DISNEYLAND PHASE II

[Penny_Trains]

OK y’all, here we go again!

First up for the 2012 enhancements is the project I most wanted for last year but couldn’t finish. The Monorail system! [:D] OK, it’s hard to call one train a system and this one won’t be straddling a concrete beam so the term “monorail” isn’t accurate either. But with that out of the way, it’s time to have fun!

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

After much prototyping, I arrived at a final workable shape which could be translated into 2 dimensional parts.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

Using carbon paper, I transferred the patterns to .016 alluminum sheets from K & S.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

I don’t know how to solder, so I used a different method for assembly. The joints are backed by thin strips of Coca Cola can hot glued accross the joints. Works well enough. In this photo you can see the top part of the bulkhead which gives me a large flat surface for gluing the nose section to the Marx carbody. The bulkhead is made from aluminum and aside from the curved section at the top which helps close the hole left for the pivot point, follows the shape of the carbody rather than that of the nose section. It’s bac

[rtraincollector]

Okay mistro that looks great as usual. all you do is impress us more each time you come and we enjoy it so don’t take anything wrong please keep coming with this great work you do.

[Seayakbill]

Very neat project, when finished could be a real conversation piece.

[SantaFe158]

I’ll admit, when you mentioned turning those cars into a “monorail” train, i couldn’t picture it. But you appear to have a great plan and a great start on them

Can’t wait to see it finished. It already looks great.

[KRM]

Becky,

I can’t wait to see it done. SOOOOO Cool!!

Kev

[wrmcclellan]

Becky,

That is just way too much fun! Looking forward to the finished product!

[Penny_Trains]

More construction photos:

All 5 of the cars had issues from fatal dents to fatal rusting.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

The best car (not shown) is the locomotive shell while the worst (on the bottom and most heavily dented) will be the caboose. Car #2 is on top here and will receive the circuit board. Also, the top and bottom cars in the pile have the brass “trucks” I’m making to replace the original wheels. These are fast axles with their points ground off. The Marx axles went through the sides of the car so I had to remove them anyways in order to install the skirting.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

Some of the nose was a bit too complex for me to fold in .019 aluminum, so I baked in some Sculpey instead. This is the nose of the caboose which I worked on today.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

The pinkish track is the projected route for the Monorail. I decided after much fiddling to stick with O31. With O42 I could only do a “grand circle tour” following the steam train almost exactly, which would have looked a bit dumb. O54 and O72 couldn’t fit without crossing in front of the castle, which also wouldn’t do. O31 was the only r

[rtraincollector]

looking great to me thanks for sharing

[Penny_Trains]

Thanks guys! [:D]

Today I added the rest of the “trucks” and did most of the metalwork for car #5, the caboose or tail car.

QUESTION: Because of my construction techniques, .019 sheet aluminum with strips of coca cola can hot glued to the seams from the rear, some small gaps will need to be filled. What should I use? Some of the gaps will be between the aluminum and the original steel carbody, but they’ll be the minority, most of the gaps are just hairlines between the seams on the aluminum parts. Would modelers contour putty hold? Or should I use an automotive body filler? I’ve never used either, so any suggestions and guidance would be most welcome! [:D]

Becky

[8ntruck]

Looking good.

Going to be impressive when it is done.

[Anonymous]

Becky,

This is very impressive. I really like how you’ve thought out all the details instead of using my approach and just digging into the project.[:)] I can’t wait to see the end result.

As for filling the gaps, auto body filler would be my first choice. Keep each coat of filler thin though. If it is applied too thick, it will crack and fall away. It is easy to work with. The filler can be used to fill in areas that have been pitted by rust once the rust is removed.

[Penny_Trains]

TESTING DAY AT LAST!!! []

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

Today I wrapped up the process of manufacturing the “add-on” parts, so it was time to see how she would fly!

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

As you might imagine, the first thing she actually did was derail! [(-D] But the problem was easy to diagnose. She’s just too light. So with the addition of some washers one at a time at key points, I finally got the weight right.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

Now that she’s holding the rail decently, I’ll weigh up the washers, sinkers and other bits I used today on a postage scale and get some proper weights.

I also came up with a short list of proposed projects for this year:

1. Monorail
2. Disneyland Hotel
3. New station for Frontierland
4. Better Tomorrowland buildings
5. Better Fantasyland buildings
6. Matterhorn Bobsleds
7. Skyway
8. Parking lot tram
9. Big Thunder Mountain station
10. Keel boat for the Rivers of America
11. Liberty Square
12. Small World improvements
13. More

[rtraincollector]

looking good Penny enjoy looking at all your post and work. thanks for sharing

[Penny_Trains]

I did some doodling today

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

.http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/trc/utility/[:550:0]

Some new buildings for Tomorrowland.

Becky

[Penny_Trains]

Here’s the Enchanted Tiki Room:

Also moving right along is the Pirates of the Carribean building:

The POTC will be an odd one. It will back up to the base of the Christmas tree so it will have a very complicated profile beyond the tower and the 2 walls shown here. The roof will come up and over the tree stand and the 2 “walls” at the corners of the curve will follow the profile of the stand. Not a good stand alone structure to say the least! [swg]

More to come!

Becky

[rtraincollector]

Looking great as normal

[Penny_Trains]

POTC is structurally complete:

And a strange shaped building it is!

Becky

[Penny_Trains]

Pirates of the Caribbean finished:

I started work on the Liberty Tree today:

The Liberty Tree is a replica of the original tree in Boston where the Sons of Liberty gathered in 1765 to protest the Stamp Act. The WDW version is a Southern Live Oak over 100 years old and was transplanted from 6 miles away in 1971. It’s hung with 13 lanterns to, as you may have guessed, represent the 13 original American colonies.

Making 13 paper lanterns was easy enough, but lighting them was a different story. I could have gone with 13 grain of wheat bulbs in the 14 to 18 volt range, but I decided to go with 120 volt lams instead. The string I bought has 50 bulbs on brown wire and plug into any outlet. I didn’t want 50 bulbs on the small tree armature I was planning to use, so about 20 of them light up the surrounding gardens which is also a staple of Disney lanscaping. The round base will have a brick wall and benches and when I get to the craft store for some greenery the extra lights in the tree will give it a bit of extra twinkle.

Becky

[hscsltb]

Very nice work!! Love the Liberty Tree.

[rtraincollector]

Becky you know in your local area anyway (and there the lucky ones) I bet you could sell your work to others (train and maybe doll or some that just do buildings) to make your self some nice money I bet. You do real good work.

Thanks again for sharing it looks great