ARTICULATED STEAM LOCOMOTIVE SHOPS BUILD

Looks like a neat start, Nick!  I'll look forward to seeing your progress!

Very impressive work!

Looks Very Good So Far!

Chief Bob (Retired)

Impressive work!!

Nick, do you have a prototype for inspiration?

Carl-Just from looking around on the internet. I love turn of the Century architecture. Couldn't find the exact ones right now of course.I want to build it so you can see in well. And I wanted extra height for large over head cranes so it will seem a little over scale with is fine with me. Nick

Work on the structure continues.

Structure built-sanded-mocked up-floor installed.

The floor was a lot of work.Had to cut bevels on each side of 1/2 birch plywood to get it to match up against the Fastrack and still look plausible.If I had to do it over I would have transitioned to Gar Graves inside of the structure.

Next steps:

Build roof (gable/flat)-paint-build/install overhead cranes-windows-wiring/lights.Not including a list of detail 4 pages long. I have 25 hours into this project and the work is just starting. Nick

Nick,

Your structure looks very nice so far. I do very liitle wood construction. What you have done with wood equals anything I do in plastic. Great job.

Alan Graziano posted:

Nick,

Your structure looks very nice so far. I do very liitle wood construction. What you have done with wood equals anything I do in plastic. Great job.

Alan yes I use wood for my large models because I am a rough in and finish carpenter (just a couple of my trades haha) and I have every tool known to man.

It just works out easier for me but maybe not so practical for others. I  plaster all the corners-joints and brad nail holes so it looks like a solid structure-then paint.

Thanks for the compliment. Nick

Dang right Nick!.....looks amazing for scratch built!....it’s illegal for me to work with wood....they’d put me under the jail just for owning a saw.....I have to stick to metal...😉.......Pat

You are right Nick, there are many materials and methods to building great looking models.  Pick what suits each modeler’s skills and tools available!!

Finished hardwood floor complete. Not sure if this was prototypical but it sure looks cool... Nick

Nothing says "railroading" better than a custom engine house. I see you're going to leave the ties exposed. I attempted to hide them, but it's created problems with access to the 3rd rail so I'm going to open it up too.

I tried to place some stock between the rails but I couldn't get it to stain the same color or sit at the proper height, so I scrapped the idea. But yes I am happy with it as it stands. Besides there will be locomotives sitting in all 3 bays 90% of the time anyway. Thanks Nick

Looks snazzy, Nick!

Nick,

Looks great, you may have a future career in bowling alleys!

OK we have the roofs installed. They will remain removable for service. Now the glass guys can come in and install the windows.

Thats going to be a big job. Nick

I’ll say that will be a big glass job! Looks great, Nick!

Lighting fixtures made from plastic plumbing fittings-trimmed down sanded and painted.

I will glue them to a strip attached to the removable roofs for easy servicability.

Was trying to get them to look like industrial mercury vapor lights. well I guess they didn't have those back in the steam days lol.

They look big in the pic but for a structure this size they are plausible.

Going to use standard 18v bayonet base bulbs soldered. I was going to use replacement LED's from Town and Country but not sure if they will handle the heat from soldering iron to install leads.-"UPDATE to the UPDATE" I ordered LED bayonet base bulbs and sockets from town&country. Going to have 14 lights regular bulbs are going to put me over budget on Amperage draw.

Looks great and thanks for keeping us updated... How big is the footprint?

Nick, They didn't have mercury vapor, but I'll bet they had fixtures that looked like yours somewhere!!  As they say, "there is a prototype for everything!"  I don't know who 'they' is/are, but it always sounds so impressive!  

Mark- yes they were probably just a huge metal shroud with a "zillion watt bulb" lol thanks.

Hokie-The foot print is 40''x23" I want to be able to get my large articulated locomotives in there. 1 bay is 22" hight and the other 2 are 13" tall. Will have 4 overhead cranes one bay (I figured) had to be very high in order to remove the boiler of an Allegheny, EM-1 ,Challenger, Etc. Nick

Here is where I am at. I am out of my mind and on the brink of going to the nut house. Here is why:

#1-I can't leave well enough alone

#2-I keep adding things

#3-I am becoming OCD on perfection and detail.

#4-I am obsessed with it being lit up like a football stadium on super bowl night.

#5-I'm an electrician but never connected human hairs together-Can't see or feel them.

My wife has to deliver my dinner to my shop and eats with me-Lucky me.

Any-hooze: I decided not to do the glass work yet. It is easier to add all the detail  inside as I am able to reach in the openings. I am still working on the 4 overhead cranes. The roof tops sit in a Chanel so they can be removed when I crash Locomotives up in the stalls. I am very happy with it so far and having a great time.

Pressing on.....Nick

It’s looking great, Nick!

Fantastic work Nick!!! 

When do these go into mass production??  Korber shmorber.... LOL!

Can't wait to see how you do the cranes. Good stuff!

Really is nice Nick!....awesome craftsmanship!.......Pat

It reminds me of the old Monon Shops visible from the parkway in Lafayette, IN. Countless windows. Great job! I doubt if there is any way of seeing what is left of the shops and the area in general. 

RickO posted:

Fantastic work Nick!!! 

When do these go into mass production??  Korber shmorber.... LOL!

Lol well rick, I figured it out. If I made a business out of building these. I would earn -$197.00 per hour.

That looks great. Once the weather gets cooler I'm going to start on building a 4 stall, 36" long engine house for my layout. I have a feeling it's going to be no where near as nice as yours. Awesome job so far. 

Here we are-Still  having a good time! .. Glass work is complete-(or should I say DRAMA work?).....overhead cranes are built and installed-except for the wheels which will ride on the crane tracks, still not here yet. Each step is about the same process:

Design-cut patterns-mock up-break back down-sand/detail/paint-re assembly(pin nail-glue-clamp) detailing and install. Oh yea  "sometimes" in my case tear back apart fix mistakes and re install.

In some extreme cases-That WONT work-Throw in junk pile-start over.

Next steps: add detail to the interior-wire-install roof tops-add exterior detail

I have decided I will make and install a 30" service platform with stairs and railings between 2 of the engine stalls.

About 140 hours into this project.

PS: clamps, always clamp drama this includes:

1-its not long enough!

2-this is way to long need shorter one!

3-to big!

4-to small

5-I need 3 more like "this one"

6-send wife to Home Depot on emergency clamp run-comes back with wrong ones and clueless.Blames "delerious" guy that helped her.

can't take ourselves too serious.

Thanks for looking, Nick

Outstanding work Nick, can't wait to see this in person. 

My new hero! Super work.

Wow. As Darth Vader would say, "Impressive, most impressive" It looks like one of the best custom designs I've seen. I really like the cranes inside.

Dave took the words of Darth Vader right out of my mouth!  It is impressive, Nick!  Yes, the cranes look great, as do the windows!  You are so right about all the miscues and items on your list.  The only one that I haven't done was Number 6.  I try to never put my wife under pressure shopping for something she doesn't know about, but I'm sure you had a good reason!

I'm with Bryan, that I want to see it in person too, but won't be able to join you fellows later in the month.

Its on the layout-wired. Need to install the Locomotive doors. Some scenery and lighting around it.

Im sure I will manage to perpetuate things for a while. Having a great time! Nick

Need some other stuff around it is all. That will come in time. Looks great.

The engine house looks great!!