Keith Black

Thank you for posting the video, Eric. I wish it was early summer and I was riding that ferry! I had a question regarding what that was aft of the wheels. I thought it was a monkey rudder but the video confirmed, it's a bit strange in comparison to others but none the less it is a monkey rudder.

Brian, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

James, very impressive work considering that this is your first.The hull with it's deck furniture look very nice. 👍

Jasen, welcome to MSW. Wising you all the best with your modeling journey, glad to have you aboard.

Thank you, Paul.

Thank you, mcb. Yes, Billy has a lot of colors (Rainbow Billy ) including some raw wood at the stern between the wheels. Thank you, John. Yes, I think I was able to capture the look of the PH pretty accurately. Hopefully I'll be able to say that when finished with Billy. Thank you, James. Me and you both! Thank you, Geordie. Tichy Train Group windows are the best (IMHO) and they have a great selection. The coin is a US Penny and has a 0,70 inch diameter.

Thank you, mcb. I enjoyed having you along for the journey.

Thank you, Steve,........."Heigh-Ho, heigh-ho, it's off the work we go" Thank you, Bob. I may put a barrel in there just for you. I hope the brown grows on me.

I have missed building. I know that research and kicking ideas back and forth with you guys is the necessary first step but when I find a subject that grabs me I wanna jump right into building it. I think what I like best is building a thing in my head. Figuring out the sequential order/steps necessary to reach a successful conclusion. It's figuring out the puzzle that keeps me coming back again and again. Well, Billy is off and running! I've got the four walls of the pilothouse made, windows (from Tichy Train Group) installed, and the first bit of paint applied. I wish I could have made the PH two feet (0.20) longer but I was restricted by the size of the windows and trying to replicate the photo. I originally thought Billy was 40 feet in length but after placing the PH on my deck card I've adjusted Billy's length to 35 feet meaning when completed Billy will only be 3.5 inches long. As I said, Billy is going to be the Matchbox of sternwheelers. To complete the PH I still have to add the window glazing, make the door, add the roof, and make that round air vent or fire alarm bell that sits of top. I couldn't use stain as it wouldn't have covered the windows so I used craft acrylic paint. I'm not necessarily in love with this brown color, maybe it'll grow on me? Thank you to everyone for the likes and for helping get Billy off the ground. Your support and following along mean the world to me. Keith

Well, if that don't beat all. Congratulations on completing another unique SiB, Glen. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. 👍

Eric, that is so cool that you rode the ferry and I can't thank you enough for posting your experience and the link. I thoroughly enjoyed going through the Millersburg Ferry site. I've picked up so many sternwheeler images, it's nice to be able to put a name to a face and the fact that you were on it makes it that much more incredible! I've attached your post in the Susquehanna's Hard Coal Navy build log because of the Susquehanna connection. Thank you again.

This is from a post by Eric, @Cathead regarding a photo (below) of a ferry I posted in my Billy build log. Because it's a ferry that operated on the Susquehanna I thought it should also be posted here because of the Susquehanna connection. Eric's post. Late to this side theme because I've been away, but that looks like the Millersburg PA ferry that ran (and still operates) across the Susquehanna. I rode it many times growing up and it's still a going concern: https://www.visitcumberlandvalley.com/listing/the-millersburg-ferry/1818/ My memory is that it's a gas engine with some kind of chain drive to the wheels. It's a fascinating ride, the river is extremely wide there but also very shallow, most of the time you could walk across it without getting your head wet. Most of the crossing you can see the bottom of the river just a few feet below the ferry deck. It's a cobbled-together contraption out of a whimsical nightmare, and there are actually two different ferries, both similar but each their own.

Impressive work, Karen.

Darren, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard.

Looking fantastic, Steve.

That made me laugh, Bob. Tom, I tried going by the siding widths but that didn't work out so I went with a standard wall height of 8 feet and based my computations of that. I'll be close enough for ole Billy.

John, a stinkin' air vent would have been pretty sophisticated considering you've got ole Engel weeing out the door. If Engle needed fresh air he could have opened the PH door. Billy had to make noise for fair warning. There wasn't a steam whistle and I don't see a horn so I thought maybe that thingie on top of the PH might have been an old fire alarm bell. It's easy enough to replicate the shape whatever it is. Speaking of the pilothouse, I've started with the PH and have the bow wall done and currently working on the two sides. I like doing the pilothouse first as it's the smallest structure and when completed it helps to insure the dimensions of the main deck structure are semi correct. It also helps get me ole fingers in tune.

Even in this early stage she's really starting to look the part, Roel.

That's some fine micro work, Eberhard. 👍

The rigging is coming along nicely, Bob. You've made the spiders proud.

Very true, John. Is this this? https://www.ebay.com/itm/116736725751?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28&google_free_listing_action=view_item&srsltid=AfmBOooIVux8k-EnjPM0eFtPs18EGyFypnls3o79Ecl7KYJ-Rf4smDrAdYk

I don't know where the head was located on this rig but it wasn't there because of the engine but it was the logical location.

Roel, see my response to Tom in the post above regarding #1. Regarding #2, it's the exhaust, I've enlarged this image on our iMac 27 till it pixilates and it's pretty clear it's the exhaust. #3, everything went into the Mississippi back in those days.

Tom, absolutely! The water pump draws directly from the river and the water goes directly back into the river once it's made its way through the engines internals. The opening had me stumped but thinking about it I now believe it was an unintentional opening caused by fire from the engine getting hot and being close to the wood. Engel may have originally had the hot water exiting the engine running over the wood covering the engine to try and keep it from catching fire but failed. Or this was his answer to the fire and he hadn't had a chance to make the wood repair. Right or wrong I like your idea and I'm going to model the stern without the opening (solid wood cover) with water wetting the boards by running over them. Thank you for the comment, Pat. See my response to Tom regarding the opening in the above. The engine was definitely mounted between the wheels, thus the separated paddle wheels.

I've started prepping Billy's windows. In the past I've built the walls and then worried about getting the windows placed. That approach hasn't always worked out for the best. This time I'm getting the windows picked and prepped and will let the windows determine how the walls go together. I'm also using plywood sheeting to attach the boarding to instead of stick building. Billy is going to be the Matchbox of sternwheelers, Billy's deck is 1.8 x 4.0 inches. This will be the smallest vessel I've built thus far.