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A customer sent me an HO kit version of the Horseshoe Meadows Depot to scale up to O scale. A picture of the kit is shown below

MM - REA Horseshoe Meadow 001-900x900

The box my customer sent me contained a replacement kit for the walls however no build instructions were included. Asking for instructions from the company that sells this kit was unfruitful. My original plan was to build the HO kit along side the O scale scratched built and hopefully sell it at a swap meet.

I started out by trying to cut the window and door openings but between the laser cuts being too shallow and the scribed wood being very thin even with a Wonder Cutter it proved impossible to cut out the openings with out breaking the wood sides especially when a window opening was placed too close to an edge. I abandoned cutting the HO kit walls and glued them together using the photos as a guide. I did make some mistakes but the finished building is shown below.

2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001

2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002

2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003

2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 004

I took measurements from the HO building and built a hardboard mock up in O scale. The mock up is sitting on a 1:1 paper drawing the customer supplied to show available footprint. I still need to figure in the dock that surrounds the building.

2021-08-25 REA Horseshoe Station 001

2021-08-25 REA Horseshoe Station 002

The X on the short wall is 1 inch too long

2021-08-25 REA Horseshoe Station 003

Next up is agreeing on dimensions with the customer.

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Images (8)
  • MM - REA Horseshoe Meadow 001-900x900
  • 2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001
  • 2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002
  • 2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003
  • 2021-08-24 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 004
  • 2021-08-25 REA Horseshoe Station 001
  • 2021-08-25 REA Horseshoe Station 002
  • 2021-08-25 REA Horseshoe Station 003
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I finished the mock-up and finally got to mapping out doors and windows. The hardboard with the vertical lines is going to be a board and batten foundation. The HO scale version used horizontal scribed wood for the building and vertical scribed wood for the foundation.

2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 [2)

2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 [3)

I started cutting scribed wood for the building. Note - when cutting the end roof angles don't discard the cut offs. They are used later for the smaller office.

2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 [4)

Next up is laying out and cutting spaces for doors and windows then bracing.

2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 [1)

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  • 2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 (2)
  • 2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 (3)
  • 2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 (4)
  • 2021-09-01 Horseshoe Meadows Depot006 (1)

MELGAR

I have to build some tanks for a customer in a time crunch for a display so will be putting this project aside for a few days.
It is a little difficult to estimate time since I tend to build 2-3 jobs at one time leaving one job at an appropriate time like allowing paint or glue to dry and working on another. In this case I am building 6 building fronts along side this build.

The build will basically consist of three parts:
1. Build the HO scale kit to see how things fit together - done - figured about 4-6 hours. Would have been much longer if I could have gotten away with cutting out the spaces for windows and doors. I would have then completed the structure along side the O scale structure and hopefully sell it.

2. Build the O scale mock-up - done - I spent part time over three days doing this - figure about 9 hours total including measuring for windows and re-cutting some end walls to make things look proper.

3. Build the O scale version - in process - cutting out the wood only took about 3 hours. Most of the time was centered around setting up the table saw to make the angle cuts with precision. I could have simply used the hardboard walls as templates, trace the lines and use an Exacto blade but I like the precision the table gives me plus I did make mistakes on the mock-up I needed to fix while cutting out the scribe wood panels.

Joe

Spent time cutting out the spaces for the doors and windows. Once that was done using a steel brush, I brushed the scribe wood in the direction of the scribe to roughen it up a little. It is hard to see but the effect does work out nicely after paint.

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [2)

Next up was bracing. This took a little time because I needed to determine positions especially where walls meet.

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [4)

Once all the walls were braced I glued up the sub-assemblies. I am trying out a new glue for me. It is called Deluxe Materials Laser Cut kit glue. It comes out white but dries clear. It acts like super glue.

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [3)

After gluing the sub-assemblies together I glued them to their appropriate walls and glued the building together.

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [5)

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [6)

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [7)

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [8)

As shown below the bracing extends past the bottom of the structure so I have glue surface for board and batten strips which will be added later.

2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 [9)

I am on hold until I talk to the customer about colors.

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  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (2)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (4)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (3)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (5)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (6)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (7)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (8)
  • 2021-09-15 REA Horseshoe Meadow Depot 001 (9)

I am discussing colors with the customer. He did some research on this depot and came up with a light green / dark green color scheme. I have been trying to get as close as possible to the light green but it is proving difficult mostly because the shelves on the stores I have tried (ACE, Home depot, Lowes etc) are pretty much empty. Apparently paint companies are having issues getting raw material.

The picture is what the customer is looking for. The color panel on the bottom is Rusto Green Apple. The lid was a nice light green but the paint came out too dark. The color panel in the middle is some brand I picked up at Hobby Lobby called Ironlak. The top of the spray can looked like light green but as you can see the color came out more yellow. The color panel at the top was sprayed with a matte clear over coat. I then brush painted it with FolkArt Basil Greene (acrylic). The clear coat was sprayed to block the acrylic from warping the wood)

2021-09-19 Paul Martin 002

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  • 2021-09-19 Paul Martin 002

The colors have been agreed to. I built a small ramp and started on the main platform. Note when gluing wood together I use a combination of wood glue and super glue (I have pretty much standardized on DAP Rapid Fuse). The CA acts like a clamp while the wood glue dries.

I needed to fit the platform in the available area specified by the custom. He supplied the hand drawn template for me. Once I got the correct orientation of the building on the template from him I started on the platform. I had to cut one end at 45 degrees to make things fit.
I will add more cross beams to support the scribe wood to be glued to the top of the platform.

2021-09-22 REA Depot 001

2021-09-22 REA Depot 002

According to the photos of the kit the platform sits on solid wood. I made this out of 3/8 sq. stock. The photos also show the 'steps' as solid pieces of wood. The customer has the choice of the 3/16 sq stock or me building a stairway.

2021-09-22 REA Depot 003

2021-09-22 REA Depot 005

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  • 2021-09-22 REA Depot 001
  • 2021-09-22 REA Depot 002
  • 2021-09-22 REA Depot 003
  • 2021-09-22 REA Depot 004
  • 2021-09-22 REA Depot 005

The platform has been laminated with scribe wood. I had to add more support to the frame under the seams where the scribe wood pieces met. I also glued wood to the edges of the frame to hide end grain on some of the corners. I finished up today by building two sets of steps onto the platform. I am going to stat the sub roof tomorrow.

2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001

2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003

2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 004

The ?stringers/ledgers? come from a Rail Scale Models stairway kit.

2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 005

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  • 2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001
  • 2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003
  • 2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 004
  • 2021-09-27 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 005

The board and batten skirting plus trim were painted with Krylon satin hunter green.

2021-09-28 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001



2021-09-28 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002

The base paint for the main building was Krylon avocado.

2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001

After the green paint dried I wiped the surface with 0000 steel wool to knock off some of the residual rough stuff then  I dusted the building with the yellow Ironlak paint. When dry I glued on the board and batten skirt around the building using DAP Rapid Fusion.

2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002

I ended up having to reinforce the skirting in several locations.

2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003

The platform was painted first with dark gray, followed by a light dusting of Rusto dark taupe then Rusto camouflage sand. I wanted some of the gray and darker tan to show through.

2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 0042021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 005

Tomorrow I will add the trim and hopefully apply the roofing shingles.

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  • 2021-09-28 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001
  • 2021-09-28 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002
  • 2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001
  • 2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002
  • 2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003
  • 2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 004
  • 2021-09-29 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 005

I started applying the cedar shingles. Went through 8 packs and still have to apply shingles to the other sides of the main roof and the two smaller roofs on the left side. I have 10 more packs on order.

2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003 zeke



The shingles I am using are BTS Master Creations #11000

2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001

I decided to use scribe wood for the roof panels. All are heavily braced on the bottom side. The scribe lines in the wood make it pretty easy to line up the rows of shingles.

2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002

Also don't toss out the perimeter of the shingles sheet. I am using the solid borders as roof caps

2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 005 zeke

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  • 2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 001
  • 2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 002
  • 2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 003 zeke
  • 2021-09-30 Horseshoe Meadows Depot 005 zeke
Last edited by Joe Fauty

I have been aware of that station's prototype since (probably) seeing plans in some ancient MR or RMC.  With steep roofs it looks as though built for deep snow areas, and exists (ed?)(no chance prototype survives?  Would be worth a detour to visit) in mountains in NW vs. Rockies.)  Even colors sound to be unique. Good thing no O kit exists, as l don't need another station.  Will want to see your completed model's photos posted.

I have been aware of that station's prototype since (probably) seeing plans in some ancient MR or RMC.  With steep roofs it looks as though built for deep snow areas, and exists (ed?)(no chance prototype survives?  Would be worth a detour to visit) in mountains in NW vs. Rockies.)  Even colors sound to be unique. Good thing no O kit exists, as l don't need another station.  Will want to see your completed model's photos posted.

Unfortunately the kit the customer sent contained no paperwork so I have no historical information on the depot. I tried contacting the company that sells these kits - Wiseman Model Services - for a copy of the instructions but never received a reply.

Hey, out there! Somebody on here has to be familiar with details on the HO kit or the magazine? source l once saw, and  help Joe Faulty possibly build an even better model, and educate the rest of us.  And, hopefully, has prototype photos l have seen somewhere.  I don't model that road so ..can offer nothing but vague memory. Dunno if was on NP, Milw.,..???

Uhh ...sorry....! There is a ton of info on HO sites about the HO kit, HO model railroads that use the kit, and "a" real Horseshoe Meadows on the east side of California Sierra, but mention only of a planned, not built, ski area there, and no RR.  H.  M. Hotshots (forest fire fighters), much in news now, are stationed there. Article l saw in old magazine must have been about somebody's scratchbuild or an early model from a kit, that one HO poster said had been around for a while. This from internet.  I still think this kit was based on some prototype in the Pacific Northwest?, that l once saw pictured....somewhere.

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