Wheelchair Accessible Trailer for the SL&WHN RR

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

So this past weekend, I had the honor of giving my 94 1/2 year old Dad a ride on the SL& WHNN RR. He had a blast! 
 

But… it was a chore for him to get on and off the adult seat in the main car…

 

So… I started thinking (always leads to trouble) - why not build a wheelchair “lowboy” trailer and have it available for any folks - kids or adults - in a wheelchair…

 

So it begins:

 

Base is gonna be an old hitch flatbed I have. I’m thinking wheelchair on one side and seat for caregiver on other side. Will have wheels and can be towed solo or as part of the train…

 

Latches will be on wheels and frame. Ratchet ties for redundancy…

 

Some pics of concept and whole train… (white stool is just for concept of caregiver seat area)

 

 

 

Initial thoughts welcome…

 

 

Edited September 8, 2021 by SylvanLakeWH

[ebinmaine 63,116]

This, my friend, is an awesome idea. 

 

 

20 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

thoughts welcome

 

20 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Base is gonna be an old hitch flatbed I have. I’m thinking wheelchair on one side and seat for caregiver on other side. Will have wheels and can be towed solo or as part of the train…

 

Latches will be on wheels and frame. Ratchet ties for redundancy

 

All good so far. 

 

What kind of length are we thinking in relation to trailer width?

Normally, stability would be best if the vehicle is a fair amount longer than wide of course. 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

Thanks!

 

Initially I’m thinking dual axle. Twice length you see in pic…

[ebinmaine 63,116]

1 minute ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Thanks!

 

Initially I’m thinking dual axle. Twice length you see in pic…

So length would be twice that of a standard wheelchair as measured front to back?

Total trailer size would end up right around 5' wide x 5' long? 5 x 6 feet?

 

Wheels at far outside corners?

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

4’ max width. That’s existing width of the flatbed… 

 

Not sure on length. Most likely only long enough to get wheelchair in place…

 

Thinking dual axle for ride and stability, but chariot style with front, sides and a drop in / out back or side for loading / unloading… kinda like the main long car on the train only the sides or back will be removable for loading… the sides would act as barrier as well as aesthetic / modesty panel…

 

Spit balling right now but that’s my initial thoughts… as always, using stuff on hand to extent I can…

 

Oh, and it will be Regal Red with appropriate black trim to keep with the overall theme… 

 

Appreciate the input!

[ebinmaine 63,116]

6 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

4’ max width

I like this. 

 

7 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

back will be removable for loading… the sides would act as barrier as well as aesthetic / modesty panel

And this. 

 

7 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

it will be Regal Red with appropriate black trim to keep with the overall theme

And this.  

 

7 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

as always, using stuff on hand to extent I can

I REALLY like this. 

 

 

Seems to me you're headed the right direction. 

 

I'm no stability analyzation engineer. Perhaps length isn't a huge concern. 

Max speed around 75 - 80 miles per hour I s'pose?

Or 6.... Likely closer to 6.  

 

 

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

Actually… max speed would be 1st gear high with someone on this one… that’s the speed I went with Dad on the whole train and it was perfect… had two people walking on either side of him for support if needed (it wasn’t)… I usually go 2nd gear with whole train… 3rd when I’m just pulling the Agrifab WH Wannabee trailer alone…

[Handy Don 10,595]

54 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

4’ max width. That’s existing width of the flatbed… 

 

Not sure on length. Most likely only long enough to get wheelchair in place…

 

Thinking dual axle for ride and stability, but chariot style with front, sides and a drop in / out back or side for loading / unloading… kinda like the main long car on the train only the sides or back will be removable for loading… the sides would act as barrier as well as aesthetic / modesty panel…

 

Spit balling right now but that’s my initial thoughts… as always, using stuff on hand to extent I can…

 

Oh, and it will be Regal Red with appropriate black trim to keep with the overall theme… 

 

Appreciate the input!

Not that I have an idea of how but I'll suggest you also develop a means of "roll on-roll off" via some sort of ramp. Ideally, low enough slope that the person can navigate on/off by themself but with help if no other way can be found (you'll find that many chair-bound folks have many horror stories of "helpful" bystanders terrifying them while trying to "help").

Also, be sure to consider how to secure the chair--I know you are doing low speed stuff, but even at those speeds curves built momentum we abled folks can simply manage. In a chair it's a lot more challenging and easy to feel out of control.

There are some terrific books on designing for less-abled folks and many articles. Dig around a bit and you'll find more than you need!

This is a wonderful idea and I look forward to seeing it emerge into reality!

[8ntruck 6,368]

Might be more complexity than you want, but how about adapting a HF hydraulic bottle jack to raise and lower the trailer, kind of like those low boy heavy equipment trailers?

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

I am thinking low boy design with easy on / off… won’t be for “public” use. Two members of family currently… will be receiving assistance from family that knows what to do…

 

Securing chair will be redundant, repetitive, overlapping, did I mention overkill, I can assure you of that!!!

 

Appreciate the great input! Thanks!!!

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

2 minutes ago, 8ntruck said:

Might be more complexity than you want, but how about adapting a HF hydraulic bottle jack to raise and lower the trailer, kind of like those low boy heavy equipment trailers?

Great idea but…I’m trying to keep in line with my brain - s i m p l e -… 🤓

[Handy Don 10,595]

FWIW, the idea of incorporating this "car" into the rest of the train is part of its greatness. If the chair rider is facing backward, they'll see the kids having fun too!

[Lee1977 6,217]

Provide a handrail all the way around the top and a hinged ramp that will latch up behind. With spring latches with a chain attached similar to an old pickup tail gate.

The handrail will give something solid to hold on to if the chair moves a little.

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

I like the hand rail idea and the gate that swings up to create a back or side wall…

 

Great input - Thanks!!!

[Pullstart 59,689]

I too like this idea a bunch!  Having some wheelchair experience myself (by choice so far, not necessity) I imagine a trailer deck dropped to the ground, with a simple lift system such as an oversized mower deck height adjustment system.  Think a long lever for lifting it 4” off the ground or so in a parallelogram fashion…

[Pullstart 59,689]

3 hours ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

Great idea but…I’m trying to keep in line with my brain - s i m p l e -… 🤓

here’s a simple one for ya Jim,.. an old truck hood as a caboose!  Roll them on, hook up and flatten the road a bit in the meantime!  Add a bucket of tar on the trailer in front of it and you’ll have yourself the fanciest Sylvan Lake WH&RR pot hole fixer on the block!

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

So… Plan B…

 

BIL says “ Why not use the Agrifab… already has sides and easy to attach latch points etc…”

 

Hhhmmm…

 

Excellent idea! Way less fabbing up stuff and… it fits!

 

Working on latching points, back hitch and caregiver chair. Benefits are:

 

Built in sturdy sides

My auto ramps work perfectly 

Already the correct color

Already correct decals

Wheel chair can face front or back

Same with caregiver 

 

Down side… none!!!

 

Just need rear hitch and lash points!!!

 

[ebinmaine 63,116]

Gonna add an axle or leave it tippy for adventure?

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

Gonna add an axle or leave it tippy for adventure?

I’ve designed some bushings to eliminate  the up / down at the hitch and at 1st gear speeds on asphalt I’m not concerned about tipping sideways…

 

Having said that, I am going to test it with me as the dummy… if I am not REALLY comfortable, adding an axle would not be difficult and if warranted I will make it so…

 

Appreciate the input!

[ebinmaine 63,116]

6 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

I’ve designed some bushings to eliminate  the up / down at the hitch and at 1st gear speeds on asphalt I’m not concerned about tipping sideways

Nice. Should be good. 

Sideways won't be a concern. 

 

 

Just for fun do a pulley swap on the tractor and aim for about 25 mph. Good attention getter for trailer passengers. 

 

[Pullstart 59,689]

Imagine the tail whip at 25!  

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

Works pretty well.

Mrs. sylvanlakewh drove me around the hood while I was sitting in it and it is very stable and quite comfortable… (First time for her driving the WH…!!! She did great!!! And there will be no pics… )

 

Just need to finalize the rear hitch and good to go…

 

 

[Pullstart 59,689]

Did she make you ride backwards the whole way?  We’re you blindfolded too?  

 

For the sake of stability, I assume this is going to be trailer #1 in the mix, or will it be interchangeable?

[SylvanLakeWH 24,129]

No blindfold. She needed to make sure I could be blamed for anything that was wrong… Smart woman - culpable deniability…

 

 

It will be interchangeable with other cars… front and back hitches. When this car is hooked up I will be going in 1st gear only… usually pull in second.

 

Thought about keeping this one separate - pull with tractor #2 - but I want the wheelchair folks to be equal part of the train ride fun / experience… still tweaking the rear hitch… not much to grab on these Agrifab trailers that’s solid enough for tow points… I think I have a design… 

[ebinmaine 63,116]

3 minutes ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

not much to grab

When I built my orange dumping trailer a few years ago I had to reinforce the rear lip to prevent bending it on the ground with the trailer in the up position.

 

If you put something across the back of that sheet metal like angle iron or even better some sort of a box, multiple fasteners, you should be fine.