Fiddletown & Copperopolis Ry. sets first spike

[eTraxx]

He's modeling in 1:8 scale .. so ...

1:8 scale ... 1-1/2" = 1 foot
1:96 scale ..... 1/8" = 1 foot

I had to type that out so it made sense to me.

[finescalerr]

A better and much more clear way to notate the scale is 1:8. Had you used that designation perhaps nobody would have had a question. -- Russ

[gnichols]

Ok!  1:8 it is.  Slowly I turn... I think I'll blame my computer for all the confusion.  Gary

[mabloodhound]

Aha, now I get it.   Yes the slash 1/8 was the confusing part.   Thanks for the explanation and getting an old guy straightened out. 

[gnichols]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Here's my second try at a "little" 1:8 car. Life for W-2 started out as a plastic Bman "G" wooden ore car (#98500 series) pulled from the donor car pile. I used a hand-held grinder to remove all the OEM details - stripping car's body smooth on all sides. The frame was unmodified. Then the entire car was "laminated" with new wood. The end beams are 3/4" square. The side sills and ore bin were also treated to a new skin of 3/16" x 3/4" bass wood.

Overall, the proportions are pretty much unchanged except for the longer porch ledges. As with it's sister car, W-1, all the white metal parts are Ozark 7/8th scale items. It was also painted to match, red oxide and Rustoleum satin "Honey." The top of the bin was treated to a styrene (steel) protective cap. The small trucks / wheels came from one of those Bman short, 20ft "G" flats / gondolas / box cars. The trucks have a very short wheel base (just one scale foot!) and tiny wheels but give the car an interesting look I like, more like a miniature railway versus a purely prototypical / industrial purpose. In scale, the car's deck is just 14" above the rails and the car is 38" wide and 9 ft long. The male doll in the background is a scale 6ft tall. It's from ebay... a specialty doll that was sold as Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillys show. Next, W-2 will slide over to the paint shop for final paint / weathering along with W-1. It will also get a removable, false load of ballast. The Ford Coupe is NEXT! Later, Gary

[Malachi Constant]

Hey Gary --

I'm getting a big kick out of your GIGANTIC "little" trains ... neat stuff ... loads of character ... keep 'em coming (and thanks!)

Cheers,
Dallas

[gnichols]

Thanx, Dallas.
  I have two more "little" cars (trailers, really) planed.  One will be a utility / rail / tie flat and the other will be a fire fighting car.  These cars are really no bigger than what would be pulled behind a normal speeder.  Later on, after I get at least one loco built, I will try a vew revenue cars and a caboose or combine.  Gary

[gnichols]

Gang,
  This is about as much as I can do on the T coupe for now....  at at this speed, there is just no way it could be done in time for the NG convention.  I cut out portions of the decking so the plastic V8 will fit and remounted the electric motor lower, down in the chassis, so the Ford body would fit better.  I'm missing a few parts from Ozark land to finish them, but the new pilots and side sills are all roughed-in.  I still have to create a battery box under the rear of the chassis to power the RC system and a small speaker will be under the model flathead. With everything else on the sked, I'm thinking November before it is done.  Later, Gary

[gnichols]

Forgot the other shot... duh.  Gary

[gnichols]

These might be the last shots for awhile... have to shift back to finishing my hot rod project.  Got the frame painted and the paint scuffed up.  I still haven't decided on the decking... planks or steel... or how much it will over-hang the side rails.  Later, Gary

[finescalerr]

Nice work, Gary! -- Russ

[Frederic Testard]

Nice work, Gary! -- Russ

Be careful, Russ, you're overwording.

[finescalerr]

Gary doesn't understand my usual forms of communication. -- Russ

[Ken Hamilton]

....so let's see this Hot Rod Project.......

[gnichols]

Ken,
  I know I sent you the pix and link - Russ, too - but for the rest of the peanut gallery... the build album is here. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/album.php?albumid=2874

  The frame is custom made, the engine is a supercharged Poncho 3800 V6 from a 2000 Grand AM.  The grille is a steel 33 Ford item, the body is a fiberglass "phantom" 27 truck cab and the bed is a steel Model A reproduction.
Later, Gary