Large Scale Central

Snow Dozer Build

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

After making some progress, I figured I should start a thread if people are interested. I’m in the process of building a BN (ex GN) Snow Dozer. The model is the same one that I discussed in this thread. http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/22393/sad-news-for-gn-fans

When I was in St. Paul, MN doing my MA thesis work back in 2013, I was able to spend part of a day hunting down in the archives original GN drawings of the Snow Dozer. I hit the gold mine when I found a mostly full set of drawings. These drawings cover everything from the underframe detail, to the overall arrangement. Sadly, the archives didn’t have the major drawings I was hunting after (manly the front and side wing drawings), but I think I have enough information to proceed forward. As a challenge, I thought it would be interesting to build most everything to scale, or near scale. For instance 7/16" sheet steel translates roughly to 0.010" stock. Initially I was worried about the strength but so far it this process has proved to be quite rigid. I haven’t finished the underframe yet, but I hope to by the end of this week. This is version 3.0 for the underframe as 1.0, and 2.5 didn’t work out!

Here’s the prototype photo in BNSF orange. I’m planning on either BN green or GN red.

The model so far.

Thanks to Brian for making this image! It complies all the pictures I took into a single image.

View the full size below to see the detail in the drawing.

https://scontent-a-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/1491270_10152832497491912_3923535296723620007_o.jpg

I’m not sure how long it will take me to build this, but I’m trying to spend 10-15 minutes a day working on this as a way to relax and de-stress after teaching all day.

Good enough or strive to perfection. Apologies to Craig
#2

Oh way cool. I love odd ball ROW equipment. An while I can appreciate your desire to do either GN or BN colors that BNSF paint scheme is pretty bad A**. I can’t wait to watch this progress. I need for you to step that up to about 5 or 6 hours a day. I wont be able to wait that long.

#3

Devon Sinsley said:

Oh way cool. I love odd ball ROW equipment. An while I can appreciate your desire to do either GN or BN colors that BNSF paint scheme is pretty bad A**. I can’t wait to watch this progress. I need for you to step that up to about 5 or 6 hours a day. I wont be able to wait that long.

Well, I model 1971 BN, so BNSF isn’t even in the picture. That paint scheme came about during the last rebuild. The teeth last about 2 years before the upper managers got PO’ed about it. Same with the Calvin peeing on the snow decal (Posted on the other thread). A few other Dozers have had teeth painted on them as well, but it never lasted.

#4

That’s to bad. Sometimes people take themselves to seriously. Because it just looks mean like it is ready to chew up some snow. All it needs is a pinup girl on the side

#5

Yeah, some 8th Air Force nose art would be 'way cool!

#6

The teeth on the old P-40’s was really cool… One of the best noce art’s made…

#7

Nice workon the dozer.

Chuck

#8

I’m trying to spend 15-20 minutes a day working on this. I got the bolsters drilled and cut out last night, so hopefully this evening I can finish those up and start working my way toward the “A” end. All those little bits take time to cut out and glue and they are just going to be covered up in the future! I ask myself why??? I first thought about replicating all the centersill detail around the bolsters, but quickly decided that it wasn’t worth the effort to be covered up by the webplates. But I’ll try to add as much draft gear detail as I can.

Figuring out how to replicate the interesting weathering patterns will be a challenge as well. I’m thinking about experimenting first with the ‘hair spray’ method on some scrap.

#9

Craig,

I demand 5-6 hours a day. Your progress is to slow. . . :wink:

#10

Cool!

Keep us posted on the progress

#11

You are off to a good start Craig. Will you be ready to test it by the end of the winter?

#12

I doubt that this one will actually see real snow, as I expect it to be really really light. I’m building it more as a display/test model. I really want to build one out of brass (gives it strength and a bit more weight) but I’m not sure that a: I have the skills required to build it out of brass, and b: not all of the styrene shapes I’m using are available in brass. So far with just part of the structural members in place on the frame, I think it would be strong enough to plow. I built version 1.0 about 4-5 years ago before I had these drawings and I ended up using 2 USAT locomotive weights to get enough weight to plow wet snow that is so famous in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains (AKA Cascade Concrete).

The other reason for the build is to see how much room is available inside for servo’s, etc to make the plow work. Hence my reasoning to build two models; styrene for display and show as the only models of these Snow Dozers exist in HO scale brass, and then the second one with brass. If I ever get to the brass one (or make another one out of styrene) it would likely have a lot less detail because I know it would break off in the snow, which again causes me to lean towards something out of brass…

Update with no pics. Got all of the crossbearers finished, along with the bolsters. Currently adding 3/16" Z channel for stringers and a few C Channels. Then it’s a slow process to add all of frame details. After the frame is finished I’ll post more pictures.

#13

Enjoy reading these project threads !!

doug c

p.s. maybe teeth on all their locomotive standard snowplows would have people second guessing themselves before cutting in front of trains … you will die !!! Majority of suits if they ever were … forget what it was like on the frontlines of whatever business they are involved in imho

#14

Craig,

Just found this…too busy doing things I guess.

It looks like you’re doing good.

10-15 minutes is hardly anything but sometimes it’s the only way…and more importantly it does add up over time…then again doing anything is better than doing nothing!

By the way…7/16 (.4375) is .015 in 1/29…and I know there is a difference between working with .010 styrene vs. .015

Keep at it!

#15

Brian,

Yep, bu when you measure 0.010" sheet, I seem to average out at 0.012-13" and with 0.015" sheet 0.016-0.018"…I’ve reset and remeasured more than once with the calipers. I’m amazed at the difference between 0.010" and 0.020" sheet.

With so many different sheet thickness, I had to stick to using 0.010, 0.015", 0.020" and 0.030" as my ‘standard’ sizes. It’s not perfect but it works!

#16

Craig, yea I use dimensional lumber in my builds. I mean that I use the nearest 1/32nd of an inch to approximate “scale” lumber. With the sizes we are talking about, both you in your very fine build, and me in my more crude builds, it works out close enough.

#17

An I am an american boy yet I convert just about everything to MM

#18

Okay, so some of you might have thought that I was joking about only having a few minutes to work on this a day… Last nights accomplishment was making a 3" square hole in a 6" C Channel… I was quite happy. In fact I might have spent more time typing this post than I had time to work on this last night! :wink:

#19

Finally finished the underframe of this Snow Dozer, and have started on building up the rest of the frame. I already need to do a new order of styrene as I’m out of 3/16" Z channel. The only details that I didn’t add to the underframe were all of the associated airbrake parts and any detail that projected beyond the sidesill. By keeping the side sill relatively flat I can use it to build up the rest of the car frame. The top side of the frame is really boring, 0.010" overlay with angle. The question I’m asking myself is do I build the rest of the carbody out of solid .100" stock, or do I keep going with this insanity and build the carbody out of individual pieces of channel?

#20

Craig, you’re doing an outstanding job. I love the detail. I admire your 15 minute rule. It will pay off in the end.

As for switching to brass, aside from the expense of material I’d invest in a resistance soldering unit for that kind of work. Having made the investment it should be a breeze. I’ve been doing some fairly advanced soldering on my first project, and am pretty pleased with the results. I haven’t even took the plunge and purchased a resistance unit yet, I’m just using a torch. Your skills will translate well.

Keep up the great work !