Coaling Tower

[Jac's Lines]

I've been working on a coaling tower to go with the station I did for the last challenge. I think I'm going to do a small HO switching layout that is based on the interchange in Avon, NY. This was part of the Erie RR Rochester division, and Avon sat at the center of a fork in the line: coming up from Corning and Elmira in the south, a north branch headed into Rochester (delivering coal from PA and taking out finished manufactured goods and chemicals delivered at the port of Rochester), and a west branch went towards Buffalo. Most of the traffic on both lines was agricultural, raw materials (coal, salt, etc.) or finished goods. There was a write up on this a issue of RMC in 2001, and since I've already done the station at Avon based on plans in an earlier MR article, it seems like a good idea to keep going.

As far as I have been able to tell, there were a couple of big freight houses, a small car shed and workshop, a three stall roundhouse with turntable, a watertower, and a power substation (part of the line was electrified in the 1930s) . I plan to model the late 1930s, just before Erie went through bankruptcy reorganization. I don't know that there was actually a coal tower, but I'm going to use creative liscence. Historic photos of the railroad yards are few and far between, but I've found some.

This particular coaling tower is based on a small 160-ton tower at Nanticoke, PA. I found a picture online: http://home.earthlink.net/~railroad_towers_railroadmania/coal_towers_steam_locomotives/Honey_Pot_Pennsylvania_Railroad.html

You can more or less see the evolution of the structure -- and some real pain in the you know what timber bracing. Still a lot to go on this, but I thought it was enough to start a thread on. More updates as I get more done.

-Joe

 

[Jac's Lines]

A couple more. I will add a coal conveyor and chute, nuts and washers, and a substantial sand house. The wood is stained with a thinned black walnut ink. This is the first time I've used it, and am not too sure about it.

 

[shaygetz]

Great start:thumb:

 

[fsm1000]

Looks good. Keep up the good work

 

[Play-Doh]

Stupid Question: What kind of wood are you using? Are they craft sticks? I like the size of that and ive been looking for them. The closest ive come are "skinny sticks" from the craft store, but even those are too wide. What kinda are those? Or did you cut them into strips?

 

[Jac's Lines]

I use basswood purchased from micromark.com. The sides of the building are 3/32" scribed siding (meant to represent approximately 8 inch boards in HO) and the base is a mixture of 3/32"x3/32" (to represent the 8"x8" columns) and 1/16x3/32 strip wood. You can also get this at most good hobby stores -- just ask for basswood siding or strip wood. There is also wood sold by a company called Northeastern (as well as several others) which is true to scale (so, they sell true HO scale 2"x4", etc.). I always use the dimensional stuff (usually cut in 1/32" increments -- close to 3" in HO) because it's cheaper and I don't think most people can spot the difference between true HO and dimensional. Hope this helps some

 

[Play-Doh]

Indeed it does help. IVe been thinking about scratchbuilding with wood exclusively. Looks like I have to go spend some money!

Thanks

 

[Blake]

There is a paperback book called "The Erie Railroad Rochester Division" by William Reed Gordon. If you don't already have this book you should find a copy. I have seen them on Ebay occasionally. Also, in the Erie Railfan magazine Vol. 5 No. 1, there is an article about the Livonia NY station that includes detailed drawings. You can get the Erie Railfan magazines on CD from the ELHS.

 

[doctorwayne]

Looking good, Joe.:thumb: You say that you're not too sure about the stain, but it looks fine to me. If you want it a bit darker, like creosote, try adding a little black paint to the mixture. If your stain is water-based, try PollyScale, or for oil-based, Floquil. Be sure to add it in small increments, though, to ensure that it doesn't just go black.

Wayne