Making your own BRIO/ELC compatible trains?

My son has just discovered wooden trains already at 18 months, and loves them so after seeing real trains at our train museum he’d rather sleep with a wooden train then his stuffed animals.

One thing has bugged me is how commercialized and character branded these have become. There is a guy who was a woodworker who started to make more realistic trains but simple and wooden. They’re the Whittle Shortline toys. This really got me thinking that I would like to make my own trains for Sigis, and to base them on trains he’s seen here at our local TN Valley Railroad etc. My biggest issue is finding the hardware. This may have been posted in the past but I can’t find any really good topics explaining what is needed.

To give you a quick idea a german woden train company Eichhorn makes a repair kits that ha most of what you need.

Eichhorn 4890 repair kit

From other posts I have read the first trick is to get upholestry nails that are domed and 1/2” ceramic donut magnets or couplings, in a perfect world I’d like them coated too. probably some basic Chrome or similar plated upholestry nails to keep magnets fastened, and because you need curved surface for coupling to work right. Not sure yet where to get these but would like to buy some bulk….as I plan on making quite a few trains….not really for buisiness, though I like the idea of using for limited trains for fundraisers, maybe for our rail museum even. (it costs a lot to restore a steam train) I really have no plans to turn this into a buisiness like Whittle, though I highly recommend those trains…..just a hobby… I love trains. And no one else would make the historic trains I have in mind, would like to make some rare ones.

The part I am most confused with is where to get little plastic disks for wheels….plastic really is superior to wood for this. I know some people have used wooden wheels but they don’t hold up to the abuse usually and plastic simply rolls better. The hardest part is the axils….most are similar to above a tiny steel hollow rod with ends often domed like the upholesty nails either screwed or locked into the ends. This allows both axle to roll, and wheels to roll on axle….for these trains you want as little friction as possible so they roll free…..where on earth to get these?

The above Eichhorn kit would be perfect except it’s expensive and not even available in the United States.

Also I can get non toxic paints from hobby store, but I am wondering on what clearcoat I could use, I might want to use some decals as well under it. should be able to take abuse and be non toxic, child safe etc….any ideas?

Like I say I’d like to order in bulk.

I need 1/2” small doughnut hole cermaic magnets pref with a coating or I can just dip them in something myself. (to protect kids from chewing or getting at magnets and ingesting.)

I need some domed upholstry nails slightly smaller then magnets so 3/8 shiney and able to be magnetized.

I need plastic wheels….no idea on this…..

I need the axles… Some sort of hollow rods that I can screw or fasten in sides….will have to measure to see size…not even sure what this piece of hardware would be called….but see above picture. If someone can even name the hardware I’m looking for it would be helpful.

Not in a rush I’m in the planning stages only. Pick up any Thomas, Maxim, BRIO, IMAGANRIUM etc wooden train and you will get the idea as to what I need.

-- "People are eternally trying to walk out of difficulties, instead of trying to work out of them."