This is a rail truck for my personal Lego railroad, the Horseshoe Bend Rail Road. The Horseshoe Bend Rail Road is a short line rail road that serves the Horseshoe Bend area of Klickitat County, Washingon in the period from the late 1800's to the 1930's. Its logo, the "Circle JC" brand is the brand of Horseshoe Bend Ranch, a real ranch where I work as a Ranch Manager.

Rail trucks were used by real railroads. This particular model is based on a Bachmann model of a Rio Grande Southern narrow gauge rail truck which that railroad built and used in the 1930's. The prototype for Bachman, and thus for me, is a replica of the original Rio Grande Southern rail truck which now lives at the Ridgeway Railroad Museum in Colorado. Enjoy my Lego model!

This is my Lego rail truck. It is driven by a 9V geared motor which is powered by a 9V battery box under the cargo in the back of the truck. The split windshield is prototypical of the truck this is based off of. One pane can be opened for a breeze in hot weather.

That is the fuel tank under the right-rear corner of the truck. The rear drive wheels are Big Ben Brick small train wheels.

Old style 1x1 round bricks (without edges on the base) are used for round bits on the prototype truck this is based on. My truck has the "Circle JC" logo, for Horseshoe Bend Rail Road, same as my Christmas Train. Note the exhaust pipe.

Note the exhaust pipe (a black old-style pistol). The slats in back are a little crooked because I ran out of 1x6 tan plates.

On this overhead view you can see the cargo. To turn on the motor simply move the barrel over the switch and stick it down.

Here is a bottom view. Two drive belts from the engine move the drive shaft. If you want to play with the truck unmotorized you need to move the crown gear back along the drive shaft to disengage it from the axel.

An overview of Horseshoe Bend Rail Road's newest truck. This is used for mail service, minor cargo runs and track maintenance.

This the prototype that my rail truck is based off of. This is a model by Bachman, and is based off of a real truck developed by the Rio Grand Southern railroad during the Great Depression to service its narrow guage lines. The model by Bachmann was based off of a replica of Rio Grand Southern #1 that resides in Colorado's Ridgeway Railroad Museum.

I hope you have enjoyed the Rail Truck! Be sure to check out my other creations.

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