on that rio grande models page scroll up as well as down to see more of the cool stuff that Eric m makes for us!
That's a great site Bill. thank you.Ok I found a source for the working brass ones like I used, let me see if the link takes
http://www.modelexpo-online.com/sea...875&SKW=block+deadeyes@&PAGLEN=20&STARTPAGE=4
That didn't go directly, but cut & pasted into the broser it went right there.
Bill
Thanks Bill. Another good site.Now for more detailed , but not operational blocks here is the rio grande models page, you have to scroll way down to get to the blocks, much very cool stuff here . If you havn't played with this stuff you owe it to yourself to get some of this stuff. Warning, Craftsman kits! These will stretch your skills, if they arn't stretched allready. His Dohlbeer kit taught me how to make a skid.
My big donkey project has one of his extended firebox boilers, the mine hoist engine (altered), and the three drum hoist (also altered)
the two and three drum hoists are from ditchers, and are sized for loaders; The drums are too small for a road skidder, or a high lead skidder.
The quality of these white metal casting are the best I have encounterd in 30 + of modeling
http://www.riograndemodels.com/HO.htm#Parts
Wow Bill, you are really going at it!!! That Surry Parker model will be neat. I am honored to get a replica too!!! Thanks.The cold weather came in yesterday, My wife is working Today and Tommorow @ the Children's Hospital ( she is a nurse on the Cardiology floor @ Vanderbilt Childern's) With nobody but me , the dogs (a Dane, a saint, and a Llassa), I don't have the stoves fired up enough to get the heat to the family room, and have moved some operations into the kitchen, since there is no one around to complain about that.
In the donkey shop annex, I have worked some more on the donkey water tanks kitbashed from plate girder bridge sections, and have started cutting lumber for the very long threatened Surry-Parker loader/skidders.
Tom and I have had great interest in these, as the Little River Lumber co. used them. The Little River railroad operated up into the smokies. If you have been to the Tennessee side of the park, you have been on Little River Lumber Co. land. that operation , along with the Ghrahm County Railroad, are huge influences on both the C & S and the DG CC & W. Our long assosiation has improved our various skills, and given us lots of idea's; but our primary inspiration was shared from the start.
As an Aside, WHISTLE OVER THE MOUNTAIN, a book about the lumber company, and the railroad, people, and places associated with it is about to go out of print. If you model eastern logging (and shouldn't we all) this is an invaluable resource, buy it now, prices of out of print books get stupid quick.
Back to the donkey shop annex! The Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazzette (if you model narrow gauge, logging, mining or turn of the century this magazine is a crucial resource.- It is aimed at the builder, has plans and articles on how to build stuff; a big difference from the dream it, plan it buy it theme found in the mainline hobby press) had an article on Surry Parker Loader/skiders a ways back. the best I can figure the plans were for a 3 foot gauge design, so there will be some needed adjustments. Also the plans were for a single drum model, and I wanted a double drum model ( Mine needs to go in Terrapin to load for the Big Donkey there, and that additional boom will be nessesary to get the logs up that **** ram to the loading platform-- if life is easy, you're probably doing something important wrong): But I believe I can Get from here to there, as the differences between the models
anyway, here is a pic of the frame timbers (I'm departing from exact scale, as empty log cars will go under this contraption, it is going to have to be strong to survive an operating model railroad.
Yes Tom, I'm making two of each needed piece!
also shown are the two donkey tanks kitbashed from plate girder bridge sections, and another ( a varriation on a theme from Dr Tom, a skid with an auxilliary watertank, made from leftover shay pieces)
Back to work in the shops ( if it doesn't turn out to be nap time)
Bill Nelson
Nice progress Bill. The loaders look great!!!I got one frame decked, and both booms assembled. in the second photo at a deep angle shows the cut outs on the boom assembilies for the pullies.
Bill Nelson