I thought I would give you a sneak peak of what Devon is using his talent to design for me. We decided to make something massive in 20.3. A car mounted yarder seemed to do the trick. Not a specific prototype but close enough. All the test printing is done. After a meeting with Devon today to make some adjustments it should be ready to go.
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What a model! Ten thumbs up!
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Saw this on FB. The “add on” bit would be great for my mine hoist building.
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So just a few words on the design. As Mike mentioned, we were definitely not patterning any specific prototype. This was a looks right/feels right project. My inspiration for the project came from this picture.
Mike pretty much left it to me to design something massive and cool. That was pretty much the design criteria. I added the constraint that this needs to fit on a common flat car so that you don’t HAVE to scratch build one. So the main beast (Mike’s first picture) is designed to fit with it and the water tank on a common Bachmann flat car that comes with almost everyone of their sets and carries logs.
But for me personally I wanted something more massive. I talked with Mike and we agreed that the “Add On” winch drum set would make a nice addition for those who just want a small winch system to add to their boiler or it could be put on the front of the beast and use a custom flat car. This is where I will be taking the project. Since the add on is just that, an addition, it has no hard plumbing back to the boiler. This will need to be customer supplied to fit their needs.
I did a little personal design work to make the trucks for it. Archbar trucks seemed too dated. But a roller bearing truck would be too new. I was looking at something akin to the Bettendorf or Andrews truck. Since I have plans for a fleet of log cars all using Bettendorf trucks in 1:29 per the prototype I am modeling, I wanted something a bit different. I came up with a down and dirty Vulcan inspired truck. If you look at my inspiration it has four trucks under it. But with my tight 8’ diameter curves four individually mounted trucks would not be happy on what is sure to be a very long car. My answer came from another picture of the McCloud RR and one of their Lidgerwood yarders. They have “carrier” trucks which are two trucks connects by a draw bar much like logging disconnects. So I made a draw bar to connect the two Vulcan trucks and have a single body mount. The end result will be two trucks that independently pivot separate from the car. This should allow for a nice tight turn radius.
Anyways, Stay tuned. I have been very excited about this build and have been wanting to let the cat out of the bag. But I had to wait until Mike was ready to make it available. I get my hands on the prototype today and want to get started on this and have a working model for Mike to take pictures of.
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I think the connecting “Drawbar” between the trucks is called a “Span Bolster”…
FJM
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OSHA isnt going to like what I have to do to get to those levers
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Are they available yet??
Not yet Rick. Devon needs to make a couple adjustments I gave him tonight. then it should be ready to go.
I will get on them ASAP. all small changes so not more than a hour or so of work.
Who’s this OSHA person you speak of. I dont think anyone by that name comes round these parts.
Tuck your pony tail under your hat and it won’t get caught in the machinery
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Makes sense. Pretty much the name fits its purpose to span between the bolsters. I certainly haven’t the faintest idea what its called or if I have even come close to an authentic design. But you really won’t see it and it will serve its purpose.
But thanks Fred for giving it the proper name. I do like to aleast attempt a plausible facsimile of the real thing.
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Not so funny when you see it happen. A plumbing contractor working on a school job that I was on years ago got his pony tail caught in the pipe threading machine. Made a movie Indian scalping look like modern surgery. Amazingly his scalp was reattached and he looked pretty good afterward.
Nice job on the drawbar bolster car riding span thingy!!!
I’m pretty sure the trucks on the prototype are Fox pressed steel trucks (not that it matters just saying).
I was trying to identify them with not much luck. I was considering them but I figured a vulcan style i would be more apt to use elsewhere.
I thought those thingys were called “roosters” 
Thats awesome maybe have to con him out of the files.
Good then this is all Mike and Dans fault then not mine!
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He’d have to find them first. That might be a tall task 
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