Train Barge

[Terry Akuna]

I thought this train barge would be a great idea to use as a parking lot for rolling stock  for large train displays. 

 

 

[Thai bricks]

That looks great. If you feel so inclined, you could add a few bollards and ropes along the sides for mooring and attaching tug.

Are you planning to build a matching dock? It would make for some interesting shunting.

[zephyr1934]

A reworking of 343 (grin)

 

With only the smallest upsizing (grin some more). Seriously though, great idea and well executed.

[deraven]

That looks great!  Fairly simple design that's well-executed and I agree would be great for larger displays and certainly something more unique than the usual miles of shunting yard tracks.  I do think it would take it up another notch to add some mooring lines or other little details to the barge itself, but it's a lovely build regardless.  

[knotian]

Make it double duty. Why not build it on a portable ( rollers, handles, etc) table and get your extras completely out of the picture. Roll it to the layout when you need to use, out of the way when you don't..

[The Brick Boss]

Neat

[Terry Akuna]

1 hour ago, knotian said:

Make it double duty. Why not build it on a portable ( rollers, handles, etc) table and get your extras completely out of the picture. Roll it to the layout when you need to use, out of the way when you don't..

I thought about that too, but it's not this was just an idea I had ... I personally have no plans to build it.

9 hours ago, deraven said:

That looks great!  Fairly simple design that's well-executed and I agree would be great for larger displays and certainly something more unique than the usual miles of shunting yard tracks.  I do think it would take it up another notch to add some mooring lines or other little details to the barge itself, but it's a lovely build regardless.  

I also thought of the loading ramp and a couple of tugs, but I don't see this idea going much further than digital, unless someone else wants to build it.

11 hours ago, zephyr1934 said:

A reworking of 343 (grin)

 

With only the smallest upsizing (grin some more). Seriously though, great idea and well executed.

Always wanted this set as a kid ... but I don't think it was for sale in the US.

[zephyr1934]

26 minutes ago, Terry Akuna said:

Always wanted this set as a kid ... but I don't think it was for sale in the US.

I don't know if it was available in the US or just Canada, but there is a Samsonite version so it had to have been available in North America.

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

Fantastic ship! 

[SteamSewnEmpire]

Contrary to the suggestions of a tug, I think you should just go all-in on a realistic superstructure:

[Thai bricks]

Where does this sail?

[Phil B]

6 hours ago, Thai bricks said:

Where does this sail?

From Wikipedia: 

Mexico[edit]

 

MV Bali Sea along the CG Railway loads up with Ferrosur trains in Coatzacoalcos

• CG Railway, connecting the Port of Mobile, Alabama, USA and Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico. It is served by the BNSF Railway, Canadian National Railway, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern Railway, and the Norfolk Southern Railway.^[19]

[Thai bricks]

Thanks, that is an interesting read. I had no idea this existed. At 1400km this must be the longest rail ferry route in existence.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Thai bricks

[Terry Akuna]

On 10/26/2019 at 8:43 PM, SteamSewnEmpire said:

Contrary to the suggestions of a tug, I think you should just go all-in on a realistic superstructure:

That would be all in! 16 or so baseplates long ... not gonna happen ... at least not by me.

[Terry Akuna]

Tugboat WIP ... 

 

 

 

[dtomsen]

If not the Mexican one, Terry, maybe one of these Danish train ferries then?

With a scale of 1:45 it would only have to be 3.30 m long and  60 cm wide 

Edited October 29, 2019 by dtomsen

[Roadmonkeytj]

This is brilliant Terry ! 

I think it would be an interesting display

Set it up on a sensor and a delay engine shunts cars on then tug changes direction and unit rolls 6 baseplates to another quay then shunts cars off.  

Tug changes direction again and pushes it back.  I think two trains could be used to add movement on and off the ferry.

Looking forward to see your tug

[Carefree_Dude]

Now you'll need to build a train car haul that big boat; and then an even bigger boat to haul that train! 

[Terry Akuna]

On 10/30/2019 at 11:00 AM, Roadmonkeytj said:

This is brilliant Terry ! 

I think it would be an interesting display

Set it up on a sensor and a delay engine shunts cars on then tug changes direction and unit rolls 6 baseplates to another quay then shunts cars off.  

Tug changes direction again and pushes it back.  I think two trains could be used to add movement on and off the ferry.

Looking forward to see your tug

I do have design ideas for the tug and barge to be functional ... but the drawback is space ... all these ideas I have come up with lately are huge builds and require a ton more of space.