I have talked about methods for getting the appearance of a tar and canvas roof on the Cook Car. Ed suggested using dryer sheets (thanks again Ed), but I thought I would ask my brother Wayne who is heavily into RC planes if he had any model plane tissue that he could spare. Obviously my knowledge of RC plane construction is a bit dated because tissue paper a bit of a dinosaur in terms of what is available these days.
Wayne has sent me a piece of self adhesive fabric called Solartex which is designed specifically to match the appearance of the canvas covering used on early aircraft. It has a very fine 'weave'. I think it will be perfect for the Cook Car roof.
I will have to experiment with it because it is designed to be heated with a low temperature iron to shrink it into place. That may not work too well on the car roof because, where most airplane surfaces are convex, the ends of the clerestory roof are concave. I'm going to try it first without the heat. I'll let you know how it goes.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Question for doctorwayne:
Hi Wayne,
Could you please post the pictures of how you made your caboose ladders? I would also like to know what the dimensions of the uprights (sides) of the ladders were.
I have tried making similar ladders for the Cook Car using 1/64" x 1/32" brass bar stock for the uprights but I can't get the rung holes in the right places. I suspect that your eyes are better than mine.
Thanks,
Attuvian1Aha! Tripped up by that age-old MRR nemesis: instant gratification. Our entire modelling experience proves that it doesn't exist.
hon30critter . . . What I had forgotten was that it takes a few seconds for the capacitor to accumulate enough of a charge to light the LEDs . . . Dave
. . . What I had forgotten was that it takes a few seconds for the capacitor to accumulate enough of a charge to light the LEDs . . .
I made a dumb mistake tonight. I was installing the constant lighting circuit in the Cook Car. The LEDs wouldn't light when I tested it so I took it apart and tested each of the individual components. Everything worked fine.
After fooling around with the circuit for a while, suddenly the LEDs started to glow. What I had forgotten was that it takes a few seconds for the capacitor to accumulate enough of a charge to light the LEDs. I had only been applying momentary power during the first test so the capacitor didn't have enough time to build up a charge. Dumb!
Overmod and Mark,
Thanks for the compliments, but as I have said before, I consider myself to be a bit of a hack. My modeling is not good enough to be put at the top of a list, except perhaps for having the most set-backs when building a snow plow!
I'll second that!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
hon30critterI shouldn't be bragging...
I shouldn't be bragging, but I showed the plow and the Cook Car to a couple of friends and they were blown away by the detail.
I have the power pick up trucks, lights and the constant lighting circuit installed in the Cook Car shell. I still have to figure out where to mount the latching magnetic reed switch.
The next step will be to apply model airplane tissue paper to the roof to mimic the canvas surface as Brent had suggested. Brent also suggested using used dryer sheets but I can get lots of modeling tissue paper from my brother who is big into R/C airplanes. Having learned my lesson the hard way about testing things first, I will experiment on another roof before applying anything to the model.
BATMANYou could try tissue paper used for model airplane wings and dope it onto the roof, or try dryer sheets. Dryer sheets will get thinner and thinner with every load in the dryer so just tell the boss to leave them in until you are happy.
Hi Brent,
Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll try the dryer sheets. The price is right.
I just received an older Roundhouse CP three window (per side) caboose which will work nicely with the plow train. It is missing the trucks and one of the marker lights, but the lights that came with the kit can't be lit so I will replace them anyhow. I will have to redo the hand rails on each end and I might just take a stab at making ladders using doctorwayne's method.
hon30critter I need the material to be able to conform to the clerestory roof shape. Would kleenex work?
You could try tissue paper used for model airplane wings and dope it onto the roof, or try dryer sheets. Dryer sheets will get thinner and thinner with every load in the dryer so just tell the boss to leave them in until you are happy. Both the model airplane tissue and dryer sheets are strong and will not dissolve when wet whereas Kleenex will not be as durable.
Brent
It's not the age honey, it's the mileage.
I'm working on the interior lighting for the Cook Car. I don't want it to be too bright but I want people to be able to see the interior details. I will use the same constant lighting circuit that Mark R. posted several years ago and that I used in my caboose fleet, and I will include a magnetic latching reed switch so I can turn the lights off when the car is not in use but still on the tracks.
I'm contemplating modeling the wood stove with the fire box door open so I can put an orange LED inside it. That will require a crew member to be feeding a new log into the fire. You can accuse me of going overboard if you want! What the heck. The car is already powered so why not?
hon30critterI think it will be a long time before I threaten your view count! Cheers!! Dave
I didn't even notice how many views my thread had until you mentioned it.
PruittUh-Oh! Guess I'd better get back to work!
I think it will be a long time before I threaten your view count!
Uh-Oh! Guess I'd better get back to work!
Attuvian1 I dunno, Dave. Thinking the Diner may be in for some serious competiton when this one's done and ready for business! Are you gonna offer jobs at better (any!) pay to the girls currently twiddling their thumbs at Jeffrey's?
Hi John,
I kinda thought everyone would be volunteers, but if I do have to pay a wage it will be a very generous one!
Don't forget that this won't be the actual dining car. There will be a separate crew car with tables, chairs and a loo, plus lockers for everyone's extra clothing etc. That scratchbuild is next on the list. After all, I have to keep this thread going long enough so that I can catch up to Mark Pruitt's view count which is currently at almost 72,000. I'm only about 9,000 views behind him.
hon30critter This is roughly what the interior of the Cook Car will look like. I will probably add a couple more shelf units: Cheers!! Dave
This is roughly what the interior of the Cook Car will look like. I will probably add a couple more shelf units:
Thanks John,
Great work, Dave! Thanks for sharing the photos.
York1 John
Here are some of the interior details for the Cook Car. I have built cold storage cabinets into the shell.
I still have to build a serving table and some more counters.
I have started to build the interior details for the Cook Car. So far I have most of the big stove assembled and a sink/counter cabinet. Making the little parts is fun! I'll show pictures when I have all the bits built.
I have a question. What do you suggest that I use to mimic the roofing material on the Cook Car? I'm guessing that the original was heavy canvas coated in tar. I have some fine cotton fabric but the weave is a bit coarse for modeling in HO scale. I need the material to be able to conform to the clerestory roof shape. Would kleenex work?
Track fiddleryou have never came across as a rivet counter to me
Hi TF,
You are right. I am not a rivet counter. Life is too short! If I was counting rivets on the Cook Car I would have to make it about 1/3rd longer. Not going to happen.
I got the roof rivets and vents sanded off and it looks a lot better IMHO. I had to add a 0.040" strip to either side of the roof so that it would overhang the walls properly. I have just puttied the seams between the strips and the roof and I am waiting for that to dry.
I also started on the cook stove. I'm going to make it as a six 'element' stove with an oven and a water reservoir. It will also have a warming compartment above the stove. We had a similar stove at our old cottage and I cooked on it many, many times. I loved using it! I'll wing it on the rest of the pieces in the car.
The water car is almost done. All that remains to be installed are the brake parts.
I want to say again how grateful I am for all the help and attention I have received over the last year and a half. You guys have been wonderful!
Beautiful Luster!
If you dont mind me asking?
What kind of furniture polish do you use on your table Dave?
TF
PS Kidding, The Cook Car looks very good to me. Sand-em! Apply the canvas roof as it's more Old School, and more your style
In your track record of excellence, you have never came across as a rivet counter to me
hon30critterThe last photo clearly shows that there was no door on the end of the Cook Car closest to the plow/locomotives
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Hi AEP528 and Bear,
First, thanks for the wonderful photos AEP528!
The last photo clearly shows that there was no door on the end of the Cook Car closest to the plow/locomotives, so I have that modeled correctly. I agree with Bear that not being able to walk straight through the car seems strange, but apparently that's the way they did it. Who knows why?
My next step will be to figure out how to mount the shell to the frame so that it can be removable. Then I will build a basic interior including a large cook stove, a sink and water tank, a serving counter and some storage cabinets. Maybe an ice box would be appropriate too. The details will be hard to see with the shell on but what the heck.
hon30critter ...and then climb down another ladder in order to get to a door (if there was actually a door at the other end!) Gidday Dave, regarding the cook car, I’m getting confused as to what sides you’re looking for but I’d strongly suggest that there are doors at both ends. https://digital.denverlibrary.org/digital/collection/p15330coll22/id/47280 https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/image/I0000rewzexbrEbg And here’s a photo of the other side… https://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=555659&showexif=1 Hope I'm on your wave length? Cheers, the Bear.
hon30critter ...and then climb down another ladder in order to get to a door (if there was actually a door at the other end!)
I think what he's asking is why there is a rooftop walkway with ladders at each end. That implies there was a need to get past the car while moving out on the line, but that it was not possible to walk through the car.
All of the photos you linked to appear to show the same end of the car (note the position of the railing with respect to the clerestory).
Here is a link to a photo of the other end:
https://ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com/image/I0000R1yxVPuYxbo
Here's an even better picture:
http://drgw.free.fr/DRGW/MOW/Snow/RtyTrain/CTS-00-068_en.htm
I have the shell for the Cook Car assembled. I have to decide if I am going to leave the rivet details on the roof in place or sand them off and apply a canvas roof instead. I'm leaning towards the canvas roof since I have to sand off the roof vents anyhow.
I had to extend the sides of the roof slightly to get the proper overhang. The seam where the extensions join the roof will have to be filled which is another reason to sand the whole roof smooth.
I’m possibly jumping the gun, Dave, but this PDF offers some reasonably comprehensive information / dimensions which should help you kit bash / scratch build the Section Men car, D & RGW 04258, which is specifically mentioned on page 8.
Hi Bear,
Thank you for finding that information. I haven't read through it yet but I did look at the photos of the D&RG 'outfit car'. I had planned on building that car for the consist. Having all that detailed information will definitely allow me to construct an accurate model (or if I flub it at least I will know exactly how far off the mark I was).
gmpullmanI'm not sure if 'registering' with Flickr is necessary to do a search.