This is my next attempt at making a dioramma of the Old West. Its a 'transitional' layout in terms of oldest buildings at the highest elevation working down to newer types of buildings and yes of course a never time era date up to about 1985 or so.
The purpose of this thread is to gather as much information on buildings and the layout of the Wild West~ I have buildings ranging from N-scale to Z-scale with my own Bashed kits of a 'slightly less' than N-scale for in between. I plan on showing them as well on a daily basis. I've watched so many old Western movies with old towns and buildings, it over-whelming. Many ideas have raced through my mind so here are some.. and what I hope to do with all this.
I would like to see any pics of an old western town setting, of your layout, real life... anything you wish to share. I see many old towns on layouts.. I'd like to know your secrets. My wife says to make a 'focal point' and stress those areas. Corner buildings especially.
Just a bit over-whelmed. Help?~
It wanders a bit, but this "Old West" thread (incorrectly titled 'Far West') might help you.
Recognize that the majority of movie sets are just that, movie sets and aren't real. Many "western" movies weren't even shot in the US (the "spaghetti westerns" were filmed in Italy). You should decide whether you want to model a western town in a specific date area or you want to model a western town as portrayed in the movies. Not necessarily the same thing.
The presence of railrods tended to make the west less "wild".
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
A lot of the 'old west' movies were shot in Old Tucson, a purpose-built movie set just west of Tucson, AZ.
Virginia City, NV, is still mostly original - with a twist. After a devastating fire that burned down a sizeable percentage of town the City Council mandated that all future construction would be masonry.
Calico, CA, is a ghost town deliberately preserved in near-original condition. Originally the property of the Knott family (Knott's Berry Farm) it is now a county park.
One thing to consider. Wooden buildings that are well maintained can last a long time. If the same building is abandoned and left to the elements, the elements will reduce it to a memory in remarkably rapid order. Any old wooden buildings in a mid-20th century town will look newer than they are, or like rotten, collapsing derelicts.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - wooden buildings, no ghost towns)
I thank you for your quick reply and feedback. I truly appreciate it and I shall look further into it. One of the reasons why I have started this thread is for me to start making progress and perhaps talking and posting pics will be the motivation I need. I must admit, concerning this particular dioramma, I wasn't happy with it, and therefore.. I won't go onto something if I'm not totally whole heartedly satisfied with it, and build something terrible. I take the planning part seriously enough to wait and give it some thought.
One of the other aspects of it all, is residential units of various types. AND, to me one key element of it all, would be the blending of the town and homes. I've seen one building where its a business upfront, while in the back its the home. I'm planning on making one out of styrene. Of late, my skills with styrene have increased to the point now, I think .. most people... anyone can do it.
One movie I was thinking of was, Support Your Local Sherrif. I believe it shows a home, (Mayors home) ALMOST in the middle of the town.
I love to pause the screen of various movies and make 'stills' of that part of the town.
Thanks again Keith
Others wish to add to this ..feel free.. this is for everyone.. and most likely and oN-going.. continuing Saga.. for me..but with pics.
tc
Google, Bodie, Ca, perhaps the best perserved example i've seen, the town was literally abandoned by its citizens and left in a time warp, until the sixties, most business/homes had intact curtains, dry goods, furnishings and personal effects such as dishware in the cupboards and complete table settings that sat untounched for decades until looters discovered this trove. I do believe the State assumed ownership of the town to prevent looting and to effect what preservation efforts they could.
Dave
A large part of it will also depend on setting and era. For instance, the "Gold Rush" towns of Northern California were prone to fire during their early existance, and many of the buildings were replaced with either stone or brick. Google Nevada City, California for photographs of a pretty perfectly preserved Victorian Era (1860-1900) gold rush town. Most of the buildings are either stone or brick, with only a few wooden buildings remaining. This type of construction was pretty common in both the Mother Lode and Northern Mines areas of the state.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
I have to put in a good word for Colorado, especially if you want to see it now. There's still an abundance of wood structures if you poke around. Plenty of brick, what have you stone, etc. Some of it is nicely restored in more touristy areas. Probably less historic than they imagine in some places, while others really do try to keep it very period; all in better shape than your average "ghost town" although those can still be found in various forms, real and constructed.
My favorite is Silverton, which I have visited on occassion for nearly 50 years (dang, no wonder I'm felling pretty old some days ). Lots of documentation, even models of structures from Silverton, including residential (check out the Grandt Line house kits). I don't live there and visit far too infrequently to suit me, but do try to keep up from time to time. Silverton has a little of everything, from RR to winter sports, old dumps that need some love really bad to exquisitely restored places that have come a long way because someone invested in them.
One way to see some off the happenings is to check out Fritz Klinke's Flickr photo stream. He has several interests, including printing with old school technology and historical restoration. He's been deeply involved in that in the area with his partner and there is considerable docementation of that if you dig into it. Some RR stuff, too, including keeping up the old Silverton Northern enginehouse and beginning to relay its tracks towards Eureka and points beyond Well maybe not that far, but they do have long term plans.
Here's the link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53177163@N00/with/16151439159/
Here's an older pic of my version of Silverton. There's room for some structures. The main part of the town is a shallow building flat. Printed building images were glued to black foam core which was mounted on a piece of hardwood to help hold things up square. There's some generic by the tracks building rears, but looming over them are images I found various ways , then manipulated with Photoshop to fill the right spots.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
And Right you are Dave. One other factor I have to consider is using store bought kits. That is what I have to deal with in terms of a town arrangement. Various buildings of the Old West, I have bought or built will be used. Placing them in a nice fashion with some sort of continuity is the task at hand.
Dave and others.. I am surprised no one mentioned the movie Open Range. Kevin Costner spent a million building it. Quite the display of the Old West. That is what I have found to be more of what I am hoping for. Since my skills are increasing on making my own buildings, I see myself taking the best of all the movie buildings.. and will follow closer to movie set towns... using the available kits out there on the market. Pics are to follow .. keep in mind some buildings are NOT Old West but represent the transition of old to new. As in one comment.. someone mentioned, some wooden buildings that are well maintained .. can last some time. An old barn has been converted into another type of building perhaps an early Gas station.
"I have to put in a good word for Colorado.."
Me too!
Silver Plume CO?
I just love this building, and a corner building. Corner buildings seem to be the hardest in any era. Trying to make the building look old but colorful is another task for me.
Since I'm going through my pics, I'll post a few more.
The red and white Shell Gas station is a good example of an old barn turned into a Gas station. (I prefer to just post pics lol)
I like to experiment with spray paints. What I will show is misting the 'pinned down' piece with various colors. It was a fun experiment to try.
Red .. then some orange.. and a tad more orange.
Nice work
Yes, Silver Plume and other towns along the I-70 corridor near the casinos have all seen an influx of dollars. Lots of good colorful examples along there.
Another great place to explore, in person, in print or online, is Leadville. After contracting a great deal over most of the 20th century with the fall of mining, the town has turned into a sort of bedroom community for the resorts west of the divide (man, that commute must have the views, but to have to drive it everyday to get to work no matter the weather...) It's more low budget, but also a town still proud of preserving its heritage.
Definitely second Colorado. Even some of the larger towns still show signs of their past if you, esp the towns that didn't become touristified. Canon City, Salida, Bueana Vista. Even Georgetown, while more touristy, still has an image of it's past.
jim
Tom, Nevada City ? Sweet .. those were some nice pics of Early Gold Rush era. Maybe one of the best examples. Residential homes were also a nice example ..right there facing each other with 'community walkways for each home. Now I have and example of what I should be striving for. I have this terrible vision of this town turning out like the town Mayberry aka ... Andy of Mayberry. Although that might not be too bad either?
Mike, I also thank you for the additional info. I looked up Leadville.. OMG.. great example also. Thank you~. Here's the Kicker~ I'm also doing that version of a early town.. on the other side of the layout. I say this, is because I have designed an early stage of that city already, but was hesitant on what / which buildings to use when and where on this particular dioramma in question~.
Doing the Old West is a mix of bag tricks. I don't want it to be 'cute looking' but more realistic. I want it to be some what colorful, but still have that 'aged' look to it.
Here's what I've been working on lately, a scratch build using styrene. Slightly less than N-scale for my compression, and additional buildings. This happens to be my 5th scratch build and my skills are increasing. Some of the better things that have happened, was making mistakes and making adjustments, as well as learning. Ok, here's what I've been working on. (take notice of the upper railing, what would you use?) (also take notice of the stone chimney, my first attempt at making a stone chimney out of styrene)
Blazzin,
Those buildings look great, and all the more impressive since they're in N scale (or thereabouts).
Here a pic of the downtown I just finished roughing in with some mid-70s AHM paperboard buildings at Crater Lake on my Cascade Branch.
Hi Blazzen
Model Railroader archive May 1952 page 50. Boomtown buildings. You'll need the All Access Pass to get there, but the archive is a mine of information.
I built a couple of these way back in 62 when I was 14 that were sadly lost in time.
mlehman
Hi Mike,
I am interested in the Diesel entering the yard... is it an Australian DL531 relettered for Rio Grande or did DRGW actually own a diesel on Narrow Gauge and what would it have been?
Thanks and Regards from Australia
Trevor
Hi Trevor,
It is an Australian diesel on the Rio Grande, but only because of what you identified. It's a Powerline sheel on what used to be a K&M Engineering Chassis. It tended to be noisy, so I built a new one from NWSL parts, recycling the K&M trucks and Powerline sideframes.
The actual Rio Grande had no such diesels on the narrowgauge, although they hosted a couple of US Army experimental locos and owned a small switcher (#50). I just like having diesels around, although a lot of NGers are dieselphobic.
Quote; "...at Crater Lake on my Cascade Branch" And thank you Mike.. you see, that is a nice example of what I shall be striving for. I want that 'aged' look, but at the same time I want colors. I know some of buildings, I will have to tone them down, but at the same time I wonder if the buildings are colorful, well .. you won't see them as well.
Here are some pics of what I'm up to now. Wasn't too happy with the color, but I believe I've got that aged look. I'm already working on the building in betweem these two, small office space.. so its the Town's Dentist. Should look rather cute~
bsteel, I thank you for your input and now you've got me wondering. How did you go about it. Its more of just arranging buildings. As in most towns, you always need basic buildings of some sort of Civic function. Sherriff / Jail, City Hall, Saloons, Assay Office?, Bank, barns/livery,school, Building supplies, Feed Supplies, Fenching, churches,Dentist, Doctor down to a Water tower of some sort. I'm sure I left out many types of buildings, I'm doing my best to collect as many as I can.
Transistional is what I am striving for. No exact time era, but a blending of the old and new buildings. That old barn is now a Gas Station or Auto repair shop. Shame you can't pull up any of those old pics. I'd love to see them. I do have quite a collection of pics of various towns. I'm slowly attacking this, but the real thrill to come is the actual building of the diorama. I'm planning on making this somewhat light weight, and removable in which working on is easier for me and my back.
Moving along adding window glazing and roofs tomorrow. Maybe a few drapes and a boardwalk with the balcony.
Hi Blazzin
I made them with card. Measured and marked out the building sides and made the basic structure on a base of thick card. I cut up individual clapboards and stuck each board and stuck them on the building sides. Same with windows. The great thing about these buildings was the false front. Behind was a flat roof that was so easy to make. It was a lot of work, but at 14, let's admit it, I had all the time in the world.
I made a sherriff's office with a jail in back. I made a jig in a block of wood for the jail part. Marked it out, cut grooves for the bars, laid brass wire onto it and soldered it together. I did the same with the bars on the windows. I even put a light inside..... a big 12 volt bulb from my bike. (Remember it was in the days before LED's and tiny bulbs!)
I was very pleased with the result. There was no scale lumber around back then, the card was from an old shoe box and all I had was a hobby knife. Oh yes and a borrowed soldering iron! But I was only 14........
Cheers
Barry
Barry, thank you for that cute story. As I was reading it, memories raced through my mind. Money was really hard to come by, more so then, than now. Every penny counted, and since everyone had no money, we all shared our toys and borrowed what we could. At times I look back and wonder if those weren't the happiest time of our lives.
I'm thinking scratch building then hasn't changed that much compared to Today's approach using styrene. You still have to draw it out, and cut it. Mark out the windows and doors.. also cut them. Make it, paint it and do add whatever you can find to add more 'detail' to the buildings.
One other thing I would like to add concerning the Wild West especially All those Western movies you have watched about the Gold Rush Days.. its closer to truth than fiction. The Miners and people came first, then the Law. Look up California Vigilantes for some good reading.
Yes, interesting about scratchbuilding..... we used to do it all the time because we couldn't afford anything else. Recently I've been building laser cut kits that are, quite honestly, not that far removed from what we did all those years ago. The detail now of course is far more defined, but the style of build is not that far removed. And now I find myself puting aside the left over wood and 'sticky back' stuff for later use. Happier times? In heart yes but in reality probably not. We had next to nothing and my parents worked hard every waking hour. A family trait passed on to us that assured we didn't have to want like they did. But enough of that! I have a Laser Art Meat Packing Plant in HO to paint and build! (And put nail holes in the clapboard sides......... mmm, what does that remind me of?)
Well good.. and while you're building.. I thought I'd throw some 'thought for food'
I'd like my threads to be fun and informative. Take the styrene and spray it with Gray spray paint. Next, using red spray paint.. Mist the entire face of the styrene.. BUT and ONLY spray at an acute angle almost horizontal to the styrene itself. What happens? Only the highest part of the styrene takes on the paint.. (via misting). Then using same angle.. but on various sides.. add black spray paint (misting of course) to the styrene to tone down the red and give it a brick color. Not easy.. certainly a challenge.. most fun when great results happen. TC Keith
Thought for food~
Just pics. No not done. Still need the Balcony and some boarded walk way. If the buildings seem crooked or leaning.. well they are not. They are loosely mounted on a wooded sheet, held temporarily by 'party foam' on the inside. It serves as a base for me to work on and work with.
Blazzin - those buildings are fantastic!
Thank you my friend. Through the years you have seen my skills increase. Alot of it has been pure chance and accidents that have proven better results. Well anyways, I'm not done with those buildings, alot more detail is needed, such as a balcony and a step down boardwalk.
Not that I leave them for any spell, but I do spend my time on other buildings.
Laser Art Structures.. in all fairness .. can't say enough about them. Fun little guys to put together. Once painted, you pretty much can put on a movie.. and assemble. Well maybe two movies then. Since I'm striving for color.. but with an Old West look to it well I painted these two buildings fairly light with spray paint. Just a few fine mists and color. I'm happy with the results so far. Also the N scale shingled roofs, I've made mention on how you approach something like that using spray paint. Also, I try to include the same paint color of the building on the ashphalt singles.