# Western Union comes to town - in model form!



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi,
I have a new book of plans for Early Wooden American buildings, which is quite good. Naturally the plans are to HO scale, but that is easily dealt with, via the scanner. 


One of them is for a ‘Western Union’ office. They ran the cable & telegraph etc system generally alongside the railroad tracks, so I though an office would be a useful building and it was small. A check revealed that it was not so small, so some minor adjustments were made so it would fit the (part) slab I intended to use under it, and the scanner was brought into use. 


A riffle through my window jigs found the right one, and the windows were made first as usual. That gave me the size for cutting the holes in the wall, these are made from the usual 5mm PVC solid foam, the walls were scored with an Olfa cutter (pushed – if you draw it down it will rip the surface) to replicate the vertical planks. Then the walls are joined together at the corners and internally stiffened, using my usual glue - which is latex based mine is called 'Evo-stik'. The foundation is from 3mm sheet overlaid with some stone design styrene card. 


The roof which is intended to look like roofing felt is made from 2mm thick styrene card, again with some stiffeners and internal roof ridge from PVC strip that I have from a window fitting job, it is very nice to plane the upward facing ‘V’ on using a small plane, for the ridge. Paper strips are added to indicate the joins, not forgetting some horizontal ones, there are pieces also at the ends of the roof, these are added aftyer ther baergeboards have been fitted. Notwithstanding the stiffness of the roof, which has a scale 12” overhang seems a bit weak, so I fitted a set of rafter ends to both sides from scrap. 


The large roof sign is made from 1.5mm styrene card sheet with a double frame to protect the edges, and then I added some three part fixing pieces on the lower edge, and worked out the four top braces, also from 1.5mm sheet. These have some extra (scrap) fixing blocks added to the roof, and after painting the roof can be fixed. 


The main colour is DIY store masonry paint ‘sand’ from a tester pot, with red oxide for the trim color. The door is built in situ, the roof is also a DIY store tester pot color called ‘soot’ a very unusual color as it looks ion the pot like a dark red oxide, but dries almost black. When all is dry I added some plank joins to the sides & ends with a pencils (don’t forget the nail holes) and varnished it all. 


The two stovepipes were added, made from plastic straws (to add strength to the double them inside with another straw, slit lengthwise and a thin layer of glue to hold the layers together and pushed inside), the main one has a top from the end of a sealant cartridge tube: the bent one (supposedly in the kitchen) from a bendy straw. Both need a plate to protect the roof and wall – these are made from 15 thou styrene card, impress the fixing screws from the back. 
On the internasl photo it can be seen that I have added an internal bracing piece to keep the larger stovepipe still, in addition to the two (.8mm) brass wire external wires. The little deflector cone at roof level is a fiddle! Made in 15 thou styrene card, to a ’washer’ shape and pulled further together then re cut the centre hole; glue it down on the plate and fill any gaps with a smear of glue. The correct name for this shape I am told, is a ‘frustum’ of a cone (made more difficult by the base being on a slope) and there is somewhere on the web a formula for making them, I just work out a couple of circles on a piece of paper, and fiddle to I get it about right! 


Here are a small set of photos that befit what is really a very small, and utilitarian office type building. I will add a pole by the side of it, but the rest of the wires, allegedly to the rest of the world will stay missing – I can easily see that my big feet, and or the various animals in the garden will soon snag them! 











A front view - the sign is only temporary - it is the 'try out' version, and as such is very temporary. The final version will be with red lettering..










Other end and the rear with the buiklding on its foundation slab.










Top View of the roof and sign fixings - I don't want ot to come loose.











Turned up on its base! On the base there are two pieces of stiffened PVC angle that are for the fixing screws to go into, and the bits of plastic corrugated cardboard are just for location, and from scrap form other buildings. Inside the building on the left of center is the larger stovepipe, with its glued brace to keep it still. 


I have a small and fat (Lemax with lengthened legs) i'Banker' figure, so I will have to add a small green eyeshaded figure as well, then the pair of them can be put outside the building talking about 'something or other', that needs the new technology (of 1880) to be used.


----------



## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter, Very nice little building, certainly up to your usual high standards.


----------



## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Such fine details on a small building. I await your telegram. stop No, send money gram.


----------



## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter, 
Neat idea. Western Union was a regular fixture in towns an on RR's for many years. You'll need a bicycle leaning against the wall for the delivery boy to ride as he delivers the telegrams.


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 

Thank you for the comments, Richard alas bicycles were unlikely to be in use in 1884 or so - the basic style that we know now was 'brand new' in 1885, and in deepest Colorado would be I think 'unheard of' - I could instead have a hitching rail for a horse though, I will think about that.


----------



## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter,

As usual, a classic and admirable piece of "Bunce Work". May I ask what your new source book is?


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Gary,

Thanks for the kind comments - you ask about the book; the title is 'Early Wood Frame & Stone Structures', by Pat Harriman, who also is an architect & the publisher. 

My copy came fom the following website - the link is to the page for the books -

http://www.montageww.com/modelrailroadingbooks/scenerystructures.html

There is a listing of the drawings and a small view (click on both views for a larger and clearer version) of one of the drawings.

They were a bit difficult to find on the web, and are still listing both books, and their service was very good, and it was well packed - I can recomend them.

Book 1 has 45 drawings in HO scale, some are modifications of a theme, but for me they are good designs and useful. There is a second book as well, (Early Wood Frame & Masonry Structures) but that seems to have drawings of buildings that are going to be too large for the space I have available. 

The latter seems difficult to find: however an auction house (which have sold out) does list what is inside the second book at 

http://www.upbids.net/asp/detail.asp?id=925, 

This is useful for the listing (model sizes footprint is shown) of the contents of book 2: it is more comprehensive than the listing from Motntage Worldwide, who still have the book on sale.


----------



## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Are they planning on any" CANDY" grams??


----------



## smcgill (Jan 2, 2008)

Peter nice work. 
When you build a station you'll need to have wires going to it. 
My grandfather us to work for the Western union and he did some time @ stations and the office. 
I do remember him showing me how to do Morse code , we did build a base station (radio shack) Ask them now and they will say Morse what? 
So now you'll have to string us along ,as well as the layout!


----------



## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Dah da dot da dit.. dah da dot da dit....


----------



## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi, 
Quite right - and on that point I will chicken out! The depot is built, (and here is a photo of the depot etc) the western union building will be just in front of it, and there will be a pole at the side of it. The grass is now my 'new addition' to the hamlet/village that has permission to grow to twice its size - it lives in hope of a eventual futher extension still! 












The location of it will be just about where the loco is in the above photo - much has changed and this photo of the depot, has had a lot of additions , both of new, and re-located buildings and new Japanese Maple trees since it was taken. 


Then the wires should run off and on the the wide wide world. 

Well they won't - my big feet (scale wise) are certain to rip any wires off the poles as work is done regularly at the back of the depot , there is a big high hedge (it can just be seen - and is of the fast growing Leylanddii conifers, and not mine but the house across from mine), that needs a regular cut plus the small trees in the same area that require work on them also. 

So it will be assumed that due to the supposed snow and other climatic conditions (seeing that the layout is supposed to be in the high parts of Colorado) the wires have been buried for their own protection - at least that is my excuse - what is sometimes called Rule 8 over here - its my railroad & I decide what is done with it!





















.

We might however get something eventually!


----------

