Joe's 1/22 Artesania Latina San Francisco Cable Car

[flyjoe180]

Hi all. Well this is strange, I've never done anything on rails before but here I am, courtesy of lock down and the Artesania Latina San Francisco "Powell Street" Cable Car. I acquired the kit at a reduced price in a fire auction a while ago. The price sticker on the box says it was NZ$399, but I paid under $100. I'm told this counts as a train/rolling stock (rail) build, but if this is incorrect moderators, please move it to a more correct location.

The kit is a blend of many pieces of wood strips, laser-cut wood pieces, and many, many tiny metal components, rubber, and clear plastic parts. A true multi-media kit if ever there was one I suppose.

Here's a real life example of what it should look similar to once I've done my worst on it:


I'll post progress photos as I go, but I've got a fair bit done already so the initial build threads will come reasonably quickly. Thanks for watching guys, it's good to be back, and trying something very different from my usual builds.

[flyjoe180]

First the boxing, parts as they come, and instructions.

The box is large, but not excessive. Photos feature working suspension, accurate details, etc.


Everything comes very well wrapped and protected. It's not until you undo that wrapping that you can appreciate how many parts are going to make up this thing.


Instructions are not what I would expect for the price and quality of the rest of the kit. There are no printed paper instructions. There is a CD with pdf instructions. There are at least 56 pages. I copied the pdf onto my old modeling laptop, but you could use a tablet/i pad, or kill a forest and print them off. Having the pdf means I can zoom in, as I'm not sure the text would print very well. There is a comprehensive parts list in the instructions, but that means scrolling to the end. It is worth printing that part off. Laser-cut parts have a parts map on paper provided.

[flyjoe180]

My first port of call, before getting too excited, was to separate the masses of wood strips into numbered piles. This was very sensible, as later on things get complicated as you use and revisit various types of wood.


Construction begins! The base of the cable car is a laser-cut part, and is obviously the basis from which everything else will emerge. I've glued a back panel onto the base.


Then, in my first piece of true woodworking, I made up the front bumper, into which a metal coupling part was inserted using super glue. I used Zap gel for this.


Filled and sanded smooth, we have a bumper and I'm feeling a little more confident about working with wood with the tools and materials I have at hand.


Then the underside of the base is made up. My clamps have proven to be my best friends on this build. For those who might build this in the future, make sure you place the strips with the short side down, not as I have done in my build. No harm done but it's not correct, and this is due to the instructions which are proving to be rather vague at critical times.


Trumpeter's saw has even made an appearance, it is perfect with the coarsest saw blade for sawing these wood types cleanly.


And to conclude this post, you end up with a base underside structure that looks like this.

[flyjoe180]

In the next session I made up the rear bumper. Same process except you have to drill some holes out to match another part which comes along much later in the build process.


Next step I was off to the spray booth for some priming. I looked ahead and grabbed the parts that will need primer so I don't have to do multiple clean ups.


After priming, the underside, bumpers, and certain areas of the top are painted black. Then one side of each of the end walls of the enclosed section of the cable car are painted yellow and inserted into the base. They look beige here, I was experimenting with shades but later did what the instructions demanded.


Then the first of the seat forms were glued to the walls. These laser-cut parts are dead on, no gaps or give if you cock up their precise insertion. I know.


Smaller size forms were cleaned up, and inserted.



Then I built up the panels that will make the front of the seats. It's good that the kit starts in the enclosed section. Apart from necessity, it also helps to master this process for later on with the exposed out-facing seats.


The first rubber piece is inserted into the cabin. Fixed with Zap gel at the ends and sides, and PVA elsewhere. The panels built above will sit atop the edges. when inserted.



I'll leave this here for now, as you are probably getting worn out and pleading for me to STFU. I will add more tomorrow, and that will bring me up to date and mean I will post more gradual progress updates.

Thank you for having a look, feel free to comment as you so desire.

[Mini Me]

Looking good Joe, it appears that you are getting a good start on this. I shall follow along as I have always loved this part of San Francisco from the first time I saw these rickety old girls running up and down the hills of the City.

[flyjoe180]

Looking good Joe, it appears that you are getting a good start on this. I shall follow along as I have always loved this part of San Francisco from the first time I saw these rickety old girls running up and down the hills of the City.

Thanks for following along Rick.

I too loved San Francisco, it is a great city. The cable car museum was a highlight, where you can see the operating cables and systems that operate this part of the city's cable cars. The cable cars are more numerous than I thought, having done some research for this build, and they're all mostly rebuilds or new builds since the 1970s. A good tourist attraction, and they beat climbing some of those hills.

[Dave Ward]

Joe,
that's looking good! - That's what's great about this forum, the diverse range of models being built!
I only visited San Francisco one - 40 years ago - but the cable cars still stand out in my memory, although an unforgettable meal at Fisherman's Wharf was also a high point of SF
Dave

[adt70hk]

Joe

Looking very good start so far and an interesting choice.

Keep up the good work.

ATB

Andrew

[Ian M]

Interesting to see something very different from the norm.
Was I the only one that had a chuckle at the comment at the end of the post....As you so desire..... A street car called Desire...... lol

[papa 695]

Something totally different and a cracking start,

[yak face]

Well you dont see one of these every day ( unless you live in San Francisco and drive a cable car :rolling Great start Joe , its coning together quite quickly , cheers tony

[scottie3158]

Joe,
Count me in. Your off to a great start on a very unusual subject.

[flyjoe180]

Joe,
that's looking good! - That's what's great about this forum, the diverse range of models being built!
I only visited San Francisco one - 40 years ago - but the cable cars still stand out in my memory, although an unforgettable meal at Fisherman's Wharf was also a high point of SF
Dave

Cheers Dave. Yes, lovely meals to be had at Fisherman's Wharf, definitely another highlight.

[flyjoe180]

Joe

Looking very good start so far and an interesting choice.

Keep up the good work.

ATB

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, glad it is of interest to you.

[flyjoe180]

Interesting to see something very different from the norm.
Was I the only one that had a chuckle at the comment at the end of the post....As you so desire..... A street car called Desire...... lol

We aim to please Thanks Ian, yes this is a big step out from my plastic comfort zone.