Billy 1938 by Keith Black - 1:120 Scale - Homemade Sternwheeler

[Jim Lad]

What a great image, Keith!

 

John

[Keith Black]

On 12/17/2025 at 6:38 PM, Jim Lad said:

What a great image, Keith!

 Thank you, John.

 

 Further information.....I noticed the sign "Montauk Steam" and thought what the heck, let me look that up and to my delighted surprise the following came up on Wikipedia. What a great thing the internet can be!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montauk_Steamboat_Company

 

The Montauk Steamboat Company, Ltd. was located at Pier 13, East River, New York City, US. It was established in 1853.^[1] It operated steamboats between New York City and the eastern end of Long Island. The boats ran along the north shore of Long Island. There were also steamboats to Block Island, Rhode Island where connections were made with Providence and Newport.^[2]  Henry Francis Cook was its president;^[3] David Van Cleaf was its superintendent.^[1] The company was sold to the Long Island Rail Road Company in 1899 after a deal was struck with Joseph Fahys & Co. who held the majority stock in the steamboat company.^[4] The company office was later moved to Long Island City, Queens, New York.^[5]

Edited December 19 by Keith Black

[Cathead]

I dunno, I see a Keith-style tugboat in the background! Or that one too normal for you?

 

 

[Keith Black]

6 minutes ago, Cathead said:

I dunno, I see a Keith-style tugboat in the background! Or that one too normal for you?

 "Sorry, sir, the only flavor we have today is vanilla" 

[Keith Black]

 For the railroad buffs in the group... there is also L.I.R.R. ANNEX BOAT painted on the lower front of the Pier 13 building. The below Wikipedia link that goes into the Long Island Railroad history. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Long_Island_Rail_Road

 

 The history of the Montauk Steamboat Company and the history of the Long Island Railroad connection and their connection is a fascinating rabbit hole to explore but enough of this rabbit hole, I should finish Billy's bow today. 

 

 

[Keith Black]

 Thank you to each of you for your likes and your comments,

 

 

 I've been looking forward to when I could hold Billy in the palm of my hand. I don't think display space is going to be an issue. 

 

 Finishing the bow took me longer than I anticipated. Everything you see is attached. I wanted to paint the boiler deck so bad........patience self. 

 

 Eric, Tom, and anyone else who saw in their minds a center located stairs, is this what you where thinking? 

 

 

 Thank you to everyone for your support and for following along.

 

 And very special Christmas wish for good health and happiness during the holidays and the coming new year.

 

 Merry Christmas my dear friends, God Bless.

 

   Keith  

Edited 15 minutes ago by Keith Black

[vvvjames]

Merry Christmas Keith! Happy to see good progress on the Billy:)

[GrandpaPhil]

Merry Christmas!

 

Billy is looking great!

 

Your workboats are amazing!

[Jim Lad]

Billy is looking so good, Keith

 

A Merry Christmas to you and yours.

 

John

[wefalck]

Merry Christmas, Keith, and a good start into the 2026 modelling year!

 

[Knocklouder]

Merry Christmas 🎅,  Keith. Hope you and yours have a great one. All the blessing in the world my friend.

Bob  M.,   oh yes, Merry Christmas Billy.

                  You good looking riverboat, you.

       🌲

       

Edited 17 hours ago by Knocklouder

[tmj]

1 hour ago, Keith Black said:

"Holy Cow, Kieth!" "You are the 'Stairmaster' for sure!" That is gorgeous! Extremely fine detail and precise work, without a doubt! "Very impressive", I 'love' it! 

Now I know why it's taken you so long to post any updates to your build! 😮

[BANYAN]

A unique model of a quirky PS Keith, looks great!  Considering the limited source/reference material you had this has really turned out well. 

 

Merry Christmas mate.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Keith Black]

3 hours ago, vvvjames said:

Merry Christmas Keith! Happy to see good progress on the Billy:)

 Thank you, James and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.

 

2 hours ago, GrandpaPhil said:

Merry Christmas!

 

Billy is looking great!

 

Your workboats are amazing!

 Thank you, Phil. Happy Holidays;.

 

2 hours ago, Jim Lad said:

Billy is looking so good, Keith

 

A Merry Christmas to you and yours.

 Thank you kindly, John. Happy Holidays;.

 

2 hours ago, wefalck said:

Merry Christmas, Keith, and a good start into the 2026 modelling year!

 Thank you, Eberhard. Happy Holidays;.

 

2 hours ago, Knocklouder said:

Merry Christmas 🎅,  Keith. Hope you and yours have a great one. All the blessing in the world my friend.

Bob  M.,   oh yes, Merry Christmas Billy.

                  You good looking riverboat, you.

  Thank you, Bob. Happy Holidays. 

 

2 hours ago, tmj said:

"Holy Cow, Kieth!" "You are the 'Stairmaster' for sure!" That is gorgeous! Extremely fine detail and precise work, without a doubt! "Very impressive", I 'love' it! 

Now I know why it's taken you so long to post any updates to your build! 😮

 Thank you very much, Tom. It was kinda fiddly but I'm pleased with the way they turned out. Happy Holidays;.

 

2 hours ago, BANYAN said:

unique model of a quirky PS Keith, looks great!  Considering the limited source/reference material you had this has really turned out well. 

 

Merry Christmas mate.

 Thank you, Pat. Happy Holidays;.

[Canute]

As Banyan said, a quirky boat. The colors are close to system colors some railroads used on their company structures. Maybe this fellow "liberated" some paint from the Pennsylvania RR to decorate this workboat. Fun to speculate for a back story.

Merry Christmas to you all and your families. 😁

[Keith Black]

2 hours ago, Canute said:

As Banyan said, a quirky boat. The colors are close to system colors some railroads used on their company structures. Maybe this fellow "liberated" some paint from the Pennsylvania RR to decorate this workboat. Fun to speculate for a back story.

Merry Christmas to you all and your families.

 Thank you, Ken. I tried matching the hues in the black and white photo to colors I have in my acrylic craft paint stash. If the colors match The Pennsylvania Railroad color scheme is purely an accident. Thank you and Happy Holidays.