Well, so far, this is as far as I’ve gotten. I have an idea for the challenge, but I’m not sure if it will work or not, so let me get the car built before I put my idea out there. I’ve been working on a boxcar string the last couple of weeks after months of taking care of family and business without much time for railroading. Now I’m getting a late start on this challenge, and, from what I can see, a couple of you like Doc Tom are already setting a very high standard this year!
Okay, I’ve decided I’ll use the flat car as the base for a whimsical/fantasy structure you’ve seen in one of the popular fantasy movie series. It will be tall, but I have no tunnels where I would run it, including if I ever get my act together enough to run trains out at the Colorado Railroad Museum. I’ll post pictures of my progress this weekend, I hope.
I don’t want to post a drawing yet or say exactly what the whimsical structure is because part of the fun for me will be to see how long it takes our friends here to (hopefully!) recognize it. If nobody recognizes it, I will indeed have done a poor job. Please don’t trash me out for going about it this way; I think this falls under Rule #1. If this is annoying to anyone though, I’ll post the drawing.
I haven’t figured out how my railroad personnel will use this structure, but what the heck I’m sure they’ll come up with something.
The MIK police will be at your door… napkins hate to be left out. 
John, I am with you. I haven’t stated what I am building yet neither, even though I posted a picture that should give folks some (bad) ideas.
Finally got started! You think I’m a little behind? Vic’s already finished…dang!
This build is the St. Francis Travelling Regional Branch Headquarters.
It’s a pay station for the men out on the branch lines, which is why it’s on wheels, and also the regional branch line Supervisor’s home. He lives in it with his wife and six children, all of whom are home-schooled while riding through the branch lines on the railroad tracks. It’s quite a life. And quite a whimsical house. Like I said at the start, I’m not saying what the model for the structure is in the hopes someone recognizes it.
The flat car deck doubles as the hardwood varnished floor on the first floor, and I’m starting with a door (I got to sand off those strange mold marks) and taking it from there.
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build1.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build2.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build3.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build4.jpg)
Good start… Mom, Dad and 6 Kids, Now thats a housefull…
Looking good John. Keep up the good work.
There are lots of odd ball whimsical fantastical builds going on but I think you are the only one doing a building on wheels.
I will join many others curious about what you are planning and how your travellign pay station will look.
keep us posted
John,
What is the source of that door? I really like the looks of it (minus the weird mold lines your talking about).
This coming out very nicely. I like all the color and texture…particularly that door. Excellent start.
Doc Tom
Devon Sinsley said:
John,
What is the source of that door? I really like the looks of it (minus the weird mold lines your talking about).
Devon, I bought a box of doors and windows made from hand-made molds from somebody on this forum, in the Buy and Sell section, but I can’t remember who it was. I’ll look and see.
Okay, here is my update for my travelling Pay Station & Branch Line Manager’s Headquarters…
I started forming the walls and window openings on the first floor, complete with some headers and sills:
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build7.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build8.jpg)
And then I built the basic structure of the chimney than runs through the middle of the structure, out of nine scrap pieces of cut wood I had laying around; then I wrapped the basic structure in plastic brick sheet material, which I have plenty of onhand. Next I will paint the bplatic to look like brick and get to the next steps. I AM BEHIND EVERYBODY!@!! Everybody is so far along and the builds are so good. Yikes…I need to get moving!
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build9.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build10.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build11.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build12.jpg)
Man, I hope I haven’t bit off more than I can chew…I’m getting nervous.
I hope there’s no tunnels on your RR…
Wow. A very long chimney. That is really cool.
Tom
I love it!
That flue will have one heck of a draw 
Be careful that the Jet Stream doesn’t suck out your fire! 
That’s not a chimney it is the freakin’ tower of Babel!!! reaches straight to Heaven.
Looking good. Might not be able to run this one on a raised layout but not a problem really.
Here’s the latest progress on the travelling Pay Station & Branch Line Manager’s Headquarters.
I’ve never attempted to paint brick before, so go easy on me guys! I did a little test sheet to see what I could get going. My photography skills aren’t all that great, so there is a lot of variation in the color, which I think goes a long way to making it look believable, that I just can’t get to show up in pictures, but here it is, the test and a chimney detail:
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build14.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build15.jpg)
And then here’s my progress on the first floor roof rafters and the front and back elevation outer walls:
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build16.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build17.jpg)
(http://www.saintfrancisrailroad.com/images/build18.jpg)
And finally here’s a picture of the overall build…I think this would be a good time to clean off the workbench!
