NMRA AP Entries - Certificate Achieved!

I have embarked on the NMRA AP (Achievement Program). To date, I have received certificates for scenery, structures, author, volunteer, and cars. I was motivated to go this route because a couple of NJ Division Members indicated that I had most of the work done. It was just a matter of completing the paperwork. Here are the cars I recently had evaluated for the Equipment - Cars certificate.

This is Adams Express was scratch-built. The trucks are a unique feature known as a "swing truck". It was designed to handle tight curves. This model is based on two period photos. The one below the model was taken in 1863 or 1864 in the Nashville yards. The other is in Chattanooga. This latter photo was the basis for the walls, doors, and roof, which was tin.

This is a modified platform car kit by Mantua. In addition to the artillery, by Musket Miniatures, I added Alexander link & pin couplers, the device attached to the car which is known as a draw head.

Open top cattle car. This is scratch-built on a Mantua frame. The walls and doors are board-by-board construction.

Conductor's car. Scratch built from two images. These could also be called a Way car and were used primarily for the conductor

A BTS (Better Than Scratch) kit, flat cars were one of many different railroad cars used to transport military personnel. Worst situations was when wounded troops were transported in cattle cars, recently occupied by cattle.

Latest Images of the Atlanta Rolling Mill

Amazing in that five months have passed, I have had the least amount of work and NO POSTS! I decided to at the least share a few photos of the current state of the mill. 

The primary source for the interior detailing comes from this painting by Menzel:

One of the first interior elements were 3D printed by my good friend, and ACWRR member, Gerry Dykstra. He fashioned rollers that are a visual feature for this model.

This is one of many images Gerry sent to me and was the basis for his 3D printed roles:

These are the results of his printer. I add the bracing, stanchions and drive shafts all from brass rod and tubing.

Another massive machine was the steam hammer. Here is another image, compliments to Gerry's research, that was the template for the model I scratch built.

After scrapping the first attempt, due to oversize measuring on my part, this is the final completed model. The horizontal and vertical rods are the truss rods that kept the walls together.

Constructing the Bow Trusses were a tedious process. Here are two photos...

Adding additional details including figures, this is it's current state...

If you look closely, I fabricated aprons on several workers tending the rollers. These were formed with very old toothpaste tubes that used to made from metal. Initially I was using these to create flags, about 40 years ago. 

I attached BTS tongs to figures that just happened to have their arms in the right position. Although I have altered figures arms, etc., I prefer to find figures that are close to or happen to have just the right position. These are a combination of Musket Miniatures, Prieser and Model Power. 

KENNESAW ENTRENCHMENTS

Kennesaw Mountain was one of the more fortified areas protecting northern approaches to Atlanta as shown is these tow period photos and the Don Troiani painting "Thunder on Little Kennesaw" 

My dear friend DC Cebula, who has been an ongoing contributor to the W&A, is depicting a scene combing these three images. As recently as August 30, here are images of his work. As you can see a significant element to completion is adding the dense foliage.

Musket Miniatures

I have a had a couple of inquiries about Musket from this blog and an email. I want to see if I can offer some explanation for the lack of response from Kris.

I have been speaking with and emailing Kris since he purchased the business a couple/few years ago. I know he was having some health issues and would go dark on occasion. But eventually I would hear from him. He purchased a loco from me and a few structures as he was very intent on wanting to provide ACW RR items in HO. I have received figures from him in the past and many years prior from the original owner. Kris asked, or I offered I forgot which, to use photos of my layout with MM figures in scenes, etc., for his web site which he did. However, several months ago we spoke. He was going to ship me some items but they never arrived. I have sent him a couple of emails since but no response. I do know that he was getting heavily involved with creating O scale figures, artillery, etc. as he was in a new venture with someone. He did say he would start up the HO ACW figs but apparently has not. My biggest concern is that something has happened as Kris was eventually responsive. Truly sorry that some of you have had this unfortunate experience with MM. I for one know of very few other sources for these figures.

MUSKET MINIATURES IS BACK AND...

I have been using Musket Miniature figures since the beginning as this company has the most extensive, close to scale, diverse in figures and reasonably priced; an easy choice. Although I use a variety of figures including Preiser, New Designs and Airfix, to name a few, of the nearly 450 figures on the layout 400 are Musket's. Most recently Kris, new owner of the company, has been speaking with several members of our Civil War Railroads and Modeling yahoo group as he looks to expand his product lines. He asked that I send him photos of the W&A to see how they are displayed and possibly to use one or two for his marketing. The key however is finding great, not good, but great artists to paint them. I have been fortunate to have found 4. Here are some of the shots I sent to Kris.

Track Gang

Pontoon Approach

 

Camp McDonald Big Shanty

Dalton Depot

Supply Train

Turntable Discussions Episode 3 with Al Mueller

One common theme with these discussions is that my guests who model railroads of the American Civil War are all remote. Al is from the Milwaukee area. This is from my visit in February. As this was a rare opportunity to visit with him, I spontaneously decided to use a portion of time to shoot the next episode of Turntable Discussions. This is my first attempt using Adobe Premier Elements video editing. I want to apologize first for the blurriness in some footage. I used my iPhone 4S as well as trying to shoot while I was mobile. LOTS of lessons learned! The entire interview ran about 45 minutes. I edited much in order to meet the less-than-15-minutes allowed via blogspot. Additional footage will be posted at a future date.

KENNESAW ENTRENCHMENTS

Brief reminder that my railroad is set in the summer of 1863. The Confederate Army of Tennessee is bracing for an encounter with the Union Army of the Cumberland, led by William S. Rosecrans, around the rail hub of Chattanooga. September would see the battle of Chickamauga, the one great victory in the west for the Rebel army. However, they would experience a colossal defeat that November and retreat further south around another rail hub, Corinth Mississippi. William Tecumseh Sherman would lead two Union Armies, of the Cumberland and of the Ohio, into Georgia for one of the final phases of the Civil War. Sometime late 1863 through early 1864 defensive works were being constructed along the W&A, especially around Atlanta. We have created two specific scenes depicting the type of entrenchments based on period photos such as these. The first photo is around the base of Kennesaw Mountain. There is a terrific painting by Don Troiani of this area.

This scene below is a version of a signal tower of which there were many types depending on the terrain. Figures are Musket Miniatures and Prieser, the latter being modified as a Confederate soldier.

Here you see a few soldier boys constructing a "shebang", slang for a impromptu shelter from the elements. These were quite common in both armies, especially if the troops were stationed for a period of time.
A typical gun emplacement below. Notice the planks supporting the gun to avoid wheels being stuck in mud and for a steady foundation. The barricade is made from what is known as "gabions". These cylinders of wicker were filled with dirt and stone. This scene and the ones prior were built by D.C. Cebula.

Lastly is a "redoubt" or breastwork usually outside of a fortification. There were many of these along the perimeter of Atlanta. This was built by LeBron Matthews. Most figures and all the fortification details of all these photos are from Musket Miniatures and Models.