Blairstown by mcb - 1:160 - PLASTIC - Steam Derrick Lighter NY Harbor

[mcb]

Hello All,

Thanks for the comments, Keith Black, Jim Lad and Canute.  Thanks all for the likes.

 

Time for a small update.  Most of the super structure is now in its final color.  Started applying decals.  Everything is only sitting in place, not glued.  I will not fasten much down until the end of the build as there will be more assemblies going over the superstructure and things may get complicated.

Added towing bitts.  Some detail (including the pin for the fire monitor) can be seen through the window openings after all, at least for now.

And I promise the next New York Harbor boat will not be red.

Looking at one of these pictures I notice a small door is missing.  I'm off to look for it.

 

Thanks for looking,

mcb

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Looking good! It's interesting that the name on the stern includes 'of' and is not just the bare name and port of registry.

 

John

[Keith Black]

 So cool.

 

 MCB, you never went into great detail about making the ship's boat other than "I made..." What material did you use for the cover? 

[KeithAug]

Coming along very nicely.

[mcb]

Thanks Jim Lad,

Actually, I took some liberties with my depiction of the name on the stern.  The model will hopefully represent the vessel as it was in the early 1960's after it was sold by the Lackawanna Railroad to NN Petterson lighterage company.  The decal font is close, but I don't think I should have the underscored 'of' there (or possibly 'New York' as well).  I could not resist the 'of' being so quaint (see pic in 1st post).  I can always paint it out if I change my mind I suppose.

Thanks Keith Black,

The ship's boat is solid styrene, made up bread and butter style, then rough shaped, with a .030x.030 square strip stem, sternpost, keel, finally 'planked' with .010 x .040 strip.  The cover is a piece of masking tape (idea from this forum) lightly painted in the same superstructure color, then cut out from the outline made from the assembled boat.  Tie-down straps cut from the same, laid over the boat, then the cover put over with edges folded over the boat.  A ~8" scale 'hem' or trim strip from the same painted tape was put around after the cover was folded down to hide the rough edges.  Hard part is getting the cover reasonably centered. Tape so far sticks well enough, no need for glue.

BTW, I found the previously mentioned lost little door but it is unpainted so I will have to get the air brush out again.

 

Thanks again for the likes,

mcb

 

[mcb]

Hello Everyone,

Thank you Jim Lad, Keith Black, and KeithAug.  And thanks everyone for the likes.

I have a small update on this project.  I have weathered the hull somewhat and drilled openings for steam and pump discharge and smaller holes for deck drains.  Pic#1.

Since I soon will have to hang fenders on the hull I had to determine a method.  I have no clear pictures of 'BLAIRSTOWN' that were definitive so I chose to use vertical bars under the 'caprail' to the deck.  Alternatively, there may well have been a continuous horizontal rail under the 'caprail'.  I am not sure.  I drilled through the 'caprail' into the deck at regular intervals all around the deck and inserted blackened, .012", phosphor-bronze wire.  Arrows show these rods in Pic#2.

Pic#3 is a shot of the steam derrick lighter 'CHESTER'.  Some of these rods can be seen along with some other interesting details.   (Photo Watson B Bunnell, Steamtown NHS,  National Park Service, Glass plate photo collection).

I hung the bow fender.  I don't remember the correct term for it but I'm sure there is one.  It is made from a piece of tack rag since its open weave resembles netting.  Pic#4.

The version of 'BLAIRSTOWN' I am going for is from the early 1960's so it will have old tire side fenders rather than old log fenders as on 'ISIS'.

Pic#5 is a part of the old tire production line.  Various sizes of styrene tubes sanded/carved slightly for an impression of texture along with a couple of castings a friend gave me.

 

I hope I get the pictures in the correct order.

 

Thanks for watching,

mcb

 

 

 

[Keith Black]

 Amazing work.

[Jim Lad]

Very nice work. that bow fender looks just the job. I think on a vessel like this the other fenders would have been secured to anything that was handy!

 

John

[KeithAug]

i admire your dedication to fender production. Alternatively you can buy toy tyres.

 

 

Or even use "O" rings.

[Canute]

Like John said, the bow fender looks very good. Used tires in N scale? Small O rings could fill the bill. I don't know if you can get separate tires in N. I need to consult my N gurus, probably tomorrow. Your dicing of the styrene tubing should work.

 

Very nice progress to date. 😄

[mcb]

Hello All,

Thanks Keith Black, Jim Lad, KeithAug, and Canute for the comments and thanks to everyone for the likes.

 

Tire fenders are finished.  The largest ones are castings that my N scale friend gave me, they are large, the size of tractor tires.  I only used a few of those. 

The smaller two sizes, representing truck tires, I made from styrene tubing (4 sizes in all), one inside the other to make up the thickness. 

O-rings will be used, but for life rings, as I did for 'ISIS'.  I think the hull is beginning to look properly dilapidated now.

 

I also installed the windows that I built some time ago.  I am not entirely happy with them.

 

Progress reports may slow down as I most of the easy tasks are finished.  Derrick, boom and railings are ahead. 

 

Thanks again for looking,

 

mcb

 

[Jim Lad]

Those fenders look really good!

 

John

[wefalck]

Indeed! OK, these would be worn tires, but one could add even more realism by rolling them under a not too fine file , which would sort of impress a fake thread onto the running surface.

[Keith Black]

5 hours ago, mcb said:

I also installed the windows that I built some time ago.  I am not entirely happy with them.

 I love everything about the model except the windows, IMHO it's too much white. In the original photos I don't see white casings? I think the model looked more realistic in post #61photos. The fenders are spot on, she's a little jewel.  

[KeithAug]

Nice work - hell of a smoke stack!

[Canute]

Checking pictures in Taber's 3 volume set on the Lackawanna, the windows and trim into the 1940s appears darker than the body color, but these are all black and white photos. Could be some color shifts, although I don't think the white could shift that much to appear darker. The color shot on the cover of Transfer #30 of the Rail-Marine Information Group shows white or cream color windows on Blairstown in Petterson Lighterage service in 1964. Need to check the Morning Sun books on New York Harbor marine operations by Flagg for in-service photos for the Lackawanna. My copies are MIA at this time.

[mcb]

Hello All,

Thanks for the comments Jim Lad, Wefalck, Keith Black, KeithAug, and Canute.

Its been quite a while.  I have been busy with the usual home maintenance and have actually started to build the modules that these harbor models will occupy.

I had to set aside the 'BLAIRSTOWN' for a bit as well.  As I mentioned above I was not happy with the windows I installed on the pilot house and winch house.  This is because they were far too thick, especially on the winch house.  I think they will have to go.  I have a few ideas about what to try next for them.  We'll see.

As far as the color of the windows Canute's reply is exactly right.  I am building this model as it was in ~ 1964 when it was operated by Petterson Lighterage.  Black hull and deck, red superstructure, white windows (with black trim which I probably won't be able to do) and pale blue! derrick top, stack top and mast top. I am using the cover photo of Transfer #30, as Canute says above, for 90%+ of my info for this build.   I really should see if I can get permission to post that pic so that everyone can see what I am doing.

I agree the white is too vibrant in my photos above I will have to tone it down on the next try.  It is slightly more muted in person.

Meanwhile as I stew over the windows I have started on the derrick.  I took measurements from the above-mentioned pic and began on (crude) drawings.

Started with the front derrick leg, building it up from styrene strips and shapes.

Thanks for looking,

mcb

[Keith Black]

It's so good to see you back at work on the Blairstown, mcb. Your work is an inspiration. 

[Jim Lad]

Nice to see her moving again!

 

John

[KeithAug]

Happy to see her back in development. I look forward to the next post.