JUNE 200440

coupler mountingblocks and the mount-ing bosses on the truckbolsters, then filed theareas smooth. Toensure the couplerpads and bolsters wereflat and level with theframe sills, I used aDremel flat bottomcutter to mill them onmy shop drill press. Iattached Kadee® 803On3 coupler boxesand airbrushed theframe with Polly ScaleGrimy Black. I used afew thin shims toinstall San Juan trucksto my adopted couplerheight standard.

I worked on theroof next by removingthe cupola and fillingthe resulting hole with0.040-inch thickstyrene sheet. Thecupola looked disproportionately longso I shortened it by two scale feet.Using the reworked cupola as atemplate, I marked the roof and cut anew hole to align with the end wall of

the body. I enlarged the cupolawindow openings to accept GrandtLine caboose cupola window frames. Isimulated tar paper roofing by apply-ing tissue paper to the roof surfaces

and using Grimy Black paint as theadhesive. I then installed the pre-painted windows along with aCoronado Scale Models lantern box onthe cupola roof. The new roofwalks are

styrene strip.The interior was

the third assemblyto modify. I cut theoriginal interior intothirds, discarded thetwo outer sections,and repositioned thecenter cupolasection to align withthe relocatedcupola. I made anew floor fromscribed styrene andnew passengerbench seats fromstyrene strip. Theoriginal potbellystove now sits nearthe new seats.

I created thedrover’s cabooseside walls by cuttingopenings in themiddle of each sideand installing

41FINESCALE RAILROADER

Grandt Line baggage doors. Some ofthe resulting scrap material now plugsone window on each side. I enlargedthe other original window opening,cut additional openings for Grandtcaboose side window frames, andadded two more windows to thepassenger end of the car.

I scratched wood grain into all theexterior body surfaces with an X-Actonumber 11 knife blade, removed thefuzz with a Scotchbrite® pad, air-brushed the body with a base coat ofPolly Scale SP Lettering Gray, andallowed the model to dry thoroughly.The color coat is a mixture of two partsPolly Scale Rock Island Maroon andone part Caboose Red. As soon as thepaint was dry to the touch, I lightly

scraped off some of the uncuredtopcoat to expose the gray underneath.I applied custom decals a few days laterand sprayed the entire body withTestors Dullcote.

The final steps were to install theprepainted and glazed side windowframes and baggage door steps Ifabricated from brass bar stock. Isnapped or screwed together allsubassemblies and applied weatheringchalks to complete the model.

I built the “regular” caboose a fewmonths later—identically except that apair of side windows replaces thebaggage doors. Now, as the trains runaround my layout, I am the one whofinally hails the arrival of the caboose!

JUNE 200442

THE FFFFFINESCALEINESCALEINESCALEINESCALEINESCALE R R R R RAILROADERAILROADERAILROADERAILROADERAILROADERFUEL FACILITY CHALLENGE

A PHOTOS SPECIAL

Jim Blakeman, from Aberdeenshire,Scotland scratchbuilt a beautiful 1:20.3scale model of the Rio Grande coalingtower at Chama, New Mexico. All ma-jor dimensions are to scale except thosenecessary to make the tower suitablefor standard gauge. The hopper�s heightis two scale feet taller than the proto-type; Jim also beefed up the supports inthe operator�s cabin. He constructedthe model from scale mahogany andfabricated most details, such as thegondola drop grills, from plastic. Thebucket tracks are brass, the metal cast-ings from Ozark Miniatures. Jim stainedthe entire model with diluted black ink.It stands over three actual feet tallabove the ground; nearly four feet fromthe bucket pits to the hoist house roof.Chuck Yungkurth provided copies ofthe original Chama engineering plans.

FIRST PLACE

43FINESCALE RAILROADER

Robert Baumuller, from Woodstick, Connecticut,scratchbuilt a 1:20.3 scale board by board reproduction ofChama, New Mexico’s famous 75 ton coaling tower fromoriginal 1924 Denver & Rio Grande Western plans along withphotos he and a friend took. (Similar narrow gauge towerswere at Durango and Gunnison.) The only commercial partsare Ozark Miniatures nut-bolt-washer and sheave castingsand some chain. Bob hand cut pine and basswood boardsand made the model fully operational. The fabricated brassbuckets function exactly as did those on the full size tower;so do the coal gates. The coal dump pit is of scale thickness

plywood witha thin coatingof Durham’sWater Putty torepresent con-crete. Bob sol-dered up the I-beams fromflat brass strips,turned pulleysfrom brass rod,and installedclips and nutsto secure therails to thebeams just ason the proto-type. The mo-

del breaks into a dozen sub-assemblies for maintenance,motor lubrication, or repair. If the barn red of the upper andlower enclosures surprises you, Bob�s research indicates thatwas their original color; boxcar red came later. The modelmeasures an actual two by two by four feet.

FIRST PLACE

JUNE 200444

Above and far left. Bob Brannen,from Harvard, Massachusetts, modelsin On3; you may recall his outstandingOphir depot and tram house dioramafrom our 2004 NARROW GAUGE ANNUAL. Hescratchbuilt the D&RGW coal facility atChama, New Mexico from scale lum-ber and only a few commercial detailparts using plans in the Narrow Gaugeand Shortline Gazette. The tower in-cludes a fully detailed underground stor-age area (visible far left) and includesMiller Models sound effects of coal drop-ping into a locomotive tender.

Center right. Jim Granflaten, fromBayfield, Colorado, scratchbuilt theD&RGW Chama coaling tower prima-rily from hand cut lumber. The scale is1:20.3 and, as is apparent, it is one partof an entirely scratchbuilt engine ser-vice facility on his outdoor layout.

FIRST PLACE

45FINESCALE RAILROADER

Above and previous page lowerright. Norb Lundberg, from Des Plaines,Illinois, scratchbuilt three coal facilitiesprimarily from stripwood but also usedstyrene, foil, nylon fishing line, and wire.The simplest is a covered platform. Thesecond is a covered bucket coal loaderwith a steam hoist. The most complex,the famous Rio Grande coaling towerat Durango, Colorado, includes hun-dreds of individually inserted GrandtLine nut-bolt-washer castings. All mod-els are N scale. Very impressive!

Below. Richard Smith, from Port Orford, Oregon, scratchbuilt a gorgeous 1:20.3scale replica of the wooden Virginia & Truckee oil tank at Carson City, Nevada as

it appeared between 1903-1950. Richard constructedthe tank and base fromcedar. With the exceptionof molded plastic cornerwindows, some miniaturechain, and such commer-cial castings as figures andbarrels, the model is entirelyhandmade.

Right. Don Acton, fromErie, Pennsylvania, built a1:48 scale model (specifi-cally for our Challenge) of aderelict coaling tower stillstanding just north of Young-stown, Ohio on the old B&Omainline. Don used abso-lutely no commercial parts.He represented the con-crete bunker by building ashell from scrap wood, ap-plying a coat of thick tex-ture paint, and scoring thepaint to represent pouredconcrete. The roof sectionsare Masonite. The corru-gated metal siding iscardstock Don formed in ahomemade press. The el-evator housing also iscardstock; Don trimmed itwith a paper cutter, formedit into angle stock with ahomemade brake, and trimmed it tosize on a jig. He assembled it on a scrapwood fixture. The platform railings arelengths of copper wire Don solderedtogether. The ladders are trimmed hard-ware cloth, the chutes are cardstock,the pulleys are wheels from a toy car,the windows are computer print outs,and the remaining details are pieces ofwood, illustration board, and brazing rod.He colored and weathered the modelwith artist�s acrylics and an airbrush.

FIRST PLACE

JUNE 200446

Above. Chuck Doan, from West Covina, California, began construction of his 1:48 scale narrow gauge fuel oil facility afew years ago. It remained unfinished until our Challenge inspired him to complete it, a water tank, and some �real estate�for them to sit on. Chuck left room for a sandhouse should inspiration remain. The model is of freelance design, reminiscentof the Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge facility at Laws, California. Chuck drew the bents on AutoCAD®, made a jig, built fouridentical bents from commercial stripwood, and installed the tank from a Grandt Line �Gramps� car kit. The shed includesindividual boards over a cardboard core (it has no interior detail) and corrugated metal roofing from Russ Simpson. The 55gallon drums are from Grandt Line, the pipes are brass tubing, and the cast fittings are from CHB Models. The pulley also isfrom CHB, the chain is a commercial product, and the spout rigging is code 70 rail. The oily ground cover is glue with asprinkling of fine dirt and washes of Engine Black and Roof Brown.

Below. Ed Morris, from Richmond, Virginia, writes, �I threw my model together in a couple of days. I built it from craft sticksand scrap bridge timbers. Everything on the model is scratchbuilt except for some Hartford Products nut-bolt-washercastings, Woodland Scenics and Heki scenery details, and the figures. The project turned into a collaboration with my wife,Linda, who stained the boards, painted �Barney�, and contributed items from her sewing box for the pulley and rope reel.She also offered some helpful suggestions.�

SECOND PLACE

47FINESCALE RAILROADER

Below. Bob Klos, from Green Valley,Arizona, scratchbuilt a handsome largescale covered coal dock from bass-wood, balsa, Grandt Line nut-bolt-washer castings, and Ozark Miniaturesmetal hoist details.

Below right. Dan Sebulsky, from Moyie Springs, Idaho, based his 1:24 scalestructures on a photo of an HO scale Fine Scale Miniatures kit. Dan drew full scaleplans and scratchbuilt nearly everything, including the double hung windows.He cut his own lumber from cedar, crushed real coal for the fuel facility and,where necessary, added commercial castings from Trackside Details and OzarkMiniatures.

BruceDombey, from Por-

tage, Indiana, writes, �Myever growing stable of On30 critters

made it necessary to provide a larger capacityfuel storage facility so I cobbled up a 1,400 gallon

welded steel gasoline storage tank with transfer pump.I scratchbuilt the tank, support steel, foundations, pump,

motor, pipe fittings, valves, and every other detail except thePlastruct® O scale ladder. In fact, with the exception of the chain, hose,

and tank vent, I fabricated everything from styrene strip, sheet, and shapes.Polly Scale paint, a few dry transfers, and some powdered pastel chalks finish the

model. The figure is from Arttista; the drums, cans, and other clutter are from BerkshireValley. The footprint of the entire model is only 2.25 inches square; I can�t imagine trying to build an HO or N scale version!�

SECOND PLACE

JUNE 200448

Right. Dan Markham, from Redding, California used a BachmannO scale plastic kit as the basis for his scratchbuilt 1:24 scale coalingtower. The primary material is plywood; the roof has individual cedarshingles. Eons ago, before the invention of the wheel, Dan was UncleRuss’ teacher in high school.

Above left. Guy Tyteca, our long-time friend from Chapelle-à-Wattines, Belgium, sent photos of

two fuel facilities. Patrick Marcet assembled the HO scale Rio Grande SouthernVance Junction coaling pocket from a Crystal River Products kit. Guy scratchbuiltthe French narrow gauge facility following a prototype at Tournon on themeter gauge Chemin de Fer du Vivarais. It, too, is HO scale.

Above right.Richard Marcus, fromStaten Island, NewYork, scratchbuilt an enclosed bucket coaling station from wood. The onlycommercial parts are the cast metal winch hardware, tools, and figures.

Above. Jim Ellis, from Lincoln, California scratchbuilt a simple coalbin from strip styrene as a �token� entry in our Challenge. The model�sscale is 1:48 and will reside on Jim�s On30 layout. He painted the modelwith Floquil colors and weathered it with powdered pastel chalks.

HONORABLE MENTION

49FINESCALE RAILROADER

Above. Jim Freeman, from Runnemede, New Jersey,scratchbuilt a 1:20.3 scale coaling tower from wood,covered the roof with corrugated styrene to representsheet metal, and supported the chute with brass chain.

Right. Dave Powell,from Algona, Iowa,scratchbuilt a 1:48scale stone railcar,fuel, and water facilityfrom Verlinden 1:35scale cast cobble-stone street sectionswith handmade orhighly modified fram-ing. Rail Motor CarNumber 8 is a 1:43scale 1912 Buick. Daveconverted it to On30with an HO scaleBachmann cable carmechanism.

Left. John Lilly, from Lynnwood Wash-ington, writes, �The kind comments youpublished about myentry in last year �sfreight car challengeinspired me to buildand enter this 1:20.3scale coaling tower. Ibased it on Don Ac-ton�s article in the June2003 issue. I cut all thestripwood myself, in-cluding the roofshakes. The loadingchute and gate arescratchbuilt from sty-rene. Other detail partsare from Ozark Minia-tures. I sculpted the fig-ure from polymer clay.�

Below. Ron DeYoung, from Essex Junction, Vermont, basedthe coaling tower and adjacent hoist house on his large scaleCedarvale GardenRailway on HO scaleplans from a 1988 issueof Railroad ModelCraftsman. He built themodels from home cutcedar.

HONORABLE MENTION

JUNE 200450

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51FINESCALE RAILROADER

4-6-6-4 CHALLENGER

NUMBER 3985

PHOTOS BYBRUCE STOCKBRIDGE

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSASMARCH 2004

51FINESCALE RAILROADER

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