Large Scale Central

1:20.3 Southern Passenger Car for the Little River Railroad

Modeling
#1

One of the interesting stories about the Little River RR in the Smoky Mountains, in East Tennessee, is that the RR hauled passengers and tourists up in to the beautiful mountains.

While it started as a logging outfit the creative management of the company realized that people wanted to escape the cities and travel high in to these beautiful Smoky Mountains.

I wanted to model this Southern RR combine that was attached to Little River RR trains. Here is a shot of the combine off loading luggage at the Wonderland Hotel in Elkmont way up in the mountains.

As you all know it is hard to find inexpensive models of 1:20.3 passenger cars. So I thought, “Why not scratchbuild one?” This turned in to quite a drawn out experience that I thought I would share here.

Scratch building anything usually requires some sort of plans. I hunted all over the net and could come up with little in the way of plans.

The best I could do was the 1:20.3 plans from MLS Master Classes in 2006. More specifically “Master Class 1880 Combine Mini Coach, Class 2006.” This is the classic Carter Bros Combine.

I figured this was close and I set out to build a 40 foot combine coach that would look like the coaches coming up in to the Smokies about 1920 on the Little Lumber RR with the big ideas.

Thanks for following along on this journey.

Doc Tom

#2

http://www.largescalecentral.com/freightshed/index?p=home&d=120_coach/

This is my 1:20.3 coach built from Ted Stinson’s plans in GR

#3

Phil Creer said:

http://www.largescalecentral.com/freightshed/index?p=home&d=120_coach/

This is my 1:20.3 coach built from Ted Stinson’s plans in GR

That is a very nice model. That is the look I am after. I hope to make as half as good as yours. Doc Tom

#4

Size comparison, 1:20.3 coaches with standard Bachmann:

#5

I like those old timey photos. It sure is funny how they let the passengers out on a cliff. Imagine doing that today, one kid would slip and the lawyer vultures would descend to sue the RR back to a goat path.

Those 1:20 cars are BIG but cool.

#6

Tom

This is a link to some 1:20.3 cars that I built a few years ago. Might be some ideas in here that you can use.

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/12366/new-passenger-cars

Ron

#7

Phil Creer said:

Size comparison, 1:20.3 coaches with standard Bachmann:

Agree the 1:20.3 passenger cars are huge. Mine is at 2 feet long end to end.

Thank you for sending your pictures. I do need ideas on the roofs.

Doc Tom

#8

Todd Haskins said:

I like those old timey photos. It sure is funny how they let the passengers out on a cliff. Imagine doing that today, one kid would slip and the lawyer vultures would descend to sue the RR back to a goat path.

Those 1:20 cars are BIG but cool.

Very different times. If you slipped and fell on a water spray or moss covered rock back then it was an “accident.” Now a days someone is “liable.”

Doc Tom

#9

Ron Spencer said:

Tom

This is a link to some 1:20.3 cars that I built a few years ago. Might be some ideas in here that you can use.

http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/12366/new-passenger-cars

Ron

Thanks Ron. That link is very helpful. What a beautiful build.

Doc Tom

#10

Looking forward to seeing this build especially with the old photos. I want to build some short passenger cars for my smaller live steamers. Im not sure how to do the roof. Ill be watching this.

#11

In the planning for this passenger car I elected to use as much hardware as possible from existing Bachmann passenger cars. They are rather plentiful. I bought this interesting specimen from eBay for $35.

While it is a beautiful model from a RR up Nawth the razor saw showed no mercy and the trucks with the good heavy wheelsets, the frame, the truss rods

and underside details where used in this new build.

I split the frame in three pieces to lengthen it and widened the frame using 5/8" wood from Lowes. Lowes, my go to hobby shop, also provided flattened metal bars to give the model strength and heft. I kept the original bolsters and trucks.

Everything underneath the model was sprayed with flat black.

Doc Tom

#12

Tom,

I have plans that we drew for the modified coaches cut by Alan at The Great American Locomotion:

There are a couple of threads around about modifying Accucraft coaches, but it looks as if you are trying to go the inexpensive route, making most bits yourself.

#13

Pete Thornton said:

Tom,

I have plans that we drew for the modified coaches cut by Alan at The Great American Locomotion:

There are a couple of threads around about modifying Accucraft coaches, but it looks as if you are trying to go the inexpensive route, making most bits yourself.

That is a very nice coach. Are those plans available for general review?

Yes, I am trying to build the model as inexpensively as possible. We’ll see if it turns out half as good as the nice picture you posted.

Doc Tom

#14

The next step in this build was to lay down the floor with a sheet of basswood from Hobby Lobby. The wood was scored to look like individual planking and stained with India Ink and alcohol.

The wooden floor was put down using small brass screws.

Doc Tom

#15

Tom Grabenstein said:

That is a very nice coach. Are those plans available for general review?

Yes, I am trying to build the model as inexpensively as possible. We’ll see if it turns out half as good as the nice picture you posted.

Doc Tom

Doesn’t look to me as if you need any plans! But yes, they are available. The Combine is a kit for sides to fit the Accucraft J&S. Let me know if you want me to upload them.

Incidentally, Alan can sell you a ‘kit’ of the sides alone for about $100. You clearly don’t need an Accucraft coach. That would give you the doors, window frames, siding, etc.

#16

Pete Thornton said:

Tom Grabenstein said:

That is a very nice coach. Are those plans available for general review?

Yes, I am trying to build the model as inexpensively as possible. We’ll see if it turns out half as good as the nice picture you posted.

Doc Tom

Doesn’t look to me as if you need any plans! But yes, they are available. The Combine is a kit for sides to fit the Accucraft J&S. Let me know if you want me to upload them.

Incidentally, Alan can sell you a ‘kit’ of the sides alone for about $100. You clearly don’t need an Accucraft coach. That would give you the doors, window frames, siding, etc.

Thanks Pete,

I appreciate the offer but I will hold off on the kit as I am trying to do this build “on the cheap.” I am enjoying picking up old B.mann stuff and creating new models…kind of a sideline hobby.

Please let me know how close I am getting to those beautiful 1:20.3 models you are familiar with.

Doc Tom

#17

I have noticed with interest the thread that developed on LSC regarding Troels Kirk’s beautiful On30 models. https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coast-Line-RR-page/127409483958090

I dabble in On30 and have followed Troels’ work for some time. His structures are built from Matte Board as used in framing pictures etc. He does not use the more conventional styrene sheet or wood.

This material is relatively inexpensive at Hobby Lobby. Hobby Lobby also has a cheap “Art Board” material that is a pressed paper product that is used as a surface for painting and water colors. Because it is cheap and easy to get a hold of I thought I would give it a try for this build. As you might imagine it holds paint well and is easy to cut. When built up as a laminate it is very strong. It comes in a variety of thicknesses.

Here I have built up the end pieces of the passenger car using parts cut from the Art Board and glued as a laminate that is about 5 mm thick.

I used the MLS plans to cut the pieces using an X-acto knife. The pieces are glued as a laminate using Ailene’s tacky glue. The 5mm thick end pieces are spray painted and attached to the underlying frame with small brass screws.

Let me know your thoughts and if you have experiences using Art or Matte Board in the construction of rolling stock. Of course since this a paper product, no way it can be kept out on rainy days.

Doc Tom

#18

I poked around on the internet trying to find what color to paint the interior of the combine as it was circa 1910-1920. Best I could come up with was a tan, or a gray or a beige.

I cut the interior walls from the art board and spray painted with a tan that I thought was close to the restoration work pictured above.

The interior walls were attached to the frame and the end walls. The divider between the baggage and coach section was used from the B.mann donor coach and enlarged to fit.

Thanks for looking.

Doc Tom

#19

Man, those are some real life-like figures you got there. Howyoudo dat?..:wink:

#20

Ken Brunt said:

Man, those are some real life-like figures you got there. Howyoudo dat?..:wink:

Would you believe: “1:20.3 really does have some life-like figures…???”

LOL in Tennessee.

Doc Tom