Scratchbuilding a small D&RGW-style water tank
The finished roof has an access hatch and fascia trim boards (above left). Note the weather- ing and the added details, which include the handle, n.b.w. castings and the wood ladder sup- ports that extend from the hatch to the ladder. The water gauge (above) was positioned to hide the gap in the tank staves and the pins that hold the nylon tank bands. This view of the finished tank (left) shows the scenicked base, the weathering and the spacing of the tank bands. Since the weight of the water would put more pressure on the bottom of the tank sides, the bands are positioned closer together there and spread out further nearer the top.
tape over the plans, placed the side pieces in position and then glued on the pre-cut rungs. When the glue had dried, any needed areas were touched up with stain. I cut two support pieces and glued them on the sides of the hatch so that they met each side of the ladder. I used more Grandt Line n.b.w.’s to fasten the supports in place and cut a short length of styrene paint- ed to represent concrete to support the bottom of the ladder. (Be sure that there is enough room for the hatch to clear the top of the ladder.) I cut a depth indicator from a small bit of styrene, colored it with a red Sharpie® and glued it in place using cyanoacry- late cement at the end of a length of cast chain from a Grandt brake gear set. Things were nearly done. This tank will be interchanged with my model of the SR&RL Sanders tank, depending on which station I use at that spot. Accordingly, I felt it would be a good thing if the tank bases were the
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same. I traced the outline of Sanders tank on a piece of ¹₁₆″ plywood, then cut out the base for Winnecook tank. I posi- tioned the tank on the base, put the lad- der in place to make sure it fit, and glued everything in place. Finally,
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used Woodland Scenics liquid cement to secure some ground cover of sifted dirt and ground foam to the base. The mod- el, really a mini-diorama, was complete. This was a fun and rewarding project. It allowed me to deviate slightly from my Maine two foot focus with a model based on a Colorado prototype while staying within reasonable freelancing parameters. By sticking to a standard color scheme and construction materi- als, I kept the family appearance that is critical to realistic modeling but was able to indulge in a bit of fantasy at the same time. Model railroading, in my opinion, is less about sheer adherence to prototypes and more about the joys and activities of creativity. So, build some- thing and enjoy it!
JULY 2013
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