1/72 Scale Modeling

Well, it is after the new year and I not done hardly anything to show on the layout or the steel mill. I took a small break and did some 1/72 scale modeling instead. Always been interested in WWII and got hundreds of books on it. Was surfing the net one day and found some scale models that really caught my eye. Even though 1/72 is some bigger than 1/87 I wanted to go with 1/72 due to a couple of reasons. First, off a lot of vehicles and airplanes, I wanted to do are not produced in 1/87 scale. The other reason was that for what you pay for a 1/87 scale model, one could get 2 or 3 models in 1/72 scale of the same vehicle. Here are my first few attempts to do a little 1/72 scale modeling. All vehicles and planes were painted with rattle can paint and dry brushed weathering with acrylic paints. I ran out of dull-cote is why a couple of the model are shiny.

Morser Karl

Morser Karl

Ammunition Panzer

M4A1 Half Track

M4A3 76mm Sherman Tank

B-17 bomber

Fokker DR.1 Tri-Wing Plane (The Red Baron)

 

Bridge Part 1

I started working on the steel mill portion of the layout and started thinking about a bridge while looking at pictures for a few ideal for the steel mill. Next thing I know I am working a bridge going over the interchange tracks in the yard. I had to completely remove the abandoned factory, but I reused the water tower and the substation in this area. Th bridge was built out of 3 Atlas plate guider bridges.

Switch Replacement Part 2

Changed the switches out and the did ground covering. It really improved the look.

Safety Signs Part 1

I been looking for a way to add safety signs on some of my buildings that already is on the layout. I have tried decaling with no luck and thought about printing them out on photo paper. I turned to the net and found what I wanted. I then went to Microsoft paint and edited the safety signs so they would work with what I have. I then went to my local CVS and had a couple 4 x6 photos printed. I was really surprised how they turned out.

This is a shot looking at tracks of the BOF. Narrow gauge track is used for supplies only. Center track is for the scrap charging boxes and the outside track is for gondolas loaded with scrap from the scrap yard. The start of the caution signs can be seen in this pictures also in the crane legs and at the doors.

Maintenance access door signs can also be seen here.

Switch Replacement Part 1

I had Atlas switches machines around the BOF area. They did the job, but I felt they didn't look right. I was able to get a few packs of Caboose Hobbies ground throws and replace the Atlas switch machines. They look better and work great. The replaced Atlas switch machines will be used else where though out the mill. In the pictures, the foot print of the Atlas switch machine can still be seen and compared to the foot print of the ground throws.

Car Pullers Part 1





The car puller is located at the material dump house of the BOF. This was scratch built from plans that Dean Freytag published in a modeling magazine. I also got the idea from one of the local coal tipples in the area. The car puller was made out Plastruct styrene, tubing and motor. The cable is string I had left over from another kit, the chain is from a necklace and the hook if from a ST&D kit.

Basic Oxygen Furnace Part 1

The Basic Oxygen Furnace or (BOF) for short has been a 5 year project. As of now even with being a corner building on my layout it is still the biggest. I keep detailing this building more and more. I have thought about completely redoing it at times after thinking about it I really like how it is turning out.

Hot side of the furnace

 Air and dust duct work system from the hot side of the furnace.

Scrap side of the BOF

Air and dust duct work system.

Scrap crane on the scarp side of the BOF. At this area scrap from the gondolas will be loaded in scrap charging boxes use to pour the scrap into the BOF furnaces.