PE Heavyweight Dining Car Kitchen Remodel

I take it that this Heavy weight diner shared the same interior tooling with the Station Sounds diner, and the hole you are refering too is where the electronics used to go?

This sounds like a good project, keep us posted.

I have never had a station sounds diner car JD, but judging from the electrical access, it would indeed make sense to put a module there.  Can you see the actual module through the window on SSDs?

Here is the general kitchen layout I found online.  Looks like I'll have to do a little more digging to find what goes where.  

Can you see the actual module through the window on SSDs?

 

no

I'm still trying to decide where I want appliances, but the kitchen will be stainless steel with a black & white tile floor.  Here you can see I cut some styrene for the floor panel.  I'm not happy with the "step" to the left of the kitchen nor the screw bosses.  See images.  This fitment assumed a floor laid on top of the bosses.  The only drawback is you lose about 1/4 inch of clearance.  So I may opt to remove the bosses altogether, and heat shrink the wires below it to avoid chafing.  Here you can also see the rough test fit of a stainless backsplash.

Funniest thing I have seen today.

 

Super project; thanks for taking it on.

 

And thanks for the photos.

Your off to a great start.

That is one way to get them to go to bed...

Look forward to your updates. Excellent project.

I figured there'd be a figure in the bathroom. 

 

Jerry

Sorry it has been so long since I updated this build, but Christmas is NOT the time to take this on.  It would be much more relaxing in June.  LOL

 

I've attached a series of pics to show you guys what has been done:

 

1) I'm using aluminum to build this "Stainless" kitchen.

So the bare wires from the truck pickups had to be insulated with shrink tubing.

 

2) I rebuilt the long wall backsplash with better curves and bends.

 

3) Then I cut out a section for the right side backsplash.

 

4) Created the inner wall appliance counters:  this will be a stove/oven and a griddle.

 

5) Created the outer wall appliance counters:  this will be the dual basin sink, dishwasher and prep area.  The prep area will have small cookie sheets with Christmas Cookies cooling on them.  

 

6) The raw items are test fitted before detailing and installation.  I determined that the styrene I wanted to use on the black & white tile floor is too thick.  I'm going to get some thinner stock.

 

Next up:  The detailing the appliances, and creation of a fridge/freezer, exhaust hood, cabinets and flooring.  I'm also going to drill a window in the door.  This is a must for any kitchen!  

 

Looking great, now will you have to add lighting in this area? Or is it already lit?

 

Terrific project and progressing beautifully.  Keep the pictures coming.

 

Thanks for sharing.

Volphin....this might be helpful.....found this site looking for a kitchen for an o scale kitchen for you......the dealer is Oakridge Hobbies

 

 

Your progress so far is very nice......I plan to do something similar......really do not like that empty space, Lionel left.

 

-Pete

J Daddy, the kitchen is already lit from above with Lionel's light bar, and has two bulbs right over the build.  It will be even brighter once all the aluminum is polished a little more, because it will bounce off of the counters and the backsplash and focus it toward the windows.  At least that is my hope.  

 

I do not plan to detail the pantry.  That side of the car has no window for it anyway so no one will ever see it.  The funny thing is, there's a bulb right on top of it.  Oh well.  

Volphin, some questions on the "how to" aspect of this terrific project.

 

What do you use to cut the plastic?

 

What do you use to cut, bend, and polish the aluminum?

 

Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Pete!  I bookmarked that furniture for future reference.  I think I'm going to scratch this one though.  All the images I've seen online of dining car kitchens remind me very much of a stainless galley with aircraft-style unibody construction to maximize space.  Probably due to the tight quarters and the motion of the car.  

 

FWIW, I've only got $4 into this build right now, with plenty of excess material for other dining cars.  (uh oh.)  

Hi Carl, I usually use an exacto knife and metal ruler for plastic, but I'll fess up... I used scissors for the rough floor I decided not to use.  It was just a tester anyway.  I usually mark it lightly with a sharpie where I want to cut and trim it to fit.  Alcohol takes off the sharpie ink, as long as you are within 10 minutes or so.

 

The metal sheeting is cut, yep, with scissors.  I tried to use my exacto, but it was taking to long and dulling my blades.  Notice that this is the second one installed.  You get better with glasses on.  Also, take advantage of the square angles provided by your stock.  Try to leave them intact.  

 

The angle aluminum was a bit of a challenge.  First I tried a dremel.  Nope.  I needed SQUARE 90 degree cuts... and it got too hot to handle as well.  I wound up using a wet table saw... a tiny one (4 inch blade) used for cutting tile.  The small counter was actually cut with the tile blade, DRY.  I don't recommend that.  Still lots of heat and the aluminum didn't dig it.  

 

So I improvised and tried a concrete die grinding "blade" mounted in the saw DRY.  Worth a buck right?  Well, it worked like a charm.  Better cuts, true right angles, and no excess heat transfer.  

 

The aluminum is polished with an SOS pad from our kitchen sink.  But there are polishing pads for dremels as well.  I'd just do it by hand though, you can better control the amount of polishing/luminosity you prefer.

 

Does that help?

 

Wow, it feels kind of good to stretch my modeling legs again!  The last aircraft I did was in 1995!  I wonder where I put those airbrushes?  

 

Ok guys, time for an update.  I picked up some new, thinner styrene for the floor and some wood for counter support blocks last night.  Then I tacked everything together for a shell-on test fit.  

 

There's good news and bad news.  LOL

 

Good news is that the fit is good and the counters are window sill height.

The bad news is that with two deep counters, you cant see any detail like the floor or the inner oven/stove.  

 

I'm considering making the outer counter thinner, but that would almost surely put a dent in my cooling tray idea... but it could be done smaller still.    OR removing it altogether.  My gut says just try it thinner.

 

Another issue I ran into was the overhead cabinets.  You just plain can't see them through the windows very well unless you are slightly below eye level.  I'm going to have to find a balance between visual impact vs how much detail work I want to do.  

 

Will keep you posted.  

 

Oh, my mother is having a knee replacement today.  Any prayers you can send over would be greatly appreciated.  

 

 

Volphin, nice job so far. Looking forward to your updates!  Keeping good thoughts for your Mom!

-Pete

Volphin, thanks for the update.  As for the inability to see details through the windows, is a lift off roof or some other lift off feasible that can be quickly accomplished.  I know I'd enjoy seeing the detail.  OTOH, if the primary viewer perspective will be through the window, then that's what you should probably design for.

 

Prayer sent for your mom, also.

Hi Guys.  I have decided to finish one of the projects on my list.  This one has been calling me from the workbench all year.  

 

See the attached pictures below.  I may have to cut my Chef down to size.  

Tonight I will work on the kitchen sink area and the fridge.  More photos tomorrow!

 

Looks Awesome!  Will keep in mind as a poss. mod for my diners, including PE.  Maybe Richard Kiel was cast as the Chef....