Here, FINALLY, is my 3-D printed, 1/64 (‘S’) scale model of U.P.'s "Jim Adams" (#809) Auxiliary Water Tender. The U.P. has two of these Auxiliary Water Tenders - "Jim Adams" (#809) has the big U.S. flag on the side, "Joe Jordan" (#814) is a much simpler design (lettering wise) - no flag! Both tenders saw use in the 150th Golden Spike celebration last May, 2019, and are currently used where ever and whenever the U.P. runs its steam program locomotives.
I've wanted an aux. water tender for my Lionel/Flyer Challenger (#3985) for a LONG time. It would also look good behind the Lionel/Flyer Big Boy (#4014) and Northern, or AF Northern (with the proper number #844, of course). My son, Scott, did all the research needed to be able to design one that could be 3-D printed (on Shapeways). I've had this one since March 2019, and posted some preliminary details back then, but couldn't get motivated enough to get it completed. With COVID-19 I decided I really didn't have much of an excuse! ;-)
The model uses Flyer tender trucks (Scott got them from Doug Peck, as I recall). These were from a Flyer crane car as both trucks needed couplers. I merely added some brake cylinders to the AF trucks to make them look more prototypical. Scott's 3-D printed tender has LOTS of 'cast-on' detail. However, I added some extra details that weren't 3-D printed, such as top side handrails (with small cotter pin supports) along the top, some handrail grabs on the top corners, water filling pipes at each bottom corner, and some other under-body (brake system) details. The 3-D printed parts include the separately applied ladders and headlights at each end as well as the hand-brake/wheel assembly. It comes in 3 major components, the main car body (ends & sides - 1 piece), the top, and the base.
I ended up making my own decals as the ones I ordered from eBay (which were supposedly S scale) didn't look right - too small. I also made the “Jim Adams” U. S. Flags and had them printed with a laser printer on card stock, then carefully cut them out with scissors (using my 3rd-grade [?] scissor skills). I used ‘Tru-Color’ paints for my model and applied with an airbrush. I primed the parts with a light gray, TCP-136 `CN Let. Gray’. Then I used TCP-026 UP Armour Yellow, and TCP-025 UP Harbor Mist Grey where applicable. These paints matched my American Models Budd car set very nicely. As I recall, I put on 2 coats of the final colors to get good coverage. For the different width red stripes at the top and bottom edges of the Armour Yellow, I found that the Microscale RED ‘HO Scale Stripes’ at 4” & 6” wide (#91135) worked out to be 2.94” & 4.41” in ‘S’. They compared favorably to the red stripes on my AM & Flyer UP passenger cars.
The model isn’t currently, publicly, available on SHAPEWAYS, as Scott just hasn’t set it up that way, yet. But, I’m sure if you’re interested he would set it up so you could order a set. I’m don’t recall what the total cost was of this 1st version, but Scott could figure it out and let you know. I’m thinking it’s in the ~$200-250 range (plus trucks/couplers, paint, decals & extra ‘add-on’ details which are not 3-D printed). It depends on which type plastic the various parts are printed in. You can eMail Scott at: scottrgriggs at icloud.com Then please copy me at: rlgriggs at bellsouth.net for more information or any questions you might have.) :-)
I’m attaching numerous photos of this 3-D printed Aux. Water Tender (along with some of the prototypes) to show the details provided. And, finally, there are 3 videos on Youtube that shows “Jim Adams" (#809) in action. Merely go to Youtube.com and search for “UPP 809”, then if you click on my smiling face “Randall Griggs”, then “Play All” you’ll see all 3 videos listed. And, on the short video, if you pause it at ~11 secs. you’ll see the rivet & welding line details Scott has built into this 3-D model! :-)
Regards, Randall (Randy) Griggs
