A Sugar Beet Loader - A Custom Model

     Pictured below is a sugar beet loading station done in 1/4" scale for a recent customer. The design follows one presented in Railroad Model Craftsman of numerous years ago. It follows the prototype in San Ardo, California on the Southern Pacific's Coast Division.

     The entire model is scratch built from styrene and mounted on a plywood base. There is also a separate scale house for measuring the weights of the trucks and contents. The model was free-lanced a bit so it wasn't exactly like the drawings. The conveyor needed to be shortened quite a lot because of limited space requirements of the benchwork. The model was delivered less dirt detail so the owner could match what he is using in adjacent spaces.

     The three trucks were also bashed from 1/43 scale models. The dump truck has a resin body and new frame along with larger wheels as per the prototype. The other two larger trucks were built from trailer units with the trailers removed and scratch built boxes added to the rears. The green cab truck actually dumps. The other, orange unit, is to be placed over the scales. All trucks were aged to represent actual use.

1929 Ford Sport Coupe

     Here is a model of a 1929 Ford Sport Coupe made from three 1/24 scale kits to get all of the body parts needed that I built for a client. The model was weathered with dents, pits and scratches and then spray painted in basic gray undercoat with wheat flour sprinkled on for rust texture. Attention was paid to the actual construction of the real car  with wood framing on the inside. Parts are missing or are stored in the rumble seat area. Newer wheels and tires have been added. The finish over the texture is all brush painted in acrylic and weathered with dry pigments.