Idaho Springs Section Car Shed

[Doug Heitkamp]

Group,

A few years ago I drew this plan based on info from Jim Pallow & Jerry Wilson. Now, years later, I thought I would finally get around to building a model of it in 1:20.3 scale. I figured I'd put the plans out here for anybody else that might be interested. I'm not sure if this design was a "one off" or was typical of other sheds on the C&S. Either way, the design is pretty basic.

If anybody has any info where this was located in Idaho Springs, I'd be interested to know. Perhaps somebody (Chris?) knows of a picture of it? My guess is that it might be in the background of a larger picture. This group seems to have a talent for spotting details  in those DPL pictures.

If you have any thoughts or questions, please share. I'll post pictures of the model as I slowly progress.

Thanks,

Doug

[Chris Walker]

Doug,
Up at the Section House and the Moscript&Hassell Lumberyard.

1908 Sanborn



http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/3381/rv/singleitem/rec/14


1908 or thereabouts: Paint is now the lighter scheme.  Paint of the Section House at least, reverted to darker before the end of operations.


http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/fullbrowser/collection/p15330coll22/id/1428/rv/singleitem/rec/24


from The Mineral Belt III David S. Digerness pg 314

EDIT: Digerness captions the above photo as "late 1880's".  This is incorrect as the burned Alpine/Bertha/Smith Mill is gone, a notation on the Dec1907 Sanborn Map confirms the loss.   There is also a Block-lettered Boxcar at the Chamberlain visible.  The Tank was still a dark colour at t-o-c. see DPL X-2271

[usairman737]

Doug,

Is that detail over the windows unique to this structure, or does it appear in other RR structures?  I've reduced your plans and am doing the building in S-scale.  Biggest challenge will be the windows.  Thanks for the drawings.

[Doug Heitkamp]

Gerry,

No problem, happy to post them up. If you need a larger scan, let me know.

As far as the window, I've been looking at a lot of pictures this evening and have not seen another exactly like it. If I find something, I'll let you know. Maybe Chris or Rick can add something.

Doug

[Doug Heitkamp]

Chris,

Darel and I were talking about this post, prior to me posting it.  He said, "Don't worry, post it up tonight and by morning Chris will have pictures for you." Too funny! Thanks for the pictures, I appreciate them greatly!

Doug

[Jeff Young]

I stitched Doug's picture-halves back into a single jpeg:

[Todd A Ferguson]

Doug,

Thanks for posting these drawings.
A question regarding the battens, were they all moulded with the ogee detail or just the corner ones?
I sort of recall the Silver Plume depot having battens with the ogee moulding. That would be an important detail in the larger scales. One of my other hobbies is woodworking, so I may think about these details more than the average bear.

Now, I have to bust on you a bit.  Was the man door actually inset 4.00"?  I just point this out because years ago I drew up quick drawing of a simple piece with a couple holes in it. I made the mistake of dimensioning the CAD drawing at my default setting of 0.000". So, I give it to my friend to have it machined and he calls me and says do you want these 1/2" holes reamed as the drawing has the dimension as 0.500" diameter. He knew it was just a 1/2 drilled hole, but just had to bust me for it. Probably because the machinist busted him on it.

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

[Doug Heitkamp]

Jeff,

Thanks for putting the drawing back together. The drawing was originally published in an issue of "The Beartrap", the publication of the long gone C&Sng Rwy Hysterical Society. I misplaced that issue so I had a friend scan it for me.

Doug

[Doug Heitkamp]

Todd,

Actually, it was inset 4.001765 when the wind was blowing from the north in the winter. Ha! Just a leftover from my days as a Design Engineer with Hughes Aircraft Co. drawing spaceflight hardware.

Yes, according to the original notes the battens had the ogee shape. You're correct, it's an important detail and I plan on using my mill to get the correct cross section. In smaller scales, it would be very tough to mill it exactly, but you could get a close approximation.

Thanks!

Doug

[Jeff Young]

He he… so those were staples I erased from the centre of the drawing. ;)

Cheers,
Jeff

[Todd A Ferguson]

Doug,

Remember in woodworking that measuring is often the enemy of precision! The pieces know how big they are!

Interesting challenge to make the ogee battens even in larger scales. Milling is an option but would probably require million the edge of a piece then cutting it free, them mill the next and cut again.

Another option that would work would be to use the age old method of scraping the pieces to shape. For this you would file or cut the negative of the batten shape into a piece of fairly hard steel. Scraper steels can be purchased from woodworking stores. But you could use a piece of bandsaw blade, hacksaw blade or spring steel too.  The scraper is just run repeatedly over the piece at a slight leaning angle until the desired shape is created. In this case you could scrape into wood or in smaller scales you could scrape into styrene perhaps more easily than wood.

You could create all the batten material you need this way or make a couple pieces and then make a mold and cast a bunch.
Of course if we look at latest technology one could simply create a few strips using solid modeling and 3D print the strips. Then the decision would be to make a mold and cast a lifetime supply or simply print the strips you need.  Cost could be a factor. And the other challenge may be finishing to look like weathered wood from either printed materials or styrene. But we have gotten pretty good at making non wood materials look like weathered wood.

I wrote CAD software for the first 6 years of my career when I worked for GM.  Also was involved in 3D Printing development in the late 1980s, but we called it Stereo Lithography or SLA back then. Also worked for a Lockheed Martin company from 1995-2000 and did my share of work on both discrete manufacturing and military projects in my career.  Lots of cool stuff...

Best,
Todd Ferguson
Harrisburg, NC

[Chris Walker]

This building looks to resemble the Original I.S. Sectionhouse (with an addition on the far RHside) yet differs from the "Standard Plan".

Any others like it?

[Doug Heitkamp]

Page 318, Colorado Central Railroad - Abbott/McCoy/McLead

[Chris Walker]

Hey Doug,

I had been told it still existed and in its original location....looks like I was fooled Eh!

[GRUMPY]

Batten style looks to be a standard the UP came up with It shows up on the D&S.P Ry supts. office at Como plan dated 1883
 shows up on photos at Forks Creek and other section houses and tool sheds