right now...im good friends with charlie.
SeansOGR 3 weeks ago
thats exact the same train m cousin has! he loves trains and he is only four:)
chapinaporsiempre 2 months ago
@chapinaporsiempre It's nice that the Polar Express is getting a lot more kids interested in the greatest hobby.
sunfiregts 1 month ago
Beautiful Locomotive!
TrainsfanAlex6060 2 months ago
@TrainsfanAlex6060 Thanks! Lionel did a great job on these.
sunfiregts 2 months ago
@z3rveup Thank you.
sunfiregts 2 months ago
Coolest thing ever! What a great vid, thanks for uploading!
GoodMusicRoxMySox 2 months ago
@GoodMusicRoxMySox Thanks for the nice comments. If you go to my channel, I have a new Polar Express video for Christmas 2011. Enjoy!
sunfiregts 2 months ago
I love the craftsmenship on this train! I have several train sets one of them is an antique I got from my dad. Its an Old Scout train set he got when he was 3, it completley original with the box and it still works and looks brand new!! Funny thing is the box still has the original price tag on it! 11.48$ lol along with its original catalogs! But I have a Polar Express train set but I dont have the legacy tendar.. lol someday
MITSI1991 2 months ago
@MITSI1991 Thanks for the comments and story.
Any Polar Express is a great train. Merry Christmas!!
sunfiregts 2 months ago
@ 2:03 it looks like the Devil and a frog
Nobienify 2 months ago
I didn't know the polar express was in telecommunications with the usual railroad system XD LOOL XD Polar Express, green! XD Nice video :D
jossdeiboss 3 months ago
@jossdeiboss It's my railroad and I hooked them up free of charge ; )
sunfiregts 3 months ago
i love the polar express i got the movie and the game on ps2 do any body how much it cost because i want it
gzilla5220 3 months ago
thats an awesome observation car did u buy it or kit bash it?
3riversrambler 3 months ago
@3riversrambler Thank you very much. I'm glad you like it...it took some time to do. I started off just wanting a hobo on the roof. I modified a scale PE observation car. It involved creating a whole new back-end and cutting and rebuilding the roof. This was the first time I ever did something like this, so I had to get it right. If I can do it, anyone can. I made two. I can send you a link to photos of the build, if you want.
sunfiregts 3 months ago
@sunfiregts i would love to see some of the photos
3riversrambler 3 months ago
@3riversrambler I sent you a PM with links to the photo albums of the build.
sunfiregts 3 months ago
First, your train is quite lovely. Excellent work. I have a few questions:
I'm aiming to replicate your custom hobo as it's much nicer than lionel's. What LED from Evans Design did you use to hide underneath the Woodland Scenics Fire piece? Was it the fire kit 3mm? What voltage option did you choose?
mysteryegg 4 months ago
@mysteryegg Thank you very much.
Yes, it is the FIRE kit with 3mm LEDs with the middle option...5-19 Volts AC/DC/DCC(+3.00) .
The FIRE LEDs come with a piece of plastic like material to put over the LEDs for a better fire effect...I used their other suggestion which is to attach a wisp of cotton over them. To me, the cotton looks better.
If you need any more info, just ask.
sunfiregts 3 months ago
Ive always loved model trains. I have a santa fe locomotive w coal car and caboose but since i was a kid I lost all of the track. All I have is the variable dc transformer w accesory power supply left.
godisgoodatht 4 months ago
@godisgoodatht My first train was in the early '80s...a Lionel plastic bodied steamer that operated on DC. I got back into the hobby four years ago. I was blown away by what toy trains had become.
sunfiregts 3 months ago
Thanks for the link to the photos. You are truly an artist! I decided to give the roof one more try using ideas from your photos. What kind of putty did you use to shape the roof and where did you get the round ruler? Also how did you form the rivets on the door frame?
dcappl 6 months ago
@dcappl the putty for the lower roof area is Squadron White Putty and comes in a tube. Put on a little at a time and once the area is filled, let it dry for a few days then it sands easily. The grey putty, on the upper roof, is Epoxy Putty...you cut off what you need and knead it together then you have about 15 minutes to shape it. This also is easy to sand. Once dry it is hard as a rock. After shaping was complete, I drilled the hole for taillight and made a bezel for it.
sunfiregts 6 months ago
@sunfiregts The epoxy putty should be available in plumbing area of hardware store. I used coarse then fine sanding sticks for shaping the roof. The round ruler/circle maker was purchased many years ago...sorry I do not know where.
sunfiregts 6 months ago
@sunfiregts The rivets are from Tichy Train Group...Google them; they have a website to order from. You get 200 rivets for $3. I used the O Scale .020" rivets. You need a #77 drill bit to put in the rivets as they have a stem. I use Plastruct Plastic Weld to secure them to the styrene. To line up the rivets straight, I printed a bunch of + signs in lines, on sticker paper and place them on the item. Then I drilled through the center of the plus(+) sign. Set your font to 9 then do this +++++++
sunfiregts 6 months ago
Thanks for your reply. I am currently kitbashing some railking cars into a polar express train. The roof on the observation car has been the most difficult. I just couldn't shape the curve so I have resorted to using the roof off of the lionel car. Any tips on how you formed the roof or if you posted some pictures of the project while it was in process would be great. Thanks agian for your info and for posting the video!
dcappl 6 months ago
@dcappl You're welcome. I sent you a personal message, last week, with all the details and a link to my photo album full of pics of the build. If you have any question, just contact me.
sunfiregts 6 months ago
Great setup! Where did you get the hobo on top of the observation car? Also is the back of the car rounded like that from lionel or did you do some custom work on it to make it look like the movie? Thanks, it's cool to see this kind of work!
dcappl 7 months ago
@dcappl Thank you very much! I did the customizing to this car. It involved removing the back end and making a new on with curved wall/windows. I also had to reshape the roof, make a larger railing, make a larger drumhead and taillight. All lights are Evan Designs LEDS. The three observation deck lights can be turn on/off via a switch on the bottom of car.
sunfiregts 7 months ago
@dcappl The hobo is Arttista figure #1305 Brakeman stooping w/lantern. I cut off the lantern and replaced it with a coffee pot from Woodland Scenics Camping Set...which is also where the campfire came from. I made a camping coffee cup from a scrap piece of wire casing and painted it silver. I painted the gloves red. I later painted the hobo's coat brown...it was a grey color. Any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Thanks again!
sunfiregts 7 months ago
No Offense dud but why would you spend over $1000's of dollars on an engine and Tender and weather it it ruins it value I mean alot of people would agree
Railroadtrip445 8 months ago
@Railroadtrip445 The weathering on this locomotive is not permanent. Many hobbyists weather their engines regardless of price. It is part of the hobby for some. I enjoy seeing others weathered items "a lot of people would agree". Mine only get a light amount of baking soda. Very common to represent snow. After Christmas, I attached a straw to a hand vac and the baking soda came right off. Even if it had been permanent, there is no need to worry about ruining the value as I will never sell it.
sunfiregts 8 months ago
THATS A WOUNDERFUL SET I LOVE THE SOUNDS I WAS JUST LOOKING AT MY #1225 POLAR EXPRESS SET MINES THE STARTER SET FROM 2007 NOT AS NICE AS YOURS BUT STILL A NICE SET
grizzleybearz282004 9 months ago
@grizzleybearz282004
Thank you very much. I really enjoy this set. The PE starter set is very nice. I am a C&O, Pere Marquette fan, and the Polar Express, so I "had" to get the Scale Pere Marquette 1225 when it was offered the second time.
sunfiregts 9 months ago
what curve will it run on ?
TheGalligan 9 months ago
@TheGalligan
Hello. Lionel lists it as O-54 minimum curve. I run it on O-60. I do have an area that uses two full O-48 curves in a row and this locomotive makes it through them with no problems.
sunfiregts 9 months ago
Cool
kk102790 10 months ago
I wonder if folks will start to switch from traditional O to standard O, now that Lionel is making the Polar Express in the larger O gauge, even though there is a significant price difference? That 1225 berkshire is a beautiful piece of work.
wclaurence 1 year ago
@wclaurence
Some may but I think most will stick with the Ready-To-Run set...more affordable and less delicate around little ones. I think Lionel should really come out with a LionMaster version of the Polar Express. It would be more detailed then the RTR set and could still handle the O36 curves. Price wise it would fall between the two current lines and they may get several hobbyists that would upgrade from the RTR set. They should get all they can out of the Polar Express licensing.
sunfiregts 1 year ago
Thanks for the response :)!
LoganisTrainBoy1 1 year ago
What color paint did you use for the milk car? And where did you get the ladder, marker lights, and the drummhead for the observation car. Thanks Awsome Train!
LoganisTrainBoy1 1 year ago
@LoganisTrainBoy1 Thank you very much. Not much room to tell the details here, but I color matched the milk car to Lionel's scale Polar Express cars using Floquil paints. I'll send you a personal message. I have an album that shows the build of my observation car.
sunfiregts 1 year ago
Very nice.
wclaurence 1 year ago
@wclaurence Thank you!
sunfiregts 1 year ago