Vulcan industrial loco

Since I am moving slowly on the steam pump company model I thought I would post some industrial locomotive equipment.  First is an early (perhaps about 1920) 24-inch gauge Vulcan "friction drive" gasoline locomotive intended for industrial use.  The friction drive was apparently accomplished by rollers driven by the engine's motor which then pressed on the drivers and moved them by friction.  Seems kind of clunky to me but the premise was to achieve a powerful, low speed drive.  This loco was 3 1/2 ton and had a sheet steel canopy, probably to protect the engineer from falling industrial detritus such as crushed rock, coal, etc.

I saw a more modern vulcan loco in operation at a stone quarry in Virginia about 20+ years ago.  It also had a sheet steel cover over the loco.  This loco is a diesel providing perhaps an 80 year span for somewhat similar locos.

I doubt I will ever build a model of either of these but I find them interesting.

Steam pump co details

I have completed a few interior details - shelving loaded with "stuff" and the office.  The shelves were made with card stock and the stuff on the shelves is mostly scraps.  The commercial equivalents are all molded including the stuff on the shelves so they tend to look blobby to me.  I did notice the shelves look a little rough in the blown up photo but "in person" it looks just fine.

I also detailed the exterior of the office.  I am not sure I will bother detailing the interior of the office as it is not visible and there will not be a light inside of it.

I added a clock and a fire extinguisher as well as an office sign over the door.  The large office window allows management to keep an eye on the work out side and the small window on the left is open with a small counter for interaction with the workers.

I am working on the design for a traveling crane inside the building.  It seems the design phase of my scratch building always takes more time than the construction phase, and since I mostly make up this stuff as I go along this is going slow.  It is all fun though.

Steam pump co - interior start

All walls are essentially complete and the windows are installed, less the tilt-out panes, which will be installed near the end of the project to avoid breakage.  I have started on the interior.

The near wall above is the removable wall, held to the main structure by the corner trim.

In the above interior photo the ramp and platform on the left is for moving products out through the door (door not yet installed).  Next to the left side doorway is a shelving made from card stock.  I have not yet placed any items on the shelves.  On the right side is the office and to the left of the office is a workbench.   Near the front of the floor is one of the machines for manufacturing the pumps.  All of the belt driven machinery will be adjacent to the removable wall.

The photo below is an example of belt driven machines in a 1920s vintage manufacturing facility.

This model is similar in some ways to the box factory I built some time ago.  

Steam pump company progress - slow

I have completed the four walls for my steam pump company, three of which are attached and connected to the floor.  The fourth wall, while basically complete, is not attached as the plan is to have it removable to view the interior of the structure.

Thus far the entire structure is made from styrene including the inside floor.  I have not yet installed the windows.  There will also be internal bracing that will simulate structural components.

The process of scratch building based on my own imagination always leaves open the possibility of running into situations where I need to adjust for problems I may encounter.  That always seems to occur so I expect this model will have its own challenges.

I have also built some SS Ltd belt driven machinery used to build the steam pumps.  I have not yet painted the machines.

This machinery will be installed on the side of the structure with the removable wall for best visibility.  That also means I will only need to install one line shaft for the belt drive system.   The power will be supplied by an external steam plant to be built later.

The construction process has been slowed by the inevitable spring lawn work.  Yesterday I spent several hours trimming some pyracantha bushes growing beside our deck.  They have been growing for 20 years and were way too big.  The bad thing about pyracantha is they have very large and sharp thorns.  The result is my arms have multiple cuts ( I did wear gloves).  They are attractive and the birds enjoy hiding in them.  Many of the plants we installed years ago have grown way beyond what we anticipated.

Steam pump company model start

I have started on my steam pump company model.  The start has been slow for several reasons.  This past winter has been awful but at least it left me lots of time inside to do model work.  Now that spring is here - sort of - I have a lot of work to do outside in the yard.  Also, since I am constructing the structure mainly from styrene parts, my design work has been more complex.  I looked at using some of the DPM modular parts but did not like the look.  I then considered using some hydrocal brick sections but felt that would be more complex.  I finally selected some sheets of styrene brick siding about 1/16th inch thick.  I have just enough to do the model.  I then constructed a card stock mock-up to get the right size.  My inspiration for this model was the following early 1900s photo.

The structure in the photo is of a much larger shop than what I am building but I like the looks, so I will try to emulate it in much smaller form.   My shop will not include an inside rail track as my version is too small for that to make sense. 

I have cut out the main walls and am in the process of cutting the window and door openings.  As you can see by the unfinished wall I first draw the outline of the opening then drill lots of holes around the inside of the opening finally using the drill bit like a router to cut the piece free.  I then use an Exacto knife to cut to the edge of the opening, then use a fingernail file to finish it up.  

The foreground section is in progress.  The next one back has completed window openings and two brick columns from the DPM parts.  The back piece is the lower part of one end.  A window casting by Tichy is leaning against the wall.  One of the walls will be removable to allow viewing of the detailed interior.  

I am also working on assembling some SS Ltd machine tools for inside the structure.  

This model will take some time, but the process is the enjoyment - most of the time.