Cathead

Below are final photos of the completed Bertrand. In this post are basic shots from different angles, then another post follows with a few special photos. 
 
I am incredibly grateful for the interest and support shown by all of you for this rather obscure project. I don't think I could or would have undertaken this without the motivation and community of a build log to keep me focused. So thank you.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 

I'm setting aside river craft for now, and embarking on a self-designed tutorial in regular ship-building. First the two Model Shipways naval gun kits for a lightweight treat after scratchbuilding (and to learn more about guns), then Chuck's longboat to reimmerse myself in planking, rigging, and other such skills, then tackling the Corel Ranger as Mrs. Cathead really likes the look of topsail schooners and I want to build a real sailing craft. I grew up along the Great Lakes and sailed a lot as a youngster, as well as spending a lot of time along the mid-Atlantic coast, so am looking forward to rediscovering that part of my past and interests.
 
If/when I return to river craft, I want to build the Arabia, the Missouri River sidewheeler that's now the focus of an excellent museum in downtown Kansas City.

I'm setting aside river craft for now, and embarking on a self-designed tutorial in regular ship-building. First the two Model Shipways naval gun kits for a lightweight treat after scratchbuilding (and to learn more about guns), then Chuck's longboat to reimmerse myself in planking, rigging, and other such skills, then tackling the Corel Ranger as Mrs. Cathead really likes the look of topsail schooners and I want to build a real sailing craft. I grew up along the Great Lakes and sailed a lot as a youngster, as well as spending a lot of time along the mid-Atlantic coast, so am looking forward to rediscovering that part of my past and interests.
 
If/when I return to river craft, I want to build the Arabia, the Missouri River sidewheeler that's now the focus of an excellent museum in downtown Kansas City.

I'm setting aside river craft for now, and embarking on a self-designed tutorial in regular ship-building. First the two Model Shipways naval gun kits for a lightweight treat after scratchbuilding (and to learn more about guns), then Chuck's longboat to reimmerse myself in planking, rigging, and other such skills, then tackling the Corel Ranger as Mrs. Cathead really likes the look of topsail schooners and I want to build a real sailing craft. I grew up along the Great Lakes and sailed a lot as a youngster, as well as spending a lot of time along the mid-Atlantic coast, so am looking forward to rediscovering that part of my past and interests.
 
If/when I return to river craft, I want to build the Arabia, the Missouri River sidewheeler that's now the focus of an excellent museum in downtown Kansas City.

And now the special photos. I initially got started in this whole wooden model adventure because I am also a model railroader. My layout is centered on a Missouri River port town during the Civil War, roughly based on St. Joseph, MO, where the first railroad across Missouri connected the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1859. Abraham Lincoln rode this railroad, the Hannibal & St. Joseph RR, while considering different options for the route of the first American transcontinental route. In any case, I knew I wanted a steamboat at the levee in my railroad town, to capture the feel of many fascinating images of railroads and steamboats interacting during this era.
 
So my first-ever wooden ship/boat model was a primitive scratchbuild of the famous sternwheeler Far West, which among other things carried Custer's troops to and from the Battle of Little Big Horn. To get ready for that project, several years ago, I built a cardboard mockup of Far West to have something three-dimensional to refer to as I built the real model. I enjoyed the project so much, I built two more Missouri River craft from scratch (see my signature) and was so addicted I ordered a kit, and so on. That's about when I found MSW and the infection spread. 
 
In any case, I put together a lineup of these three models, to show the evolution of my still-quite-amateur skills. I think it's neat to see them side-by-side; I named the cardboard mockup after my wife, though there really was a steamboat called Arkansas Belle:
 

 
Today, for the first time, I placed Bertrand on my layout. It's larger than Far West, for which the river portion was designed, so it hangs out over the edge. But it's also period-accurate; Bertrand was built in 1864 and certainly stopped in St. Joseph on its final trip upriver in 1865. Most of the buildings on the layout are scratchbuilt, including several based on real period buildings which remain today. When Bertrand left St. Joseph, her crew and passengers had no way of knowing she'd soon be a wreck, buried beneath the ever-shifting river sediment for over 100 years, until being rediscovered and excavated as a rare time capsule into this pivotal period of American history. At least this model will help preserve her memory in some small way.
 
So here are three photos of Bertrand in her natural habitat, at a Missouri River port town where all period modes of transportation came together. The western-most railhead in the country was here for a short time, wagon trains left from here for the West (including many Mormons), and steamboats lined the levee on their way too and from Montana. Here's one vision of how that scene might have looked:
 



 
My deepest thanks again to all of you. It's been a pleasure.

Below are final photos of the completed Bertrand. In this post are basic shots from different angles, then another post follows with a few special photos. 
 
I am incredibly grateful for the interest and support shown by all of you for this rather obscure project. I don't think I could or would have undertaken this without the motivation and community of a build log to keep me focused. So thank you.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 

Here are the final details added to Bertrand.
 
Yawls
 
Bertrand likely carried two small boats (called yawls in my sources), based on comparable boats of the time. These weren't lifeboats, but served a similar role as in sailing ships, like a small car towed behind a recreational vehicle for light-duty use. My understanding is that these weren't lowered from davits, as on a whaling ship, but rather lashed to davits that themselves were lowered. Thus the two white spars seen here were actually hinged at the bottom; to lower the boat, the crew loosened the lines holding the davits to the deck and rotated them 180 degrees until the yawl hit the water. The length and position of these davits matches this procedure perfectly.
 
I had considered trying to make these small boats from scratch, but also had two castings in my scrap box that were the perfect size and scale, so just went with that. I painted them white, then gussied them up with hand-carved benches, oars, and rudders. Then I just glued them to the hurricane deck and lashed them to the davits, using the same method to coil the rope ends as described for the grasshopper spars. Pretty straightforward, really.
 
Lettering the name

In the previous photo you can see the lettered name on the pilot house; I also had to add the name to the engine room wall. I decided to use a fine-tipped marker to do this, and practiced multiple times on pieces of painted scrap wood. For the pilot house, I just went ahead and made the sign on a separate plank before attaching it, which looks good to me. For the engine room, it was a bit trickier, as the real boat had the name painted on the side, and I wasn't at all sure I was up for that. So, again, I made several practice letterings on painted scrap, reasoning that I would choose the best one and glue it in place, sacrificing a bit of realism for a better overall look.
 
Then Mrs Cathead pointed out that, if I was going to glue something over the place anyway, I might as well give a shot to lettering it in place, since if I messed up it could be covered anyway with my initial plan. So that's what I did. 
 
In the photo above, you see my best lettering attempt on a separate plank (better wrist angle and control) and my attempt actually on the model. The separate one is definitely a bit better, but the in-place version does have a more authentic feel. I'm not thrilled with any of them, they're all a bit shaky in a really close-up view, but as with so many things, when you step back just a little it blends right in. So I'm going to leave the on-model version, and save the plank version in case I change my mind. This is a case where photography really highlights flaws which don't really show up in an overall view. You can judge for yourselves when I post photos of the finished model.
 
Firewood

Western river boats were voracious users of fuel, burning anywhere from twelve to 75 cords of firewood DAILY. Wood was plentiful along the rivers, and quickly became a cash crop for farmers or dedicated woodcutters who stocked landing places with piles of firewood for sale. Boats took on fuel once or even twice daily, sometimes having to stop and cut their own if no sale point could be found. 
 
I wanted to display firewood on Bertrand, but wasn't up for hand-cutting and splitting 75 cords of 1:87 firewood. So I settled on just a few small stacks to give the idea; apparently Bertrand is actively looking for wood to buy! To make these, I just rummaged in the kindling box next to my wood stove and selected a variety of straight, smooth twigs that looked about right for scale tree trunks. I cut them to length with a small saw, then split them with a hobby knife. I laid out  piece of double-sided tape and put down a first layer of wood, then a layer of wood glue, then a layer of wood, and so on until I'd built up a proper pile. Two of these line the area next to the boilers nicely and get the idea across.
 
Stanchions

Just how Bertrand's boiler deck was supported from the main deck is apparently an issue of slight disagreement. The archeology reports clearly document finding sockets along the outer edge of the main deck guards, into which stanchions would have been placed, leading up to the boiler deck. They also found one of these iron stanchions during the dig. Yet the large-scale model the museum, and several other illustrations, show Bertrand without stanchions, but with knee-like braces curving outward from interior posts; see photos here. I decided to follow the archeologists' reconstruction, and installed stanchions all along the outer guards. These are wooden strips, painted black and rubbed with pastels to hint at a little rust, making them more metal-like. I saved this detail until the very end, to ensure access into the deck in case I needed it.
 
Cargo
Bertrand was loaded heavily with cargo, probably piled to the full height of the main deck along every square foot it could be stored. One successful run to Ft. Benton in western Montana could pay the entire cost of the boat's construction. But I decided to forgo that detail for now, for two reasons. One, I like the open view of the full structure, and two, right now it would be cost- and time-prohibitive to either buy or make the sheer numbers of scale crates, barrels, sacks, and more I'd need to do this. I think at some point, I'd like to go back and add some cargo detail, but right now I actually like the fully open deck really showing the boat's structure and layout. So that's where that stands for now. 
 
This evening I hope to post a variety of photos of the now-completed model.

Grasshopper spars
 
Western river boats often dealt with very low water conditions. The upper Missouri River, in particular, was characterized by shallow, ever-shifting channels among myriad islands and bars. Running aground was a fact of life, even for boats like the Bertrand with less than 5' draft even fully loaded. Boats needed to be able to cross bars, not just back off them, as the water simply wasn't deep enough for regular navigation. Thus, specialized equipment was developed for upper-river boats to handle these conditions. Louis C. Hunter provides a good general description of grasshopper spars, so-called because of their appearance like grasshopper legs on the boat: 
 
 
Also, at times, the wheel would be reversed, sending a strong current of water forward under the bow, in hopes of washing away some of the bar and freeing the boat that way. Grasshopper spars could also be used to push a boat backward off a bar if desired. Hunter also notes that:
 
 
The hull shape of western river boats helped here, too, as the flat bottom slid more easily over bars and the long, flexible hull could actually slither over them in a way that would break a strong-keeled ocean vessel.
 
Here are the grasshopper spars I built for Bertrand. No one knows exactly how hers were rigged, but these are based on contemporary examples:
 
 

 
Each spar is suspended from a boom, which in turn is supported by two lines to the hurricane deck. These lines, with blocks and tackle, could be adjusted horizontally and vertically to place the spar as needed. A separate line with blocks connects the spar to the boom; this line runs back to cleats near the chimneys and is used raise and lower the spar. Finally, a fourth line runs from the spar down to a block on the deck; this line is used to raise the boat on the spar. There is a steam-driven capstan at the bow, whose engine is below-decks, connected to the boilers, used to run these various lines. So to use the spars, one would:
 
·         Position the booms away from the hull, with the spars suspended over the bar.
·         Lower the spars until they rest firmly in the river sediment.
·         Connect the lowest lines to the capstan, and haul in to hoist the boat up onto the spars, while driving forward with the wheel.
·         Lower the boat, then use the capstan to raise the spars again, repositioning them manually, going back to step one.
·         Repeat as often as needed to get over the bar. Repeat for however many bars you strike on the way to Montana.
 
Rigging these spars was really tricky, as both the booms and the spars essentially hang in mid-air from their lines. I used a few clamp to balance the booms in place, as shown below, until I could get their lines tightened. Once I hung the spars, I attached clothespins to their base to add more weight and ensure they hung down properly (the wood is pretty light). All of these were shaped from square stock and stained.

 
I also hand-made the blocks, the first time I’ve tried this. They’re not real pretty, but they get the job done and have about the same optical accuracy as the rest of the model; within 6”  you can tell things are hand-made, beyond that it looks great. Good enough for my purposes.  Doing this took forever, though, lots of fussy adjusting of blocks and lines to get the two dangling booms and spars into comparable orientations. At the end, I glued the spars to the side of the deck for more stability; I just don’t trust them dangling out there on their own, and they’re not heavy enough to  hand properly anyway.

I’ll include the chimney braces in this chapter, too, as they’re pretty straightforward and the photo also shows the coils I made on the hurricane deck for the boom lines. I did these by carefully coiling line onto double-sided tape, which held each loop in place until I got the diameter I wanted. Then I brushed each coil with wood glue and let it dry before peeling the coil off the tape and gluing it in place. You’ll see another example of this when I write about rigging the yawls.
 
Grasshopper spars are a pain, but they really add visual interest to the model. And it’s something that makes this kind of upper-river boat unique; I haven't seen any steamboat kits out there based on boats with these spars; they’re all lower-river packets that didn’t have to worry about shallow-river navigation. But grasshopper spars were essential to the river traffic between St. Louis and western Montana, so they’re a fun detail to add and understand.
 
One other detail to discuss here: the jackstaff. Seen in the first photo, this is the large white pole mounted at the bow, with a ball partway up it. I’ll let Louis C. Hunter explain this, too, as I can’t improve upon his words:
 
 
 
If you look carefully, you’ll see that the red ball is at about the same height as the pilot house. I made the jackstaff by shaping a long square piece of stock, rounding it at the top and middle, while leaving a square section at the ball’s location, and at the base. Then I glued chunks of wood all around the ball’s location, creating a big box, from which I carved and sanded the final ball. 
 
In the next update, I'll add the yawls, letter the name, cut & stack some firewood, and so on.

Thanks, all. Just to clarify one point, Bertrand won't be living on the layout, it doesn't fit. I don't want it hanging off the edge like that. If I want a steamboat there, I'll either use the Far West or build another one. Someday.
 
It's now proudly on a bookshelf near our front door. Conveniently, it's just lower than the natural height of a normal book. One advantage to steamboats over sailing ships, a better height/width ratio for display!
 
chborgm, I was thinking about starting a "general riverboat discussion" topic, your mention of the same idea encourages me to do so.

Thanks, all. Just to clarify one point, Bertrand won't be living on the layout, it doesn't fit. I don't want it hanging off the edge like that. If I want a steamboat there, I'll either use the Far West or build another one. Someday.
 
It's now proudly on a bookshelf near our front door. Conveniently, it's just lower than the natural height of a normal book. One advantage to steamboats over sailing ships, a better height/width ratio for display!
 
chborgm, I was thinking about starting a "general riverboat discussion" topic, your mention of the same idea encourages me to do so.

If you didnt create it....you have no claim to it .....and you shouldnt profit from it.  If you want to use it...you must pay the person who created it or ask their permission to use it...simple rules in society.   Period
 
Unless you reach out to the creator, and make amends for not having the skills or creativity to think it up yourself.  Otherwise its no different than you breaking into my home and stealing from me.    Those people are called parasites and thieves with small brains unable to innovate on their own.   I personally loathe these self-serving, greedy individuals...
 
...and anyone who thinks otherwise because they might be too cheap to pay for the original or two lazy to ask permission....the willingness to support these parasites is just as bad.....and the law is not on their side thank heavens...at least not in this country...you could however move to China.
 
Locking this because its just going round and round.....and remember, even though we do have international members on this forum, it is based in the good ole U. S. of A.    
 
This topic was not created to open a discussion on copyrights.  It was created to define the NRG Policy.  The NRG will always protect the rights of the creator  and their wishes and not those of the profiteer. Members can have a different opinion but understand that all members not adhering to the policy and choosing to post or use copyrighted material obtained without proper compensation or permission from the authors...... will be warned and then finally banned if repeatedly in violation.
 
Chuck

Jud,
 
Given the way things are, laws trump opinion.   So we gotta' deal with the laws.   

Per, in an earlier post [now deleted] you described an issue you had with a photo processing lab's clerk refusing to print digital images from a memory card you had, even tho the photos were your own.
 
My Pentax DSLR has a feature that will store a Copyright in the Properties section of the digital image, it clearly shows the word COPYRIGHT followed by my name.  See if your digital camera has that feature; some of the smaller point-and-shoot digital cameras do not have it {my Canon Powershot is one]. It will prevent a similar issue in the future. The information stays with the digital image even when transferred from camera to computer or Thumb-drive.

Thanks, all. Just to clarify one point, Bertrand won't be living on the layout, it doesn't fit. I don't want it hanging off the edge like that. If I want a steamboat there, I'll either use the Far West or build another one. Someday.
 
It's now proudly on a bookshelf near our front door. Conveniently, it's just lower than the natural height of a normal book. One advantage to steamboats over sailing ships, a better height/width ratio for display!
 
chborgm, I was thinking about starting a "general riverboat discussion" topic, your mention of the same idea encourages me to do so.

Thanks, all. Just to clarify one point, Bertrand won't be living on the layout, it doesn't fit. I don't want it hanging off the edge like that. If I want a steamboat there, I'll either use the Far West or build another one. Someday.
 
It's now proudly on a bookshelf near our front door. Conveniently, it's just lower than the natural height of a normal book. One advantage to steamboats over sailing ships, a better height/width ratio for display!
 
chborgm, I was thinking about starting a "general riverboat discussion" topic, your mention of the same idea encourages me to do so.

I'm not sure about the initial aspects of the procedure, but as far as removing the hot material safely from the boat, many boats had a special ash trough that allowed the hot coals & such to be swept/washed away from the boilers, either over the side or through an opening in the guards. Here is a picture of the brick-lined ash trough from my Bertrand build.
 

 
As for boiler explosions, they were quite common on western riverboats, due to a combination of high-pressure boilers, limited or no safety equipment (such as dial pressure gauges), limited knowledge/training of the engineers running the boilers, and a commercial (and passenger) culture which favored speed and power over safety and caution.
 
For a long time, the only safety valve on riverboat boilers was a simple weighted lever, which was very easy for an ambitious engineer to over-weight or even tie down, increasing the pressure in the boilers. With no clear testing or standards, no one really knew what pressure boilers could hold, and there was no calibrated way to measure pressure. Water levels in the boiler also couldn't be measured easily (again, no gauges), so this too was guesswork and instinct. Thus, if water levels got too low, or levels fluctuated as suggested for Sultana, boom with no warning.
 
All of this was made much more likely by the river culture of the time, in which the fastest boats received premium rates and reputations, regardless of safety concerns. In addition, river conditions could lead to explosions, as when boats attempted to force a bar or round a bend under high-water conditions, needing every ounce of steam in the attempt. One particularly deadly explosion in central Missouri happened after a boat repeatedly tried to round a bend in front of a towns-worth of onlooker, failing over and over and being swept back downstream in embarrassment, before the engineer apparently tied down the pressure valve and went for it all. The boat blew up mid-bend, sending debris into the onlookers on the bluff and killing many passengers.
 
Glenn, I'm curious how you know the Heroine had four boilers. The number varied from boat to boat; I was surprised to learn that Bertrand only had two. Also, do you know what kind of pump the water supply used?

Thanks, all. Just to clarify one point, Bertrand won't be living on the layout, it doesn't fit. I don't want it hanging off the edge like that. If I want a steamboat there, I'll either use the Far West or build another one. Someday.
 
It's now proudly on a bookshelf near our front door. Conveniently, it's just lower than the natural height of a normal book. One advantage to steamboats over sailing ships, a better height/width ratio for display!
 
chborgm, I was thinking about starting a "general riverboat discussion" topic, your mention of the same idea encourages me to do so.

A couple of quick grab shots.  I tested the smoothness of my fairing job by temporarily fastening a batten strip at various positions on the hull.  It's smooth!
 

 

 
Erik

And now the special photos. I initially got started in this whole wooden model adventure because I am also a model railroader. My layout is centered on a Missouri River port town during the Civil War, roughly based on St. Joseph, MO, where the first railroad across Missouri connected the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1859. Abraham Lincoln rode this railroad, the Hannibal & St. Joseph RR, while considering different options for the route of the first American transcontinental route. In any case, I knew I wanted a steamboat at the levee in my railroad town, to capture the feel of many fascinating images of railroads and steamboats interacting during this era.
 
So my first-ever wooden ship/boat model was a primitive scratchbuild of the famous sternwheeler Far West, which among other things carried Custer's troops to and from the Battle of Little Big Horn. To get ready for that project, several years ago, I built a cardboard mockup of Far West to have something three-dimensional to refer to as I built the real model. I enjoyed the project so much, I built two more Missouri River craft from scratch (see my signature) and was so addicted I ordered a kit, and so on. That's about when I found MSW and the infection spread. 
 
In any case, I put together a lineup of these three models, to show the evolution of my still-quite-amateur skills. I think it's neat to see them side-by-side; I named the cardboard mockup after my wife, though there really was a steamboat called Arkansas Belle:
 

 
Today, for the first time, I placed Bertrand on my layout. It's larger than Far West, for which the river portion was designed, so it hangs out over the edge. But it's also period-accurate; Bertrand was built in 1864 and certainly stopped in St. Joseph on its final trip upriver in 1865. Most of the buildings on the layout are scratchbuilt, including several based on real period buildings which remain today. When Bertrand left St. Joseph, her crew and passengers had no way of knowing she'd soon be a wreck, buried beneath the ever-shifting river sediment for over 100 years, until being rediscovered and excavated as a rare time capsule into this pivotal period of American history. At least this model will help preserve her memory in some small way.
 
So here are three photos of Bertrand in her natural habitat, at a Missouri River port town where all period modes of transportation came together. The western-most railhead in the country was here for a short time, wagon trains left from here for the West (including many Mormons), and steamboats lined the levee on their way too and from Montana. Here's one vision of how that scene might have looked:
 



 
My deepest thanks again to all of you. It's been a pleasure.

And now the special photos. I initially got started in this whole wooden model adventure because I am also a model railroader. My layout is centered on a Missouri River port town during the Civil War, roughly based on St. Joseph, MO, where the first railroad across Missouri connected the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1859. Abraham Lincoln rode this railroad, the Hannibal & St. Joseph RR, while considering different options for the route of the first American transcontinental route. In any case, I knew I wanted a steamboat at the levee in my railroad town, to capture the feel of many fascinating images of railroads and steamboats interacting during this era.
 
So my first-ever wooden ship/boat model was a primitive scratchbuild of the famous sternwheeler Far West, which among other things carried Custer's troops to and from the Battle of Little Big Horn. To get ready for that project, several years ago, I built a cardboard mockup of Far West to have something three-dimensional to refer to as I built the real model. I enjoyed the project so much, I built two more Missouri River craft from scratch (see my signature) and was so addicted I ordered a kit, and so on. That's about when I found MSW and the infection spread. 
 
In any case, I put together a lineup of these three models, to show the evolution of my still-quite-amateur skills. I think it's neat to see them side-by-side; I named the cardboard mockup after my wife, though there really was a steamboat called Arkansas Belle:
 

 
Today, for the first time, I placed Bertrand on my layout. It's larger than Far West, for which the river portion was designed, so it hangs out over the edge. But it's also period-accurate; Bertrand was built in 1864 and certainly stopped in St. Joseph on its final trip upriver in 1865. Most of the buildings on the layout are scratchbuilt, including several based on real period buildings which remain today. When Bertrand left St. Joseph, her crew and passengers had no way of knowing she'd soon be a wreck, buried beneath the ever-shifting river sediment for over 100 years, until being rediscovered and excavated as a rare time capsule into this pivotal period of American history. At least this model will help preserve her memory in some small way.
 
So here are three photos of Bertrand in her natural habitat, at a Missouri River port town where all period modes of transportation came together. The western-most railhead in the country was here for a short time, wagon trains left from here for the West (including many Mormons), and steamboats lined the levee on their way too and from Montana. Here's one vision of how that scene might have looked:
 



 
My deepest thanks again to all of you. It's been a pleasure.

Below are final photos of the completed Bertrand. In this post are basic shots from different angles, then another post follows with a few special photos. 
 
I am incredibly grateful for the interest and support shown by all of you for this rather obscure project. I don't think I could or would have undertaken this without the motivation and community of a build log to keep me focused. So thank you.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 

Below are final photos of the completed Bertrand. In this post are basic shots from different angles, then another post follows with a few special photos. 
 
I am incredibly grateful for the interest and support shown by all of you for this rather obscure project. I don't think I could or would have undertaken this without the motivation and community of a build log to keep me focused. So thank you.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 

Below are final photos of the completed Bertrand. In this post are basic shots from different angles, then another post follows with a few special photos. 
 
I am incredibly grateful for the interest and support shown by all of you for this rather obscure project. I don't think I could or would have undertaken this without the motivation and community of a build log to keep me focused. So thank you.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 

And now the special photos. I initially got started in this whole wooden model adventure because I am also a model railroader. My layout is centered on a Missouri River port town during the Civil War, roughly based on St. Joseph, MO, where the first railroad across Missouri connected the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1859. Abraham Lincoln rode this railroad, the Hannibal & St. Joseph RR, while considering different options for the route of the first American transcontinental route. In any case, I knew I wanted a steamboat at the levee in my railroad town, to capture the feel of many fascinating images of railroads and steamboats interacting during this era.
 
So my first-ever wooden ship/boat model was a primitive scratchbuild of the famous sternwheeler Far West, which among other things carried Custer's troops to and from the Battle of Little Big Horn. To get ready for that project, several years ago, I built a cardboard mockup of Far West to have something three-dimensional to refer to as I built the real model. I enjoyed the project so much, I built two more Missouri River craft from scratch (see my signature) and was so addicted I ordered a kit, and so on. That's about when I found MSW and the infection spread. 
 
In any case, I put together a lineup of these three models, to show the evolution of my still-quite-amateur skills. I think it's neat to see them side-by-side; I named the cardboard mockup after my wife, though there really was a steamboat called Arkansas Belle:
 

 
Today, for the first time, I placed Bertrand on my layout. It's larger than Far West, for which the river portion was designed, so it hangs out over the edge. But it's also period-accurate; Bertrand was built in 1864 and certainly stopped in St. Joseph on its final trip upriver in 1865. Most of the buildings on the layout are scratchbuilt, including several based on real period buildings which remain today. When Bertrand left St. Joseph, her crew and passengers had no way of knowing she'd soon be a wreck, buried beneath the ever-shifting river sediment for over 100 years, until being rediscovered and excavated as a rare time capsule into this pivotal period of American history. At least this model will help preserve her memory in some small way.
 
So here are three photos of Bertrand in her natural habitat, at a Missouri River port town where all period modes of transportation came together. The western-most railhead in the country was here for a short time, wagon trains left from here for the West (including many Mormons), and steamboats lined the levee on their way too and from Montana. Here's one vision of how that scene might have looked:
 



 
My deepest thanks again to all of you. It's been a pleasure.

And now the special photos. I initially got started in this whole wooden model adventure because I am also a model railroader. My layout is centered on a Missouri River port town during the Civil War, roughly based on St. Joseph, MO, where the first railroad across Missouri connected the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in 1859. Abraham Lincoln rode this railroad, the Hannibal & St. Joseph RR, while considering different options for the route of the first American transcontinental route. In any case, I knew I wanted a steamboat at the levee in my railroad town, to capture the feel of many fascinating images of railroads and steamboats interacting during this era.
 
So my first-ever wooden ship/boat model was a primitive scratchbuild of the famous sternwheeler Far West, which among other things carried Custer's troops to and from the Battle of Little Big Horn. To get ready for that project, several years ago, I built a cardboard mockup of Far West to have something three-dimensional to refer to as I built the real model. I enjoyed the project so much, I built two more Missouri River craft from scratch (see my signature) and was so addicted I ordered a kit, and so on. That's about when I found MSW and the infection spread. 
 
In any case, I put together a lineup of these three models, to show the evolution of my still-quite-amateur skills. I think it's neat to see them side-by-side; I named the cardboard mockup after my wife, though there really was a steamboat called Arkansas Belle:
 

 
Today, for the first time, I placed Bertrand on my layout. It's larger than Far West, for which the river portion was designed, so it hangs out over the edge. But it's also period-accurate; Bertrand was built in 1864 and certainly stopped in St. Joseph on its final trip upriver in 1865. Most of the buildings on the layout are scratchbuilt, including several based on real period buildings which remain today. When Bertrand left St. Joseph, her crew and passengers had no way of knowing she'd soon be a wreck, buried beneath the ever-shifting river sediment for over 100 years, until being rediscovered and excavated as a rare time capsule into this pivotal period of American history. At least this model will help preserve her memory in some small way.
 
So here are three photos of Bertrand in her natural habitat, at a Missouri River port town where all period modes of transportation came together. The western-most railhead in the country was here for a short time, wagon trains left from here for the West (including many Mormons), and steamboats lined the levee on their way too and from Montana. Here's one vision of how that scene might have looked:
 



 
My deepest thanks again to all of you. It's been a pleasure.