Post by Wayne87th on Dec 18, 2009 5:35:07 GMT 1
I finally got to take Big Muskie out of the box and put it in its display area. Before I built the case around it, I took some shots.
The vehicles surrounding it show its immense size. They are prototypical pieces (except one).
The CAT D9L and D9H dozers are pieces that I custom built and represent two of the dozers that used to work around this enormous machine. THe D9H is based on the 1st Gear IH TD25 and the D9L is based on Norscot's D9T. The Ford F700 dump is a kitbash of the Athearn Ford and a Boley bed. The Ford F100 pickup is not prototypical to this era but is included in the display as everyone who purchased a Big Muskie got this commemorative vehicle from CCM with their Muskie model # engraved into the bed.
THis model is just beautiful. I can see why it was so expensive. There is so much work and detail on it. Someone had to assemble all of those thousands of steps and all the hand rails had to be soldered together. I am beginning to think that the reason they only made 125 of these is less about the exclusivity and more about the workers who must have eventually said "That's it, I can't solder one more piece of brass anymore!" Given that I frequently being asked this question, yes, it is a 1/87th model!
For those of you familiar with the Terex Titan mining truck (a monster from the same period), here it is next to Big Muskie. Isn't that the coolest thing about this hobby? Iconic vehicles that would never have been parked next to each other can have that honor in our world. That's a CAT D11R dozer in the bucket by the way. If you have ever stood next to a D11 CAT, you will begin to realize just how jawdropping it must have been to witness the size of Big Muskie's bucket as it scooped up 220 cu. yds (168 cu. m) of sand in one pass and dumped almost two football fields away.
Wayne Calder
The vehicles surrounding it show its immense size. They are prototypical pieces (except one).
The CAT D9L and D9H dozers are pieces that I custom built and represent two of the dozers that used to work around this enormous machine. THe D9H is based on the 1st Gear IH TD25 and the D9L is based on Norscot's D9T. The Ford F700 dump is a kitbash of the Athearn Ford and a Boley bed. The Ford F100 pickup is not prototypical to this era but is included in the display as everyone who purchased a Big Muskie got this commemorative vehicle from CCM with their Muskie model # engraved into the bed.
THis model is just beautiful. I can see why it was so expensive. There is so much work and detail on it. Someone had to assemble all of those thousands of steps and all the hand rails had to be soldered together. I am beginning to think that the reason they only made 125 of these is less about the exclusivity and more about the workers who must have eventually said "That's it, I can't solder one more piece of brass anymore!" Given that I frequently being asked this question, yes, it is a 1/87th model!
For those of you familiar with the Terex Titan mining truck (a monster from the same period), here it is next to Big Muskie. Isn't that the coolest thing about this hobby? Iconic vehicles that would never have been parked next to each other can have that honor in our world. That's a CAT D11R dozer in the bucket by the way. If you have ever stood next to a D11 CAT, you will begin to realize just how jawdropping it must have been to witness the size of Big Muskie's bucket as it scooped up 220 cu. yds (168 cu. m) of sand in one pass and dumped almost two football fields away.
Wayne Calder
