Month: February 2013

The model semi-kit also comes with a short booklet containing a guide on how to build the model. I think it’s a good idea to make this available for viewing online, so you know what to expect from the semi-kit.

So, here it is, the official semi-kit building guide (pdf file).

The kit comes with 10 pages of plan sheets, similar in quality to the Plan Book. Here’s a sample.

The model semi-kit is a collection of custom made parts to compliment the Plan Book. The parts were made directly from the designs in the Plan Book ensuring consistency and accuracy. The large 1:20 scale will showcase many life-like details, yet compact enough to be displayed proudly in any room. It features over 140 parts to help you build your very own CK Holliday, or your favorite 4-4-0 locomotive.

The kit is available for ordering at ckhollidayplans.com. Please note that there is a lead time of up to 3 weeks from ordering to shipping.

Here’s the finalized parts list for the CK Holliday semi-kit.

The kit totals at 141 parts made of hard plastic and laser cut birch wood.

You can have a look at the list here (PDF file).

The pilot deck is cut out from styrene sheet using a pattern from the plan.

(By the way, if you have the plan book, you might notice that there’s no drawing of the pilot deck. If you want this drawing for study or your own project, you can grab the plan book’s addendum here).

A long strip of styrene wraps around the edge of the deck to form the apron. Here’s the underside. I signed my name with a little drawing of a boat I sailed on, the Lady Washington. This is just one of the many Easter Eggs scattered throughout the model!

Here’s the deck fitted in its place.

The smokebox braces are added and the entire front details painted gloss black. The circular flanges have three “bolts” instead of five like it should because I couldn’t fashion bolts small enough to fit on the flange. Now I know I should have pressed the flange with metal point to create false revit. I use this technique later on the boiler apron.

Next, the cab’s window frames are drawn on a styrene sheet. Each window gets two frames, one inside (painted green), one outside (painted red), and of course the glazing pane in the middle.

In all, there are eight windows, four of which are operable by the cab crew (but not here).

After much tedious cutting and painting later, the windows are fixed into the freshly painted cab.

True to Disneyland Railroad’s tradition, I left all the operable windows opened. The cab crew needs all the ventilations they can get in the cramped space so you’ll rarely see the windows closed.

I fixed the windows in at about 90% opened to give them a sense that they are operable.

Next in the engine finishes, the bell. I bought it from tracksidedetail and it is wonderfully detailed. It’s part number TD10 and the bell itself is slightly larger than what’s required, so the model would wear a 13″ bell instead of 12″ but this is not visually noticeable. The yoke, however, require minor modification.

Here’s the yoke, casted from brass, painted dark red.

And here’s the bell. It also comes with its own striker!

Ok. Earlier I mentioned the boiler apron. It also gets cut from styrene sheet. And as I said earlier, I used metal point to press into the sheet to create false revit pattern.

The cab looks pretty realistic with the windows opened up.

And finally, the front shot of the nearly completed model!