[MOC] Umbauwagen 4yg

[jtlan]

Greetings, Train Tech!

I build a lot of locomotives, but I hadn't really built any models of rolling stock with the same effort as I put into my locomotives.

Until now.

This is a model of a German Umbauwagen, or "rebuilt coach". They were constructed in the post-WW2 period by modernizing prewar compartment coaches, as the Deutsche Bundesbahn was strapped for cash at the time. They came in two main "flavors": the three-axle 3yg, and the four-axle 4yg I've modeled here.

I initially learned about Umbauwagen while doing research for this passenger car (which itself was found while doing research for the glaskasten...). Inspecting an engineering diagram convinced me that it would be possible to build the 4-axle variant at my usual scale of 15 inches / stud (~1/48) and have it go around standard Lego curves. The main compromise I made was to reduce the length of the body from 51 to 50 studs. An even length made it possible to use the 2x8 double curved slope for the roof and the 1x4x3 train window. Since the window only comes in a limited palette of colors I wound up building in blue. My understanding is that Umbauwagen ran most of their lives in green livery, but I found photos of models in a variety of colors. I'd appreciate it if someone more familiar with these cars could shed some light on this subject.

Of course, it's not much of a train with only one car...

... so I built two. I'm pleased with how closely the cars couple to each other while still being able to make it around turns.

While doing background research for this model I came across Duq's rendition. Duq's model features an excellent rendition of the Minden-Deutz MD 36 bogie. Rather than just steal those, I decided to model the my cars with the Schwanenhals ("swan neck") bogies. These bogies have a somewhat American appearance with their arched outside frame.

The buffers and stairs are attached to the trucks and rotate with them in curves. The trucks use Big Ben Bricks wheels.

This may mark the first time I've completed cars without a locomotive to go with them.

Full Brickshelf gallery here (pending moderation). Thanks for reading!

Edited August 1, 2016 by jtlan

[Brickwolf]

The bright blue Umbauwagen were owned by the private railway Tegernseebahn in southern Bavaria.

Greenish-blue ones were Maintenance-of-Way cars. Some MOW cars were later repainted to yellow.

The ones used in passenger service with the Bundesbahn were until the end in green, with the exception of a few which were red and used with ET (Electric railcar) ET 65 and ET 85.

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Edited August 1, 2016 by Brickwolf

[THERIZE]

Great job with the bogies! Very beautiful coaches with a nice color.

[Duq]

I build a lot of locomotives, but I hadn't really built any models of rolling stock with the same effort as I put into my locomotives.

Funny, that's exactly how I felt when I started my Umbau cars.

Of course, it's not much of a train with only one car...

... so I built two.

This may mark the first time I've completed cars without a locomotive to go with them.

So you've got work to do! ;-) In green these cars were pulled by a range of steam and diesel engines but I'm not that familiar with Tegernsee Bahn rolling stock...

While doing background research for this model I came across Duq's rendition. Duq's model features an excellent rendition of the Minden-Deutz MD 36 bogie. Rather than just steal those, I decided to model the my cars with the Schwanenhals ("swan neck") bogies. These bogies have a somewhat American appearance with their arched outside frame.

Thanks! It's nice to see a different interpretation of the same prototype. For mine I decided to shorten the overall length a good bit so I wouldn't have too many problems running them on a layout.

As they were built from available parts they ran on different bogies with the MD36 and the swan neck being the most used.

I really like your version. Those double-curve pieces work really well for the curve of the roof (which is too shallow on mine). Looking forward to seeing a full train!

[ALCO]

Wow! Very cool!

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Superb final result!

[ReplicaOfLife]

Great work. Instantly recognizable.

A few of these are in active service as MOW cars even today. Considering that the bogeys and frames used during reconstruction were from old Länderbahn coaches that even then already were 30-40 years old or older, they certainly are rolling history.

[THERIZE]

I suggest that you should make a MAK locomotive for it. Maybe complete with a generator car like this (http://www.bahnbilde...nd-ist-lok.html)

Edited September 25, 2016 by THERIZE

[BricksMcgee]

Wow, these are truly beautiful (not often you can get away with so much standard LEGO blue!).

And they look very well scaled.

[Man with a hat]

Really well done. I like the length of the cars.

Those bogies are nice as well. But I really like that typical central door. That worked out great.

[jtlan]

Thanks for all the kind words, everyone.

The bright blue Umbauwagen were owned by the private railway Tegernseebahn in southern Bavaria.

Greenish-blue ones were Maintenance-of-Way cars. Some MOW cars were later repainted to yellow.

The ones used in passenger service with the Bundesbahn were until the end in green, with the exception of a few which were red and used with ET (Electric railcar) ET 65 and ET 85.

Thanks for that info. That makes it a bit tricky to use these "prototypically"...

Thanks! It's nice to see a different interpretation of the same prototype. For mine I decided to shorten the overall length a good bit so I wouldn't have too many problems running them on a layout.

As they were built from available parts they ran on different bogies with the MD36 and the swan neck being the most used.

I really like your version. Those double-curve pieces work really well for the curve of the roof (which is too shallow on mine). Looking forward to seeing a full train!

Generally I don't build models of things that other people have already modeled, but I felt like my interpretation of the prototype was going to be different than yours. I'm actually pretty surprised that you didn't use the double-curve for the roof on yours -- what was the reasoning behind that?

Really well done. I like the length of the cars.

Those bogies are nice as well. But I really like that typical central door. That worked out great.

I think this is about the upper limit of what can be done without looking too silly on standard R40 curves. After the postwar period rolling stock starts to reach "modern" lengths so I haven't seriously considered anything built after 1960 or so.

[Duq]

I'm actually pretty surprised that you didn't use the double-curve for the roof on yours -- what was the reasoning behind that?

A combination of having a tub of the 1x3 curved slopes and not being aware of the existence of those double curves...