It's been almost 3 years since I've made a post and same with this thread here. I am back however. I've missed my train buddies and i've definitely got questions and issues. I'll post pics of my layout when I get home. Cheers
Well lately, ressurecting old threads has been happening a lot in here, usually from a new comer.
Yours wasn't THAT old, glad your still around. At least I can still remember your avatar!
Mike.
My You Tube
And just like that I'm back....how's it holding up everyone
Wow
It's been a long time huh MRR folks....I see Rich and others are still around and my post is still kicking. And yep I still never got around to buying that CMR station. Its not money that stopped it but the fact that the area where the station is on the layout is on a curve so I can't fit it in. Meanwhile I have layout issues lol so the layout is on hiatus...it is scenicked though and I do have to send pictures
This is my main station. I've also got 4 subway stations, plus a trolley stop, and an ancient Revell station way out on a branch line.
It's actually a kit-bashed Walthers YMCA building. I cut the side walls and roof at the back to make it less deep and fit it into the available space. Since it's got large windows, I built a simple interior by printing floors and wall textures on my computer and adding a few accessories with styrene.
There are 4 tracks behind the station. 2 have platforms. The whole city block serves as a view block, and makes the layout seem larger as trains mostly disappear behind it for a short while.
I ran the platforms all along the back sides of the buildings. When I built my first subway station, I had to change the design to fit the subway trains in the station, so all my stations since then have started out with that knowledge. This station's platform can fit 5 of the passenger cars you see in the photo.
This is a Munnsville Station kit from Branchline Trains:
I used it as a Railway Express depot, not a passenger station, but it could easily be built either way.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The originator of this thread has not made a comment on this forum for over a year.
Not to keep an old thread going, but at least this one isn't like the post in a 10 year old thread on the steam locomotives, and 18" radius I just seen revised.
Anyway, Amtrak has this in Sturtevant, WI.
Thanks to Jeremiah "SubWayNut" Cox.
Been through a few times, stairs and elevator. I like the idea of something like this, instead of a track on each side of a station.
OK, back to the present.
I like a lot of the structures that CMR offers, but that train station that Regg liked when he first posted looks like a prison to me. Ugh!
Rich
Alton Junction
If Regg hasn't figured out what station to build in 2+ years, I doubt he's going to build one.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Regg,
Check out Walthers suburan elevated commuter station (933-4563), which may offer you an economical solution to your problem. I just opened my kit package, and discovered that with a smidde of kit bashing, I can convert it into a four-track commeter line and hi-speed passenger line, somehat like NJ's Amtrack line between Newark and Middlsex, NJ.
The kit suggests two formats, a single two-foot canopied platform with an inbound and outbound track on each side, or two one-foot canopied platforms, with both inbound and outbound tracks between the two platforms.
Either design allows you to only have TWO tracks, inbound and outbound, straddling the platform.
BUT, because Walthers suggests these two designs, it's kit doesn't offer the flat styrene roof/roadbed. Instead, it recommends you deside which design you want and then buy styrene sheets for the roof/roadbed that you can cut to fit.
Now to your problem. Why not do what I plan to do with the kit? Kitbash the WIDTH of the structure's retaining walls with a few scraps of styrene, to allow FOUR tracks. Yeah, this will require a bit of chopping and channeling, but then you can kitbash the two kit platforms for as long as you want, while still having a a 12-inch canopy on each platform.
Your layout then can consist of an inbound commuter line, the commuter platform, and then the outbound commuter line. Immediately adjacent to the commuter outbound line, you can have the inbound high-speed passenger line, the passenger platform, and the oubound passenger line.
Oh, yes. Since the kit supplies two outside stairs to the single platform, which would disgourge your passengers directly onto the tracks of on-coming trains -- if you try my four-track idea -- you might try another idea. Instead of installing the two sets of stairs as Walthers suggests, one for each platform, I suggest cutting a rectangular slit through each platform and roof, and glue a section of the stairs into each slot, suggesting an entranceway from the concourse below.
And if you want an above-ground station, you can build it adjacent to the elevated station. However, protocol-wise, why have an above-ground station when, presumably, all the staton's functions -- tickets, info, newstand, bathrooms, baggage, waiting room, snack bar -- all would be under the trackage on the the first floor of the suburban station. But don't forget to kit-bash an entrance.
And if you think I have been a bit windy, you are right. My explanation to you -- and to others -- helped me clarify exactly what I plan to do with my kit.
Thanks, and good luck
George
Regg05 Rich I really do like that picture you posted. Is that your station? I like how you got the platforms on both sides of the tracks. As for the platform sheds, what did you do cut the roofs of the platform sheds to lay or line up on the roof of the station...I see they look to be cut at a anlge and glued to the station roof. Regg
Rich I really do like that picture you posted. Is that your station? I like how you got the platforms on both sides of the tracks. As for the platform sheds, what did you do cut the roofs of the platform sheds to lay or line up on the roof of the station...I see they look to be cut at a anlge and glued to the station roof.
Regg
https://www.walthers.com/instructions/0933/09330000003188.pdf
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3038
I kitbased two of these to make one large station. Need to gigure out how to post pics.. One of these days..!
Neal
Regg05 Good day Folks So im at that stage on the layout where I'm trying to figure out which station to use for my passenger and commuter trains. I want this station to be sort of like a flagship type station or station that commuter trains typically use. Anybody have any nice stations that they know of or would possibly sell? So I originally was going to purchase the commuter station that Custom Model Railroad sells for $156.00 but with shipping it comes to $180.00. Kind of pricey but I love it. Kato makes a suburban station that I like as well but it's only for N scale. The few Walthers stations seem out of place for a layout in the Chicago area as they seem more West Coast with their mission style or Southern Pacific theme. The Union Station is too big and would need a huge place for it plus trains would need to be underground and have many tracks to look practical. Also thought about the butterfly platforms but kind of want something more than that as well. Again love the station kit that CMR sells but don't want to spend almost $200 if i can help it. Regg
Good day Folks
So im at that stage on the layout where I'm trying to figure out which station to use for my passenger and commuter trains. I want this station to be sort of like a flagship type station or station that commuter trains typically use. Anybody have any nice stations that they know of or would possibly sell?
So I originally was going to purchase the commuter station that Custom Model Railroad sells for $156.00 but with shipping it comes to $180.00. Kind of pricey but I love it. Kato makes a suburban station that I like as well but it's only for N scale.
The few Walthers stations seem out of place for a layout in the Chicago area as they seem more West Coast with their mission style or Southern Pacific theme.
The Union Station is too big and would need a huge place for it plus trains would need to be underground and have many tracks to look practical.
Also thought about the butterfly platforms but kind of want something more than that as well. Again love the station kit that CMR sells but don't want to spend almost $200 if i can help it.
How big is your area? Everyone has to do selective compression, especialy me. I am modeling my version of chicago and i will have a good number of stations. The plan in my head calls for union station,lasalle street station,millennium station,3-5 El stations, my version of Van Buren Street Station, and maby an underground Subway station for good measure. All of my stations will have to be compressed big time and kitbashed.
Justin
If you really like one over the other, my experience suggests that you save up for the one you want, instead of settling for something else. The months you spend not having a station at all while saving up will be greatly made up for by the years of satisfaction you get from having the one you want.
- Douglas
I prefer the Suburban/commuter style stations as opposed to the bigger city stations such as the City Station or Union Station kits by Walthers although there not bad. The Union Station however is much too big for my layout and again only look nice if you had a multi-yard track setup directly behind the station or underneath it (meaning you need two levels).
The BWI station on the NEC that the one commenter posted yesterday is exactly my style and love it. I could just picture both my Metra trains and Amtrak trains pulling up there. Custom Model Railroad makes a acrylic kit for $180 shipped but considering its the holidays, im still working on my layout and just plain scarcity of funds not sure I can afford that right now. So looking for something just a little bit cheaper. Rich shoed me the City Station kit by Walthers modified to fit his layout and it looks nice.
Just not sure.
Regg05 The few Walthers stations seem out of place for a layout in the Chicago area as they seem more West Coast with their mission style or Southern Pacific theme.
Actually, most Walthers structure kits are based on midwestern prototypes, I've been through small towns in Wisconsin where it looks like a Walthers display layout. The Walthers "city" station is almost identical to the Milwaukee Road station in Hastings, MN (and I imagine many other Milwauakee depots).
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-2904
Of course, maybe we should clarify - are you talking about a suburban commuter / passenger station, or are you talking about the big city station the commuters are going towards? If the latter, the trains usually would just end up at a big downtown station, that would also be used for regular (Amtrak in modern times) trains.
last mountain & eastern hogger Here you go Angelo, this is close to what you would like in a station. This is a Walthers Cornerstone model. look it up at their site. Good price too. OK, now I understand..... they don't show it in "N" scale. So sorry.... At: Kit - 8-9/16 x 11-13/16" 21.5 x 30cm Walthers Part # 933-3038, p. 397 Walthers 2015 HO Scale Reference HO scale, $34.98, currently in stock at Walthers This product is on-sale today for $25.98 Download the Instruction Sheet (1268 K bytes, PDF format)
Here you go Angelo, this is close to what you would like in a station.
This is a Walthers Cornerstone model. look it up at their site. Good price too.
OK, now I understand..... they don't show it in "N" scale. So sorry....
At: Kit - 8-9/16 x 11-13/16" 21.5 x 30cm Walthers Part # 933-3038, p. 397 Walthers 2015 HO Scale Reference HO scale, $34.98, currently in stock at Walthers This product is on-sale today for $25.98 Download the Instruction Sheet (1268 K bytes, PDF format)
I think OP wants HO scale, not N, so that station is a valid option.
Here is the City Station with platforms set up on each side to accommodate passenger tracks on each side of the station. You could easily place the platforms across from the station, separated by two tracks between the platforms and the station. That is done all the time on commuter railroads.
Regg05 yes Rich i wouldn't mind a few pics but I know what you're talking about. I'm aware that yes on each side of the station you can lay track there but the way my layout is set up and the way most commuter trains operate is they may have a station on one side and just a platform on the other. In other words the two tracks are in the middle just like in the above link i showed. What you're referring to im assuming is have the station in the middle with the two tracks on either side. My track layout isn't set up like that...Both the tracks are together so the stations/platforms have to be outside the rails. Regg
yes Rich i wouldn't mind a few pics but I know what you're talking about. I'm aware that yes on each side of the station you can lay track there but the way my layout is set up and the way most commuter trains operate is they may have a station on one side and just a platform on the other. In other words the two tracks are in the middle just like in the above link i showed. What you're referring to im assuming is have the station in the middle with the two tracks on either side. My track layout isn't set up like that...Both the tracks are together so the stations/platforms have to be outside the rails.
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3188
At: Kit - 8-9/16 x 11-13/16" 21.5 x 30cm Walthers Part # 933-3038, p. 397 Walthers 2015 HO Scale Reference HO scale, $34.98, currently in stock at Walthers This product is on-sale today for $25.98 Download the Instruction Sheet (1268 K bytes, PDF format) The depot was a magical place. At train time, everything stopped as local folks went down to watch the varnish come in. The old depot may be gone, but the magic is still there! Today, shiny Amtrak streamliners glide by, and in many areas, daily commuter trains make up much of the trackside action. These modern trains require modern facilities and bringing your layout up-to-date is easy with this kit. It's based on a design first used in the late 1970s, which was adapted for use in several Amtrak-served communities. This detailed model captures the clean lines of the original in a size that's right for the contemporary layout. Full-color Amtrak station signs add the finishing touch.
Johnboy out...........
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
I like this station. I wish it was made in N Scale. Great for the modern era.
http://www.hebners.net/Amtrak/amtStationNQ/NormalIL.jpg
After Amtrak was formed they designed their own train station. Probably around 1980s to present.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Hey Regg:
I'm going to second Hornblower's and Lion's suggestions that you consider scratch building the station. You could certainly do it for less than $180.
I don't see anything on the CMR model that couldn't be scratch built fairly easily. I think the most challenging part would be modelling the canopies at street level and the roof on the walkway between the two towers. The curved roof sections could be done with styrene 1/4 round for the curved edges with flat stock between them. Evergreen Scale Models sells 1/4 round in .100" which would be close to the prototype in HO. Scroll down a bit:
http://www.evergreenscalemodels.com/Shapes.htm
The walls are pretty simple geometric shapes.
One thing I do not like about the CMR model is the railings. The round bits are way too big in diameter IMHO. Heljan currently offers a similar design with what appears to be a thinner profile. Unfortunately they are going to be discontinued so you should act fast if you want them:
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/322-521
Another advantage to scratch building is that you can make the platforms as long as you want. The CMR model will only accomodate two passenger cars.
If you haven't done any scratch building you have missed out! It is lots of fun and very satisfying. There are lots of people on the forums who would be more than willing to coach you if you need it.
Worth considering.
Regards
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
LION builds stations in HO from scratch. My most latest works are not on my web site yet, but since I am still in the nursing home until saturday, I can not post new ones today. Check my website for what you can see.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Don't reject out of hand some of the European plastic kits of stations and depots. By Americanizing the roofing and the window mullions some very plausible stations can be created, perhaps not without some kitbashing. This is particularly true if you want to mimic some of the more elaborate Chicago area commuter stations some of which have a sort of faux European look to them anyway.
Dave Nelson
Regg, that station services a track on each side of the station.
I can post some photos of my City Station if you like.
Oh wow I didn't know this station existed in real life. Wow it looks good. I might just have to purchase it.
I have been looking at the city station but it doesn't give me enough "umph" if you know what I mean. It's not bad by any means and if i had no choice that would be the one i would go with. I still would need a platform for the other side of the track since the station only can serve one track. I guess I could use styrene and drill a few holes in it to install a light post and a bench and a sign and paint the styrene a brick color to match the station....