Gary,
That looks like it is going to be a great looking boat! There is something romantic about river boats and the era in which they existed. Looking forward to watching your progress on this project.
...By the way, now is the time to drill a hole or two in the bottom of the boat. Not to sink it, but just to allow for installing interior lights in the boat if you so decide at some time in the future.
If you ever need some inspiration and encouragement while building this riverboat, go to this site, picture gallery 2, sub gallery 3 "River Front" and check out the paddle steamer there.
http://magnoliaroute.com/magnolia_route_007.htm
After that (and when you've got about 20 years to spare), check out the rest as well.
Oh wow, I can't wait to see this river boat build completed. That is going to make one impressive addition to your layout.
By the way, now is the time to drill a hole or two in the bottom of the boat. Not to sink it, but just to allow for installing interior lights in the boat if you so decide at some time in the future.
Oh yeah! Can you picture how she would look all lit up at night - would be breath taking! You gotta do that Gary.
Toot, I checked out your link to the Magnolia Route website. That's an incredible layout. The riverfront scene and the huge scratch built passenger station are amazing.
Gary, I'm on Facebook, but couldn't find Cliff Power's page. If you were still on Facebook, I guess I could have sent you a friend request and then found the page though your "friends" or "Likes".
I'm glad you decided to allow for lighting on the riverboat. I will let others with more experience provide suggestions for what lighting products to use. In the small confined spaces on that riverboat you don't want to use lighting that could generate too much heat and become a fire hazard. The windows on the riverboat are too small to worry about detailing the interior, but painting the interior walls wouldn't hurt so that the lighting doesn't expose bare wood through the windows. The main considerations when building for operational lighting are to make sure there are no gaps at wall and ceiling joints that will allow light to escape. If and plastic parts are involved, the back sides would need to be painted so that light doesn't show through the plastic. As you build the boat, try to determine if some parts of the assembly can be left un-glued such that parts could be removed to allow access to the lighting for maintenance.
Good luck. Sorry I created extra work for you.
Glad to hear from you!! looking forward to the photos!
Looks the right way up to me