Yard tower ideas

Kevinkrey

Member
I have an HO yard tower from a box of free stuff, it is missing a wall and needs some repairs and I want to place it on my Missabe layout. I was wondering if anybody could post pics of one of their yard towers just so I can figure out how to detail it, where to place it and surrroundings etc.

CRed, if you read this, do you know of any Missabe yard tower pics anywhere, coundn't find one on MRHS website?
 

ed acosta

Member
I found this website with a couple of photos of a Missabe model tower that might be what you are looking for. See if it helps.

Shelton

Could you give us the kit manufacturer? That might help in identifying which tower kit you are seeking to repair.

-Ed
 

Kevinkrey

Member


Thanks Ed, dont know how I could forget Milts layout pics. I dont know the kit manufacturer, im sure it on it I just have, not looked, repairing it shouldn't be the problem, I just want to know how I should make it look. I'll post some pics later and as I fix it up, I still need some brick pattern styrene. Those pics are exactly what I was looking for.​
 

Kevinkrey

Member
Ok, so I found the other wall. now there is no need to build it, but I may redo the stairs into metal instead of wood, mainly because the wooden door on the ground looks huge. Here are some pics of it with a truck next to it for scale. But now it isn't much of a project since I have the missing wall (found it after the pics were taken).
 

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MadHatter

Charging at full tilt.
I was going to say that if you couldn't find the wall, just put the tower next to your backdrop (kinda like the Walthers modulars). Anyway, glad you found the wall.
 

60103

Pooh Bah
Towers were usually positioned where they overlooked the most switches; also so that they had the least distance of piping to move (before electricity, movement went from the tower to switches by long pieces of pipe or square metal sitting on rollers). Or it might be placed where the tracks from the station or yard came together and provided room for the tower.
 

Kevinkrey

Member
I decided to place it right smack in the middle of my yard, because it is only 9-10 feet long. Where it is there is also a spur to a lumber yard, and the lead to my ore dock, so it is right in the middle of the action. I also assembled it today. no pics yet.
 

Kevinkrey

Member
Now its painted white, and in its relative location. Here is how it looks. I still want to learn how to weather the wood (any ideas) and get decals for it. But I'm not really digging the roof, any ideas there anybody?​
 

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MadHatter

Charging at full tilt.
Towers were usually positioned where they overlooked the most switches; also so that they had the least distance of piping to move (before electricity, movement went from the tower to switches by long pieces of pipe or square metal sitting on rollers). Or it might be placed where the tracks from the station or yard came together and provided room for the tower.

About a decade or so ago, we were still using this system in parts of South Africa. I can still remember the sound of the metal wires as they were being moved. By the way, we still have parts in the country where the Van Schoor system (our local token system) is being used.

Kevinkrey: Like the new colour of the signal box.
 
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