Tacoma roundhouse and coaling tower

I've been rather busy trying to detail the roundhouse and yard on my NP Tacoma division. Here are a few pics of the coaling tower under construction and of the roundhouse, etc. Any comments are welcome.

 

What time period are you modeling, Bill?

That is one nice coaling tower, where will it be placed?

I like how you put the roundhouse on the corner.

Only thing that really pops out at me bad is the C80.

 

I'm supposedly modeling the steam diesel transition period. But I have enough equipment to also run in the late sixties mode. The tower will go over the tracks roughly where the hopper cars are in the last picture.

 

Bill, I _really_ wish you would stop posting your stuff. I showed the thread to Rrrr and she said: "I want one of them". Um, er, ok, it was my fault for showing her. Anyway, it is very very nice as is all of your work including the critters you did which she wants me to build because "they are sooooooooooooo cute".
Nice work man, nice work.

 

Thanks Ken, and you too Grey one. I do love the colors of their structures. I'm also puting pictures on the facade of the layout showing the actual buildings and areas.

 

Bill,

when you are done with that coal tower, can you build one for me as well? Please???

As you know I model exactly the same scene, but so far I have not evne been able to find a good close-up picture of the tower...
So if you have any plans to share that would be great, even though I will not be able to match your results.

The roundhouse looks great. Was there really an old wooden watertank or is that part of "modellers licence"?

Cheers
Dirk

 

I must say it looks great but, that turntable pit is WAY to clean!mg:

I helped pull the turntable out of Yakima the pit was full of sand,rocks, small broken parts of locomotives( steam and diesel) chains and a manhole cover with NP cast into it!

 

Amazing work Bill! Keep the updates comming!

 

Thanks guys!

Hi Dirk, I have a plan of Tacoma yard from the 1950's that I got in one of the back issues of the Mainstreeter. It showed the tank and pump house in that area. It's a great plan, showing the size of buildings etc. I believe the wood tank should be steel as it's an oil storage tank. It will be replaced in the near future with one from Walthers. Unfortunately I was in the same boat in regards to the coaling tower. I did find two relatively good pics of it on the Puget Sound Locomotive Engineers layout, on the web page of the Washington State History Museum. The rest is conjecture, looking at other NP coaling towers. It's close but not exact.

NP 2152, In the near future, grass will be sprouting in the pit, along with some dirt. I agree, it is too clean

 

Thats a wow!!

Can I steal this picture and just say I did that? No? Wow again!

 

Very nice, Bill! Which reminds me to get cracking again.

 

Bill, you may have already seen this site, but as one of the founding members of PSMRE, I would appreciate your review of our WA State History Museum layout, link enclosed. I am sorry we don't have a better picture of the coaling tower, but the roundhouse pics are there in good splendor. I will ask our Chief Engineer if he has one. Michael

http://psmre.org/images/2001/2001images.htm

 

Thanks for the comments Pete, Looking forward to part 2 of your article in N scale magazine Michael, the PSMRE layout was my insperation, I know the site well. I'm up there every year on vacation, but have yet to make it to the museum to actually see it. I'm going to make a concertive effort this year to get there though. That layout, is hands down my favorite. It's very well done and looks fantastic. I'm still pondering adding another level to mine to get a little more mainline, possibly to Stampede. The model nthe ayouisth only reference I could find to the coaling tower. Mine's not perfect, but the look is about right, close enough for the three foot rule

 

Let me know when you're going to be up here and I will arrange a behind the scenes look. Here is link to the "best" shot we have of the tower, not great, but I will keep asking around. M

http://psmre.org/aug2003/pages/119_1954.htm

 

Thanks Micheal, I'd really like that. I do know it will be in August sometime. I'll let you know the exact date when I get the vacation schedule here at the water district where I work

 

Here is the completed tower. It came out better than I expected.

 

Droool.... Very nice indeed!
Makes me want to run to my basement and start doing some more buildings and scenery.

Thanks for sharing!!
Cheers
Dirk