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Building now, wood GOOGLE locomotive

26K views 162 replies 18 participants last post by  hazimkazim 
#1 ·
This is a simple, straight forward build. Our son is a Microsoft engineer, and Real Estate broker, and so I am building this for him.

On 11-5-2013 Google honored Raymond Loewy's 120th birthday with a rendering of what Google thought he would have designed had they asked him to do such. Mr. Loewy was a world leader in design, Google him if you wish to learn more.

Note the wheels of the locomotive coupled to the tail spell "GOOGLE".

It is 30" long. I will paint it to appear to have track dirt on it. It will have a working light, THANKS TO HARBOR FREIGHT, hehehe. A rod all the way to the back will be the switch. The tail section is wrong, so soon will change it.

Our plane trip today was delayed one day, so here ya go.

Dale in Indy
 

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#2 ·
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

Here I turned the front wheel on my wood lathe.

I didn't drill with a hand drill, used my 17" floor drill press, I just cleaned up a tad after with the electric drill. It is a 4" hole, what I use to install can lights.

Dale in Indy
 

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#6 ·
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

Yep Trevor, I tooooooo fell in love with the rendering the minute I saw in on 11-05-13.

I have talked to Google, and they want pictures of it as it progresses, and is finished. They were very surprised someone would make a model of it.

Below is my next model build. Raymond Loewy's 'S1' locomotive. Built in 1939, scrapped in 1949, SAD. Longest engine ever built, 80 feet plus long without tender car. Mine will be 40" long.

The original was the only one built, it was 10'-7" wide, a HUGE 16'- 6" tall.

I'm not a train person, but these two really caught my eye.

Dale in Indy
 

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#7 ·
#9 ·
Woodenthings, Although I'm old enough to have driven many of his Studebaker designs, I didn't know who he was until your post. Man, he was a great and prolific designer. The Avanti was (still is) my dream car.
Thanks so much for the post. Many good memories.

And Dale, that's going to be one sweet engine.


Only a few of us "old guys" know who he was and what he designed:

http://images.search.yahoo.com/yhs/...aker+design&hspart=visicom&hsimp=yhs-lavasoft

It's so cool you are making those models and doing such a fine job as well! Go Dale! :thumbsup:
 
#8 ·
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

Thank You for posting the link.

Yep he was a REAL DESIGNER. I see the Google train is pictured there tooooooooo.

Dale in Indy, soon to be 77, THANK THE LORD I AM IN GREAT HEALTH. I do have FURNITURE'S DISEASE, You know, when your chest falls down into your drawers, hehehe.

P.S. Each day I can't wait to get going in my shop, it's set up for metal and wood, so ENJOYING.
 
#11 ·
Dale in Indy, soon to be 77, THANK THE LORD I AM IN GREAT HEALTH. I do have FURNITURE'S DISEASE, You know, when your chest falls down into your drawers, hehehe.
And here I thought I was the only one who knew about that disease!

Beautiful work on the loco SB.

I'll be watching for the next one for sure.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Yep, he was a super duper designer. There is a ton of cool info to see/read when you Google his name, or S1 locomotive.

I am searching for measurements regarding the under carriage, I am hoping to make the driver wheels work together, will probably make them and the frame out of aluminum. Body will be mostly wood, and aluminum.

Dale in Indy

P.S. There are so many of his designs that OTHERS could make as models, so go get em you all.
 
#14 ·
Yay, Dale! You got it figured out! Now you can freely share you work with the forum. I was becoming concerned about getting "in trouble" by posting threads for other people. I hoped you'd get the picture posting part figured out.

That said, I'm glued to this build. You know I've been a fan of your work for some time now. You're always tackling builds with sleek, smooth curves and unusual shapes. You know, the kinds of builds that would leave many of us (myself included) absolutely lost for where to even start. And your paint jobs always come out so incredibly smooth and sexy.

Yeah, I and the rest of the forum are going to LOVE the new, picture-posting you. You've got so much to offer and your projects are so unique, retro-future and interesting. Keep on postin', my friend. And thank you.
 
#15 ·
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

Here are the latest build pictures of my 30" build.

1st. pic. is one of the side panels, note pencil line near bottom of aspen, that is my shaping line for the convex piece. Just starting the hand shaping.

2nd. shows left side in place.

3rd. compares to photo that I am using for this build, no plans, or kit build, all from scratch.

4th wheels roughed out, now to the lathe to add detail. Wheels are approx. 3-1/2" wide X 4-1/2" tall. Back wheel is 5" tall.

As stated at the start of this thread, this is a simple straight forward build, but fun.

Dale in Indy
 

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#17 ·
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

The convex is approx. 3/8" tall. I love hand shaping, just keep moving the file/sanding blocks in ALL directions.

Dale in Indy, where it is really snowing, may get up to 10" tonight, but we will survive.

P. S. Shop is heated, so fun is ahead,
 
#20 ·
Too cool.

That's one of very few of the Google logos that has really impressed me. Whoever did it really captured the style of that era quite well.

EDIT: Your son should put it on his desk at Microsoft... I'm sure that will win him a lot of friends.:laughing:
 
#23 ·
Needing to have body parts replaced never sounds like a good thing. I hope your wife is doing well after her surgery and recovers swiftly. Did this have anything to do with the back pains she has/was having?
 
#24 ·
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

Not much movement the past week, bride just came home from REVERSE SHOULDER REPLACEMENT. She is fine, glad to have it over with.

1st. pic shows shaping of tail upright section.

2nd. more of rough building of tail.

3rd. notice I thinned up the horizontal bottom tail piece. I am not happy with the bottom of the tail, so will make new bottom piece approx. 1-1/2" longer, but keep it thin.

Then work on long mid side trim piece, the little curved piece of the rear 'G', and detail the wheels. Will also cut and shape the 'E' portion of the letter.

I will use a modified HARBOR FREIGHT free flashlite, with long rod going thru the locomotive and out the tail to turn on and off.

Dale in Indy
 

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#29 · (Edited)
Building now, GOOGLE locomotive.

As stated B4, this is a low skill build, I would give it a 2-3, mostly getting proportions right, and lots of busy work.

This locomotive is 30" long, 7-1/2" tall, and 5-1/2" wide.

Here is the new tail piece in rough form, and side trim. Will make back 'G' curl, and 'E' tabs today also. Side trim is house trim piece modified. Next is shaping wheels and lots of sanding/priming/painting. FUN BUILD, mostly because it is a GREAT RENDERING OF A LOCOMOTIVE.

Two weeks ago I couldn't spell NURSE, now I are one.

Taking care of Bride after shoulder replacement.

I sneak in so model building time as I help her.

Dale in Indy
 

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