Tow Boat/River Barge

Dave...looks fantastic.  Can you give us some detail as to its construction??

 

Alan

Dave, that really looks good and realistic. 

 

Art

Alan,

 

It is just masonite and glue.  She's a little over 3' long.  The coal load is just foam painted black.  I will add some coal in time.  Detail parts are crow river.  

 

The tow boat is another work in progress not ready for posting yet.

 

I'm worried that the barge is sitting too high out of the water.

 

I will post some better photos later this week.

 

Dave

 

Dave,

 

Looks great!!  Can you just float it downstream about 20 miles to Weirton?  We're making steel here and we need the coal! 

 

Hard to tell from the photo.  Approximately 4' or more of freeboard would be realistic.  Maybe it's an ooch (that's a technical term of measurement) too high, but only slobbering rivet counters would know that.    I don't think it matters.  Like I said, it really looks terrific.

 

George

Having been around River Barges, how full they are loaded will of course determine their draft in the water. How full they are loaded depends on the river, high and low tides to clear obstacles, and destination. Sometimes the destination is determined by time of delivery and low or high tides. I've seen barges loaded only half full to a destination because the time of delivery would be at low tide, then again, loaded fully with 2 or 3 foot when offload site reached at High Tides.

Well done!

Peter

Looks great Dave good job !!!

You're getting too good at this stuff Dave!!!!!

 

- walt

Looks good.

    Dave Minarik When I get to my scenery (still laying road bed and tracks) I am doing A coal mine and water front scene. I tried to find A flat front push type river barge like we have in Pittsburgh PA. Not the (tug boat) that they have in the harbors that pull ships. I wasted A few days looking for flat front river barge models in O gauge on the internet and could not find any. I contacted J&C Hobbies in Penn Hills PA. and they let me know that no flat front river barges are made in O scale. I found out about Crow River Products from A fellow OGR member from OHIO. They have A wooden paddle wheel O gauge set of plans but A barge from the 1800s is to old for my 1950s era layout so like you I am going to have to scratch build the barge and boat. Hope this info is helpful to anyone whom reads it that is looking for O scale boats and barges they are not available. As for your question on the height of the barge out of the water when loaded it is just fine! I drove A tri axle dump truck and spent A lot of time at river front terminals and that is what I am basing my opinion of the height of your barge on. I am getting the #327 Derrick House with tower kit and the #329 Trestle kit from CRP when I do my waterfront scene. Your scenery and structures are incredible and I hope when I build my scenery and structures I hope they look half as good as yours! I really like your steel mill! Choo Choo Kenny

George, Josef,

 

Thanks for the info!  I have to do two more pours of water but I still think I am going to cut it down.

 

Dave 

Looks like a good loaded debth to me. People don't realize how deep those barges are until you drop down into one. The Allegheny River runs through Oakmont and growing up we used many barges as play equipment. 

Wonderful addition! I am surprised that there are not many commercially available.

Dave,

It looks great! I saw a tug pushing 8 barges full of coal last week on the Tenn-Tom. You do not realize how large those barges are to you see them up close.

Malcolm

Great addition, nicely modeled!

Nice project!
what about some old tires hanging around?

Andre.

 

Nice work Dave!

That's nice work. It does look to sit a little high at the moment, but there could be all kinds of explanations for that in the real world.

 

I knew some of the steamboats.org crew were into R/C models. For instance:

http://www.vac-u-boat.com/Vac-U-Tow.htm

John L. Fryant has plans for boats and barges from several eras, but mostly harbors:

http://modelplans.steamboats.org/

Then there's Old River Bill. Beware the site's opening shout:

http://oldriverbillzumwalt.mem...t/model_towboats.htm

 

O scale riverboats are not for the faint of heart. If you live half a mile from the river the way we do, you get used to the size and sound, but newcomers are often surprised. The Ohio River locks and dams have public observation areas that are always worth a look.

 

--Becky

 

I cut down the barge today.  She sits about 3' off the water.  I also added coal to the foam load.

 

Dave

 

 

And you done good too! Love the crane. Malcolm

Dave that is vey nice work , great work,!!!

Nice work as always Dave!

Looking good Dave!

Dave...I didn't think you could make this scene look any better...BUT....it just keeps getting better!!....  Beautiful work as usual and the barge is fantastic!

 

Alan

Great job on the River Barge

Great Job on the barge Dave.

Great looking barge Dave.

David,

I love that barge and the scene, too.

Well done !

 

Now the tug?

 

Scrappy

Thank you all for the nice comments and helpful information!

 

 

Elliot,

 

I'm keeping the tow boat under wraps till I have a little more to show.  I have unsuccessfully painted  it 3 times.  There is also no detail on it yet.

 

Dave

Man that scene is looking good! Excellent work, and I love the weathering you do Dave.

Just remember: if it sits too high it probably has a good hull.  Lots of barges have water in the hull that make them sit lower in the water than when new. 

 

Water in the hull=sits lower=looks normal         

 

 

I worked a little on the tow boat today.

 

 

Dave,

I saw a couple on the Tenn-Tom the other day and yours is a dead ringer for them. They were both painted white too.

 

Looks a good! Malcolm

Dave it looks a lot better! Great job!!!

Here are a few more.  I have Mondays off and just couldn't stop.

 

Dave

 

 

Excellent looking tugboat.

Dave

great looking harbor scene, and super looking tug. I am in process of building out a harbor scene for the TMB club layout on Long Island. Would appreciate it you could post a few more photos of the scene. 

THANKS Steve

Wow, Dave!  That scene sure has "grown up" since I last saw it up close and personal!  Great work, my friend!

Perfect! All white for the boat works fine. You got the barge properly tied off and the barge sits at the right height loaded, so if it were empty the tow knees would be just right.

 

Love the crane, too. When I was a kid, I always hoped the one at the power plant would be running. 

 

--Becky