Project - G Scale Waipahu Water Tower

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Photo 1 Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis

Photo 2 Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis

Photo 3 Copyright 2020 Nicholas Kalis

Project


Detailed Description of Model


A G scale water tank model whose scale is “good enough” to match my Fn3 (1:20.3) layout set in Oahu, Hawaii. I assume the Waipahu engine house area had a water tank as the Oahu Sugar Company had only steam locomotives for power. This plantation railroad eventually grew to own seven steam locomotives – all fired by oil.

Photograph


I was unable to locate a photograph of a water tank at Waipahu owned by the Oahu Sugar Company. Other photos of water tanks in Oahu maintained by Dillingham’s Oahu Railway & Land Company appear to have flat roofs.


Roof

To replace the peaked roof included by the manufacturer, I constructed a flat roof for my water tank of coffee stirrers. Each coffee stirrer was cut to size using a MicroLux® miniature table saw. Yellow or white glue was used to adhere each roof strip to the other and to bracing boards.

My wooden coffee stirrers were stained and then weathered with crème craft paint.

Pigeon

I affixed a Preiser 47084 Pigeon with ACC to my water tank.

Ivy

I affixed Mininatur 936-325 O scale English Ivy with glue to the legs of my Piko water tank.


Base


I painted my integral base and then reddish grout was affixed thereto so that my base would match my layout’s surrounding ground cover. Using a hobby knife, I cut out my benchwork’s thin Owens Corning insulating foam (fan-fold) to match the size and shape of this Piko base. My plastic water tank base was fitted into the opening thus cut.

Supports

I painted my water tank supports as those of the assembled model was unpainted.



Identification of the Scratchbuilt Features

At a train show, I purchased this Piko model assembled complete with its original box as my starting point.

For two reasons I discarded the peaked roof that Piko manufactured: first, I believe peaked roofs are not required in Hawaii’s temperate climate and second, photographs observed by this model builder.

List of All Commercial Components Appearing on Model


1.       PIKO #62210 Water Tower, Rio Grande Durango, 50,000-gallon G scale

2.      Preiser 47084 Pigeon 1:25 scale

3.      Mininatur 936-325 English Ivy O scale


Materials Used in Building the Model


1.      X-Acto® knife

2.      Manufacturer Unknown Paint


4.      Manufacturer Unknown ACC

5.      Elmer’s White glue

6.       Manufacturer Unknown Coffee Stirrers


Revised January 25 2019

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