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Building a Scale Model Dam and Power House

David is hoping someone can help with this:

“I am working on building a 1970’s HO Badger paper mill on the Peshtigo river. This particular project includes a dam, gate control house and a hydroelectric plant besides the papermill. I am looking for a source of plans with measurements for a dam. Can be any scale, All my photos have zero info regarding the measurements. From what I can determine from the state’s highway department that the bridge crossing the river a little-ways away is 500 feet long. There are no pictures, that I can locate, of the dam itself. There are snippets of the gate house and powerhouse, but none of the actual dam with the gates or mechanisms. Reference sites would be helpful.”

5 Responses to Building a Scale Model Dam and Power House

  • Neal Marrison says:

    I found this on youtube. Hope it helps some.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8-4KskdoHU

  • Randall Styx says:

    Find the dam on Google Earth. Use the measuring tool on a top down view to get widths and distances. Resolution isn’t fine enough to measure to the inch, but you can get close.
    Secondly, do a Google search for “Marinette County, WI GIS”. Many Wisconsin counties have a free on-line Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map. Some of these have contour lines that show the elevation of the ground so you can get vertical drop for the water and shorelines. Some of their aerial photography is better than on Google Earth. (You’ll have to turn on the layers with the information you want, like contours, aerial photos, etc. Each county is different, so I can’t guarantee what Marinette County will have on its interactive map.)

  • Brad Baier says:

    Do a search for the specific dam and structures in the Library of Congress. They should have all of the information that you desire. Best of luck , check it out.

  • roy Weston says:

    i suggest you go to google earth where you can see a dam and also use the measuring tool hope this hels roy

  • Randall Styx says:

    I probably don’t need to say this, but the drone video cited above by Neal can be converted into multiple still shots. Make the video full screen and pause it when you get to a view you like. Then do a “print screen” (PRTSC) and paste it into Paint or another graphics or photo program. A film editing program can also generate still shots.

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