More Blast Off: Atlas Turbo Express Racers

Turns out that Tri-ang Hornby wasn't the only company to make a model racer (in this case, the Battle Space Turbo Car, as noted in this post). Atlas made one, too.

In the case of Atlas,the Turbo Express looks more like a response to the slot car craze of the 1960s, which threatened to kill the model railroad hobby.

The unpainted Turbo Express racer.

The propellers on the Atlas model were also intended to propel the car, but at least one person on a model railroad forum suggested it didn't work very well.

Interestingly, both models were based on a real prototype: The Schienenzeppelin, or rail zeppelin, built in Germany in 1929.

The experimental railcar was designed and developed by the German aircraft engineer Franz Kruckenberg. It used a propeller for propulsion.

In 1931 it set a speed record for gasoline-powered rail vehicle, reaching 230 kms (143 miles) an hour.

Only one was ever built; it was taken out of service in 1939.

Lionel also entered the fray, producing a race car set that used HO scale tracks. I wonder how that worked?

Blast Off! The Battle Space Turbo Car from Tri-ang Hornby

During the 1960s, people around the world were captivated by the space race. Futuristic space-related toys were at the top of many boy’s wish lists.

Tri-ang Hornby, not wanting to be left out, offered space-type trains to attract more customers. 

Between 1966 and 1971, the company offered a number of models in its Battle Space line. Among the models were a helicopter car, rocket launcher, bomb transporter, exploding boxcar and an ambulance car.

The most unique was the Battle Space Turbo Car, which was driven by a propeller. That’s right—a propeller. The free-wheeling wheels were not connected to the motor.

According to someone who owned a Battle Space Turbo Car as a child,  “in the hands of a nine year old (me) [it] was a fearsome machine. Speed was phenomenal and it became a real test of driving skills on curves. The only way to brake was to reverse thrust, which did not have the quick effect that such an action would have on any other item of Tri-ang motive power."

The Battle Space Turbo Car is rare today, he goes on to say, "a fact potentially not unconnected with the number that flew into orbit off the baseboard.”

Click here to see a video of Battle Space Turbo Car in action on the Southland Society of Model Engineers club layout in Invercargill, New Zealand. (Yes, it works, and it's fast.)

Click here to learn more about the Battle Space line. 

Click here to learn more about Tri-ang Hornby's Canadian line of model trains.

Click here to learn more about the never-produced Tri-ang Hornby Turbo Train.

Atlas also made a turbo racer, called the Turbo Express. Click here to read about it.

More Progress on the Layout: Turning from Blue to Green

The blue is turning to green . . . .

It's a long weekend in Manitoba--Louis Riel Day. It's a day to remember one of the founders of the province (and who was convicted of high treason and hanged by the Government of Canada in 1885).

In reality, the long weekend is a much-needed break for the citizens of this snow-bound province. For me, it was a chance to do a bit more scenery on the layout.

An overview of the progress.

Slowly, the expanse of blue Styrofoam has been turning green. As of today, there is no blue left to be found. There's still lots of work to be done yet--ballasting, planting trees and other details. But at least the blue is now gone.

What the area looked like before.

Click here to follow along the progress of hiding the hole and making scenery on this portion of the lower level of the layout.

The Tri-ang Hornby Turbo Train

The pre-production sample.

I was surprised to recently discover that Bachmann, MTH and Rapido aren’t the only manufacturers to make models of the United Aircraft Turbo Train—so did Tri-ang Hornby.

Well, that’s not completely accurate. Tri-ang Hornby made a pre-production sample in CN livery, but never produced it. Something about the prototype train not proving to be very long-lived put an end to the plans.

I wonder what happened to the sample; is it sitting in a warehouse, or someone’s attic? Does anyone have additional information about this bit of model railway history?

The real thing.

Thanks to the Tri-ang Railways in the USA and Canada website for the surprising discovery.

Good News for Alco fans: CPR MLW Units in Cranbrook, B.C. Getting a Face Lift

Good news for Alco fans: Ex-CPR MLW (Alco) FA-2 4090 and FB-2 4469 on display in Cranbrook, B.C. are getting a cosmetic face lift, thanks to the city's Sunrise Rotary Club.

With assistance from Cranbrook's Downtown Business Association, the two units will be repainted into the classic CPR maroon and grey livery. The Club hopes to have the job completed by July, this year.

The units in 2011.

In addition to the repainting, the Club will also do some landscaping and add a story board about the two units, which were built in 1953.

The units belong to the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, which is located just south of where the units are located on highway 3/95.