Model A Ford Sedan converted into a Railway Service Vehicle

[mercman from oz]

Pretty basic conversion don't you think?

[DkFordor]

That's cool - guess sometimes less is more

I did know of more conventional uses of model A engines in railway vehicles - I even acquired a coolant heater originally from such a vehicle. Matches the one already installed

[LeonardS]

Probably should have had a tensioner/tightener on that chain.

[wuga]

That's what the jack post under the rearend is for.
Warren

[katy]

Nice picture, thanks.

[AzBob]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

No chain guards. OSHA would have a cow with this today.

[Model "A" Fords]

Love this conversion from a Standard Sedan! Most were converted to Town Sedans which made the Standard Sedan go on the endangered list. No confusion with this pretty simple "Standard Railway Sedan" conversion! Cowl lights would have taken it way too far over the top.

[Bruce of MN]

From the size of the sprockets, maybe 25 mph top speed?

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

As an owner of a Speeder Car (-a RR inspection vehicle), I do have a fascination with RR vehicles, ...especially ones that are Model-As, or Model-A engine powered. I guess one that never gets old for me is watching this clip of a Victoria being used on the rails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDPMB3P_-8


.

[Pete]

They did not have hy-rail gear back in those days so there were many different ways to convert cars, trucks and busses to rail use.

Ian Rousell on the TV program, Full Custom Garage, converted a model A to rail use.

[Brad in Germany]

If you look closely, the top part of the wooden chassis is connected to the bottom part right in the center so that the chain can be detached and the entire car pivoted to allow it to turn around and drive in the other direction.

Cool!

Brad in Maryland

[Gene F]

Originally Posted by Brad in Germany

If you look closely, the top part of the wooden chassis is connected to the bottom part right in the center so that the chain can be detached and the entire car pivoted to allow it to turn around and drive in the other direction.

Cool!

Brad in Maryland

That explains the need for cogs on the front wheels. However, I'm guessing if it were a short need they'd just use reverse gear. A bit of work to flip that baby around.

[Ray64]

That is to cool Thanks

[Marshall V. Daut]

On the Motor Trend Channel, I recently saw an episode of "Full Custom" (?) where the star of the series converted a 1929 Closed cab pickup truck to a railroad shuttle vehicle, using photos of one from the 1930's that the railroad supplied him. Pretty ingenious how he duplicated what the original shuttle car looked, including hand-fabricating the intricate metal strap cowcatcher. Although not an exact replication, the final product looked pretty close to the original. A good job overall. I do, however, bemoan the fact that yet another survivor Model A no longer exists as such. Its new iteration has merit, to be sure, and I take my hat off to the guy who did the conversion. But, dang! ANOTHER one gone forever. At least it didn't become a rat rod or some gaudy hot rod circus wagon that screams of bad taste!
Marshall

[Synchro909]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

As an owner of a Speeder Car (-a RR inspection vehicle), I do have a fascination with RR vehicles, ...especially ones that are Model-As, or Model-A engine powered. I guess one that never gets old for me is watching this clip of a Victoria being used on the rails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDPMB3P_-8


.

In this country, we are super aware of the risk of fire. What could go wrong in that country during summer?

[stickshift]

But how does it stop? Are model A brakes good enough for a 2 to 3 % grade?

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Bruce of MN

From the size of the sprockets, maybe 25 mph top speed?

You haven't lived until you have gone on the ground in a hy-rail at 25 mph....

[mercman from oz]

1931 Ford Model A Victoria in the Video posted by Synchro909

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDPMB3P_-8

[Steve in Denver]

We have a variety of vintage powered Galloping Geese in Colorado.

[Pete]

Originally Posted by Steve in Denver

We have a variety of vintage powered Galloping Geese in Colorado.

Been there, done that..

[MickyTheScamp]

Very cool. Love seeing different stuff like this

[old31]

Interesting how Brents video at 6:21 shows how they spun the car around 180 degrees.

One jacked up turntable dead center. You can tell they have done that trick many times before.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

In this country, we are super aware of the risk of fire. What could go wrong in that country during summer?

Yes, Fire Control is much more prevalent in these times vs. back then. They hardly had the ambition to do any track maintenance on the rails or on the Victoria ....much less controlling the vegetation back then.

Originally Posted by old31

Interesting how Brents video at 6:21 shows how they spun the car around 180 degrees. One jacked up turntable dead center. You can tell they have done that trick many times before.

In the speeder car world, there are many speeders on modern day excursions that are turned on rickety portable turntables. Those folks were so poor back then, likely they were lucky to even have a working jack. FWIW, the drain plug under the transmission is usually pretty close to the center for balancing.





.
.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by stickshift

But how does it stop? Are model A brakes good enough for a 2 to 3 % grade?

Model-A brakes were more than adequate. My Fairmont A5 actually uses wooden blocks that scrub against the wheels. Mine weighs in at around 1,800 lbs empty but was rated for pulling/pushing 200 workmen on trailers and supplies. The A6 Fairmont (-which is the next model up from mine) actually came with a Model-A and then a Model-B engine and AA transmission. They used the same braking system as mine.


.

[Marshall V. Daut]

For those of you who don't own George DeAngelis' 1971 "The Ford Model 'A' As Henry Built It" (and as Model A owners, you SHOULD!), the classic example of a Model A converted to railroad applications appears on page 109. It's a 1929 Briggs Fordor Sedan. I wonder how it all ended for this unique vehicle?
Marshall

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Originally Posted by Marshall V. Daut

For those of you who don't own George DeAngelis' 1971 "The Ford Model 'A' As Henry Built It" (and as Model A owners, you SHOULD!), the classic example of a Model A converted to railroad applications appears on page 109. It's a 1929 Briggs Fordor Sedan. I wonder how it all ended for this unique vehicle?
Marshall

-and another view of #5....




.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Below are a few pix of Model-A or B powered Motor Cars;

.

[Pete]

This one had a model B engine when we got it but it had tossed a rod so we put a 134 Ford industrial engine in it.

[MickyTheScamp]

Awesome thread. Now I wish I had some tracks around me

[Model "A" Fords]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

-and another view of #5....




.

This is in nice condition for a railway work car. Was there a use for the extra clamps on the ends of the bumper? They reminded me of pole pockets although the shape wouldn't work for that use.

[T Scott]

Originally Posted by Model "A" Fords

This is in nice condition for a railway work car. Was there a use for the extra clamps on the ends of the bumper? They reminded me of pole pockets although the shape wouldn't work for that use.

That's where they mount the sickle bar for trimming brush along the right of way.

[Marshall V. Daut]

Interesting that cowl lamps were added to this 1929 Briggs Fordor blindback sedan. These cowl lights first became available only on the 1929 Town Sedans (3-window), Cabriolet and Town Car. They were not part of the Briggs series of blindback sedans, either in 1928 or in 1929. The cowl lights could have been added at the factory upon special order or by the dealer, I suppose. But how often did THAT happen in the day?
I wonder why the fenders were removed? On rainy or snowy days, I should think the front wheels would toss gunk back onto the windshield if the front fenders were missing. There appears to be sufficient clearance between the railroad car wheels and fenders to have left them in place. Well, maybe the vehicle had to be manhandled onto the rails like a hand pump cart, so it was easier without fenders obstructing the effort?
Marshall

[woofa.express]

And don’t forget the Model A powered aeroplane, the Pietenpol. It would not have been pleasant to fly with the radiator obscuring pilot’s vision. One must have had to crane one’s neck to see around it. And the drag would have been considerable. Flying characteristics may have been good (but much better with the radiator tucked away), I can’t pass judgment on that.

[Ray in La Mesa]

Kind of like Lindberg's "Spirit of St. Louis", he had to look out the window because of the added fuel tanks.

[garyjohn]

I have a Model A rear end with sprockets on it that look very similar. I was wondering what it could have been used for.

[Brad in Germany]

Here's a Speeder with an enclosure around it:



Brad in Maryland

[mngrant]

Thank you for sharing the many photos. The various applications are interesting.

[katy]

Then there were the "snow plane's" built using Model A engines:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/albert...n/photostream/
https://glenclarson.com/2019/01/11/s...quely-prairie/

[Synchro909]

Not Model A or B powered but still Ford. Please excuse the annoying ads at the beginning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVzj3_MUBjE

[47topless]

Duke came out with "Take the A Train" in 1939. I hereby attribute that song to the poor old, sad and abused Vickie in the railroad video.