More lengthened Sierra Coaches

[PeterT]

@Rooster

The side doors are cool but I honestly like the look without them.

That’s my feeling, but let’s see what other votes come in. It will mean a new floor as the existing has big slots for the doors. I should also add drop-downs over the steps like the ones on the Obs end.

I’m still cleaning up the joints in the body and roof. This pic is the roof vents getting a new color, and the green is a spray on one very small portion of the coach body!

Edit: after lunch - I took the coach in and removed the tape, etc.

As Mediocrates said, “Meh, good enough”. Time to get to work on the windows. The broken frame pieces are (hopefully) inside the coach taped to the nearest seat. I learned my lesson after the first one.

[PeterT]

Lots of little stuff getting done, so completion is closer. The windows are installed:

Those pesky broken window frames have to be rebuilt carefully and glued without frosting the glass/acrylic.

As we have 2 votes plus myself for leaving off the end doors, I cut some wood to fill the gaps in the floor.

Time to paint the roof. . .

[PeterT]

Well, while I was typing that prior post, the roof was drying. The paper underneath managed to blow onto the wet paint, and the joint is clearly going to need some work.

[PeterT]

I added more gap filler to the roof, and finished cleaning up the windows. While I was waiting for the filler to harden, I took the end off the Observation to remove the vestibule doors.

In the year or so since I built it, I forgot the steps weren’t exactly securely fixed. Anyone who has owned one of these knows the steps are very vulnerable and often get broken off. One side fell off when I took the end frame off, so I had to think of something to reinforce it. A brass strip was found in the bits box and cut to fit. It has screws to hold it in place.

Then I put the wood pieces in the slots to fill the gaps left by the doors and clamped the whole thing with extra glue.

[PeterT]

I finished reinforcing the step and discovered I’d knocked one of he marker lights. So I glued that and noticed yet another step had fallen off.

That is on the Observation platform, under the drop plate. So I dug in my parts as I know I have some spare steps. And I find I have 6 black and 3 green. I mentioned this before, I think.

Then I noticed, the steps on the Observation are all black. Hmmm . . . Do I really have 6 black ones? Yes! So one goes on the Obs,

Then 4 are put aside for the Combine, and there are 2 spares.

Several have faded gold beading - the RH one in this set had a bit of touch-up.

[Rooster]

@Rooster

@PeterT

@Rooster

ditch lights for the obs end of the car?

Highly unlikely. I’m debating lighting the marker lights on the Obs, but that’s about it.

OK, so you have not ruled out the HEP cabling, HVAC or high speed trucks!

This is good!!

Just glue it together, fill in the gaps as best as possible, add the HVAC under the car in turn supporting the seam, paint it platinum mist, black out the windows, slap on some high speed trucks and call it done!

I still think there are other possibilities.

Just reminding you ?

[PeterT]

This popped up in the B&O feed on Facebook today. Looks familiar!

"In 1887, Pullman invented The Sessions Vestibule to make passing between railcars safer. The vestibule was an elastic diaphragm mounted on a steel frame and held firm by powerful springs, which allowed the passenger to easily and safely walk right over the gap.
The enclosed vestibule was a notable upgrade to the unsafe passage between railcars that existed previously, and its flexible nature ensured that it would not inhibit the movement of the train around curves and turns. "

[PeterT]

4th or 5th attempt to get a good joint on the roof. I think it will do.

And some people crept in, including an officious looking guy who might be the Conductor.

The door on the Combine seems to be glued open, so I figured someone was needed.

[Rooster]

Pete,
I was looking at some old pics on how I seamed,supported, filled, hid ,etc. I stumbled on this and not jacking up the thread but I thought I would post it. These are both finished models I made however my thoughts are a matter how far you want to go with it that will satisfy you?

That was my thought on posting it.

Yes, I know it needs HEP cabling , ditch lites , HVAC ,etc.

[PeterT]

@Rooster

I was looking at some old pics

Was that the coach with the outside passage along the baggage end? Or an I thinking of the guy in South Australia?

My problem with this roof joint is that they are 2 different eras/generations of roof. One has a textured finish, and the other is smooth. I think they are very slightly different in size or profile so the joint just won’t fit cleanly. I could apply the belt sander but I’d still have a lot of cleanup.

If it bothers me down the road, I’ll find another couple of roof units and re-do it. (There’s a guy on Facebook selling parts, including roofs, for a ridiculous price.)

[Rooster]

@PeterT

@Rooster

I was looking at some old pics

Was that the coach with the outside passage along the baggage end?

Yes, The CVRR and the 1:1 is at Penn. RR Museum (Strasburg). The loco became CVRR Utility.

[PeterT]

So, moving right along, yesterday I suddenly realized it was almost finished, so I did a push to get the little bits done.

The underside needed the two pieces of frame, and a set of truss rods. And a set of steps. No switches, as I’m not adding lighting here.

Tricky getting the original queen posts to stay - I eventually resorted to Gorilla Glue.

Then, to install the end frame uprights, you put them in place and screw the tabs under the frame - you can see the screw holes. Turns out the ‘tabs’ push through the end frame from the outside - who knew? One of the frames had one broken and the other in place, and I found a tab piece in the box with all the other coach parts.

Having done all that, I turned it over and pushed the roof over the side name boards. At one point there was a ‘crack’ and the roof cracked at the joint and a piece of window popped off.

Fortunately the piece of window didn’t go far, and the crack only showed a little filler, so I painted the crack with acrylic, wiped off the excess, and glued back the window piece.

Then the trucks were added and the truss rods painted black.

Et voilà, c’est complet.

[Rooster]

That there in the bottom right of the picture CERTAINLY looks like Amtrak modeling equipment to me!
And don’t tell me all that tape is just to touch up the Roberts Line Zephyr either.
I bet if you panned that picture out a bit we would see HEP cabling laying on them modeling shelves as well.

I knew ya’ had it in ya’ Pete!!

Just Saying…

[PeterT]

@Rooster

all that tape is just to touch up the Roberts Line Zephyr

I wish. And I want a Wada live diesel version.

The tape is actually what Kevin Strong suggested as a roofing for coaches. At the time we were making EBT coaches, and the maestro, Jack Thompson, was using masking tape. The aluminum settles down nicely and takes flat black paint.

[PeterT]

And here they are in action on NaptownEng’s Spa Creek & McKendree RR.

Long Sierra-derived Coaches

Interestingly, they still fit the original boxes, as the box has 2 end pieces of styrofoam to cradle the platform, steps, etc. Can’t close the box though.

And one last pic on the SC&M.

And, as the cartoon says, that’s all folks! Though I am still eyeing those ends that I cut off. . .

[Eric_Mueller]

Those came out great! They were well worth the effort!

Eric

[Cliff_Jennings]

Echoing Eric, Pete, they sure did. And they look great behind that Hartland 4-4-0.

Jerry told me you’d outfitted the loco for sound and r/c, do you have a thread on that? Just curious.

[PeterT]

@Cliff_Jennings

outfitted the loco for sound and r/c

I certainly did and yes, there is a thread.
https://largescalecentral.com/t/the-rc-thread-w-pics-for-timmy/83652

[Rick_Marty]

That makes a great looking consist Pete. The coaches came out great.