Re-work/re-paint of New River Mining Co

[Nazgul]

This is a project that I have been wanting to do for a while now.

I bought this structure "as-is" (except for the "Twin River" and NP signage) at a show when I was just starting out 2 1/2 years ago. I thought it looked great!....... what was I thinking.











Believe me, it looks even worse in person!!!!!
This baby need a lot of work. The position of the inner support beam has been changed (probably to work with the previous owner's track spacing). Unfortunately it interferes with the coal chute opening. That must be fixed. And of course, putting the slack loader on the roof is problematic at best. Whether or not I can remove the problem areas and re-work them without destroying the model, remains to be seen.
Regardless, Lots of work...Lots of paint!

I bought a new "New River Mining Co" a while back and did a kitbash of it just like "Turtle Creek Coal":
http://trains.com/mrr/default.aspx?c=a&id=1206

Here's my version:



Since it was smaller than the orginal...I have a few parts left over that I may be able to use on this project.........

I hope to get started over the weekend

Take care

[Eastern Roads]

I agree on the coloring, the "metal" parts are waaay too orange. Are you going to make them resemble rust or weathering in any way?? Thanks for sharing, Steve!!

[ak-milw]

Steve,
I remember that building on the old layout. Somehow it looked better on the layout. Oh well everything can be fixed with a little patience, and I know you can do it.

[Nazgul]

Andy....thank you for your confidence .

I started "ungluing" this thing and man was it rough....I don't know what was used for glue but whatever it was, they sure used a lot!!!!!
It got easier as I moved to other areas but that has not helped the fact that the original glue job was sloppy and now the plastic is very visibly marred in some very obvious places.

Here are a few pics:








I am going to hide the roof imperfections with Campbell's corrugated roof panels...I have some here, so I won't have to buy any. I am hoping that it won't look funny having them on the roof and not the walls.

I am also going to take the slack loader off the roof and have it stand alone from the main structure as was originally intended. That will mean making supports, chutes, and a bottom to the loader (it is missing)

I never really intended to to get this carried away with this, but....


more next time

Take care
__________________
Steve

[ak-milw]

Looks like it will be a MAJOR project!!

[domiluk]

I can't see any thing wrong with it hahahaha. anyway I konw that you as a master modeler you'll have it as good as new in a coulp of weeks.

[Nazgul]

Dom....you need to get your eyes checked!


I didn't have enough corrugated panels to cover all the roofs, so I bit the bullet and went to the LHS and bought a styrene corrugated sheet that closely matched those on the model. Also, after closer inspection of the slack loader (what's left of it) I will not be using it. I can salvage the corrugated sections and re-use it to make a shed or something else later.

Progress?.......



This pic shows the new roof section and also a smaller roof (to the right) that I borrowed from my previous kit-bash. I also moved the steel supports back to there proper places and added a third. The last support on the right is a stand alone column that I also borrowed. Oh yeah...finally have a set of stairs as well







I really wanted to take the windows out, but I couldn't do it without destroying them....so I had to tape all (most) of them off






I made the two outside chutes from wood (that's all I had) and the hangers from styrene rod. Theres a black plastic one in the middle that you probably can't see too well........you guessed it, I borrowed that one.






You'll notice that I didn't tape off all of these windows. I am going to try a little experiment and paint them...........see what happens.
I don't have another set of stairs, but I needed to do something about the second door, so I made a narrow platform and a set of rails That will be painted black and will run from the door to where the wall juts out.




I may get it painted this weekend, but it is supposed to rain, so I'm not sure...........that's it for now.

Take care

[ak-milw]

To bad you couldn't put in a door where the walkway ends by the wall. It would be like an outside walk around. Otherwise some great progress!!

[Nazgul]

Andy....great advice as usual . If I were doing this for my layout, I would try and do that, but my main goal here is to make an ugly model presentable. I need to start thinking a little more when I "renovate"



I painted the Mine and have started the weathering.....just a couple of pics........I'll post more when it is all finished:









Take care

[ak-milw]

As always, excellent job!!!!!!