Build a HO scale power plant to hide a concrete pillar

[TLOC]

I finished the Swing Bridge thread by delivering it to the layout on 12/10.

I had no plans to start another thread for a build that technically is part of the 2’ wide x 32’ long scene that contains a river scene, a power plant, a paper mill and a pulp wood storage yard.

It just seems easier to keep these scenes separate but relatable. As on any thread I have please comment, like, dislike (let me know why) and definitely offer pictures and suggestions. Here goes…

Here is the pillar to be covered. Just right and behind the Swing Bridge scene

The pillar is 9” wide x 19” deep and 16” high. It will be built as 3 sections. The west wall facing the harbor entrance and the bridge will mainly be a brick wall. The east wall that faces the coal pile, 2 unloading tracks and 34” away the paper mill. The south wall is the wall facing the operating aisle and the viewing aisle. That is the wall I will work on first.

I pulled apart many modular walls yesterday from a few buildings from an old layout of John’s. I am going to try to use as many brick parts I can in this build at least on the west and south wall. The east wall will be mostly sheet metal

The south wall idea is to use the brick as wings along side a central bumped out sheet metal section of the power plant. The wings with windows will house some administrative staff, labs, mezzanine over the turbine hall. The center section was to give a visual into the huge turbine hall.

The parts

Needed to pull these apart

1st arrangement I remembered to take a picture of

Added the center section for a better visual for me. Rearranged the side wings again

Thought maybe a couple overhead door openings to balance out the wall. It seemed it was too high and plain looking

Let’s go back to a solid base wall, section, no windows. This took the height to 15” and it felt off

The last picture is a 16’ high foundation wall but it’s weird to my eye

That’s 10 pictures! The limit is reached. I hope I caught your interest as many of the comments, pictures and encouragement have been very helpful for both the Swing bridge and paper mill threads

Be well
Tom

 

[TLOC]

Left off with a ho scale 16’ foundation that still feels off. The balance isn’t there! Here is 8’ foundation straight across

The idea was originally to make this wall 16” covering the pillar. Not shown but I did a couple mock ups covering that 16” and I am a visual person and if it doesn’t have the look I want, it’s wrong. That is just me and the wave length I model on

the center portion should be 8-12’ higher than the 2 wing walls. Above I’m still playing with the foundation

This is better. A straight across 8’ foundation. The center section should be higher but this is good. I like this and can live with it. Remember the center section is also a bump out with larger industrial style windows to peer into a lit up turbine hall

I have had issues with trying to use Ai. It has its own ideas sometimes no matter how I ask something. But I took the previous picture and asked to show me the type of windows to build

I’d say this is the 1st time Ai has helped me visualize what I asked for and it actually gave me what I wanted. I can build this wall. The interior will just be a photo but the facade of the building while harder than I had envisioned but yep, it’s doable.

Maybe a bit more modern than 1965 but the elements are there to be a decent representation of the power plant.

Your thoughts, suggestions and critiques are definitely welcome. This is just 1 of 3 walls to build

 

[ctclibby]

Left off with a ho scale 16’ foundation that still feels off. The balance isn’t there! Here is 8’ foundation straight across
View attachment 251046The idea was originally to make this wall 16” covering the pillar. Not shown but I did a couple mock ups covering that 16” and I am a visual person and if it doesn’t have the look I want, it’s wrong. That is just me and the wave length I model on

View attachment 251047the center portion should be 8-12’ higher than the 2 wing walls. Above I’m still playing with the foundation
View attachment 251048
This is better. A straight across 8’ foundation. The center section should be higher but this is good. I like this and can live with it. Remember the center section is also a bump out with larger industrial style windows to peer into a lit up turbine hall

I have had issues with trying to use Ai. It has its own ideas sometimes no matter how I ask something. But I took the previous picture and asked to show me the type of windows to build
View attachment 251049
I’d say this is the 1st time Ai has helped me visualize what I asked for and it actually gave me what I wanted. I can build this wall. The interior will just be a photo but the facade of the building while harder than I had envisioned but yep, it’s doable.

Maybe a bit more modern than 1965 but the elements are there to be a decent representation of the power plant.

Your thoughts, suggestions and critiques are definitely welcome. This is just 1 of 3 walls to build

Tom looks like you might have a tad bit of room from the pillar to the right and toward the tracks. How about an 'electrical transmission' area with electrical stuff and somewhat tall transmission poles behind chain link fencing, then continue with the other side of the building? Did that make sense? Can see it in my mind's eye, but doable? I think something like that would make it really busy, but who knows.

L8r

 

[Bruette]

I had no plans to start another thread

Thanks, I’m happy you did! I don’t have much to add, honestly, I don’t know much about these things, but I enjoy keeping up with it.

 

[SD40 Jim]

I've been in many power plants and power houses and your modeling is near spot on. The brick, the arch windows, the interior pic are all very proto looking. My first impression - "I've been there".
Looks great Tom!

 

[DeaconKC]

It is quite impressive.

 

[TLOC]

Tom looks like you might have a tad bit of room from the pillar to the right and toward the tracks. How about an 'electrical transmission' area with electrical stuff and somewhat tall transmission poles behind chain link fencing, then continue with the other side of the building? Did that make sense? Can see it in my mind's eye, but doable? I think something like that would make it really busy, but who knows.

L8r

There is 34” of room from the pillar to the paper mill property edge. There will be room for a transmission yard! But my job is the structure right now. John did find 2 Walthers transmission yard kits he has but I’ll work on the structure. The 34” will have 2 tracks to unload coal and a coal pile that blends into the backdrop. The paper mill designer/contractor has his eyes on encroaching into some of that prime real estate. It’s is amazing that a space 2’ x 32’ is becoming tight

 

[TLOC]

I've been in many power plants and power houses and your modeling is near spot on. The brick, the arch windows, the interior pic are all very proto looking. My first impression - "I've been there".
Looks great Tom!

That makes me feel good. Thanks for saying that. My main concern is that it’s appropriate for 1965 and mostly accurate. It’s not a prototype but it needs to says “power plant”.

 

[TLOC]

It is quite impressive.

Thanks you. It’s going to be fun especially if I can pull it off which I know I can.

 

[TLOC]

Thanks, I’m happy you did! I don’t have much to add, honestly, I don’t know much about these things, but I enjoy keeping up with it.

Louis, just stop in and say hi occasionally. Happy to always have you here

 

[TLOC]

I have started the window frames. Some structural styrene parts from Evergreen to create this curtain wall of windows. Lots of the support framing will be “hidden” in plain sight. The curtain walls are self supporting in real life and pretty much need to be in the model. But I can beef up the supports behind by using the I beams instead of angles. The I beams will become part of the framing. I am testing that idea. The idea of doubling up on the glazing was quickly given up on.

I need to build the window frames and fit it before cutting the corrugated styrene metal siding

 

[traiNscale]

iam also here again.
so far it looks great i have to say, also with the AI Picture in the middle, maybe its a bit to bright but you maybe will tone down the windows a bit. i love the walls. they already look pretty nice weathered. keep them pictures coming tom

cheers
Marco

 

[BigGRacing]

It’s looking great so far!

 

[TLOC]

iam also here again.
so far it looks great i have to say, also with the AI Picture in the middle, maybe its a bit to bright but you maybe will tone down the windows a bit. i love the walls. they already look pretty nice weathered. keep them pictures coming tom

cheers
Marco

There will be a light shield behind and above the windows. That will or should defuse the brightness of the scene. The weathered walls are just a talc powder used to fill the mortar lines. The more I handle the walls the more it comes off. We shall see what’s left of the mortar when I finish the wall next week. I am making no attempt to save the mortar lines

Thanks for following along

 

[TLOC]

It’s looking great so far!

Thank you. This will be an adventure. Thanks for checking in

 

[TLOC]

A QUESTION

I have a few sash that have broken mullions, the piece that divides the glass. A couple of the FB guys says I should have some broken glass in this wall! Your thoughts…

 

[migalyto]

A QUESTION

I have a few sash that have broken mullions, the piece that divides the glass. A couple of the FB guys says I should have some broken glass in this wall! Your thoughts…

If it was going to be abandoned/decommissioned, I would say yes. If its operational then no, it would probably be maintained.

 

[ctclibby]

A QUESTION

I have a few sash that have broken mullions, the piece that divides the glass. A couple of the FB guys says I should have some broken glass in this wall! Your thoughts…

Tom: leave them as is. When I worked at Kaiser there were some windows high up on the walls. We would go home with windows ok, but back the next day one ( or more ) would be broken out. Never did figure out what caused it, we just assumed 'birds'. Maint would 'get round to it' every once in awhile.

L8r

 

[TLOC]

Working on the big west wall that will face the river. From floor to the deck above is 17.25” but I am using the number 16” for the maximum heights in the power plant and the paper mill. Yep I have those numbers written down and on my project board so I don’t get much more confused then I am

This wall will have the concrete foundation structure at 8’ HO scale feet height. The wall above the concrete will be brick sheets in the 6 bays

Here I am laying out the 6 bays per my graph paper drawing. The clamps are holding the concrete foundation in place while the Gorilla’s super glue is curing. The brick and concrete bay dividers will be .060 strips faced with brick strips laminated. Those are off on the side under a weighted sheet.

I moved away from the south wall

because I do not have enough of the structural angles from Evergreen I need and 30 minutes after opening the LHS phone is still going to voicemail. Since it’s -11f wind chill outside I’m not venturing out unless I know he has what I want

Maybe more later

 

[TLOC]

My friend asked what structural shapes I needed from Evergreen and while he didn’t have it another friend did. The LHS phone 4 hours after open is still going to voicemail. So he dropped off what I needed

I was working on the west wall though

Laid out 5 bays because it’s a better visual, to my eye

Tossed on some vents without framing. I now have the styrene to finish the frame

Placed the single sash industrial framed window above and center to the lower vent

I then laminated the 1st .060 layer of pilasters to the Sintra PVC board. Triple checked the window and vent measurements and turned over the board and cut the holes

Then laminated the siding over the holes and will let it cure overnight. Tomorrow I will cut through the siding and fit the frames into place. But not glue them and remove them. I will paint the entire wall a dark color but not my normal hull red base. I will paint the vents and windows black

Normally I would go light to dark on the walls but this is a grimey but not gritty scene. So starting with the dark but keeping the pilastersca concrete color will provide the shadows underneath the next .060 layer of pilasters. I also doubled the thickness of the black lower portion of the wall. That will be the concrete foundation. By doubling the thickness it will make the walls above appear to be solidly on the foundation instead of on the edge of the foundation. I will add a coping to the new thickness and it will be painted the base concrete coloring

That’s a scrap piece of pilaster

After the paint drys a few hours I will add the 2nd .060 layer on the pilasters that will be painted a concrete color. That second layer will sit on the edge of the 1st foundation thickness as in the above picture.

The fun continues and tomorrow back to the glass curtain wall