Building an O Scale River Steamer: The Canyon Queen

Welcome aboard the Canyon Queen! She's a 50' paddlewheel river steamer like those that once plied the mighty western rivers of America. Starting with a fine kit from Kitwood Hill Models in the UK, I build a on-of-a-kind Victorian era sternwheeler with tons of Disney flavor. Step by step descriptions of the process from rigging to LED lighting.
Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave
Kitwood Hill Models 50' Paddle Steamer Kit: www.kitwoodhil...
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[@dkaustin98]

Dave, I wanted share a tip with your readers. The last two days my wife and I have been pulling out Christmas decorations. Among that were 5 sets of LED lights/strands for indoor/outdoor use. On two of the sets nothing lit up. One set only half the lights lit up and the remaining two lit up fine. I went into my modeling bench to retrieve my homemade LED tester. A nine volt battery clip with two alligator clips soldered to the battery clip with a resistor. There are plenty of videos on KZbin about making a tester. I started pulling and testing bulbs on one of the sets that didn't light up. These LEDs are sealed in a plastic shaped like a barrel. There are 5 colors. The wires are exposed when you pull the lights out of the plugs. In 30 minutes I found two LEDs that had one wire that had broken off at the base of the plastic where the LED is sealed in. I pulled replacements off the other strand that didn't light up. On the one that only half lit, I plugged it in to determine where the bulbs didn't light up. I found one bulb with a broken wire. That took 15 minutes to find. I got a replacement from the strand that nothing lit up on. Now I had 4 strands of lights working. I thought about trying to find replacement bulbs online, but I also thought about all the LEDs I could have for my model railroad projects. So, I pulled the remaining LEDs from the non working strand. I tested each as I pulled those. I found two more with broken wires. What is interesting the my LED tester can make all 5 of the LEDs with broken wires light up. Drop of solder and a new wire and I should be able to light up a structure with those. I ended up with a total of 60 LEDs that I can use on projects. So, don't throw out those LED light sets. Salvage the LEDs for your lighting projects.

[@scottc3858]

An absolutely awesome build Dave. Love all the extra detail you've added. Giving the Canyon Queen the royal treatment has made her the WREC flagship.

[@muttproductions2536]

I've been waiting for this for a while. Glad to see more action on the waterfront at long last

[@NYCJDClark]

The Canyon Queen is great. The kit along with your additions make a fantastic boat. Very nice.

[@scottmccloud9029]

Dave, that is so cool. What a masterpiece.

[@davidgoodbadandugly]

Hello, looks like your fisherman is onto a big one! 🐟

[@squidkid2]

A great little layout and I also admire your modeling skills.

[@DJE2025]

Awesome!

[@stevemellin5806]

Once again you have done it ... fantastic boat .I want to bulid one also . Thank you made my day

[@dkaustin98]

Beautiful work! All she needs now is probably a Soundtraxx Tsunami 2 Big Steam decoder and a 4 inch speaker under the layout so we can hear that deep, loud whistle typical of river paddle boats.

[@splicerparade4648]

The steamer looks fantastic. So glad I stumbled across your channel -- it's really interesting and informative watching you work. Thanks for making these videos, and many more happy years of building to you :)

[@kevinmaloney2391]

FANTASTIC JOB DAVE!! I love the color scheme and the upgrades to the detail.

[@donbrewster2304]

I build kits and dad things like you...quality work

[@TheGabeyVision]

Long time coming but definitely worth the wait. Thanks for sharing.

[@robertalford69]

Once again, another great build. Thank you Dave!!

[@richardritz8358]

Another excelent video Dave, you must have the same problem I do, glasses on, then glasses off for the close work, keep the videos coming

[@stanleydomalewski8497]

Very Nice !

[@prowordsmith]

Excellent! I think I would have added port and starboard running lights to the pilothouse.

[@fbrailroad4628]

That model looked well done but you pushed it over the top. Very well done. Thanks for sharing, David

[@creepy013]

Great build Dave, love the extra detail and lights, it certainly will look fantastic in your harbour. I too have just completed a paddle boat for my layout (see KZbin video) and fully appreciate the work and effort you have put into the build. Thank you for posting. Cheers, Gary.

[@Hornhausen]

Amazing.

[@gbwdude]

Beautiful job

[@iannarita9816]

Nice boat!

[@tonyl7418]

Those flat leds are SMD’s (surface mount diode). Work great in many model applications.

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Thank you. Couldn't bring the name up at the time

[@glinnphillips4884]

I like the build. This kit would be good on my warf scene👍

[@russiannorth2440]

amazing! and here is the operating paddle steamer of 1911. It works on the river kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2OZfnVjdtOoqM0

[@theangelsmodellingandrailways]

Superb modelling work Dave, love the extra details, you really bring these kits to life, and there are always great tips and techniques to learn from you. Enjoyable to watch. All the best. Brian @ The Angels

[@frankbernard6819]

Excellent build. Really enjoyed it.

[@kevindevine7597]

Absolutely superb build. The additions and the weathering are perfect.

[@giulius7176]

Fantastic build!! Great custom detail work!

[@richardsweeney197]

I keep wanting to build a steamboat (East Coast) I used to ride on in the late 60's which later moved to Connecticut and is still running. She's about 57 ft long. I need to learn to do 3D cad/cam imagine a real steam boat for my HO layout barely longer than a big boxcar.

[@ryangallagher1306]

If a weren't a model railroader I'd build river steamers.

[@MicrobyteAlan]

Very interesting. Good build. Thanks from Orlando Florida

[@royreynolds108]

I am at 6:09 in and I had to comment. Quartering of drive wheels and cranks is a 90 degree angle not 45 degrees for 2 cylinders. I was a relief engineer on a 50-foot stern-wheel boat on Caddo Lake out of Uncertain, TX between 1995 and 2000. The name was The Graceful Ghost. It was based off of boats designed and built out of Chicago for small rivers and lakes around 1900. Cruising speed was about 5 or 6 mph or 15-16 RPM of the wheel. Her engines were 4 X 16 at up to 175 psi. Just finished the video. One-this may have to do with the kit design but there needs or should be a white or yellow steering or sighting pole on the bow for the pilot to follow. There needs to be 2 anchors on the roof for the stay lines from the flag pole like at the stern instead of ending in holes in the roof. There needs to be an easy way to get to the stern for the stern cleats and to lubricate the bearings on the wheel and pitman arms that end on the cranks(very important). Where is the rudder(s)? Where are the 'scape stacks for the exhaust steam that should be above the cylinders(one for each side){these are most important}? There generally would be more bracing along each side to carry the load of the wheel to a larger proportion of the hull for strength. The direction of the boiler(which is Scotch Marine) could be either way but a lot of tow-boats on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers were turned so the draft would be helped with the firebox to the bow when under weigh. I am going off the design and layout memories of the Graceful Ghost and the old boat catalogue she was built from. The Graceful Ghost was wood-fired but the engine controls were back at the engine. In river parlance, western rivers meant the Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri, Arkansas, Red, and tributary rivers. Most boats would have the decks higher in the middle and slightly curved down to meet the sides. The photos I have seen show headlights about half again as large to twice as large as loco headlights for the light needed. Port(red) and starboard(green) lights on the pilot house and stern light are needed. It would be fun to be able to go over all of this stuff if you are interested. The lady who had the Graceful Ghost built holds a masters and steamboat pilots license on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers(the only woman to do so).

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Thanks for the info. Of course I meant 90º and that's what I actually did. The rudders are added at the end. You might want to take up most of your complaints with Kitwood Hill Models, designers of this particular kit.

[@tam653m]

Love it.

[@jvanamb]

Dave, Loved this build. So much so that after New Years' I'm going to look out for a Paddle Wheeler with two top decks and a wheelhouse deck. I'm going to copy your ginger bread design ideas. I think I may use sewing string but that depends on what's in the kit. Along with your interior lighting design I'm thinking of adding a friction wheel driven paddle and MagnaRail sliders to the keel. As a major part of my layout is along the Hudson River, from N.Y.C. to Albany. A favorite recollection was taking Day Liner Cruises on the Historic Mary Powell. So thank you for the incentive to attempt this cherished memory. Also, I would like to know if you have an episode on the Medicine Wagon on your layout. Jim in N.Y.

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Thank you. It's actually a fireworks wagon. Here's the build video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIjYiIife6eBntk

[@kenamosjr.bo_51]

Very nice build, like the detail work too. May I suggest next time you have a part warp like you did to just add water on a brush to opposite side and lay face down with weight on top till it dries and it will be perfectly flat. Beautiful work and only a suggestion, not criticism. I think your work is great.

[@marsco25177]

Not sure of the flag pole practices in Thunder Mesas era of time but I know most if not all flag poles on ships from 1900 on were installed at an angle and not full vertical. I have no Idea if it was common on River Boats or not. But as always BEAUTIFUL work.

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

My placement is based on Disneyland's Mark Twain, which is vertical.

[@HenrikLaurell]

Most inspiring to see you work with a wooden kit! I have been doing CAD and 3D printing for years, but a laser for making this kind of parts would be great. How much approx did your laser cost and does it stink like a resin printer does when running ?

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

How it smells depend on what you are cutting or engraving. Mine usually smells like a campfire. I have a 50w Co2 laser and it was about 5k. You can get lower powered diode lasers for much less.

[@HenrikLaurell]

Only suitable thin wooden sheets. Smell itself is ok, just hoping it isn't as toxic as my resin printers.

[@sirclarkmarz]

that's a real nice model is that a Wood-Fired boiler? if so you may want to consider of firewood box

[@wyattdoran9611]

If I were to make this I would want to try to make a full engine/piston room how would I find a blueprint/how to make and detail it? ( new to modeling but love try this)

[@davevan8864]

Great work as always!!!! DO you have a source for laser board you can share???? I am having a hard time finding it. Thx

[@derkaiser50]

Do you know if they make a kit like this in HO scale?

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Kit Hill Models only offers this in O scale at this time. There may be others from other manufacturers but I don't know.

[@marshallgreen7815]

I built one as well. I guess photos are not allowed?

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

Yeah, KZbin doesn't allow photo posting in the comments.

[@Little-Oshawott-2010]

Wow Dave you eat dairy free ice cream too?

[@GPGPapercraftTX]

I send my sympathy. I know how painful it is to force one's self to the bottom of the container of Talenti to get those wondrously perfect plastic jars. I've been known to torture myself for a full 30 minutes or more doggedly working to the bottom of one of the raspberry ones in a single sitting. The containers become the perfect home for my LASER cut greeblies.

[@ThunderMesaStudio]

The sacrifices we make for our hobbies.