Sunday, March 1, 2015

Turntable Part 7 - the control cabin building

 Well, this is another saga that is unfolding gradually. In between shoveling snow and working on my taxes, I am trying to build the cabin for the turntable. I built it first without any instructions as the kit came with none. Here is how it looks with the fancy filigree work that was typical of the early 20th century.
 I was wondering how to paint this so I looked in some PRR related books to get some shots of turntables in service. That was when I discovered a couple of things. By the mid 50's the cabins were typically sheathed in steel but the same basic dimensions - good so far. I can cover this with sheet styrene for steel. But the four windows faced the engine and the two window wall was to the pit. Problem now because I had built this in reverse. So, two choices - tear it apart and start over or make two new windows and sheath over the two on the rear wall.
 So, I went with option two. I cut out the wall for the new windows, matching the size of the existing two.
 I drilled a hole for my Dremel milling bit and rough cut the opening
 This is the rough cut openings beginning to look like windows.
 Here I have now framed around the opening with scraps so it matches the depth of the two original windows. I proceeded to file the openings to match.
 Now I have cut the styrene to cover the walls.
 First I tried yellow carpenter's glue and that while it did not hold the styrene well, it gave me a good base for ACC
 So, here we are with the windows in the right orientation and the cabin sheathed.
Now I am getting ready to put tar paper on the roof - but first I have to finish my taxes.

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