Train Troll: Model Ships and Narrow Gauge  

HO Scale (1:87) Western River Towboat "Custom"

This is a prototypical western river small towboat design. While this version is more typical of towboats used from the 1890s till the 1930s, these small but very powerful steam powered wood hull paddlewheel vessels plied the western rivers up into the 1960s. For those unfamiliar with towboats, the term "tow" is used as a noun, with "tow" referring to the collective name given to the grouping of barges (a tow) these vessels pushed through the rivers from West Virginia across to the Dakotas. These vessels had to navigate very shallow rivers as well as deal with strong river currents while remaining maneuverable, so they were constructed to float more like a leaf on top of the water, than like the traditional deep hull of a vessel built for the open ocean. In additional to the transport of materials, towboats were used with transfer barges to transport rail traffic across rivers, and move "showboats" (theaters built on barges) from town to town.

This kit builds either a full hull version or waterline model. The length of the HO scale model is 13.5" (34.3 cm) and a custom towboat name and homeport is supplied by the customer and added to the kit production.

HO Scale (1:87) Western River Towboat "Custom" HO Scale (1:87) Western River Towboat "Custom" HO Scale (1:87) Western River Towboat "Custom" HO Scale (1:87) Western River Towboat "Custom" stern view HO Scale (1:87) Western River Towboat "Custom" forward view HO Hopper Barge with Towboat and Coalboats

For custom towboat name and homeport- use contact form to submit.

Towboat
(Kit HO-109-A)    $159.95

Train Troll | Westerly, RI | 401-480-5381

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