Winterquarters/Car Shops for circus and showtrains

[Midnught Special]

very nice, like the car, perhaps extend the blue onto the door so its a continuous stripe that would run along all cars/train (as applicable) kinda similar to a "traffic stripe" used on DB ICE trains.

 

[enjineerbill]

My how time flies....

My winterquarters/car shops are nowhere near complete, yet work has begun on the outshopping of custom and available items.

Private varnish Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines is spotted for a company photo before being set-out for the MadCow and forwarding at Chicago. The heavyweight carries number 76 but is unnamed. The geep shows no sign of it's age, must be a good servicing program....

 

[Midnught Special]

lookin great there, do you have any more pics of your cars being set out and all?

 

[enjineerbill]

Are we hot yet?

Well, not much progress on the diorama but I thought I'd share some photos taken over the years at the museum.....


These flats are inside the wagon pavilion. Flat and equipment are all original RBBB pieces.

Here is one of the RBBB wagons that were designed to be used in the tunnel cars described earlier in this thread. Note the rounded over tops.

The movie "Water for Elephants" used some of the wagons and props from the museum. Here is a section of bleachers used in one of the scenes.

 

[enjineerbill]

lookin great there, do you have any more pics of your cars being set out and all?

No, I don't Jim, sorry. I pretty much set a scene and shoot it. These are photos I present to clients before delivery of product....

 

[enjineerbill]

 

[eric2448]

Things seem to be coming together well! I really like your design on the observation car. Nice photos from the museum, I hope to make it out there for a visit some day. This last photo you posted is cool, if I didnt know it was a model I would be convince it was a full scale operation, your level of detail is superb. Lookin forward to more...

 

[enjineerbill]

A little work on the fence around the car shops. It actually does not encompass the grounds but rather serves to keep the curious at bay by bordering the street side of the property.

This is some old cast metal stuff and I'm using it for the worn look achieved when painted and rusted such as the portion running next to the loading flat.
The gate, which opens and closes, is located beneath the sign.

I also got a freight crane installed on the receiving dock just above the red and blue flat cars.

 

[Midnught Special]

Any further progress Bill? anyways this isn't reslly related but it is involving both trains AND the Circus (Barnum and Bailey) so I figured its relivent to your thread, figured id post it incase you were looking for more circus train info...

85+ cars total!!! 19 flats!! YIKES!!! even shows the order they pull the train in too! its a cool vid IMO! enjoy!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2R4ZogpiJ4

 

[enjineerbill]

Thanks Jim. Yeh there are a ton of videos for the current train on the 'tube'. Try serching for the older stuff, a little harder to find but there are a couple. I'll post the links when I get time....

This gentleman just passed away but you wanna see some cool circus models.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiUmRo6H_JQ&list=PL153DAE24154666EC&index=4&feature=plpp_video

There are more episodes of this just follow the numbers on youtube. It actually was a real working train.

Progress is being made, but time for pictures eludes me at the present....

 

[eric2448]

Thought I would post up a couple of links from the broadcast of one of the local news morning shows at the Model Railroad Museum. They had their Circus Week last week in anticipation of RBBB coming to town...

MRM Part 1

MRM Part 2

Heres another story I found that some might enjoy, be sure to watch the video clip

Freedom Train

 

[enjineerbill]

Wow very cool Eric! Thanks for sharing. I've heard that's quite the club and to run a circus train on it would be awesome!

Thanks for posting the links for all to enjoy.

If you remember I did a build thread on the American Freedom Train a few years back. Ho scale.

OMG, that's me.....

Here's a link to my gallery from back then....
http://www.freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-gallery-ripp-01.htm

Thanks for sharing!

 

[eric2448]

Hows the winter quarters coming along Johnny?

 

[enjineerbill]

Hows the winter quarters coming along Johnny?

Actually Eric, slow but steady....

Painting buildings, working on some of the Walther's cars, etc...,

Here I've labeled the building that will be the focus of the main part of the shops complex.

In this view, you are looking in the gates form the street. Obviously, a lot more work to do, including getting the old fence painted....

Here in the backround is a look at one of the cars I'm doing. These are very old wood and metal kits that I tore down and will make a small turn-of-the-century- 6 or 7 car railroad show....

Another view...

Receiving area....

I am also installing see-thru vents in my Walther's elephant cars and will post pics when I can. I am just finishing redoing the Great Circus Train(Walther's) Observation car the "Baraboo". This has the correct platform color, repainted roof and underbody and the red and white striped bunting on the platform. Again, pictures when I can....

Thanks Eric, I needed a kick-in-the-ass to post something!

 

[tootnkumin]

A few more workers around the place and it will look as much a hive of activity as you are.

 

[enjineerbill]

A few more workers around the place and it will look as much a hive of activity as you are.

That's the plan toot, but right now I'd worry about OSHA with all the hazardous areas around the property!

 

[enjineerbill]

Alright, here is a Walther's Great Circus series stock/elephant car that I picked up used. I've chiseled off the cast in grabs and plan to open up the vents. I'll install some micro screen in them to make the see-thru and add wire grabs to kind of bump up the looks of the car. On the train I'm building there will be 2 of these type of car as well as 2 or 3 of the horse type stock cars.

Here the car has has a wire grab installed on the lower left side. Note the cast vent openings on either sides of the door opening.

Using the old placement of grabs, I drilled openings for the wire ones.

I drilled starter holes in the cast vents.

Then, using a modelers knife, I carefully cut to the corners to start removing the vented area.

When the plastic was cut away, this is how things looked.

Next is using a file to get all the edges clean and smooth.

And when the windows have been cut out, things look like this. The car has identical openings on the other side.

It may be a week or so before more pictures are posted as the next car is done the same way. When done, these cars will be circus yellow with red roofs and letterboards.

 

[eric2448]

Thanks Eric, I needed a kick-in-the-ass to post something!

HAHA Youre welcome! Its looking good Johnny, your tracks look to be filling up nicely. I like the Woodland Scenics Cat you have, I have a few Im working on for my show. Im looking forward to the finished product on those elephant cars, I never considered shaving and replacing the irons until now, although Im not sure I have the patience or skills yet to make it look as seamless a you have done. Thanks for the updates!

 

[Midnught Special]

Nice work, I like the progress!

 

[enjineerbill]

And here is the Walther's Observation car the 'Baraboo'. This was how the prototype car looked before being repainted in the 90's. It is now red in color and has different lettering. I am still going to add an interior to this as well as the other 2 cars, a coach and diner. This car has had it's undercarriage repainted, correct bunting, kaydees and finishing coats added.