I've just started work on the Chama coaling tower and i have one difficulty. the plans I have are suspicious. the tower seems too small. does any one have the dimensions? I wish i could see the actual tower. Is it really only 29 feet tall? that would make it just over 7" in O scale. It looks taller in photos but that may be because the rolling stock is narrow guage in the photos.
I know that some one reading this will put my concerns to rest.
Thanks.
Thom

Thom,

How about trying this?? Pruchase one of the many craft kits that are on the market in any scale. Also there are a few folks and stores that sell plans for the coaling tower. You might try Coranado Models in Phinix, Az.

John

Thom,

How about trying this?? Pruchase one of the many craft kits that are on the market in any scale. Also there are a few folks and stores that sell plans for the coaling tower. You might try Coranado Models in Az.

John

Thom,

Contact the Colorado Railroad Museum Library (web site: http://www.coloradorailroadmuseum.org/library). They have an extensive collection of D&RGW plans and will copy for a fee.

Bill

Hello Thom, I haven't had a chance to check yet but I know I have several plans of the Chama coaling tower. I did check out a message about a fellow building it in On3 and his indication was that it was 15 inches tall - which sounds about right.

Best Regards
Jim

PS I will see what I can scare up in the next couple of days,

15" would make it 60' which sounds right but the plans I have say it's 29'
Guess I'll have to compare all the discrepancies and make a compromise. Or go measure it.

Thom

Thom,

I was in Chama this past summer and I can guarantee that the coaling tower is well over 60 feet in height. There was a Model Railroader series back in the mid-1960's on building the coaling tower in HO. I wonder if the dimensions there might help.

Jim

Thom,

Check out the following sites for information on the Chama coaling tower.

http://www.creative-works.ca/chama.html Creative Works 3D offers O scale model stating it is over 16" high.

http://www.ghostdepot.com/rg/dvd.htm Click on the CAD Drawings link about halfway down the page.

http://users.stratuswave.net/~wd8jik/chama/chama.htm Chama Coaling Tower Construction, a project article.

Bill

I'm wondering that with all the models available already if it's a bad idea to do this.

In my opinion, it's still a good idea. Have you seen the cost of those models? Well over $200 in O scale. Personally, I think the cardstock model can be made to look as good or better than some of those high-ticket items (again, at least in O scale) at a much more reasonable price.

Jim

I am hoping that in addition to the coaling tower at Chama you do the rest of the buildings there (sand house, oil house, warehouse, station, engine house, scale house, and other smaller scattered buildings). I look forward to building a complete engine service facility with cardstock models.

Bill

I was going to suggest Bill's idea as well. Great minds, and all of that. Glad to see that you will be progressing with Chama. Seems to me that just about everything narrow gauge in Colorado has been manufactured at one point or another, so doing another version in a different medium, I think, will be something to make some heads spin. I am exepcially looking forward to a standard D&RGW water taknk. Came across the timber station and snow shed at Lizard Head last night, they would be fun to try, as well.

Jim