OK, so first, this isn't really scratchbuilt, I made it from my resin castings, so don't throw it there to quietly die.
Second, it's not a product announcement, I really doubt I'll convert this to a kit unless I get a LOT more interest than a think...
Third, it's not RP printed, it's resin....
And the challenge was to me, personally!
I've been tinkering with a 1917 era Cole Brothers circus train now for several years, back to my local connection. It's a struggle. Makes it easier with the MT flats, did some resin casting kits for baggage wagons and a couple others. But the elusive one is a standout, the pole wagon. Monster wagon and the heaviest one of any circus. Nothing currently made or RP printed is close to what I was looking for.
I've found a couple vintage photos, but nothing to really hang my hat on except a MAGNIFICENT O scale model that was scratchbuilt of the Cole pole wagon that matches the vintage B&W photos I've seen. I found some good dimensions of a similar wagon and adjusted it to match that model as best as I could.
So here's what I found:
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/circus-wagon-cole-bros-big-top-pole-1622580422There's a sorta survivor of the same general design out at Baraboo, converted to a stage of sorts:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/27847413@N00/13644501915So in the remote chance that I have anybody else dumb enough to try this, I made the scratchbuilt parts as resin masters and cast it. Add some Grandt Line wheels, and a bunch of .020x.010 brass, and you get this:
Link:
http://www.randgust.com/Polewagon01.jpg
Link:
http://www.randgust.com/Polewagon02.jpgThe beauty of doing this in resin instead of RP printing it is I can embed .010 wire in the molds before casting to give those delicate .020 cross sections some strength. You can't see it but it's in there.
The nuts part of this that about got me was bending and drilling those brass pole supports with #80 wire to hang them and not just break off the first time you touch it. That elevated this into the 'probably nobody else is nuts enough to try this' level.
The poles, good lord, should be way long and yes they nested a wagon between them:
link:
http://www.randgust.com/Polewagon04.jpgBussey and I have been corresponding on this and we both agree.... you have to be nuts to take on a circus train as each and every wagon is a project unto itself. He's doing a much later era Ringling and can RP print things I only dream of, I'm still in the 'if the only tool you have is a hammer (resin casting) every problem looks like a nail!)
