Let it plow, let it plow, let it plow.....
Moderator: Harold_V
- BearCreekRR
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:08 am
- Location: South West Germany
Let it plow, let it plow, let it plow.....
Hello railroaders,
next week, I’ll go steaming with my Forney for the last time in 2009 and I was thinking about the consist fort his last operation day. Suddenly, I came across with the idea of a snowplow train. Well, I guess I’ll never will need this snowplow for plowing snow, but it’s a great model and I think the whole consist will look very good.
So I dismantled the trucks from my log loader and checked the wheel sets. The axles have been very poor, so I made new ones from ½” round steel. Now they roll very smooth.
The final design of my snowplow was quite clear for a long time… I really like the West Side Lumber Co. =)
The frame was made from 40x50mm bars, screwed together with 6mm truss rods. The bolsters are set into slots just like the prototype.
Click on thumbs for large pictures.
The columns for the plow shield are made the same way as the frame. They plow shield will set to a 45° angle. The read platform will hold a ballast tank. This tanks rests on a ring of wooden bars, screwed to the deck. The tank itself was made from a wooden cage, covered with thin aluminum sheets. The nails represent the rivet detail.
The basic plow shield was made the same way as all other wooden parts before, by setting some bars side by side and hold them together with truss rods. Next I do the details on top of the shield and added two steel girders (one on each side) to support the lip of the plow.
Click on thumbs for large pictures.
One difficult part was the sheet covering of the shield, especially the rounded part. I used to pieces of sheet metal (thin aluminum) and nailed them in place. In this last photo, you can also see the painted ballast tank on the rear, fixed in place with some truss rods. This tank will hold some lead bars once the plow is ready to run.
Still missing are a lot of details like the cover for the tank, girders and supports on the rounded plow part, hand rails, the final plow lip and so on…
But the first step has been gone for my new snowplow =)
Cheers, Gerd
next week, I’ll go steaming with my Forney for the last time in 2009 and I was thinking about the consist fort his last operation day. Suddenly, I came across with the idea of a snowplow train. Well, I guess I’ll never will need this snowplow for plowing snow, but it’s a great model and I think the whole consist will look very good.
So I dismantled the trucks from my log loader and checked the wheel sets. The axles have been very poor, so I made new ones from ½” round steel. Now they roll very smooth.
The final design of my snowplow was quite clear for a long time… I really like the West Side Lumber Co. =)
The frame was made from 40x50mm bars, screwed together with 6mm truss rods. The bolsters are set into slots just like the prototype.
Click on thumbs for large pictures.
The columns for the plow shield are made the same way as the frame. They plow shield will set to a 45° angle. The read platform will hold a ballast tank. This tanks rests on a ring of wooden bars, screwed to the deck. The tank itself was made from a wooden cage, covered with thin aluminum sheets. The nails represent the rivet detail.
The basic plow shield was made the same way as all other wooden parts before, by setting some bars side by side and hold them together with truss rods. Next I do the details on top of the shield and added two steel girders (one on each side) to support the lip of the plow.
Click on thumbs for large pictures.
One difficult part was the sheet covering of the shield, especially the rounded part. I used to pieces of sheet metal (thin aluminum) and nailed them in place. In this last photo, you can also see the painted ballast tank on the rear, fixed in place with some truss rods. This tank will hold some lead bars once the plow is ready to run.
Still missing are a lot of details like the cover for the tank, girders and supports on the rounded plow part, hand rails, the final plow lip and so on…
But the first step has been gone for my new snowplow =)
Cheers, Gerd
See my model trains at - http://www.gerds-modellbahn.de - Avaiable in German and English
- makinsmoke
- Posts: 2265
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
- Location: Texas Hill Country
Let it plow, let it plow, let it plow.....
Sweet, Gerd,
Nice weekend project, eh?
Have you made any of the West Side log cars?
Brian
Nice weekend project, eh?
Have you made any of the West Side log cars?
Brian
- BearCreekRR
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:08 am
- Location: South West Germany
Hi Brian,
std. West Side rolling stock would be way to big for my little railroad. Also the gauge and scale wouldn't match. Finally, this snowplow is just a "kind of" and no exactly scaled model.
BTW.: I've built a fleet of 60 West Side rolling stock models and some Camp 45 structures... Mean while, most of the stuff has been sold as I'll focus my hobby to the larger scales.
You can find lots of pictures at
http://www.gerds-modellbahn.de/WSLC/N_e.htm
Bye, Gerd
std. West Side rolling stock would be way to big for my little railroad. Also the gauge and scale wouldn't match. Finally, this snowplow is just a "kind of" and no exactly scaled model.
BTW.: I've built a fleet of 60 West Side rolling stock models and some Camp 45 structures... Mean while, most of the stuff has been sold as I'll focus my hobby to the larger scales.
You can find lots of pictures at
http://www.gerds-modellbahn.de/WSLC/N_e.htm
Bye, Gerd
See my model trains at - http://www.gerds-modellbahn.de - Avaiable in German and English
- steamin10
- Posts: 6712
- Joined: Sun Jun 08, 2003 11:52 pm
- Location: NW Indiana. Close to Lake Michigan S. tip
Log rr
Hey Gerd. Very nice as usual. we are having a 'Thanks Giving' here. I am enjoying your crippled English, describing your remarkable toys.
They are very good, and I enjoy your adaptations of model Ideas. Please psot what you do, and enjoy that too.
Big dave.
They are very good, and I enjoy your adaptations of model Ideas. Please psot what you do, and enjoy that too.
Big dave.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
- BearCreekRR
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:08 am
- Location: South West Germany
Hello Dave,
thanks for your comment. I know that my english isn't the best, but it seams to work good enough for internet communication =)
I hope to get the plow finished this weekend to start the next project. I planed a dozen of new projects for this winter including some car-rebuilds and new rolling stock too. The biggest project may be the combine car with 26' length. But step by step...
Cheers, Gerd
thanks for your comment. I know that my english isn't the best, but it seams to work good enough for internet communication =)
I hope to get the plow finished this weekend to start the next project. I planed a dozen of new projects for this winter including some car-rebuilds and new rolling stock too. The biggest project may be the combine car with 26' length. But step by step...
Cheers, Gerd
See my model trains at - http://www.gerds-modellbahn.de - Avaiable in German and English
-
- Posts: 718
- Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 7:45 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania
Awesome website Gerd,
Your roster of rolling stock is very impressive and the snow plow will only add to that. I'm not sure how much snow you get in your area but this video will give you some inspiration to get your plow on the rails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BaBX1fE ... re=related
Enjoy and keep up the great work!!!
Your roster of rolling stock is very impressive and the snow plow will only add to that. I'm not sure how much snow you get in your area but this video will give you some inspiration to get your plow on the rails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BaBX1fE ... re=related
Enjoy and keep up the great work!!!
Bruce Mowbray
Springville & Southern RR
TMB Manufacturing & Locomotive Works
Springville & Southern RR
TMB Manufacturing & Locomotive Works
Gerd,
Nice to see some West Side Lumber equipment being constructed in the larger scales. I had the luxury of visiting the operation in 1958 and again in 1960 just before the shut down of the railroad. It was a well run operation by experienced employees. I also had the experience of visiting during the first operation as the West Side & Cherry Valley Railway in the early 1970's. Later on, I would work many years with Frank Cottle Jr. whose father made the West Side and Cherry Valley happen for a few years.
Frank shared with me many stories of the West Side as he spent his younger years growing up in Tuolumne County. One story was about the snow plow. Seems that by 1942 the original steel blade had worn out and a new blade was needed in a big way. Steel was in short supply and especially the armor plate type they wanted to rebuild the plow with so it would last for many years into the future.
A special set of paperwork had to be prepared justifying the use of armor plate. After quite some time, a machine shop in Stockton was authorized to make up the special armor plate steel replacement blade. Soon after it was delivered and installed and the snow plow was back in service providing snow plow duty to the narrow gauge into the backwoods of Tuolumne County. This information may never be printed in a history book but with your interest in the plow construction project, I thought you might enjoy a nice bit of almost lost history to go with your plow project. You could even fit it up with a small piece of armor plate to help get the model more accurate.
Be sure to post some images when the plow is completed!
Robert
Nice to see some West Side Lumber equipment being constructed in the larger scales. I had the luxury of visiting the operation in 1958 and again in 1960 just before the shut down of the railroad. It was a well run operation by experienced employees. I also had the experience of visiting during the first operation as the West Side & Cherry Valley Railway in the early 1970's. Later on, I would work many years with Frank Cottle Jr. whose father made the West Side and Cherry Valley happen for a few years.
Frank shared with me many stories of the West Side as he spent his younger years growing up in Tuolumne County. One story was about the snow plow. Seems that by 1942 the original steel blade had worn out and a new blade was needed in a big way. Steel was in short supply and especially the armor plate type they wanted to rebuild the plow with so it would last for many years into the future.
A special set of paperwork had to be prepared justifying the use of armor plate. After quite some time, a machine shop in Stockton was authorized to make up the special armor plate steel replacement blade. Soon after it was delivered and installed and the snow plow was back in service providing snow plow duty to the narrow gauge into the backwoods of Tuolumne County. This information may never be printed in a history book but with your interest in the plow construction project, I thought you might enjoy a nice bit of almost lost history to go with your plow project. You could even fit it up with a small piece of armor plate to help get the model more accurate.
Be sure to post some images when the plow is completed!
Robert
-
- Posts: 806
- Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:29 pm
- Location: Brentwood, CA.
- BearCreekRR
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:08 am
- Location: South West Germany
Hi,
made a little pretest this morning in the snow. No big deal, but it seems to work. As I come home from work, all snow was gone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dBRAk6Q_84
Bye, Gerd
made a little pretest this morning in the snow. No big deal, but it seems to work. As I come home from work, all snow was gone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dBRAk6Q_84
Bye, Gerd
See my model trains at - http://www.gerds-modellbahn.de - Avaiable in German and English