Making a New Start
- Thread starter C&S
- Start date
Decided to use the chassis for the tanker, as the central spine made the car ride a little too high which looked odd on a shortened vehicle. Besides, a piece of 12mm ply can be used as a chassis for the boxcar, hidden by the overlapping "skirt" at the bottom of the body. First photo shows the shortened chassis and new deeper sides added from 12x6mm hardwood strip, which will be overlaid with styrene later to match up with the narrow side members of the donor chassis.
Now to clad the deck, in you-know-what.......
Can anyone tell me whether anyone in the UK sells G scale American tank car decals?
Now to clad the deck, in you-know-what.......
Can anyone tell me whether anyone in the UK sells G scale American tank car decals?
Rather busy on non-modelling business, so not much progress on the tanker conversion. The end beams (what do you call the buffer beams on US freight cars?) are an odd shape and to square them up with shims looks odd. Think I'll have to chop them off and substitute wooden end beams.
Meanwhile here's a look at the "new" mill at Hogwood, which now carries the owner's name.
Meanwhile here's a look at the "new" mill at Hogwood, which now carries the owner's name.
I took this picture a couple of weeks ago. However it highlights the fact that the Ice Company's building is an old low relief. from my former layout. This is partly becaucse there's insufficient room for a full width gable at this end in its present location. I'm planning to increase the width of the roof-top ventilator with a rear slope, which should suggest that there's more of the building back there (the rear side is invisible from the normal viewing angle), but am considering addding a vertical tank to mask the structure's thin end. Is there any reason that an ice-making plant might need such a tank - chemical or water storage, for instance?
Dtsteam
G Scale, Travel, Steam Boats, Mechanical Music
How about something like this. http://digitalcollections.uwyo.edu:...1,ahc-turner~1~1,ahc-wister~1~1,&mi=31&trs=32
Its described as a scaffold, but it looks like an elevator for lifting ice onto the deck
Its described as a scaffold, but it looks like an elevator for lifting ice onto the deck
Thanks for that, David. Might be a bit too see-through for my purpose. I must however add some hatches along the wall at the back of the tall walkway, as at present there's no explanation as to how the ice gets up there; I'm assuming a conveyor inside the building.
As far as tanks are concerned, the one I wanted to use was too large and fouled rolling stock on the track running to the rear of the Ice Co. However a postal tube, cut in half, provides for two thin tanks which masks the lack of depth in the brickwork. I think Ammonia is used in refrigeration so perhaps that's what is being stored. Will try and post a picture showing the effect of the proposed tanks as soon as I've time to get the camera out again.
As far as tanks are concerned, the one I wanted to use was too large and fouled rolling stock on the track running to the rear of the Ice Co. However a postal tube, cut in half, provides for two thin tanks which masks the lack of depth in the brickwork. I think Ammonia is used in refrigeration so perhaps that's what is being stored. Will try and post a picture showing the effect of the proposed tanks as soon as I've time to get the camera out again.
Back in post 126 I was showing an 0n30 boxcab (adapted from a Lionel 0 gauge caboose) as a possible inspiration for a G scale kit-bash. Here's a picture if the finished beast, courtesy of Andrew Knights, who has added headlights and pilot steps at each end and painted in in his line's livery.
Worked on the new tank-car: body cut into 3 sections, outer two each reduced by 1.5 inches, then stuck back together and painted. While waiting for the paint to dry I had a running session and finished off the "day" that was left incomplete last time.
First shot shows #1 bringing the empty timber flats down the hill from Hogwood en-route for Clydes Creek
Next, we haven't seen much of the line's tank car, so here it is being spotted at Hogwood Oil.
Finally, the daily mineral train crosses the trestle
First shot shows #1 bringing the empty timber flats down the hill from Hogwood en-route for Clydes Creek
Next, we haven't seen much of the line's tank car, so here it is being spotted at Hogwood Oil.
Finally, the daily mineral train crosses the trestle
Got the tank car to a basic "finished" state, and undercoated. Not too sure about the black livery. I'll live with it for a while to see if it grows on me. I think the chassis will go boxcar red.
Edit:
It's strange, as this tanker is the same length as the Tidewater one already running on the layout, but I feel the black colour makes the vehicle look too short and too tall. I'll almost certainly repaint it - just have to see what colour I have in stock. I do have some RR Roman dry print to letter it for a local oil dealer.
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Edit:
It's strange, as this tanker is the same length as the Tidewater one already running on the layout, but I feel the black colour makes the vehicle look too short and too tall. I'll almost certainly repaint it - just have to see what colour I have in stock. I do have some RR Roman dry print to letter it for a local oil dealer.
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That black tanker's go to go! Tried to paint it a paler colour (thinking of sandy yellow, but that will take several coats to cover the dark undercoat). Meanwhile, waiting for the paint to dry, I started on the boxcar - now shorter. Made up one of the ventilated doors using two thicknesses of 30 thou styrene for the frame; sandwiched in between are some 40x40 thou strips for the bars, with packing round the edges. Will post some pictures soon.
Not much progress recently, mostly tinkering with the tanker. Latest paint option is silver with red-brown under panels, tank cradles and chassis. Having found some RR Roman dry print and some smaller decals I'm now trying to work out a suitable owner's name. Wanted "Hogwood Oil" but there are too many Os.
Last week I decided to run some trains - here's a busy moment at Cattewater.......
Last week I decided to run some trains - here's a busy moment at Cattewater.......
Still trying to get some time for modelling. Lost count of the number of paint coats it's taking to cover the black on the tanker. Have given up with silver acrylic and gone to oil-based metallic silver.
Was going to take some pictures yesterday, but the camera needed a re-charge. Instead here's a shot of Mel, the Freight Agent at Hogwood.
Was going to take some pictures yesterday, but the camera needed a re-charge. Instead here's a shot of Mel, the Freight Agent at Hogwood.
At last some progress. The tank car is the right colour at last, just waiting a choice of name and lettering, plus corner step-irons.
The ventilated boxcar is in primer brown, and resting on its bogies - still some work to do to get enough swing for R1 curves, and then the body needs finishing.
Following a nudge some time ago, the barber now has a stripy pole to advertise his trade. That was quite a job to hand paint and keep the two spirals even - still not quite made it, even now.
The ventilated boxcar is in primer brown, and resting on its bogies - still some work to do to get enough swing for R1 curves, and then the body needs finishing.
Following a nudge some time ago, the barber now has a stripy pole to advertise his trade. That was quite a job to hand paint and keep the two spirals even - still not quite made it, even now.
Did some useful work today - the boxcar now has the bogies fitted, roof-walk boards and all the ladders/grab rails. Just got the solid doors, brake wheel and corner stirrups to add.
I also managed to find a period logo for a Colorado oil company, so their badge is now displayed on the tank at Hogwood Oil. If I can reduce it a little I'll maybe use it on the new tank car as well.
Edit: I thought the logo I'd found was from the 1930s - certainly looks as if it might have been. However I've now traced the company's website and see that they only started in 1949, eight years too late for the C&S. However they were (and are) active in the western mountain states, so I'll keep the name. The logo needed shrinking to 75% but looks fine on the tank car.
I also managed to find a period logo for a Colorado oil company, so their badge is now displayed on the tank at Hogwood Oil. If I can reduce it a little I'll maybe use it on the new tank car as well.
Edit: I thought the logo I'd found was from the 1930s - certainly looks as if it might have been. However I've now traced the company's website and see that they only started in 1949, eight years too late for the C&S. However they were (and are) active in the western mountain states, so I'll keep the name. The logo needed shrinking to 75% but looks fine on the tank car.
A little bit of progress on both vehicles since the last picture...........and still a little way to go before they're finished.
Had to make my own corner step-irons, so used some of the very large copper staples that come with some really large parcels. Straightened out they are two-and-a-half inches long, which is just the right length, when re-bent into a U shape.
Had to make my own corner step-irons, so used some of the very large copper staples that come with some really large parcels. Straightened out they are two-and-a-half inches long, which is just the right length, when re-bent into a U shape.
