Thank you for your help. I really appreciate your input.
A few years ago there was a wonderful "S" modular layout at a Philadelphia area World's Greatest Hobby Show. I asked the members how they did the buildings, and they stated that many were "HO" with "S" size doors.
On my own small "S" layout I found some Woodland Scenics "Ready Made" "HO" buildings that work well, namely the 2-story Victorian house, 1930s gas station, and the Victorian fire house. These are beautiful, and cost about $50. each.
A good way to see if a structure "works" is to look at it next to a M2 car and a Arttista "S" figure.
A lot of HO structures can be converted to S Scale by replacing the doors. Lehigh Valley makes a ton of S-Scale railroad structures, also check out Port Line Hobbies for more S-Scale buildings and building parts. There are a number of O-scale buildings that are way too small for O scale but have oversize doors. By replacing the doors you have an excellent S-scale building.
While it is true that S-Scale building kits are not common on the hobby store shelves, they are not totally unavailable either. If you have never picked up a copy of Railroad Model Craftsman monthly magazine you should do so. (By that OTHER hobby publications outfit, sorry CTT.) They always dedicate one page of advertising to S-Scale manufacturers, and there you will find web links to several S-Scale structure kit manufacturers.
As for structural details for scratchbuilding, you can always count on Grandt Line.
http://grandtline.com/products/arch/s_scale_architectural.html
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
I hope I don't make CTT mad by plugging the competition, but check out the "O Gauge Railroading" magazine website. They offer a series of building kits called "AmeriTown". These are a compromise size between S and O gauge and work well with either.
www.ogaugerr.com Web Store.
Also, I believe the "Plasticville" series of buildings and structures are a compromise size as well. Just the thing for a little kit-bashing.
Large industrial buildings are the easiest to do, Some people raise the foundations up on some plastruct or balsa painted to look like concrete, but I most often simply enlarge the doors, as the windows are often quite large. You can buy commericial doors but I most often fabricate them from plastic strips and sheet. Industrial doors are often quite plain, and roll up doors are easily simulated with corrigated material.
Next easiest are governmental buildings and banks, which also have oversized windows, You can "modernize" the enterances by fabricating simulated aluminium doors with plastic strips cemented onto a piece of clear plastic of the appropriate size. If the original entrance had a transom, you don't even need to enlarge the opening in the wall, you just put a bigger transomless door into the opening
Of course, if you are really modeling realisticly, you are often modeling the back of the building facing the tracks anyway, and if you pick judiciously, the rear loading doors on many HO buildings look just fine with S scale equiptment and you can position the structure so that any undersised doors are not visable from the edge of your layout (or you can park a truck in front of the door to hide it).
Old articles from Model Railroader about "kit bashing" industrial structures have lots of really great ideas that you can incorporate.
If I ever get my digital camera to work, I will post some photos
Little Tommy
Jim, the easiest thing to do is use them in regular size but at the far end of the layout and away from viewers so that it will make them seem farther away. I haven't checked in a few years bot no one was making S gauge building materials. Even AF used its old O gauge accessories.
I went to the family farm a few weeks ago to measure my late grandfather's country store across from the house for an S scale model. It dawned on my that this might have to be a stick built structure because so little is made in this size.
Jock Ellis Cumming, GA US of A Georgia Association of Railroad Passengers
I was wondering if anyone out there can offer any suggestions when it comes to converting HO scale buildings to work with S Gauge. I can get the correct height, but how about the sides and tops of the buildings? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks, and Happy Holidays to all.
Jim
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month