Challenge #4: The R. L. Myers

[Iain]

The R L Myers was owned by first the Old Dominion Steamship Company and then the Norfolk Southern Railway.  She ran between Washington, NC and Tarboro, NC carrying freight and passengers up and down the Tar River.


I had thought about working on a different project, but, I figured that in the spirit of the competition, I'd start a fresh one.

[wm3798]

That's a cool project.  Does it have a tie in to a train layout idea?

[Iain]

One of the things I'd like to model some day is Little Washington in the early 1900s, say 1902 or 1903.  So, having the NS steamer dock right next to the NS station would mean needing an NS steamer tied up to load passengers coming off the train.

[wm3798]

What scale are you working in?

[Iain]

N

[Iain]

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I started working on a drawing of the Myers; at this point, I have enough to start shaping the hull.


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As it happens, I also know what the house flags she carried looked like.  I have not been able to find a photo of the Myers from the NS days, but, all the other NS steamers had white bands around the top of the funnel with N&S on them.

I have two sources of circumstantial evidence suggesting that the lower deckhouse was painted a tan color, so that is likely what I will go with for color (besides the obvious whte upper and black hull).  I have overall dimensions from both a primary and secondary source (the secondary quoting the primary), from which I prepared the drawings.  I am basing the hull shape beyond what can be seen in the photographs on other steamboats of the era and geographical local.

[Vince P]

that's way cool can't wait to see it done

and no it does not have to tie into your layout

[Iain]

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I started shaping the hull, finally.