# CMS Switch Tower for Iron Island RR



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

I bought a bunch of Colorado Model Structure kits from Bruce at the ECLSTS last March. Last week, I realized that I hadn't assembled all of them, yet. Well, it's that time of year again. Spring ECLSTS is next week and I really couldn't justify buying more buildings if I didn't finish the ones I already have. This is the last one. I don't normally do much interior work, but this building is loaded with windows and is quite visible- especially when lit up at night. So, I came up with an interior out of bits and pieces from the scrap bin. The two figures are cheap Chinese ebay figures. I had to perform some minor surgery to get the poses right (okay, actually I ripped off their arms and glued them where I wanted them!!!). I hid the wiring for the light (not shown in pics) down the stove chimney and out the bottom of the building. 


























Oh, and by the way- there's no way a tower man's desk could be that uncluttered!!!


-Kevin


----------



## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Looks great. Should not be too hard to clutter the desk and the floor around it


----------



## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Great! Did you use Sculpty for the phone and coffee mug?


----------



## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

What about the Outside Stair way? What did you use for that and the hand rails? 

What did you use for the Switch Stand? 

Great looking building. I like the interior being finished.


----------



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Guys- Thanks for the kind words. The coffee mug and telephone are actually made out of Milliput. The saucer is just a small washer that I glued to the bottom. The dial on the phone is made from a clothing snap. The type that some people use to make brake wheels and valve handles. I stole a very small one from the Diesel Queens sewing box. The stairs are the only thing that I purchased. I believe they are from Plastruc- they've been in the parts box for a while. The stairway hand rails are made from 12 and 14 gauge house wire. I straightened it by putting one end in a vise and then yanking on the other end using pliers. One good hard pull usually straightens the wire out. Afterwords, I soldered the 'pipes' together to form the hand rails and the upper railing. I made a guide to get both hand rails even. They are epoxied to the stairs. The base of the switch stand is made from an old heat sink that was in the scrap bin. I cut a slice of it off with a hack saw and shaped it with a file. The levers are made from small brass square tubing. I attached some of that straightened house wire for the handles and triggers. A couple other details- the pencils are small brads and paint. The garbage can is an old cap from some hair stuff (once again, stolen from Mrs. Diesel). The 'garbage' and the coal for the stove are made from the burnt plastic residue that you get when you cut plexiglass on a table saw (hows that for recycling?!!). The coal bucket (hard to see in picture) is made from an old copper end cap and a wire handle. 


-Kevin.


----------



## bwplasticman (Apr 27, 2012)

Hi Kevin 

Would like to use the three pictures from your March mylargescale.com post in my customer gallery. 

Thanks 

Bruce 
Colorado Model Structures


----------



## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Welcome Bruce, nice to see you aboard. 
Many of the guys have posted positive compliments regarding your structures. 
I wish you continued success. 

Happy Rails 
John


----------



## bwplasticman (Apr 27, 2012)

Thanks John


----------



## Reg Stocking (Sep 29, 2010)

This is a very nice job except for the lack of clutter, which will be taken care of in due course. Can anyone advise what scale Colorado uses? Their website doesn't say.


----------



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Reg- CMS buildings are 1/24 scale. However, Bruce also sells replacement doors that are 1/32 scale. The buildings are easy to assemble, great for kit bashing, and extremely affordable- how often do you hear affordable and large scale used at the same time?!! BTW- I promise to make a mess and clutter things up ASAP!!!! 


-Kevin.


----------



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Bruce- Wow, that would be great!!! Thanks! 


-Kevin.


----------



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Kevin, ya really made that interior come alive. Nice work.


----------



## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey, Bruce.... Welcome to the forum.... 

Kevin... The Switch tower is very, very nice. Well done...


----------



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Joe and Stan- Thank you very much!!! 


-Kevin.


----------



## Jim in MO (Feb 28, 2010)

Great Job!
Kevin, you have given me so many ideas. 

Thanks, Jim


----------



## bwplasticman (Apr 27, 2012)

Glad to be aboard. Email is [email protected] for any questions, comments, or anything else. 

Bruce 
Colorado Model Structures


----------



## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Thanks, Jim. 


-Kevin.


----------

