It all looks a whole lot more complex than it is. In the third from the bottom picture, the entire side of the staircase is one piece. The white railings on the inside are one continuous piece as well. The stairs are a bit tedious as you have to glue each step into a notch on both sides.
The straight ironwork railings along the edges of the platform are again one single piece about ten inches long that can easily be cut for where-ever you want it to fit.
The "legs" of the structure are nothing more than a tall thin box comprised of four sides glued together. The big top girder beam is just three pieces - two grids with a thin ply sandwiched in between - very simple.
All the thin parts are at least two plys thick and are surprisingly durable. Those iron railings will take a pretty tight curve without breaking. Soak then in water for a bit and you can wrap them around you finger ! .... looks good around young trees on a city sidewalk ! ;)
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
Mark R. PennStation man, all I can say is this ain't my grandfathers model trains. If you're up for a few technical questions..... Whats the best process? I've read painting the bits before detaching from the sprue,,,what type of paint /weathering materials do you recommend, adhesives, what sort of time did you need to put together let's say just one section? Any tips would be great. I guess what I'll do is buy one of the base kits for the NYC line and see how that goes. Needless to say, that thing is stunningly beautiful and if you're not an architectural model maker do you think someone with reasonable amount of patience and skill and desire could achieve similar results? Fantastic work best regards Waiting on Platform B for the 8:50 to Babylon Thanks for the complements. I was sub-contracted by the fine folks at Imagine That to build that structure for a client. I've since built a few more projects as well. Believe it or not, this build was my first experience with working with their products. Construction is very easy and straight forward. Instructions are minimal, but these structures by nature don't always follow a set design build - they were built to fit within the confines of where they were installed. I found that aspect to be the most fun - use the structural components as you see fit to accomplish the deired fit and result. After much trial and error, Weld Bond glue has been deemed / recommended for building these kits. It works just like white glue, sets up quick, but doesn't dry rock hard - which will easily break at the joint. A real added bonus is that you can heat the joint with a heat gun which will soften the joint allowing to to reposition the part or remove it entirely with ease. For painting, you really don't want to use solid pigment colors as the laser detail (like the rivets) would become obscured. Instead, use thinned colors or stains. My entire structure my airbrushed used thinned latex house paint ! The burgandy was thinned acrylic craft paints. The structure above took me about six weeks total working 35 hours per week on it. Granted, a lot of it wasn't right out of the package built, which required a lot of custom cutting and fitting really adding to the time factor. To build just one section of elevated (four legs plus girders) you should easily have it assembled in an evening. Take your time and keep checking that everything remains square. If these things get crooked, it really spoils the view when you can see all the legs in a line. Mark.
PennStation man, all I can say is this ain't my grandfathers model trains. If you're up for a few technical questions..... Whats the best process? I've read painting the bits before detaching from the sprue,,,what type of paint /weathering materials do you recommend, adhesives, what sort of time did you need to put together let's say just one section? Any tips would be great. I guess what I'll do is buy one of the base kits for the NYC line and see how that goes. Needless to say, that thing is stunningly beautiful and if you're not an architectural model maker do you think someone with reasonable amount of patience and skill and desire could achieve similar results? Fantastic work best regards Waiting on Platform B for the 8:50 to Babylon
man, all I can say is this ain't my grandfathers model trains. If you're up for a few technical questions.....
Whats the best process? I've read painting the bits before detaching from the sprue,,,what type of paint /weathering materials do you recommend, adhesives, what sort of time did you need to put together let's say just one section?
Any tips would be great. I guess what I'll do is buy one of the base kits for the NYC line and see how that goes.
Needless to say, that thing is stunningly beautiful and if you're not an architectural model maker do you think someone with reasonable amount of patience and skill and desire could achieve similar results?
Fantastic work
best regards
Waiting on Platform B for the 8:50 to Babylon
Thanks for the complements. I was sub-contracted by the fine folks at Imagine That to build that structure for a client. I've since built a few more projects as well. Believe it or not, this build was my first experience with working with their products.
Construction is very easy and straight forward. Instructions are minimal, but these structures by nature don't always follow a set design build - they were built to fit within the confines of where they were installed. I found that aspect to be the most fun - use the structural components as you see fit to accomplish the deired fit and result.
After much trial and error, Weld Bond glue has been deemed / recommended for building these kits. It works just like white glue, sets up quick, but doesn't dry rock hard - which will easily break at the joint. A real added bonus is that you can heat the joint with a heat gun which will soften the joint allowing to to reposition the part or remove it entirely with ease.
For painting, you really don't want to use solid pigment colors as the laser detail (like the rivets) would become obscured. Instead, use thinned colors or stains. My entire structure my airbrushed used thinned latex house paint ! The burgandy was thinned acrylic craft paints.
The structure above took me about six weeks total working 35 hours per week on it. Granted, a lot of it wasn't right out of the package built, which required a lot of custom cutting and fitting really adding to the time factor. To build just one section of elevated (four legs plus girders) you should easily have it assembled in an evening.
Take your time and keep checking that everything remains square. If these things get crooked, it really spoils the view when you can see all the legs in a line.
Mark,
The thought of spending 35 hours a week on one of these sends my short attention span deficit disorder into hyper drive. I don't know if I could actually devote myself to such an effort. I mean it's fantastic stuff and you deserve an award for this type of effort. I've seen architectural models with less attention to detail.
But why let reason stand in the way of mind numbing work...I think I could handle it in smaller chunks..if one of those platforms could be completed in a few nights...that's more like something I'd be interested in.
For example..the ironwork on the staircase..don't tell me each spire is individual? or is it a sheet of the things? The lattice work on the girders from below..are those box girders a million bits and pieces built up to one support?
For me the idea is to come away with a layout, mostly urban downtown blue collar neighborhood down by the Brooklyn waterfront with a smattering of Eastern Pa coal down the far end..which will eventually be added on to in other 2 x 8 ft shelves....it's a beginning ya know? So will having this massive highly detailed train station stick out like a sore thumb and actually be a cohesive part of the layout....I have some ME viaduct and girder bridges coming. I think I could incorporate the Laser Art Stairwells into the ME Viaduct to create an elevated platform station...somehow....
Well, this time as we journey back to the old city over the Easter break I'm going to have to drag several of my kids to some of my favorite old elevated train stations and take decent pictures. All those years up there and never thought of documenting any of this stuff.
Well, thanks Mark and appreciate it if you could tell me if those ironwork handrails are a sheet of them or 1 by 1...
Cheers
MisterBeasley Thanks for posting those pictures, Mark. They are the ones I remembered. Your models are true show pieces. I, however, have thus far kept my subways below ground, mostly. But, just to get us all in that New York state of mind..... watch?v=jQ5OvZtI QU&lr=1 Don't forget to turn on your speakers.
Thanks for posting those pictures, Mark. They are the ones I remembered. Your models are true show pieces.
I, however, have thus far kept my subways below ground, mostly. But, just to get us all in that New York state of mind.....
watch?v=jQ5OvZtI QU&lr=1
Don't forget to turn on your speakers.
Hmm..makes me want to burn my flip flops, cut offs, t shirts and get the hell out of Miami back to civilization.
Awesome video there Beasly..thanks for posting
wp8thsub PennStationI've got a fresh bottle of Tenax..my go to glue has always been Zap medium CA so if I can't get good adherence with the zap a gap I'll try the Tenax. ... I haven't tried the Tenax to any great degree. The idea that the pieces become melted/welded into each other frightens me. Better be right the first time or it's to late. I used to use CA to deal with small styrene parts like these. I've since found that using solvent cements is far quicker and easier for most styrene assembly. If you get a solid joint with CA, and it's misaligned, you're in at least as messy a situation as with solvents, and the joint will still be more brittle. CA that flows where you don't want it leaves a mess that obscures detail and/or otherwise mars the surface. If solvent does the same, just leave it alone and you're likely not to notice anything on the finished model. Try Tenax 7R on these bridges, and once you get the hang of it you'll wonder why you ever used CA for styrene. Work one joint at a time, and apply solvent with a small brush.
PennStationI've got a fresh bottle of Tenax..my go to glue has always been Zap medium CA so if I can't get good adherence with the zap a gap I'll try the Tenax. ... I haven't tried the Tenax to any great degree. The idea that the pieces become melted/welded into each other frightens me. Better be right the first time or it's to late.
I used to use CA to deal with small styrene parts like these. I've since found that using solvent cements is far quicker and easier for most styrene assembly. If you get a solid joint with CA, and it's misaligned, you're in at least as messy a situation as with solvents, and the joint will still be more brittle. CA that flows where you don't want it leaves a mess that obscures detail and/or otherwise mars the surface. If solvent does the same, just leave it alone and you're likely not to notice anything on the finished model. Try Tenax 7R on these bridges, and once you get the hang of it you'll wonder why you ever used CA for styrene. Work one joint at a time, and apply solvent with a small brush.
Rob
Im gonna have to crack that bottle of Tenax tonight and see what I can do with it. No denying I have dried CA on some of my most prized hoppers.
Have a multitude of kits yet to be built so I'll definitely give the Tenax a go.
thanks
Paul
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Mark R. That was my post on the Imagine That build. I can't find it either for some reason, so here's the pictures again .... I've since built another section on a full curve and a few of their structures. They are kind of pricey, but I have yet to see detail of this kind on anything else. Mark.
That was my post on the Imagine That build. I can't find it either for some reason, so here's the pictures again ....
I've since built another section on a full curve and a few of their structures. They are kind of pricey, but I have yet to see detail of this kind on anything else.
zstripe Paul, and to anyone interested, Their E-MAIL add. is,, imaginethatlaserart@gmail.com sorry I can't make it clickable.. They are based in Dorchester, Ontario Canada... Cheers, Frank
Paul, and to anyone interested,
Their E-MAIL add. is,, imaginethatlaserart@gmail.com sorry I can't make it clickable.. They are based in Dorchester, Ontario Canada...
Cheers,
Frank
thanks Frank. Got it.
MisterBeasley Some time back, a contributer posted a picture of a large Imagine That structure he had built up from several of their elevated railway kits. It was very impressive. Unfortunately, the Search function here didn't locate it easily, but you might have better luck if you try some different combinations. If you're planning to actually run subways over the tracks, the Walthers ones are a nice representation of the old NY cars, back in the days of 15-cent subway tokens.
Some time back, a contributer posted a picture of a large Imagine That structure he had built up from several of their elevated railway kits. It was very impressive. Unfortunately, the Search function here didn't locate it easily, but you might have better luck if you try some different combinations.
If you're planning to actually run subways over the tracks, the Walthers ones are a nice representation of the old NY cars, back in the days of 15-cent subway tokens.
Hi Mr. Beasly
Further down the forun line here Mark..I believe posted the images. I mean these structures are out of the NY Historical society display. I wonder if putting one of these on my layout will cause the other Walthers structures look like amateur night? But those El's are phenomenal. I took the plunge and ordered the ME kits. As they are just the track girders viaducts decks and not the actual station platforms, once I get the bridges built and test fitted on the layout I think Laser Art has the staircases as a stand alone kit...so...will try my hand on those assuming it can incorporate into the viaducts.
Pas far as running NY Transit yes those Walters R-17's are on the money.,ill have to convert them from the IRT to the BMT line just so I can remain true to my Brooklyn roots. As I am older then dirt I certainly do remember 15 cent tokens...also rattan seats and the paint job on those cars was basically a lovely shade of soot! But I also remember getting on the train way out in the farmland of Brooklyn as a 10 year old and taking the subway all the way up to Yankee Stadium with some of my cronies. Can't send your kids traveling all,over the 5 boroughs unescorted anymore. Those were the days man.
Heres a fairly typical NY elevated train station which looks like a simple structure to kit bash. This is along the lines for what I hope to incorporate on the layout
Those models are so nice! LION doubts him could build that good even if him had money to spend on kits. Him will have to be happy with what him can build from scratch:
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
LION builds subway!
Him is not of quality that yo are looking for. Him has big furry paws and no money in his purse.Him must build all things from scratch. This is what him maked:
The risers are wood, the deck is Celotex (like Homasote but lighter), the railings are of that plastic mesh stuff that women like to use for embroidery: cut out the squares that do not belong and I can build lots of things with that stuff. The platform in this station is a 2x4 cut to the correct height and under cut along the sides. The third rail is a 1/8th" square strip painted brown on top to represent the protection board, and black on the sides to represent the shadow under the protection board, the insulators are glass beads from Walmart. You can not see it above, the the fiberglass walkways are made from strips of ribbon wire from old computers, painted yellow. Since it is right at eye level, you cannot see that you cannot see through the structure deck.
A LION has gotta do what a LION can do, But at least this station will handle 526 trains daily.
ROAR
Rob Spangler
charlie9 i have not tried the wooden parts you mentioned but i have used bass wood to simulate steel before and found that pactra aero gloss is a good sealer and you can make wood look like steel if you apply that stuff to the wood before painting it. experiment around on a few pieces of strip wood until you get the hang of it. Charlie
i have not tried the wooden parts you mentioned but i have used bass wood to simulate steel before and found that pactra aero gloss is a good sealer and you can make wood look like steel if you apply that stuff to the wood before painting it. experiment around on a few pieces of strip wood until you get the hang of it.
Charlie
Hi and thanks for replying. I appreciate it. The idea of working with wood is one I would relish. These Laser Art kits are cut from Bass Wood? I've read various accounts both good and bad about these kits. There is no denying they look quite beautiful and realism is exemplary. Of course most of the images I've been able to look at were models built by the guys at Laser Art. My comfort zone leans toward styrene only as it's what I have become accustomed to and are comfortable being confronted with hundred of tiny bits to cut off from sprue, dry fit and go back and dry fit again till it's dead on. Somewhere in my old age I've gained a lot of patience and anytime I feel like cutting corners I get up and go walk the dog. After all, I don't have any deadlines to get the equipment running...except my own internal pressure cooker so as to be able to show the wife some progress on a weekly basis.
Well, I'm tempted to take a swing at one of those Laser Art NYC double track starter components as in this image just for a test kit.
what I really am envisioning is the more deluxe one below of the platform, station, truss, staircase, etc...that is about as close to Brooklyn elevated subway in kit form that I've seen so far. It looks massive and details are spot on.
Well again thanks and appreciate the feedback. Any one built this puppy yet?
Thank
Paul waiting for the 6:20 to Jamaica
Paul,
I have no experience with the Emagine That products, but a saw a long video of the construction and the finished product AND I MUST say,I was highly impressed.. But my understanding is they are quite $$$$$ If I am able to find the video again,I will post here...
wp8thsub I've been pleased with the finished ME bridges despite having to clean up edges on some of the parts a bit more than with other kits. It seems most of the folks that have built ME viaducts, truss bridges etc.., all have the same basic minor issues..some more so than others, but ultimately the results seem to all get the same level of enthusiastic positive reviews. As I will have 3 to possibly 6 of the spans coursing down the center of my shelf layout , about 40 scale inches, and it will no doubt be a focal point of the layout, I do want that structure to impress. I've got a fresh bottle of Tenax..my go to glue has always been Zap medium CA so if I can't get good adherence with the zap a gap I'll try the Tenax. Porbably some of those tiny corner clamps would be nice to have on a build like this one...don't have any...to square 90 degree edges on structures, freight car bodies.(I build some of those horrific Westerfield and F&C Hoppers) I have a few piece of machinest angles so I line the 2 pieces up at 90 degrees clamp piece down with a magnet and make minute adjustments till its perfectly in line and paint the inside corner with CA. Pretty accurate most of the time..when it isn't at least you can carefully break the joint free and do ti again when necessary. I haven't tried the Tenax to any great degree. The idea that the pieces become melted/welded into each other frightens me. Better be right the first time or it's to late. The Laser Art models of the EL are pretty and in reality are closer to actual proto NYC Elevated train stations..or they are as close to proto as anything I've yet to uncover for a NY Transit style subway..but I've seen varying reviews about difficulty in construction due to warping and particularly if they absorb to much paint/liquid..that has me a bit worried. I would probably airbrush a primer coat on the finished model before more exact weathering would take place. There are quite a few tiny wooden pieces on these models. I'm imagining a bunch of soggy bridge trusses..Imagine that? Appreciate your view and advice. ME still is getting my vote. Kind regards Paul
wp8thsub I've been pleased with the finished ME bridges despite having to clean up edges on some of the parts a bit more than with other kits.
It seems most of the folks that have built ME viaducts, truss bridges etc.., all have the same basic minor issues..some more so than others, but ultimately the results seem to all get the same level of enthusiastic positive reviews. As I will have 3 to possibly 6 of the spans coursing down the center of my shelf layout , about 40 scale inches, and it will no doubt be a focal point of the layout, I do want that structure to impress.
I've got a fresh bottle of Tenax..my go to glue has always been Zap medium CA so if I can't get good adherence with the zap a gap I'll try the Tenax. Porbably some of those tiny corner clamps would be nice to have on a build like this one...don't have any...to square 90 degree edges on structures, freight car bodies.(I build some of those horrific Westerfield and F&C Hoppers) I have a few piece of machinest angles so I line the 2 pieces up at 90 degrees clamp piece down with a magnet and make minute adjustments till its perfectly in line and paint the inside corner with CA. Pretty accurate most of the time..when it isn't at least you can carefully break the joint free and do ti again when necessary. I haven't tried the Tenax to any great degree. The idea that the pieces become melted/welded into each other frightens me. Better be right the first time or it's to late.
The Laser Art models of the EL are pretty and in reality are closer to actual proto NYC Elevated train stations..or they are as close to proto as anything I've yet to uncover for a NY Transit style subway..but I've seen varying reviews about difficulty in construction due to warping and particularly if they absorb to much paint/liquid..that has me a bit worried. I would probably airbrush a primer coat on the finished model before more exact weathering would take place. There are quite a few tiny wooden pieces on these models. I'm imagining a bunch of soggy bridge trusses..Imagine that?
Appreciate your view and advice. ME still is getting my vote.
Kind regards
I've built a few bridges from Micro Engineering kits, although not the city viaducts specifically. Warped plastic parts can indeed be a problem with the others too. Using fast-setting plastic cement like Tenax 7R, Ambroid ProWeld or equivalent minimizes fighting the parts to deal with alignment problems, and usually lets them go together quickly and, more importantly - straight. Removing parts from the sprues is also easy enough. I use a razor saw for most of this work. Keep some files, sandpaper sheets and/or emery boards handy an be prepared to clean up some parts after cutting them from the sprues. I've been pleased with the finished ME bridges despite having to clean up edges on some of the parts a bit more than with other kits.
Some kits from Imagine That have a reputation for ill-fitting parts also (although I haven't seen any reviews of these bridge components), so you may want to try some from each manufacturer to see which ones you'd rather live with. I've seen various laser wood kits representing metal structures, and they usually end up looking OK once painted and weathered, so you may not have too much to worry about there.
Hey guys, My 2 x 8 shelf layout of a part of South Brooklyn waterfront is making some progress small as it may be. Each step seems to open up a whole new array of questions..like...I was ready to bite the bullet and order several of the Micro Engineering City Viaduct spans to incorporate on the layout as an elevated piece of the BMT...they seem to look pretty impressive on every layout I've found on the internet..although there are some war stories about heavy sprues and difficulty in keeping the structures squared up during construction..so it goes..any experienced folks that have built ME bridges please..chime in. I want to know what I'm going to be up against..I'llprobably have a good 36 inches of their viaduct to install.
I also came across this Imagine That Laser Art site...laswer cut wood crafstman kits..they have a Chicago EL and a NY el sections that look pretty cool but the wood factor worries me..anyway, if anyone has had any exposure to those kits love to hear about them.
I was just about to press submit payment for the Micro Engineering kits but I'll wait a day or so in the hope that some of you experienced kitbashers will steer me towards ME as I am still leaning that way..just seems the ME is tried and true and appearance wise it is on the money...but after watching a video of the Laser art stuff at a recent show, pretty impressive looking structure..well, love to hear some advice one way or another from any aspect, ease of construction, prototypical, etc.
Thanks a bunch
Paul at Penn Station..catching the 5:40 to Atlantic City