Summit's stuff looks good, yeah, but a little modern for what I'm doing. The fire station might make a good '70s Sears Auto Center, if I modify the doors a bit.
I can always change the track layout at this point to accomodate having the department store completely exposed on both sides.
Julian
Modeling Pre-WP merger UP (1974-81)
I believe a company called Summit Customcut makes kits for what you're looking for. Might be a little too modern right out of the box, but probably wouldn't take much kitbashing to backdate them.
Interestingly the railroad into town here runs right on the backside of two shopping complexes, so if your railroad is at the front of the layout, most likely you'd be looking across the track at the bland loading dock side of the building. Of course a shopping center would be a good way to make a train disappear into the backdrop behind the stores.
jim
fieryturbo Sandpaper! I never would have thought of it as a building surface, but that's an amazing idea, it does look just like a smaller scale version of the concrete on the buildings I'm thinking of. Good idea!
Sandpaper! I never would have thought of it as a building surface, but that's an amazing idea, it does look just like a smaller scale version of the concrete on the buildings I'm thinking of. Good idea!
Another option is textured spray paint by Rustoleum. I got mine at Walmart and it does a great job of simulating concrete surfaces and it comes in a variety of shades from off white to light brown. I'm sure you can find a shade that suits your purpose. When dried it has the feel of a medium grit sandpaper. I've used it on a Bachmann skyscraper and also Walther's Union Station kit and to my eye the results are outsanding.
For smooth concrete, PVC foamboard (a.k.a. Sintra) works well. It's got a slight texture to it.
For rougher concrete walls, you can make simple molds out of Depron foam. Mix up some plaster a bit thinner than the package calls for and pour into the mold. Lay a pane of glass over it to get the backside smooth and flat, as well as force the plaster into the nooks and crannies.
You can also use waterproof sandpaper for the base. Use a coarser grit for rougher walls.
Steve S
Ribbon cable out of old electronics makes good corrugated metal. Wood, foam, plastic or a host of other things can make for good concrete. It all comes down to the painting and weathering.
Microscope slide covers as large as 4" x 7" can be bought to make those large store windows
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Wood works well for rough finish concrete/stucco.
Consider board-and-batten plastic sheeting in a smaller scale for the corrugated metal siding. The closer spacing of roughly N scale board-and-batten looks very much like the metal siding in your pics.
Plain plastic sheeting works for smooth concrete.
There are lots of choices in brick sheeting, so you can often find a close match to what is needed in terms of size, so just needs paint.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
So, I'm roughly planning my layout, and I'd like to scratchbuild a couple of the glass-windowed buildings that were seen commonly in shopping centers from the 1960s-on. How do I emulate the following materials?
Here are some sample photos of the building styles I'd like to replicate:
As always, any help would be appreciated!