Turntable for the Engine Facility

Over the years I have built a few turntables both from scratch and from kits.  I actually preferred to scratch build as the kits always seemed to require a lot of "adjustments" to get them to work.  I am going to work from information in the C&NW Facilities book.  There are drawings for 50 foot and larger turntables.  I am going to build a 56 foot version as it can accommodate the larger Bachmann Americans.  You will be able to follow along with the build on it's own build page.

Pump House for the engine terminal

Pump house build is completed.  This is what the finished model looks like.  You can see the entire build on the Pump House Build page. 

Pump House Underway

I decided to build the pump house.  You can follow along on the Pump House Build page.

Clinker Pit Finished

I completed the assembly of the clinker pit today, see the Clinker Pit Build page.  I will post addition steps when I mount it into the layout surface.  I have not decide If I will build the turntable or the pump house as my next project.  I will know tomorrow.

Sand House for the Facility

Here is the latest structure for my engine service facility.  It is a sand storage and dryer building.  It depicts a building built from an obsoleted twenty eight foot boxcar.  To follow along with it's construction see the page titled Sand House Build in this blog.  Next is the ash pit.

Engine Facilities

Now that I have the engine underway I needed to build some support structures to go with it.

This engine house is based upon C&NW prototype practices.  I used information from the book "Locomotive Facilities C&NW and CStPM&O" by A. Joseph Follmar.  The model is constructed from basswood b&b siding, the windows are modified Grandt castings.  The interior is lined with brick between the studs as was the prototype practice.  Doors are built up from styrene.  Now that I have a place for the engine to be protected from the elements I needed a way to load the tender with coal.

This coal loader is patterned after the DSS&A loader at Michigamme Michigan.  Plans and a photo were presented in "The Soo" Fall 2011 issue (Vol 35, No 4).  I need to find the right materials to build the buckets and of course it needs to be heavily weathered with coal dust.  Little did I realize 51 years ago when I took apart a watch and saved the parts that they would find there way to this model!

Painting of the American

Here is the model after the first painting and weathering attempt.  I was not satisfied with the effect as it was quite a bit more aged than I had intended.  This would be great for a 1920's lumbering operation but not for what I have in mind for a late 1890's engine.

I used some Testors stripper to remove the paint and took another shot at it.  I brush painted Polly Scale Engine black.  Two lightly thinned coats of black followed by two coats of Future floor wax.  This is how it looks at this point.  I had it down at the club yesterday and put in four hours of break in time on it.  It ran okay at moderate speed but is a little sluggish at slow speed, maybe I will need to replace the motor with a more efficient one. 

As you can see I have not lettered the engine.  I have no idea of what to name my railroad.  I intend it to be an imaginary Wisconsin branch line in the late 1890's interchanging with the C&NW and CM&StP but a name truly eludes me.  Maybe the best bet is to letter it for the CM&StP and then I won't have to spend any more time not building a railroad because I cannot think of a name!