More Cutting and Rebuilding

I did some more work on my large scale trolley yesterday and today.  This is the same trolley we have on our mantle for Christmas.  I've never really been happy with the rounded front and rear bumpers that this trolley ships with and I felt the trolley was missing a step for passengers stepping up from the street so I went about trying to resolve those problems today.  

First, I started making the front and rear bumpers to replace the rather toy-like bumpers.  Well, actually, I started by cutting off the front and rear rounded bumpers.  The original front bumper can be seen in the first photo below.  Then I designed a new bumper to be made using wood.  I wanted a chunkier narrow gauge look so I used wood for this.  Anyway, the photo below shows the front rounded, hollow bumper that I cut off...

Below, is a photo of the new bumpers being glued up...

Below is a photo of the front end after I cut off the manufactured front bumper.  I could have simply glued a single plank across the front here instead of the big chunky bumpers but I like the chunky timber parts added to many narrow gauge locomotives so I went that route for this narrow gauge trolley too.

Then I glued the new wood bumper to the trolley frame.  I went wide with this bumper because I knew I needed to add another step for passengers climbing up into the trolley from street level.  This added step was installed right behind each bumper.  Each successive step steps outward so that meant I needed a longer bumper making the trolley a bit wider on the front and back ends...

This bumper looks a little goofy and out of place in its raw, unpainted state (and especially with the hard edges)...

I stained the bumpers with watered down craft paint and I tried to match this stained wood with the stained walkways on the roof of the trolley.  Unfortunately, this stain lightened up significantly as it dried so I'm not completely happy with its finished appearance but that will be an easy fix with an additional coat(s) of washes.  

After I stained the bumpers, then I started working on installing another step at each corner of the trolley...  front right and left, rear right and left...

I mixed a small batch of black craft paint with dark gray craft paint to lighten up the black and then applied it to the new steps...

I made a lot of progress and it is looking good but there is still a little bit of work to be done.  

I definitely need to clean up some of my cuts with a file.  I also want to round over some of the hard, perfect edges on the bumpers using a grinding wheel and sanding drum on my Dremel tool.  After I get the edges of the bumpers looking right, I plan to darken the stain on these new bumpers with washes and then do some light weathering on all these newly installed parts.  

I also want to make and install grab bars at each of the steps up into the trolley.  I'm undecided on what detail part(s) I should add on the front bumper (small horn?) but I plan to add an air tank on the rear bumper.  

Today was a productive day and the trolley is looking good!