Tokyo Disney Western River Railroad locomotive.

[WesternRiverRR]

I own each of the models produced by Tomix for the park in HOn30...

Josh, can you please tell us what the engine bodies are made of? Some photos I've seen seem to show them as unpainted, molded-in-color plastic. I gather that the markings come separately, on sticker sheets, and must be applied by the buyer.

Sure thing.

The smoke box, saddle, frame, and cylinders are all one casting painted two tone. Likely die-cast, though possibly pot metal of some sort. The rest of the engine is plastic with some paint applied.

Filigree, cab names, headlamp side paintings, etc. are all wet-slide transfers that come on a single sheet and must be cut and trimmed to kit.

Cheers,
Josh

[Roy]

However, the material used in such kits is too fragile for a working model.

Not true at all. In fact, the plastic this kit is molded in is as every bit as rugged, if not more so, than anything from Bachmann or the styrene I used to build models all the time. 100% if you can find the right donor mechanism, this model kit will be hands down the easiest, most straight forward way of building a solid On30 working model of the WRRR. (Passenger stock, you're on your own! )

Thanks Josh, for the pics and info. It looks like the kit parts are well molded. I'm aware the outside valve gear is molded in one position. One wouldn't want styrene or ABS plastic for working valve gear, anyway.

I don't know what plastic the kit is molded from. Styrene dies in daylight. I wouldn't recommend it, for a garden model. Also, fine parts like handrails and piping should probably be replaced with steel wire. Still, it's nice to know that one can use the kit for a running model.

It would be interesting to compare good drawings of the Marsh to those of the Tokyo Disneyland engines.

Some time back, I picked up a Bachmann Bradford Exchange McDonald's set cheap. It looks like one could cut off the car sides, and install benches and posts to make serviceable WRR-like excursion cars.

[Roy]

I stumbled upon this:



It looks like it has Disney characters on the roof. I wonder if these die-casts could be adapted to running models?

[Roy]

A better roof view:

[Roy]

Because of the separately-applied domes, these appear to be made from different tooling. I don't know what size they are, or what they're made of.

[Locoboy5150]

I stumbled upon this:



It looks like it has Disney characters on the roof. I wonder if these die-casts could be adapted to running models?

Those die cast models are part of Tomy's Tomica line of die cast vehicles. (They're like Japan's version of Hot Wheels cars.) I have several of them that I bought on my trips to Japan and China, including the WRRR 2-4-0 locomotive. While I'd never question the exceptional modeling abilities of fellow Burnsland members, I doubt that the Tomica 2-4-0 locomotive could be easily made into an operating model. It would be like making a Hot Wheels car into a running model. It could be done, but the effort probably wouldn't be worth it because of the lack of detail in the Tomica 2-4-0 casting. It's a toy and designed to be able to withstand being played with by children, like Hot Wheels cars, so it really does not have much detail. It would probably be more worthwhile scratch building a WRRR 2-4-0 rather than trying to make the Tomica model operable.

[Roy]

...I doubt that the Tomica 2-4-0 locomotive could be easily made into an operating model. It would be like making a Hot Wheels car into a running model. It could be done, but the effort probably wouldn't be worth it because of the lack of detail in the Tomica 2-4-0 casting. It's a toy and designed to be able to withstand being played with by children, like Hot Wheels cars, so it really does not have much detail.

Zamac die-castings can be every bit as sharp and detailed as any plastic injection molding. Since these toys often end up in kid's mouths, I suspect Tomy is using the least toxic paint available. It looks pretty thick. It would be interesting to see one of these models with the paint stripped off.

With smaller models like HOn30, I like die-cast zamac. Mainly, because it's heavier. But it's also rugged, and more UV resistant, compared to the most common molded plastics. For one-off or low production models, brass is also good.

[Locoboy5150]

Zamac die-castings can be every bit as sharp and detailed as any plastic injection molding. Since these toys often end up in kid's mouths, I suspect Tomy is using the least toxic paint available. It looks pretty thick. It would be interesting to see one of these models with the paint stripped off.

You're right...what do I know? I only own the toy locomotive in question (I have it in my hand and I'm actually looking at it closely as I type this) and I stand by what I said before. It is a toy that was designed to be played with by young children, just like all of my other Tomy Tomica cars and trucks. It is not a scale model nor was it ever intended to be one...just like all of the Tomy Tomica vehicles.

Believe and theorize what you want Roy. I have the locomotive in question and it's not a very detailed casting. I have not stripped off the paint but my young son chipped some paint off his when he was playing with it (I bought him one at Tokyo Disneyland too when I got mine) and it was not what I would call a "thick" coat. It is not thick enough to cover up the lack of detail in the original casting.

Zamac die-castings can be every bit as sharp and detailed as any plastic injection molding.

The key word that you used there is "can." Is it in this toy locomotive's case? No - absolutely and unquestionably not. Just because something can be detailed does NOT mean that it automatically is by default.

As I said before, believe what you want. Unlike you, I'm not going by online photos and theories based on absolutely no hands on experience with the toy locomotive in question. Unlike you, I have the actual toy here in front of me. I stand by what I said.

But, please don't let me stop you. You seem to have all the answers so please feel free to buy one of these Tomica locomotives and make it into an operating locomotive. Just be sure to please post photos of your project here.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Exactly. It would be a waste of time and effort to try and convert that toy into an operating model. It would be far easier to scratch build something.