2025-2026 Winter Challenge Interlocking Tower Build

[Rick]

Jeff, nice to see all the progress you're making.
It's looking very good.

[friscomike]

Howdy Jeff, 

The tower is looking very good. You can never have too many clamps. 

Have fun,
mike

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks, guys.  

Curt, it is painted to match an FSM station that I built many years ago.  One of my interchange railroads, the Rock Island, had some in buff with brown/maroon trim, so it could be used for that as well.

True about the clamps, Mike.

Jeff

[Larry C]

Jeff good looking building; should be a nice addition to your layout.

[ACL1504]

Jeff,

Very nicely done and looks great.

Tom

[Larry C]

Jeff great looking tower and really like the paint colors and weathering.

[elwoodblues]

Jeff,

Great progress on the tower build.

[Philip]

Nice work and the color is great!

[Zephyrus52246]

Thanks for the kind words, gentlemen.

It's been 2 1/2 weeks (I was out of town for eight of them), and some progress has been made.  The trim pieces were added.  Very slowly.  The "Peel and stick" mostly just peeled from them, the glue stuck to the paper, not the wood.  So each piece was glued on and weighted 'til it set up.  

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

The stairs were next.  The pieces had to have some paint removed by gentle sanding so they'd fit together.  Test fitted the pieces together and then glued them on. 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

While this dried, the roof was put together.  As Tom noted on his build the hole for the stack needs some work.

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Today, I put on the steps.  I decided not to do the peel and stick and just painted over the paper. There are some "notched" stairs where the railings will go.  A couple of the stairs needed shortening where they came up against the trim.  On one of these, the paint wrinkled and came off.  I'll paint this one and touch up a few other places after this cures.  

Jeff

[deemery]

On Peel-and-stick:  Before you cut the pieces out, run a small roller over the back to press the 'stick' more firmly into the piece.  A wallpaper seam roller works great for this.

dave

[Jerry]

Jeff nice work on those stairs.

Jerry

[Rick]

Nice work on the trim and stairs.