Fuel Stand

Inspiration

Weathering & Detailing a Retaining Wall on Your Model Railroad is a YouTube video by FOS Scale Models, presented by Doug Foscale. It was such a great video that I decided to “Roll my own” version.

Fuel Stand

I got to thinking about it and thought I could use the Fuel Tanks from an old Kitforums challenge and create a concrete stand .. platform .. have it with old rusty brackets and such so it would be obviously reusing the old concrete monstrosity to mount the fuel tanks.

I was thinking originally of having the stairs face to the buildings and away from the viewer. I may though change that and have them face the track.

Separate but equal

I printed (am printing) in three pieces so I didn’t need any supports. I will simply super-glue the stairs to the main platform where blue colored.

Printing

With the main body printed with the top against the print surface and the outside faces of the stairs also facing down, no supports were needed. This eliminates any need for supports and also gives a very smooth surface where they touch the build plate.

Bracing

I could have printed bracing to the inside but that would have been a waste in material and time. It is easier just to brace with a couple pieces of dowel from Lowes.

Test Fit – First

This is basically where the concrete base will go – the road behind limits where it can be placed. I show the steps facing the track. My intention was for them to face the other direction toward the road and buildings. The ground at the left end of the platform is about an inch (4 ft in O scale) above the road. I made the platform two inches tall so the plan is to sink it down to the road level in back meaning only about a foot would be visible next to the track. I will cut away the ground to do this and then see which way works better for the steps.

A couple of things came to light .. one being the platform was simply too long. The road .. just visible on the far left .. doglegs meaning fitting the platform into the space brought it too close to the track. That meant I needed to shorten it. This made me think that before printing I could have used a piece of foam to find out the problem of length .. much easier.