Let's Scratchbuild a D&RGW Water Tank


M

mdcustom

Bridge and Building Dept
D&RGW 50,000 gallon water tank, this one is a later version (post 1920's I believe) using an octagonal roof and individual concrete footing. Tank will have a pair of spout on opposite sides to service two tracks.

Interior form is a piece of PVC pipe to which three spacer rings were attached. These tanks tapered top to bottom so each spacer is a different diameter. Around this was fitted a Evergreen sheathing to provide an attachment point for the 2x6 tapered individual board sheathing. Then caps of more Evergreen. Tank form is painted black for two reasons, it masking any small gaps in the sheathing and when the Goo it placed on the paint it partially lifts it and forces it between to boards resembling pitch caulking on the staves. Floor is fitted next 2x8's all invidually stained before assembly then trimmed and sanded to match the profile of the sides.
 
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The third shot is a comparrison shot, all three tanks are O scale, the left one is a D&RGW 16x24 early version (round roof, with sandstone footings), the middle one is the subject of this thread, and the one on the right is a Westside Lumber "Camp 8" water tank, just 14' diameter and only 6' tall. I am always astounded when I build one as it looks so petite next to nearly any other tank. Last shot is a close up of the Westside tank.
 
Banding on the Westside tank is .020 Evergreen rod, on the D&RGW tanks it is .010 Evergreen strips in .060,.080.and .100 widths depending on the location as the bands are larger at the bottom of the tank.
 
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Tank was sheathed today using individual 2x6's with every third one cut to a taper. Sheathing was attached using Goo and using vertical lines drawn on the tank shell to insure that the boards stayed vertical. Note that the sheathing extends below the bottom of the tank body to cover the tops of the 6x16 floor joists.
 
Laid out the tank bands and began adding them. Since the D&RGW painted their tanks it is easy to show tank band slippage, a common problem on wooden water tanks. The blue painters tape is masking off one section of the weathered wood where I am simulating a loose band.
 
Finished up with the tank bands and scratchbuilt the band tightners. There are a pair of them on each band. Each tightner has 8 peices to silmulate them properly (2 plates, 2 rods and 4 rivets)

Also a couple of shots of the early version tank which is one of the pieces that is going to the Bentonville show tomorrow.
 
mdcustom said:
Finished up with the tank bands and scratchbuilt the band tightners. There are a pair of them on each band. Each tightner has 8 peices to silmulate them properly (2 plates, 2 rods and 4 rivets)

Also a couple of shots of the early version tank which is one of the pieces that is going to the Bentonville show tomorrow.
Click to expand...



MD,
what did you use the blue tape for under the bands?

Oops, never mind I must of missed one of you posts and went right to the second page. I see in an earlier post you told us what it's for.:eek:
 
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Took the day off to attend a great show in Bentonville, AR today. Sponsered by the Northwest Arkansas railroad group. Went away with both first and second place in structures out of the three pieces I took for the modeling contest. First Place structures was the D&RGW 50,000 gallon tank, while the Second Place was a freelanced shortline 30,000 gallon tank. Not quite like placing at the Nationals but still a large regional show.
 
Congratulations. I really like the freelanced water tower. The open top so you can see the water looks really cool.
 
Ditto on the congrats.

WELL DESERVED!!

I would loved to have one of those on my layout... how's $5 sound?... alright, alright... you drive a hard bargain!

Would you take $7.50? $14 for both? I'll even pay shipping!

Actually those tanks are priceless.

Love 'em!
 
First coat of paint on the tank body, D&RGW painted their tanks a bright yellow which faded rapidly to a light cream color. This one will get a further coat of yellow as it is going into a major engine terminal and will show better upkeep then a tank in the middle of nowhere.
 
Began building the legs, since this is a post 1920 tank the legs are a foot longer and lack the lower cross beam. But the use a pair of 1" steel tensioning rods to keep the legs vertical. Holes for the rods are predrilled using a simple jig built from some scrap Evergreen which keeps them lined up. Then the leg structures were cut and assembled again on a jig to keep everything aligned. Each piece of 6x8 "x" bracing is notched where they cross to keep their surfaces flush. The frost box is started with a backer of 040 sheet Evergreen again painted black.
 
Then the Evergreen is covered with individual 1x6's. Once their glue has dried they are trimmed out and the door is framed. The door is built on a scrap piece of Evergreen with the 1x4's set at a 45 degree angle as was the prototype. Small pieces of Evergreen are added to simulate hinges and Grant Line nbw casting are placed over the ends of the steel tensioning rods along with castings on both sides of the "x" bracing at the center. Note that for this tank I am driving a stainless steel pin thru the crossbeam into each leg. This is for strength in shipping the piece, I would not normally do this for a tank for my layout unless the tank was going into a high stress location where it could be bumped easliy. Stainless steel pins will also extend from the bottom of the legs into the "concrete" footings and also from the leg assembly into the tank body. In the last photo the four leg structures are upside down in the building jig in preparation of completing the leg structure.
 
Completed the leg assembly with the exception of some nbw castings. When setting up the legs it is possible to use the steel tension rods to hold the legs in their positions as each of the pieces of the "x" bracing is added. The tank body is just sitting on the legs for the photo, I still need to put a coat of lighter paint on the tank and add the floor joists and spout fill pipe before it is attached for real.
 
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