Silent Butte (FfOL): UD 29/5 a very small game

[Hupp n at em]

I never cease to be amazed at the scratchbuilding ability of you (and others on here) SI.  Bet that train will look great when it's finished! 

[Silent Invader]

Thanks - that’s very nice of you to say 

Though now I’m into the detailing it seems like every photo I look at causes me to go back and change something. 

[Ramirez Noname]

Loco is looking great; can't wait to see the tender and rolling stock.

RMZ

[Romark]

More great work Steve 

[Silent Invader]

Thanks chaps. Have ended up adding more detail to the engine. The tender and an 18 Foot Boxcar are almost assembled but I won’t be adding more rolling stock until next year, as I want to paint more minis next and base the track.

[Constable Bertrand]

Looking good Steve, the tender will make a big difference visually, to my eye the boiler is a little wide in diameter, but a longish tender will stretch it out into proportion I think. The lumber in the tender will add to the overall aesthetic too

Will you have a bell? You can pick up bags of little bells in the dollar store which you can mount in a styrene housing

[Silent Invader]

It’s a short tender! 

I’m Bell shopping tomorrow, which will be the first ‘direct spend’ on this project 

[rumacara]

Wow. Great engine.

[Silent Invader]

Thanks Rui. 

18 foot boxcar and tender have now been worked up plus more detail to the engine. This combination is about 35cm long.

The boxcar and tender are from Hornby low-sided wagons that have been widened and, for the tender shortened.

To do:
Bell
Bolts/Rivets
Couplers
General tidying (GS etc)







For the couplings, I’m going to have a go at making the ‘link and pin’ type. If anyone has done this I’d love to hear. 

[FifteensAway]

Mmm, nice train - for Egypt.  Engine, fine.  Tender, acceptable.  Car?  Not in the American West!  But who cares.  Nice modeling.  I wonder if Hornby makes anything more US type - need to have four wheel trucks to get there.  Of course, I expect to use my very American style Old West trains in places where the trains should look like yours.

Okay, if you count the west as western Pennsylvania around 1830, then maybe it will work.  

At least you have plans to base your track, hopefully properly elevated and ballasted.

[Silent Invader]

Mmm, nice train - for Egypt.  Engine, fine.  Tender, acceptable.  Car?  Not in the American West!  But who cares.  Nice modeling.  I wonder if Hornby makes anything more US type - need to have four wheel trucks to get there.  Of course, I expect to use my very American style Old West trains in places where the trains should look like yours.

Okay, if you count the west as western Pennsylvania around 1830, then maybe it will work.  

At least you have plans to base your track, hopefully properly elevated and ballasted.

Regarding the boxcar, is it the short length and 4-wheels that you say make it Egypt rather than Old West? I’m certainly no expert and have used the internet (and movies!) for fleeting research but I did read in various places that the Denver & Rio Grande used short 4-wheelers both for flat, sided and box cars. For example:

Boxcars were the category of freight cars the most important in number on the Rio Grande narrow gauge roster, nearly 4,000 boxcars were built for the railroad all together. They were used to transport any kind of cargo, from ore to manufactured goods. The first D&RG boxcars, built in 1871 according to a Billmeyer & Small pattern, were 10 short and light (12ft long and with a capacity of 10 tons) 4-wheel cars, all retired from service before 1883. These cars were considered too light and in 1872 and 1874, 166 new 8-wheel boxcars with a 8-ton capacity were built by the Denver & Rio Grande, still with parts and according to plans from Billmeyer & Small.

http://drgw.free.fr/DRGW/Freight/Caboose/Caboose_en.htm

From the 1879 Car Builders Dictionary (apparently):





Other than the flatbed above (and a reconditioned caboose) I’ve struggled to find period imagery of the 4-wheeled cars but I did find this model:



It’s by Ozark Miniatures who describe it thus:

This intriguing little 14 foot boxcar is another of several 4-wheel, original equipment cars used by the Denver & Rio Grande. Billmeyer & Smalls delivered the pattern car, numbered 1001, as well as parts for nine more cars to the D&RG in 1871. Prototypically, these cars are a perfect accompaniment to the Bachmann 4-4-0, lettered for the D&RG.

http://www.ozarkminiatures.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=24058

The reconditioned caboose, which is at the Colorado Railroad Museum, is pictured here:

http://drgw.free.fr/DRGW/Freight/Caboose/CRRM-99-019_en.htm

As it’s a wargaming project (and minis have those pesky bases) for a better balanced aesthetic I’ve adjusted the sizing a bit and also relocated the opening doors to the centre for easier access (the roof is fixed).

With mini bases in mind, I also widened the track gauge because I think it looks better, though technically it’s no longer representative of 3-ft narrow gauge.

BTW, Silent Butte and it’s nearby silver mine have shifted from New Mexico to the Chiricahua Mountains of Arizona (I found some ‘green’ imagery that matches my terrain) and my railway will be a branch line that collects ore for centralised processing (I believe much like the Virginia & Truckee). It’s not representative of an actual line but more of a mix of possibilities (akin to a Hollywood production).

The track is elevated and ballasted but needs a lot of tidying up, etc (earlier photo):



Many thanks for your input

[Mason]

I aint counting buttons, rivets or anything else for that matter, that choo-choo looks bloody brilliant.*
 




*Even if is stolen goods from Egypt....only one previous owner. tax in the post etc....
 

[Silent Invader]

You crack me up Paul 

Btw the bit I’m most pleased with is the front truck as the two small wheels not only rotate but the axle will also swing left/right. It’s a big academic though as my 120cm of track doesn’t have any bends.

[Ramirez Noname]

Bloody hell!  Brilliant !

RMZ

[Mason]

Btw the bit I’m most pleased with is the front truck as the two small wheels not only rotate but the axle will also swing left/right. It’s a big academic though as my 120cm of track doesn’t have any bends.

Smart arse!
 

If this proves my ignorance with all things 'choo=choo', so be it: What is the actual width between those rails now?
I ask as I have a stack of curved track that you can have if it will be of any use. Toy stuff, but if it is the right size it should fine....right?
 


Only piccie that I could find quickly....