The 2nd Annual Spring Windup

Chuck Donovan's stuff
Chuck Donovan, of Ohatchee, Alabama, is a prolific scratchbuilder of whimsical and imaginative locomotives. He brought a large sampling of his spring-driven machines to the windup, as can be seen by the photos below.

All of Chuck's engines are built to 32mm gauge (0 gauge). Chuck prefers Hornby mechanisms for his creations. These are well built, reliable, are powerful, and will travel a long distance between winds.

Most of the pictures speak for themselves. Captions are supplied where necessary.
The unit above has a mechanical whistle (!), as supplied on the original mechanism.
Mr. Rogers, a tram engine made of brass, has a Meccano motor.
This unit, along with the two below, were designed for speed and distance. The spring has been released from its fetters and the vehicle has oversize drive wheels. They run very fast and 300 feet duration is not unusual.