Kitbashed Logging train mrc may85

Kitbashed logging train Building an inexpensive logging train/Robert Turner

he May, 1985.>RMC/Dremel Kitbashing Award goes to Robert Turner, of Victoria, British Columbia, for his freelanced logging train.

Bob is a logging expert, dhd authored our Pacific Coas t Logging series, which appeared in the January, February, March and April, 1984 issues of RMC. Here is how he built his train.

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ne of my aims in the recent Pacific Coast Logging series was to suggest that modeling the logging lines, particularly the diesel era operations, need not be a particularly expensiv_e project. Now I would like briefly to describe some fairly straightforward conversions of readily available plastic locomotives and rolling stock for logging service. All of the models I built are HO s-tandard gauge, but the same techniques, with some modifications, could be used in other scales as well .

- As I noted in the Logging series, you don 't have to be modeling logging exclusively to add some of this equipment to your layout. Logging companies would interchange equipment with the large common carriers or in some cases 56

obtained trackage rights and operated their own cars and locomotives on the common carriers. As a result, the conversions outlined here could fit in well on just about any model railroad with a Pacific Coast setting.

The equipment I rebuilt consists of two locomotives and a variety of flat cars and a caboose. Overall, I have tried to create a con sistency in the general appearance of the equipment even where there were significant differences between the locomotives and cars themselves. The logging companies often rebuilt used equipment to fill their needs, but on larger operations, at least, a family appearance developed . Let 's begin with the locomotives- a General Motors SW1200 and a Baldwin 812.

SW1200 Conversion My unit is a rebuilt Athearn switcher ba sed generally on Canadian Forest Products and Georgia Pacific units for the prototypes. 1 did not attempt to make my conversion an exact replica of a particular locomotive. Instead, I decided to try to capture the general character of these interesting diesels.

The conversion is an interesting one, but not complicated. The main features of the work are adding the dynamic brake housing, air tanks and modifying the fuel tanks. Minor details complete the transition to logging service. I worked from photos of the units so I had to estimate dimensions, but they seem close. I began by cutting away the back of the hood in front of the cab to make room for the dynamic brake housing. It measures 5'-0" in length and 3 '3" high. The structure was built from .020" sheet styrene with the top laminated from three layers to provide enough thickness so that the top edges could be rounded. Interior baffles were built from styrene and the screens were made from fine wire mesh I found in my scrap box. I built up a fan for the top of the housing, but if I were doing it again I would use a Details West 36-inch cabtop cooling fan casting. The louvers on the housing were made from .001" styrene applied individually.

Before I did any further detail work, I removed all of the east-on grab irons, being careful to leave the bolt heads intact. Next, I carefully removed the MAY 1985

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Nlilt\h©.§Ih\nilli~ &~S\rrdl ~0000

AT LEAST $25 and a Dremel Moto- Fiex Tool are aw ard e d to competttton wtnners To be e ltgtble . en-

lnes musl cons1st of two or more 8x 10 glossy black· and- whtt e photos {ongtnal colo r transoarenctes may

also be subm1t1ed w1th lhe B&W pnnls) o f a k1tbash· ed ratlroad model utthzmg currently-avatlable comme rc ta l parts for over 50% of tts constructton En· tnes not JUdged potent tal wtnners may be used 1n Boomer Trail. Include re turn envP.Iope and postag e

small air tanks under the frame, which are part of the body castings. Using a razor saw, I cut off the tanks, being particular not to remove the main pieces of plastic behind the tanks which help to secure the body to the cast metal frame of the modeL I then built new fuel and water tanks using styrene layers, shaping them with files to achieve the correct contours.

The prototype units were built with underbody fuel and water tanks. The water was used for track washers which reduced fire danger and washed sand off the rails behind the locomotive to reduce friction under the rolling stock.

Canadian Forest Products has replaced

The completed SW1200 (above and page 56) is shown in logging service. A diesel of this type would fit in on just about any logging railroad set from the 1950s to the present. The Baldwin switcher (be/ow) was the simplest of the author's two diesel conversions .

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this feature by using tank cars for sprinkling the tracks. On three of the CFP units, some of the tank space once used for water is being used to give the engines enlarged fuel capacity. The net result as far as my model is concerned was an enlarged underbody tank.

The roof-top air tanks were built from plastic tubing I had on hand with the ends rounded and then filled with body putty. Plastic rods would work just as well and suitable commercial castings are available. The tanks sit on two small cradles but before they were mounted permanently, I added a Details West bell (part N o. 128) to the top of the hood. It sits rather snugly be-

tween the air tanks. By this point the unit was beginning to look more like a logging locomotive, but there were still many small details to add. I next added piping to the air tanks and short extensions, made from plastic tubing, to the exhaust stacks.

I modified the headlight on the Athearn shell to a dual light by cutting out the single light and inserting two small pieces of tubing, but a preferable procedure would be to replace the headlight entirely with a Details Associates Pyle dual headlight (part No. 1011).

Next, I added all the grab irons using formed brass wire.

The handrailings followed. I substi-

Canadian Forest Products No. 301 is a typical General Motors switcher modified for logging service. The main features are road trucks and dynamic brakes. M'ÂĽ'Y smaller fittings complete the conversion from yard switcher to logging road engine. The cl ose-up (/eft) shows the dynamic brake housing . Note also the ladd er and fi re pump .

tuted a finer brass wire for the material supplied with the Athearn kit but retained the stanchions. I modified the stanchions slightly by trimming off about 1/Js inch from the end that is bent around the hand railings. I find this looks better,although it makes them a little more awkward to handle. The overall arrangement of the handrailings was modified slightly, as can be seen in the photos.

I then added many of the small details, including multiple unit connections made from Detail Associates m.u. receptacles, a small styrene block as the base and two short lengths of brass wire to support the stand. Kemtron

SW1200 modifications Not to scale

(now Precision Scale N o.48209) hooks, a Cal-Scale five chime air horn (No. 316),a radio antenna made from styrene (or Detail Associates Sinclair Type No. 1803), awnings made from styrene (or Detail Associates No. 1301 cab sunshade), and drop steps (again scratch built, or Detail Associates No. 1401) were all added to the model. The coupler lift bars were formed from wire, and I used lift rings to secure them to the pilots.

I also built a small ladder for the right hand side of the hood. This was simply made from wire and soldered together.

The small handheld fire pumps for the unit were built from brass 1/s inch tubing with handles, hoses and pump handles made from brass wire and soldered on. The extra ditch lights on the Canadian Forest Products Limited units were an appealing feature,and I wanted

to add these to my model. I tried several techniques,but the one I settled on used MV Products lenses as the basis. I made small brass brackets which incorporated a mounting pin and then epoxied the lens to the brackets. The whole assembly was then glued to the plastic body shell. The mounting pin made the joint quite strong.

Final details included air hoses and some minor changes to the footboards.

I built up styrene blocks and filed them to form a small pilot between the footboards. I made these fit tightly since I did not want to glue them in place to facilitate removing the body shell if required.

A modification that I did not make to my unit that would be worth considering is changing the truck sidefnimes to a Flexicoil pattern. Castings are now available from both Juneico and Trackside Parts that would make the conversion a simple task. These trucks were used on Canfor's original three units but not on the Coos Bay/Georgia Pacific diesels. Additional truck details can include a tray for tools and re-rail frogs. I'll discuss the painting and lettering of the unit shortly after I describe the Baldwin conversion.

Baldwin 512 conversion

ARTWORK GEORGE LOSSE

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The Baldwin was a much simpler modification and did not involve any major changes to the plastic Athearn shell. My goal with this model was to build a freelance Baldwin S12 fitted with typical logging locomotive appliances and equipment. Generally, I used Crown Zellerbach Canada's V01000 No. 7128 as a basis. However, without very major modifications to the hood, I could not model it exactly. Features from Rayonier and Canadian Pacific Baldwins also contributed to my model.

One thing that troubled me about the Athearn unit was the clear plastic inMAY 1985

Kitbashed logging train

The major modifications , which included the addition of the dynamic brake housing , roof-top air tanks, and enlarged fuel tank, as well as the extension of the exhaust stacks, can be clearly seen in the photo (above) of the unpainted model. A view of the left side of the SW1200 (be/ow) shows the two fire pumps near the cab.

sert for the cab windows. Its position gave the cab walls an unrealistically thick cross-section so I removed the insert. I'll explain later how I replaced the ass. The other problem with the unit, d it is a common one with most thearn hood units and switchers, is width of the hood. To accommodate motor, it is made about one foot too e. fit would be possible to cut out 路 extra material and replace the mo. but I decided to overlook the probIt did cause one complication later I added extra handrails to the which I will explain shortly. began by removing most of the castgrab irons and then drilling holes to illtl:oDilDlodate new formed wire ones I attached with ACC. Details next and I replaced the stack with R Baldwin stack casting from Minby Eric. The DRS4-4-1000 and ~ .-1000 units CP used for many 路ancouver Island had these t.acks and I felt one would home on my logging unit. a Detail Associates five M5 air horn (No. 1602) air radio antenna to the - l CRAFTSMAN

cab roof. This was followed by a CalScale tender tool box (No. 205) cemented to the top of the hood, just behind the stack.

Generally, the handrails were patterned after Crown Zellerbach 's 7128. I used the Athearn stanchions modified as noted in the SW1200 conversion, and

once again, I replaced the Athearn railings with finer brass wire. Some new mounting holes had to be drilled and some existing ones filled to conform to the new arrangement I wanted. On the front, I soldered on three hooks to accommodate the cable which was carried on the front end of the unit. I added an inside handrail using Precision Scale turned stanchions on the hood and this looked fine until I realized that it would take a pretty thin engineer to walk between the two hand railings. The narrow spacing was caused primarily by the oversize Athearn hood but fortunately, it is only obvious when viewed from some angles . I could have removed the inner railings, but decided for now, at least, 路I would leave them since the Crown Zellerbach diesel had them.

Other details included a new numberboard and \>-isors on the headlights, air hoses, pilots (as described previously) to fit between the foot boards, cab window shades and a re-rail frog mounted on one of the trucks. The unit was then ready for painting. Both diesels were cleaned and then airbrushed with Floqui! reefer yellow, which approximates the colors used by Canadian Forest Products and other forest companies on their equipment. The underframes and trucks were hand painted with Scalecoat 's graphite and oil to give a weathered silver appearance. The cab roofs were painted tuscan red. I brushed gloss coat on the vertical surfaces and, after it had dried, applied the decals.

Mine were done from individual Microscale letters. After they were 路fixed and dry I gave them a protective coating of clear semi-gloss prior to weathering. I weathered both units with the airbrush using several light dustings of primer, mud and weathered black. The black was pretty well confined to the top of the hood and cab. Before the weather-

Among the details added to the Baldwin 512 to give it that "logging look " are the cable wrapped around the front handrails, the headlight visor, rerail frog and tool box .

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Kitbashed logging train

Channels were cut into the decking of an Athearn 40-foot flat car for the rail bracing and log bunks on car 267 (top). The completed car, prior to weathering and the addition of bark, is shown above. Log car 511 (be/ow) was constructed in the same way as the 267, with the exception of an additional log bunk which was added in the center of the 50· foot car. Notice that the completed model has a liberal application of bark and weathering . Prototype log cars see very heavy service and many show the results of rough treatment: broken decking , damaged sides, and bent fittings .

quite complete and provide details for several variations. The bunks could also be used on modern. steel fran1ed skeleton type cars. I followed the Details West instructions for mounting the bunks and then gave the car an over· spray of tuscan red and weathering followed by the usual bark treatment. The car was given a high number to distin· guish it from the earlier cars equipped with drop stakes.

Now, a note on the painting and weathering. All of the cars. as mentioned, were sprayed with tuscan red as a base color. Log cars get pretty heavy use, but they still have to be well main· tained and functional . I wanted weath62

ering to show use, but not neglect. I gave the cars a light spraying of Floquil mud, particularly around the running gear and then sprayed on a light dust· ing of engine black. I did some hand work on the plastic decks of the first two cars to gi ve th em a weathered wood appearance and, as mentioned, I stained the wooden deck of the third car with a wash of paint thinner. Overall, the effect was not quite right by simple air brushing so, as on the locomotives, 1 used a brush, wet with paint thinner, to wash down the sides of the car. ln some places I let the thinner sit for a minute and then blotted it off, while in others,! wiped it down quickly with the brush.

The result was that the weathering colors concentrated around the stake pockets and other detail areas and was le evident on the flat vertical surfaces. In some places the thinner lifted and bli · tered the base coat which gave the cars a slightly rusted look.

If you are building a number of car . it would be a good idea to vary t he amount of weathering . The logging companies normally rotated their equipment through the car shops so some cars would be in much newer looking condition than others.

Finally, I would likl' to turn to thecaboose. I built mine ;mme years ago and it follows fairly cl6sely a car that was used by Macmillan Bloedel at Chemainus, B.C. Drawings and photos of this car were included in the April , 1984, issue of RMC . At the time I built the model, I did not have complete dimensions for the caboose, so there are a few minor di screpancies. This particular caboose was in use untill969 , and I saw it in operation many times so it was natural to want t o include a model of it in my logging equipment. This type of caboose was not designed for long hauls where the crew would be needing much accommodation. It was really jus t intended as shelter for the brakeman and conductor who rode the train down to the log dump over a switchback. Because of this, the caboose was some· times at the front of the train and as a res ult, had an air horn to signal for grade cross ings. Similar transfer cabooses are used on longer hauls, but they normally include some be,tter ac· commodations for the crew , notably se at s a nd windows. The mod el is scratch buil t with the only commercial parts being Kadee trucks and coupler::,.

Overall , it was not a very complicated proj ect, but I enjoyed it and found it re· warding.

I won 't go into great detail on the construction of this car. Dimensions can be taken from the drawings. The car has a steel fran1e, so I formed mine from s trip wood t o represent a heavy "I " beam . To this I cemented truck bolsters also made from stripwood, formed to shape. I notched the center beam to allow for Kadee coupler pockets at each end. The end sill s and side beams came next and onto this assembly I added the 2" X 12 " decking. I drilled holes and added nut, bolt and washer castings as shown in the photos and drawings.

The cab was' built as a separate unit with a wooden frame of scale 2"X 4"s glued on 16-inch centers to form the walls. Card stock, representing ply· wood, was used for the outside sheath· ing. The roof was formed the same way except that I shaped the supports to follow the slope of the roof. With the baMAY 1985

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A CP log car (/eft) was used as the basis for t he conversion of car 364 (left center). The 364 has no decking at all. Its interesting f eatures include the short logs placed across the car to cushion the car against the impact of logs being loaded onto the flat car. No . 900 (bo ttom left) is a modern 50-foot car and represents log cars used on lines where the loads of logs are lifted on and off the cars. The stakes for reta ining the loads are f ixed in position unlike the ones used on t he other cars which drop, allowing the logs to be dumped .

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ic cab completed, I set it aside until I was ready to install it on the car body.

Detailing the caboose followed . This included making steps, coupler pockets a nd railings from brass. I made up mall jigs for these and soldered the oints to give them strength. ACC glue ould work well, too. The air horn was · t from brass wire and shim shock al• ough a commercial casting would be e. With the addition of trucks, cour . a brake cylinder (I did not add plete underbody detailing). and coulift bars, the car was basically comand ready for painting.

The car was painted reefer yellow • grey decking and cab roof. Under-

body detail s and the trucks are bl ack. I painted the cab inside. too, since I wanted to leave the door oprn and add a few additional detail s. Th ese were a stove and wood box . Some stools would be quite appropriate, too. The smoke

jack was made from brass tubing with the cover on the top formed from a small piece of shim stock and wire.

These were soldered together for strength. I added a few final details like a rope attached to the coupler lift pin so a crew member could uncouple the car from onboard, a small rope attached to each door to tie them back and the air line with bracket to the air horn. That completed the little caboose. It is the kind of homemade rolling stock that makes the Jogging railroads so interesting to model.

Modeling this logging equipment provided a lot of enjoyment and some interesting puzzles to work out in the process. The equipment was not expensive to model and would fit into a model set at any time from the 1950s to the 1980s (the exception being the car with the fixed high stakes which would be more appropriate to the 1960s and later.) Individually. the models did not take a great deal of time to build so it is not unreasonable to duplicate any of the cars in quantity to provide enough rolling stock for a convincing operation.

Don 't feel that any of these models needs to be followed to the letter; I'm suggesting them as ideas to work from .

I hope you have found these projects interesting and wi!J be tempted to add some logging equipment to your modeling. Even if you don't want to model logging exclusively, there is no reason why a logging train could not operate over just about any Pacific Coast railroad's trackage. cs

nsfer caboose was based on a MacBioedel prototype used on Vancou nd . Drawings and photos of this car ed in the April, 1984 issue of RM C. .~OD E L

CRAFTSMAN

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