NAPM and something for me

Latest NAPM background buildings for East LaSalle.  These with the last set will fill in one block.

Got back to building the DSS&A F6 Consolidation.  Adding piping, it is a slow process.  In this photo all of the parts are dry fit allowing me to remove and test fit everything before final fixing.

Copper Country Project

I have been working on some models of homes found in and around the Calumet and Hecla mining company.  This is a private home on rented company land.  Top prototype photo, bottom 1:87 scale model.

NAPM East LaSalle Backdrop

This set of buildings will be added along the backdrop in East LaSalle. 

Here are some progress photos of the Jackson & Sharp passenger cars.  I am at the stage of shaping the roof ends. I have used Northeastern roof sections even though the clerestory is not open.  It was necessary to reduce the depth of the roof to more closely represent the prototype cross section.

                                                           40 foot RPO/Express car

                                                                52 foot Baggage Car 

                                                     52 foot First Class Coach Cars

The above photos show the left and right hand sides of the boiler after stripping off all of the unneeded detail.  I filled the holes with styrene rod and strip.  The holes for the domes were backed with thin styrene and then filled with epoxy and sanded to shape.

Engineers side.  Ash pans are attached all other pieces are sub assemblies in the process of fabrication.  The cab is built up from .010 sheet, the roof was a real challenge to form.

Firemans side. Again the walkways, compressor and injector feed pipe are sub assemblies.  I have to place an order with PSC to get some additional detail castings.

When I get tired of working on the locomotive I switch over to this project, building some passenger cars.  These models are based upon prototypes created in 1888 for the DSS&A by Jackson & Sharp.  There are some excellent digitized glass plate builders photos available of these cars.  I used info from the 1888 Car Builders Cyclopedia (Google Books) to get information on the floor framing and brake application.  The trucks are from Bethlehem Car Works (#122).  Brake rigging from Cal Scale Express Reefer, not exact for prototype but close enough for underside of car. This is the 40 foot Mail Express car.

This is he floor and car side for the 52 foot baggage car.  I have two more 52 foot floors completed for the coach cars, I have to start the fabrication of the sides. 

Currently I am working on the locomotive boiler as well as a series of 1888 era passenger cars.  Future posts will cover these.

The top trim is fabricated from .010 x .018 brass bar.  I shape it to the contour of the side. 

Next I clamp it to the edge using cardboard to keep the back flush.  Once I have a section aligned I solder it in place working my way along the edge from the front to the rear.

This is how the completed edge looks. 

Day one of retirement.  No excuse for not posting regularly to this blog. 

The paper template was removed from the interior and I stripped off the black paint to get back to the brass surface.  I added the coal bunker face, deck and side panels.  The opening under the deck will provide a path for electrical wiring.

Next I added the rear tank deck and the slope sheet.  I used .005 thick brass for the construction I might have been better off using .010 as the thin stock tended to warp when heated with the soldering iron.  It all pulled back when it cooled but it added an extra challenge and was some what disconcerting when it happened.

Here is a view of the interior of the tender tank.