1930'S RAILROAD TUGBOAT

[the goon]

Hello out there,

I'd like to share with all of you a conversion I finished recently; a late steam period railroad tug. Scale is 1/32nd, length is 32". The model started out as a rc "ready to run" diesel semi scale model. The hull is fiberglass, with the the cabins being styrene. I wanted to back date it to the late 1930's. After disassembly, I began rearranging some of the fittings that came on the model, added more from the spare parts box, planked the upper deck with basswood strips to match the printed main deck. New resin watertight doors, and portholes were added, along with new brass railing stanchions. A piece of plastic sink pipe was used for the funnel, with Evergreen strip added. Styrene was also used for the scupper doors. Everything was repainted using spray can colors. Weathering was done using the basic wash/dry brush methods. Model car tires from the parts box were used for the fenders, and the front bow fender came from a mop. I also added a steam engine/horn/whistle digital sound unit. Thanks,

Mark

[Harry P.]

Very cool!

But I have a suggestion for you. The deck planking looks great, but there are no fasteners visible. You can create "nail heads" with a sharp lead pencil. Just put the pint of the pencil down on the spot where the nail head would be, and "twirl" the pencil to make a dot. It's a little tedious to go through every plank and add all the "nail heads," but it looks much more realistic than no fasteners showing.

[cobraman]

Looks very nice.

[the goon]

Thanks guys. Harry, I thought about the nail heads, but thought even the pencil point might be too large in 1/32nd scale.

Mark

[Sixties Sam]

That's a beauty! Great work! Good looking planes in the background too. I fly R/C too.

Sam

[the goon]

Sam,

Thanks. I've been flying rc for the last 13 years, and building rc scale electric ships for over 30 years. I like to build plastic trucks/armor kits between/during rc projects.

Mark

[Tony T]

Very nice work!

[the goon]

Tony,

Thanks. I do love all types of modeling

Mark

[george 53]

ALICE!!!!! Mark, WHERE are you keeping Alice??? I'll find her, you know that. Popeye and I go WAAAAAAAY back. We did time on Goon Island with Pappy, tha ol Sea Salt!!!

[CSMO]

Hi, Mark. Can you share a little backstory as to how and why a railroad would operate a tugboat. Yoe have made a beautiful model of something unique. Adios, Larry.

[Jim B]

Nice looking tugboat.

[the goon]

CSMO,

Thanks a lot. Railroad companies like the New York Central, and the Penn Central would have their own tug boats to move barges (car floats) of rolling stock across rivers like the Hudson, from one end of their line to another. The tugs would usually tie up on the side (hip) of a barge, and take it across the river, or have 2 barges, one one each side of the tug. There was a huge amount of car float traffic in New York harbor into the early 1960's. My favorite period of model boat building is the harbor type tugs from 1880's through the 1940's.

Mark

[Ira]

Great Build Mark!

[the goon]

Ira,

Thanks

Mark