# B&O's Evans City Station project



## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

As part of my public layout project I wanted to make several local landmark buildings. The most important one (to me) is a model of the old Baltimore and Ohio passenger station that used to be in Evans City, Pa. This station was featured en Ripley's Believe It or Not as the only passenger rail station built completely over water. The station was built upon steel girders stretching over the Breakneck Creek, because the tracks ran too close to the waterway to do anything else. My grandpa tried, and ultimately failed, to save this station from demolition in the '70's. Chessie wanted it gone NOW, and neglect, vandalism, and carpenter ants had made it too unstable to be moved.











The model is made from a corrugated plastic advertising sign scarfed from work, some 3" PVC pipe, and good old coffee stirrers. This is what it looks like after about 3 hours work.




















NOW, I'm gonna pick you fellas brains. What is the easiest and/or cheapest way to:
1. continue those two belt lines around the turrets
-and-
2. make those stepped cone "witch's hat" roof pieces for the same. 


I'm on a real tight budget, so the windows and doors will be painted on with basswood trim, rather than using Grandt type stuff. But I'd still like it too look fairly nice from about 6-7 feet away.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

For the belt lines around the turrets, how about soaking the coffee stirrers in hot water, then wrapping them around something slightly smaller in diameter. Holding them in place with something (e.g. rubber band, electrical tape etc.) until they dry out.

For the turret roof, looks like two different sizes of funnels glued together should work (larger one on the bottom).

Or you could muck around with paper and get the respective shapes right then use that as a template to mark & cut the corrugated plastic to shape, then glue them together.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Ever notice 'frustrum' and 'frustrated' have the same base word?


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

You can use cardboard from a cereal box cut into strips but styrene strips will hold up longer. 

-Brian


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Ever notice 'frustrum' and 'frustrated' have the same base word?
Yes sir.

And while you most likely have no need of it, I do have a copy of an old book (c. 1918) on sheet metal pattern drafting in PDF format, which shows how to layout that frustrated frustum (radial line development p97). Left-click the link to open / Right-click to download a copy.

Sheet Metal[/b]


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## NW Jim (Jan 2, 2008)

For a belt line around the turret, how about cutting up a used belt from the local auto mechanic? Took my wife's car to the shop today and saw several hanging out of the dumpster. 

Should last well outdoors, easy to cut to shape, and you are doing the environment a little favor...


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Coming along nicely....Today I added the battens and first coat of color to those 3 walls. Found a couple funnels to support the turret roofs as well. I've also cut out some of the back wall pieces (not shown). Tomorrow I'll cut the plywood base, reinforce the interior, and start making roof trusses.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Don't be a tease! What did you use for the bands on the turrets? 

-Brian


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I was rooting around in the file cabinet looking for something else, when I realized that the answer was right in front of me -- staring me in the face. Those are the 4 steel strap pieces out of two hanging file folders.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

More progress! I found a photo of the back wall. Handy!









As you can see, it's not 'boring', but rather busy. I ASSume the two little add on rooms were toilets... probably with dry hoppers that dumped directly into the creek....YUM!!! 



















Roof trusses started. I ran out of lathe! I thought 20 feet would be enough, wrong.









This morning's fiddle project. Every station needs a baggage cart. Anybody know what color(s) the B&O painted theirs?


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

Nice work on the station. It's an interesting building with all those angles and turrets (great solution for the turrets roofs btw!). 
And I like the bagage cart very much!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, I took Steve's advice and bought another sized funnel.... SAME TAPER!! Grrrrrrr! So I tried to increase the taper on the small one... it cracked. Next idea was to split the large one. It looks OK, but then I find super glue just runs right off this kind of plastic... except for where my fingers were! After I go my fingers un-stuck I went back to good old E-6000.... And sat there holding it, afraid to breathe (either because it might shift, or from the stink) for 20 minutes waiting for the stuff to set. Then I cut a coroplast circle to hold everything up. B&O stations had open eaves. This model won't, for several reasons. Including strength, and laziness.... but most of all because it just gives the bees and spiders places to build.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Really coming along great Mik. That's a very interesting design and it's a shame your grandpa couldn't save it.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

I found a picture of a REAL, unrestored, B&O baggage cart, on an ad for an estate auction....









The underneath is a bit different, because mine is actually a model of the one at the Middletown & Hummelstown RR. But how many will notice? Anyway, Colonial Red and Hunt Club Green were close. The steamer trunk is Bachmann, the barrels Lionel O-scale.. (they used to ship breakable stuff, like dishes, packed in straw in ones that size)... Preiser baggage cart $10+ this one about $3.50 more or less. And it's sturdier.










My second choice of station was the B&LE station in West Pittsburg









Other area B&O stations, just for reference - note the 'family' resemblance, even while they are all different!:
Evans City's freight depot








Mars 









Chicora









And, for the guys who need drawings -- the one in Harper's Ferry WV
http://gallery.wvrailroads.net/Harpers-Ferry-Station


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Roof going on... I WAS going to make real trusses out of lathe, and then I though, "Why bother? Nobody will see it." So I got out the saber saw and made plywood triangles. Fast, easy and fairly cheap.....









Cheapy lathe, $10 for a big bundle.... or free if you ask for the broken ones. I like free. Makes a very sturdy sub-roof. I think I'm just going to glue down 60 grit sandpaper on it, add battens, then paint it.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

FINALLY enough progress to be worth showing.....


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Almost done! Sign boards, and security light are made but not yet installed....
Another half hour's work and this one will be in the bag!


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

It's beautyfull! Good job.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice work, as usual!


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