Large Scale Central

WSRR 2021 Mik's Build Challenge Fuel Tank

The MIK - Annual Build Challenge
#1

This year the boys in the shop are going to build an elevated fuel tank for the oil burning engines of the Brown Dog Timber & Logging Co. RR. Its my understanding that they intend to repurpose an old tin can tank car and simply put it about 20 feet high on a couple trestle bents. They will also have to build a small pump house. The initial sketch is shown below. Formal drawings to follow.

The obligatory “tin can” below. Will use 2 of these and it will result in a tank that holds about 2,000 gallons in 1:20.3. The resulting flat car will be about 20-22 feet long. The flat car in the background was being used for scale purposes to get the right size can. I’ll build a new flat car for this project.

EDITED: To add can photo.

#2

I like it. But I am trying to figure out how you are going to 3D print an authentic metal soup can

#3

The can was easy, the label not so much (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

#4

Shoot, Dan, if this guy can do it, you can (should find another word for can!):

Nice choice of builds, too.

#5

As promised, here is the current formal drawing. The flat car is 20 feet in length and is about 20 feet in the air. I’ll add details as I go. The ends and center of the tank will be 3D printed. Comments, criticisms and suggestions always welcome and appreciated.

#6

I have questions, Dan:

  • How come the diagonals on the bents are the same direction on each side of the bent? Aren’t they usually the opposite direction (making an X shape) to aid in the stability?
  • How come the diagonals between the bents (that ARE in an X shape) are on the same side? Are they curved a bit so they pass each other? Why not have one on the inside of the bent and the other on the outside?

Inquiring minds want to know. Well, one mind does.

#7

Jim Rowson said:

I have questions, Dan:

  • How come the diagonals on the bents are the same direction on each side of the bent? Aren’t they usually the opposite direction (making an X shape) to aid in the stability?
  • How come the diagonals between the bents (that ARE in an X shape) are on the same side? Are they curved a bit so they pass each other? Why not have one on the inside of the bent and the other on the outside?

Inquiring minds want to know. Well, one mind does.

Just making sure someone was paying attention (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)Good catch on the need for opposing diagonals. That’s what happens when one gets in a hurry. I’ll fix that tomorrow. The top most diagonal between the bents is sitting on blocking. It’s hard to see, but it’s there. Why did I not just put it on the other side? I don’t know, I guess I just chose the easiest thing to do in the next five minutes.

Thanks for pointing out the error of my ways (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#8

Dan… Will that straddle a track, ( bent on each side ) or sit parallel?

I think you will need to add a sanding " tower " built onto/into that tower.

#9

Dave Taylor said:

Dan… Will that straddle a track, ( bent on each side ) or sit parallel?

I think you will need to add a sanding " tower " built onto/into that tower.

Dave, my current plan is for it to sit parallel to the track. A sand house and tower are on my to do list but I need to do some research to better familiarize myself with its innerworkings before I tackle it.

#10

Inner workings??? Are you going to Dunakin* it and make it operational ???

  • Dunakin something , to make things so lifelike and awesome , you expect them to operate or move on their own. See also any project by Ray Dunakin to get the full idea.
#11

Dan, a sanding facility for a diesel maintenance facility will be a drying shed, a pneumatic conveyor pipe to move the dry sand to the overhead hopper, and overhead hopper with a valve and hose/pipe to convey the sand to the loco by gravity. The only working part is the valve, which is usually a butterfly type valve. Supports and an access ladder and small platform for servicing the valve. Not much to it.

#12

Pete, I can assure you I do not have Dunakin skills (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif). So no innards.

Bob, thanks for that quick lesson. Sounds simple enough, but it will have to wait for another time.

Here is the latest rendition of the elevated fuel tank. I have fixed the issues that Jim pointed out last evening and added the pump house and some of the required piping. I still need to add the fill piping and hose, valves, ladder and a few other odds and ends.

#13

Tank temporarily assembled. Not sure how I feel about the corrugations (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

#14

Character. They add character. Adding extra work to remove or hide them would remove character. So there…

#15

What Jim said, or you can just call it an accordian tank that can accomodate different amounts of fuel(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#16

Thanks Jim, Rick. I like both ideas. I’m sure once I get it painted and weathered they will be a little less “in your face” (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

#17

I actually like the corregatuons

#18

Dan,

After I saw the tank riding the flat car, I thought, “Drat! We should’ve done a captured Japanese mini-sub!” On a serious note, we’ve been contemplating something similar for Diesel Dan, so I appreciate the “how to.”

Eric

#19

Eric, I never thought about a sub but with a little redesign of the 3D printed parts and one could certainly have a believable submarine. I’ll have to put that one on the future project list.

#20

Shop crew got all the wood cut for the flat car and trestle bents today. Had hoped to get the frame of the flat car glued up this afternoon but that didn’t happen because some dumbass cut the dados for the sill beams on the wrong face. So I’ll have to re-cut those 2 and then I can get it glued up. The pump house will have corrugated metal for the roof and siding. Got all that cut and run through my homemade crimper. I would get better looking corrugations if I would take the time to anneal the steel first but I am just not set up to do that.