Just started this little project, an HO scale model of Noah's Ark built to proportions outlined in the Bible. At 5'2" long, 6" tall and 10 3/8" wide (450'l x 75'w x 45'h) she's a bigun and an excellent tool to stand side by side with my Big Boy to give the kids an idea just how big this puppy was. Pictured is an HO scale model of an Americruiser tour bus for comparison. I will eventually skin it over with match sticks and a few other details and mount it on a module of its own.
My newest project...
- Thread starter shaygetz
- Start date
So, Bob, what's a cubit in HO scale?
Are you planning to leave the shape as a big box or make it more sea-worthy?
Are you planning to leave the shape as a big box or make it more sea-worthy?
Are you going to load it up with 2 of every kind of HO scale animal (and 7 of the sacrificial ones)?
I had no idea it was really that big!
Oh, and is that gopherwood aspenite you used?
I had no idea it was really that big!
Oh, and is that gopherwood aspenite you used?
Thanks guys, I am looking forward to this one, even with its limited use.
An HO cubit is 5.25mm, just shy of 3/16". While I'll have some animals on the module, I chose not to go too detailed on the interior as there simply isn't the time or money for that level of work. Gopherwood aspenite? We call it waferboard 'round these parts
It was cheap (read that free for the taking) and a little heavy but I'll simply keep it as a separate part of the module for transport.
An HO cubit is 5.25mm, just shy of 3/16". While I'll have some animals on the module, I chose not to go too detailed on the interior as there simply isn't the time or money for that level of work. Gopherwood aspenite? We call it waferboard 'round these parts
It was cheap (read that free for the taking) and a little heavy but I'll simply keep it as a separate part of the module for transport.
Bob, I think your going to have to have some special trucks built for that puppy.
In fact, your rail may be just a tad bit light also.
If you have any grade at all, I'm thinkin 1 big boy isnt going to do it.You may have to build the grandaddy of all helper districts.I'm thinking another dozen big boy's or better yet, 12 yellowstone M-6's
Man thats a biggun!!
Cant wait to see it done
In fact, your rail may be just a tad bit light also.
If you have any grade at all, I'm thinkin 1 big boy isnt going to do it.You may have to build the grandaddy of all helper districts.I'm thinking another dozen big boy's or better yet, 12 yellowstone M-6's
Man thats a biggun!!
Cant wait to see it done
Thanks, Robin, Tileguy...it has been fun wondering all the possibilities, i.e. What size the Schnabel car(s) would be to haul it? Just how many shays would it take to haul the lumber?...etc.
The school of thought that the design comes from is based on the original meaning of the word "ark". As a box or coffin, it wouldn't have been a cute little boat with smiling hephelumps and woozzles peeking out over the rails. A lecture I had listened to from a maritme engineer explained his studies into how simple and surprizingly sea-worthy the ark would likely have been. A man after my own heart when he pointed out that it could carry the contents of "8 freight trains of 65 cars each". Guess I can start my horsepower ratings for my fleet from there. :thumb:
Doing it in matchsticks gives me rough hewn lumber that would equal 14' 8x8s, beefy but easy enough for two guys to handle. Even with the lack of major detailing, the texture of the finish and the details that are there without embelishing the story as told, is a sight to behold and makes the work pass fairly quickly. 7,500 plus matches will be needed and I've found it much easier to glue them individually rather than apply the glue in a swatch and then place the matches in it.
>>>>"A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above;and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second and third stories shalt thou make it." Genisis 6:16
The door was placed at the second deck, framed out at 14 cubits square, using similar sized scale strip wood as the matches were too short. The window runs along the top, around the length of the ark, using bits of 1x1/3 cubit stripwood, set in to look like the ends of rafters. This represents the coverage of one box of matches and about an hour's work.
The school of thought that the design comes from is based on the original meaning of the word "ark". As a box or coffin, it wouldn't have been a cute little boat with smiling hephelumps and woozzles peeking out over the rails. A lecture I had listened to from a maritme engineer explained his studies into how simple and surprizingly sea-worthy the ark would likely have been. A man after my own heart when he pointed out that it could carry the contents of "8 freight trains of 65 cars each". Guess I can start my horsepower ratings for my fleet from there. :thumb:
Doing it in matchsticks gives me rough hewn lumber that would equal 14' 8x8s, beefy but easy enough for two guys to handle. Even with the lack of major detailing, the texture of the finish and the details that are there without embelishing the story as told, is a sight to behold and makes the work pass fairly quickly. 7,500 plus matches will be needed and I've found it much easier to glue them individually rather than apply the glue in a swatch and then place the matches in it.
>>>>"A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above;and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second and third stories shalt thou make it." Genisis 6:16
The door was placed at the second deck, framed out at 14 cubits square, using similar sized scale strip wood as the matches were too short. The window runs along the top, around the length of the ark, using bits of 1x1/3 cubit stripwood, set in to look like the ends of rafters. This represents the coverage of one box of matches and about an hour's work.
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Technically speaking, Noah's Ark on a railroad layout isn't exactly prototypical.
(Said the whiney nerd picking his nose with one hand while fingering his pocket protector with the other.)
(Said the whiney nerd picking his nose with one hand while fingering his pocket protector with the other.)
Zman said:
I'm reminded of a pastor friend's experience when he began a teaching series on Genesis. When he got to the part about Noah's Ark, he stepped out to the church parking lot to pace out the demensions, just to get a feel for its size. A neighbor saw him and, when curiousity got the best of him, he asked the pastor what he was doing. When the pastor told him, the neighbor paused for a long moment, then asked, "Uh, you're not thinkin' o' buildin' one o' those here, are ya?" :thumb:
There was a church some years back that started to build one but, I'm sure the local P&Z Commission nipped that one in the bud.
Borrowing a line from Billy Cosby, when the neighbour asked what the pastor was doing the pastor should have simply asked," how long can you tread water?"
Really neat project, Bob. Reminds me of building one when I was a kid for a sunday school project (not to scale)
Really neat project, Bob. Reminds me of building one when I was a kid for a sunday school project (not to scale)
Bob, that is one cool project. I had no idea how big the ark really was. Are you going to post a picture of it next to a Big Boy when it's finished?
I think I'm going to forego building an ark in O scale--it would be 9' 4.5" long, according to my calculations. It wouldn't FIT on my layout.
Thanks for sharing!
I think I'm going to forego building an ark in O scale--it would be 9' 4.5" long, according to my calculations. It wouldn't FIT on my layout.
Thanks for sharing!
Everyone,
Wonderful idea for a project. While i'm not exactly what some would call a dedicated christian (nor am i dedicated to any religion, for that matter), i do think that this is a pretty cool idea, just to get an idea of how big the ark could have been.
I just did some quick math in my head, and i figured that if i were to model an Ark in N-scale, it would be about 33.75 inches long, 3.25 inches tall and about 5.65 inches wide. Not too bad...heck, that'd fit on my engine facility addition
Later
AR
Wonderful idea for a project. While i'm not exactly what some would call a dedicated christian (nor am i dedicated to any religion, for that matter), i do think that this is a pretty cool idea, just to get an idea of how big the ark could have been.
I just did some quick math in my head, and i figured that if i were to model an Ark in N-scale, it would be about 33.75 inches long, 3.25 inches tall and about 5.65 inches wide. Not too bad...heck, that'd fit on my engine facility addition
Later
AR
Am I the only one who thinks a modern-day building of the Ark would make a great mini (or maxi) scene? Flatcars of gopher wood being delivered daily......
Great project, and I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing it compared to other "large" transportion equipment like a Big-Boy.
Great project, and I'm REALLY looking forward to seeing it compared to other "large" transportion equipment like a Big-Boy.
What the bible doesn't mention, and few know of it, is that Noah built the arc in his basement................................and yes, the door was too small ops:
ops:Thanks, guys. Once finished, it will be posed with a variety of locomotives and rolling stock, i.e How many tank cars of pitch it would have taken. How many flatcars of lumber. All with an HO Noah and Mrs. standing at the door and a DD40 at one side and a Big Boy at the other. This will be displayed at local Christian Academies and Homeschool groups. It is also a precusor to other naval projects, such as my next, a full scale model of the car ferry "Leonard" of the National Transcontinental Ry. Co. (now the CN). At 326 feet long, 67 feet wide with two decks 18' apart for the tidal changes involved on the St. Lawrence River, it'll be sweet :thumb:
I guess I've grown to desire industries and elements that can handle railroad sized loads. While I don't have the space, modular railroading seems to fit the bill well. My car ferry can, thru the use of two modules, interconnect two modular layouts from different clubs at different ends of a train show, trading near full sized branch line trains back and forth. Most of my current trackside industries would have to work overtime to fill a UPS truck much less a string of boxcars . While old Noah and his ark has a ministry mission as it's primary purpose, he's changed how I look at my modeling as well.
I guess I've grown to desire industries and elements that can handle railroad sized loads. While I don't have the space, modular railroading seems to fit the bill well. My car ferry can, thru the use of two modules, interconnect two modular layouts from different clubs at different ends of a train show, trading near full sized branch line trains back and forth. Most of my current trackside industries would have to work overtime to fill a UPS truck much less a string of boxcars
. While old Noah and his ark has a ministry mission as it's primary purpose, he's changed how I look at my modeling as well.