Swamp Daddy's workbench

[swampdaddy]

Hi all: My latest project is Faller's Mercedes Dealership which is a 2 story hexagonal building with a small office addition. If you care to buy a motor for it there are gears to turn two raised platforms on the bottom floor to rotate two cars and room to display others.

Also a 2 bay garage building is included.

This kit suffers from the usual "thin" walls that let light through everywhere. When I reall want to illuminate a building I usually paint the interior walls black and after no light leaks through I glue white or colored cardboard to simulate the interior walls.

I will use white LEDs for the first time when this building is ready for that stage as they have dropped in price.

When it is more finished I will take a picture and post that.

Swamp Daddy

[Lee]

I found out long ago that spray painting the interior walls with silver will block the light from shinning through.

[swampdaddy]

Lee: That's a good idea; in particular I always like to delve right into a new kit and rarely plan ahead or I would take care of that before even installing the windows.

Thanks again, Swamp Daddy

[swampdaddy]

HI ALL: I am scratch-building a new downtown transit terminal for my RR layout. To see a photo of it go to:
s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/swampdaddy_01/Transport%20Central/

It is a very large, red brick building made from Kibri plastic sheets of brick. The windows have been cut and the ground floor is in.

The large blank area to the left will be cut out for installing a fancy entrance hall which will stick out from the building as far as the 3rd floor overhang on the right.

Slanted loading bays as indicated by the Roco streetcar and Faller Car System bus will handle local transit including trolleybuses. Trains will load in the rear in a "cut" below ground level. Maybe there will be an elevated in the rear too.

There is much to be done on it; a simple interior will be installed on each of the 3 interior floors and there will be a roof garden restaurant too.

Some new buses are pictured in this album too.

Have fun, Swamp Daddy

[setra417]

Hey SD,

Your project looks interesting please keep us posted.
I have similar project on the books using to do using the Walthers kit.

Marlon

[stanhas87]

Dear Harry:

Love your project.

Since July 2005,me and my buddy jack were studying the possibility to re-create the former Greyhound Station in downtown Los Angeles which was also served by Metro (SCRTD them) buses. By myself,I did not went farther than creating the basement floor of the building where the Metro buses were operational.Jack will be briefly back from Chicago in July or August so we start our HO and S gauge layouts; the bus station will be part of the HO empire and Jack is looking for all kinds of MCI's,including the ones which were done by Matchbox. For the Metro fleet,the New Looks,RTS,and kit-bash some models in order to create some of the fishbowl Flexbles that SCRTD also had. We proposed to have the Greyhounds at the street level floor and perhaps at the floor above; the SCRTD buses at the floor below the street level.
Your layout is inspiring me further so I would like to see the step by step construction of your terminal.Thanks.

Best Regards,

Nick K

[swampdaddy]

Hi: I am going to give a second installment on my downtown bus, trolleybus and streetcar terminal building. But, let's step back in time to view the start of this ambitious project years and years ago.

HISTORY OF THE “TRANSPORT CENTRAL” BUILDING IN HO.

The idea for the big central terminal for my HO transit empire came about around 2 decades ago around 1984 or so. At first it was just an idea; then it was a series of crude sketches of possible configurations. Probably, it was a pipe dream for more than a year. During this period I moved 3 times in 5 years and modeling simply never took place under any conditions. I did finish a set of plans, full size, for an elaborate building which by then would include a railroad station at the rear to bring all “transit” services to one central point in my HO city.

I bought a ton of Kibri brick sheets, Plastruct girders and construction shapes, and some more sheets of flooring from Evergreen. I decided as a preliminary to construction I would build a cardboard mockup which has survived until this day in the attic though a bit worse for the constant heating and cooling over the years. It was a truly monstrous building for HO; and, in that day nothing of that size was available. Some buildings are now out (including the Bachmann Spectrum series of large downtown buildings) which are even bigger; but, back then most modelers would have laughed at such a large building. But, as big as it is for a model building, everyone should recognize it would be drop in the bucket compared to any real building in any city.

Around 1990 in a period of relative quiet (no moves) I built my 4th layout and I assembled the plastic shell of the building which I have already posted pictures of on my Album pages.

Stage 01 – concept and scale plans drawn up, 1984-1985.
Stage 02 – full sized cardboard mockup building, 1987.
Stage 03 – plastic shell constructed in 1990.
Stage 04 – entrance sub building constructed, 2006.

I made the windows the size so I could use frames commonly available then from either Faller or Vollmer; but, neglected to actually buy these items. They are no longer available so I will be scratch building those parts eventually. Two loading bays toward the right of the structure would slant between streets. On the left a fancy entrance would be constructed.

Stage 04: Drawings for the entrance building were made; but, before I actually started on this sub-building I saw an old Herpa N-gauge catalog and spotted B610, a modern station building which would make the perfect entrance. No one in the USA had this in stock and I found out it was out of production. Next another series of moves put the railroad back in boxes until the current era – around 2000 when I moved to my current location which I had planned on being the last move I would ever make.

I started on the alternate entrance building (which I will finish) when on German eBay I spotted the very building I wanted. I bid and got this with a 1/87th member acting as my agent to transship it here in trade for items he needed. This neat entrance building is about 50% done and is mostly as it came from the box except for adding 5 ½ feet to the lower floor so my HO people would not scrape the ceiling. You can check out the photos of all stages at my yahoo album:

s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/swampdaddy_01/Transport%20Central/

Look in the TRANSPORT CENTRAL project album.

My original plans called for a full interior for the station; and, indeed, it has many large, picture windows which would make such an interior partly visible. I just could not figure a way to make each “floor” swivel aside or be hinged so such an interior could really be seen. For maintenance and lighting each floor will life out from the shell but I am now wavering on the amount of interior detail to have in the building. Lights using the commonly available small bulbs would have been expensive, and probably generate a lot of heat. However, recently I have found a source of large, 5mm, white LEDs which give nice light and should generate little, if any, heat. I will put plenty of them in the interior. And, to make up for less interior detail, I am planning a roof garden restaurant which in effect will make the building 4 stories tall.

When Stage 04 is complete and the entrance building is lighted, finished and fitted to the main building, I will post more photos. As a part of Stage 04, the alternate entrance will be reconstructed to the same dimensions as the Herpa building so as to be interchangeable with one another. This will allow for changing things around (seasonal maybe, or having different “displays” in this lobby area). Original plans called for a Bachmann DeWitt Clinton locomotive to be the display; but, it may turn out to be too big for the area available.

Stage 05 will be the interior walls, waiting areas, ticket windows and shops on the 1st floor. And, after I figure out how the wiring will plug in from floor to floor and still allow easy removal for access and maintenance, I will do the second floor. The third floor and roof garden will follow. The last stage, and maybe the most exacting one, will be the laying of track around the building and embedding it in HO street pavement. The erecting of overhead wire for both trolleybuses and streetcars will follow that. I am experimenting now with the wiring using tiny, tiny craft beads as insulators between the two wires. For simplicities sake there will be as few trolleybus streetcar crossings as possible; and, those few will only be in the downtown. On most streets there will be either trolleybuses or streetcars; but, not both.

Anyone who wants the actual plans for the “Transport Central” can email me at [e-mail] and I will either send them by email, or I will Xerox and mail the copies – you pay postage. The inner of the two loading bays will hold a 3-section articulated streetcar; and, the outer bay will hold at least an single streetcar or an articulated trolleybus. The original concept was going to use the Eheim/Brawa trolleybuses and overhead. I have decided to use the Faller Car System for the trolleybuses though they will still draw power from the overhead. And, for now I will continue to use the Brawa overhead wiring and poles.

Dimensions of the shell are (in HO) 115’ wide (15 ¾”) by 57’ (7 15/16th”) deep. Height, less any roof structures or the roof-garden, is 34’ (4 ¾”) tall. The 3rd floor overhang on the right extends beyond the building for 28’ (3 7/8”) and is 40.5’ (5 – 9/16”) wide; the fancy entrance sub-building on the left is 26 ½’ (3 13/16”) deep by 42’ (5-13/16”) wide by 25’ (3 ½”) tall at the edge (excluding roof curvature).

This project will take awhile to finish as I am doing other things at the same time.

More reports as more progress is made. Swamp Daddy

PS-again, the photos to go with this text are here:
s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/swampdaddy_01/Transport%20Central/

[swampdaddy]

I need some help. I just got 1/2 dozen Kibri kits given to me 3rd hand. Some are partly built with parts missing, some appear to be all there; but, they have no instructions.

I've put together Kibri 10436 Recovery vehicle with Scania cab by trial and error and I've a few left over parts on the wrecker body that I can not figure out where they go. Any one have the instructions for this model they can duplicate for me. the same body/chassis with different cabs, Kibri 14999, 14649, 14650 (and perhaps others) would work for the instructions too.

Scan by email fine. Also could use instructions for B-10028 Gravel hauler or equivalent with any cab (sort of a V-Shaped body on this one).

If you can help send me a PM. thanks, Swamp Daddy

[swampdaddy]

Hi All: In 2009 I posted some photos of a large bus/rail station I had finally started. The original photos were at a Yahoo site which was discontinued. The "walls" gathered dust for several years until some correspondence with Nick Voges this past (2011) Christmas season reminded me I had done nothing more.

Well, I dusted it off and started adding in the floors. Some photos show different stages of the project at my newer PhotoBucket account.

s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/swampdaddy_01/Transport%20Central/

Photo 1 and 2 (I lost all the Yahoo photos) show the original cardboard mockup (full size) made in 1975 believe it or not. Nothing was done as I was working lots of hours and trying to raise a family until 2009 after my retirement. THis is a huge building about 15-3/4" wide and 11-3/4" deep.

Photos 3 & 4 show the exterior walls made of plastic Kibri Brick sheets and fancy entrance at the left.

Photos 5 & 6 show the newly constructed interior with sub-assemblies (which are stores and offices in the station). Photo 6 shows how the walls are a 3 part 'laminate' of the outer wall (with windows carved in it), clear plastic (for the glass) glued to that; and, an inner wall with the same windows carved in it of Evergreen 1/2" square sidewalk material. Spray painted and glued over the "clear plastic glass". This 3-part process is labor intensive; but, it hides all construction marks in what is essentially a very handbuilt building.

Photos 7 & 8 show how a rigid (but not glued together or to the walls) sandwich of ceiling-braces-floor is made. This allows for removal later to do any interior work. And space for white LEDs and wiring.

Photos 9 & 10 show the addition of 2nd floor sub-assemblies including the 'elevators' which are computer printed and glued in place. Photo 10 shows the 3rd floor in place. Again, it is not glued together or to the walls to allow details to be added.

Though not finished even in the first stage the hard work of hand carving windows and doors is done. Floors will be sprary painted and computer made details printed and glued to the walls.

The roof is next with a skylight over the 'atrium'. This will help with interior illumination. And maybe an overlook will be on the roof, not sure yet.

As a second stage, benches, offices & interiors will be done floor by floor (this is why everything is removeable. But various floors will be screwed to the wall braces with 2-56 screws for stabilty.

The 3rd stage will require a production line to paint all of little people to go inside. As each floor gets it's people in place, Stage 4 will be done - this is adding and testing the lights which will be white LEDs (no heat) mounted in the area between each floor's ceiling and the floor above. This space between the two layers is about 1/4".

Eventually all 3 floors will be done and detailed and possibly a roof garden or overlook on the roof if I can find the effort to do this much more.

Stage 5 will be the finishing of the fancy entrance, sidewalks, loading docks, and other 'exterior' details I have in my various junk boxes or will make.

Hopefully, it will not be 3 more years before more progress is made.

have fun, Swamp Daddy tired

[alcarter]

Impressive looking structure, Swamp... That's a serious scratchbuilding effort. Looking forward to following along as you (finally) complete this building.

Al Carter

[DavidJohnson]

The structure is even more impressive when seen in photos! Keep at it. This will be a gem when completed and populated.

Dave

[swampdaddy]

Lots more progress on the large Transport Central building since the last post. Work has progressed enough that I am starting initial detailing of the first floor.

The Entrance Building is in place, temporarily held by a pair of 2-56 machine screws. This sub-building was originally a large N-scale railroad entrance hall. Some modifications to make the ground floor taller (for HO people) and it makes a dandy and fancy entrance to the main building.

To the first floor, I've added 26 benches so far for passengers, 7 soda pop vending machines, a bank of 4 telephone boots, plus 3 ticket machines, a token dispenser, and a manual window with teller for those who might need additional ticket information.

A large stairway and adjacent snack bar are under way. When these are in place I will take new photos and post them on Photobucket in just a few days. Just had to let off some steam by posting what is going on.

photos soon, Swamp Daddy

[swampdaddy]

I have posted 9 more photos showing the details of the first floor of my large project.

Go here for the latest photos of the large TRANSPORT CENTRAL bus & rail station I am working on. I did not directly link to the photos as it would take forever to load the page.
s258.photobucket.com/albums/hh280/swampdaddy_01/Transport%20Central/

Transport Central 11: Car Rental-Snack Bar sub-assembly 1.3. Left side view showing Hertz Car Rental store. Store interior is a picture from the internet printed along with wall and door graphics and simply glued to the wall of this store. The original idea was to have actual windows and detailed interiors with people for all “sub-assemblies”. However, these ideas have been discarded and scaled way back. SA 1.3 is the closest to the original idea but still very simplified.

Transport Central 12: SA 1.3 rear view of loading bay supervisors office. (this will be visible through a large window in the rear of the building). Simulated interior glued to the walls and a desk glued on. During final installation (gluing) to the main floor several people will be added in here.

Transport Central 13: SA 1.3 right hand view showing rear stairway to second floor and the Snack Bar from the side with a couple of people on the stools. Interior of the Snack Bar is another photo from the internet and glued to the walls. More people will eventually be added behind the counter when I find appropriate ones. The Snack Bar itself (note garish green counter) is one side of a “Refreshment Stand” imported by Atlas that I hacked from a completed building and sawed and filed and fitted it into the area between the two walls. Eventually the awning will be added at the top of the green supports.

Transport Central 14: SA 1.3 front view, this is the side facing the main seating area of the station. Note Hertz and Enterprise signs and the arrows pointing down the hallway to the store entrance show in picture 11. The Enterprise Store does NOT exist down the hallway (a victim of the scale back of the project); but, I left the sign up anyway.

Transport Central 15: Overhead view of the first floor as partly detailed to this point. Note the position of SA 1.3 (Car Rental – Snack Bar) to the right rear. Grey area at the bottom left is the roof of the fancy entrance hall. Work on it will be shown later on. Lower right you can see some of the plastic spring clamps holding protective cardboard on some windows to keep the ‘glass’ from being damaged while the building is being worked on.

Transport Central 16: Main floor looking left showing bank of 4 telephone booths on the left and the ticket machines and window to the right (sub-assembly 1.1). The ticket machines were originally going to be a series of ticket windows with glass, clerks, details, etc. But in scaling the project back I eliminated this difficult part of the project. The remaining manual ticket window (for those needing help past the machines) has a printed clerk an interior glued on the wall. Originally this space was going to be the floor supervisor’s office. That got left out.

Transport Central 17: Main floor looking right shows sub-assembly 1.2 (Elevator housing-Restrooms) which never was going to have an interior. And sub-assembly 1.3 as detailed earlier. Note a row of benches with no people. I have not decided if this will be on the floor there, or not at all. So, I have not glued it down or peopled it at this point.

Transport Central 18: Overhead shot of the main floor with center and right showing. Note permanent benches with lots of people, etc. These are glued in and permanent.

Transport Central 19: Another overhead shot of the main bench area and people on them and a bank of soda vending machines at the top. This shot is a bit blurry as apparently I can shake even a shake-proof camera. Maybe I’ll retake this later on.

All for now. I’ll add more photos when the second floor reaches this same stage of details. I might be finished with this by Christmas when Santa can take me on a long vacation to rest up.

have fun, Swamp Daddy

[alcarter]

Swamp,

Nice presentation on your website showing the progress. Great interior shots. This will be one fantastic bus station when you are done. The bank of vending machines is a nice touch that adds a splash of color to the room.

Al Carter

[swampdaddy]

Al: With the hard work done on the basic structure; I am now doing some fun and easy things such as the interior details. And, as you noticed the vending machine colors - many items will be done simply to add eye catching color; and, that is one reason I left the Atlas Refreshment Center counter the garish green it came in. If your glue suggestion works out to be the answer I will go back to the first floor and add a multitude of standing people. LOL.

More later on, Swamp Daddy