Structure Model 4 - ATSF Automobile Unloading Ramp

After all this building with styrene, I wanted to try my hand on a totally scratchbuild structure. I also wanted to use strip wood instead of styrene. To find a suitable structure I browsed my Santa Fe plans and decided on a Standard Automobile Unloading Platform.

These ramps were completely build up with wood planks. That's what I did. I literally build it up board-by-board using the standard plan. As every board that I cut counted toward 1 scratchbuild part, I cannot tell how many I've glued to that ramp.

I painted the sideboards Colonial Yellow and weathered the planks with a mix of black india ink and isopropyl alcohol. I also punched nailholes where the planks touched the frame timbers.

The platform is used with 2 tracks. Both are for head-end unloading and one for side unloading.

The track bumpers are incorporated into the platform.

 
Although this is not a very fancy structure, it brought me the highest score until then, 97 points

Construction: 35/40
Detail: 12/20 (there is not much to it)
Conformity: 22/25
Finish: 13/25 (OK I did not stain the planks before I installed them)
Scratchbuilding: 15/15 (there were no commercial parts)