Remaking the B'mann coaling tower into 'G'eneric scale

[Mik]

Waaaaay back in the dark ages (of the early 1990s), Bachmann decided that their brand new battery powered large scale train set needed a building or two. So they took the old 1/48 Plasticville coaling tower kit and changed the 'O' to a 'G' on the instructions........ Better than nothing -- but not by much. It wasn't 'G' then, it still isn't - not without surgery, anyway!

I had one, from an original set I bought way back then.. It sat on a shelf catching dust for about a decade. Eventually I put it on stilts and stuck it in the garden when I built the first outdoor AV 10 years ago. (upper left)


Then, sometime during the big D, it just disappeared....

When we drained the old pond to move it last spring we found some broken parts of it. All I can guess is it must have got clobbered by a playground ball or something?

I came across the bits a few days ago while looking for something else. Sooooooooooo, I ended up sidetracked all afternoon.......

I dithered about how to do the chute winch and decided that since it's back is to most close views just a bit of wire was fine. It still needs a lower ladder/stairs, but I don't have any left at the moment.


Then (of course) I had to repaint the water tank to match

Is is still too small? Well, it would hold about 450cubic feet of coal in 1/24 (or about 10-15 tons of small lump), but it looks the part and fits the space on a small layout.  The Piko houses (Pleasantown/Wild  West) that I have are only 11'x17' too. You'd have to go outside to change your mind - and forget trying to swing a cat.

 

My theory is this - How many scale miles are there between stations on the average outdoor layout?  My whole mainline run is only about 65-70 feet! So what would be the point of putting in a true to scale 100 ton coaling tower to dwarf everything else? Besides, everything I used was already here, so my out of pocket expense was $3.50 for a tube of glue.  Less clutter in junk box -$3.50 = interesting new scenic item for garden = win.

 

Back to the original point -  Bachmann sold it as "G", even though it clearly was not. But it CAN be turned into a more or less acceptable LS model with a little idiotgenuity.  And you can do most of it in one rainy afternoon.

 

[dwbeckett]

Nice to see you could make something from junk parts.

Dave

[Mik]

dwbeckett

Nice to see you could make something from junk parts.

Dave

We do that a lot around here. The old Great Depression theory of improvise, adapt, re-use, make-do or do without is still quite valid in the 21st Century..