Does anybody know of a source of plastic kits of large U.S. buildings of 200 to 300 feet in height. I'm not looking for Skyscrapers--- far too big to consider, particularly for background use. On an urban layout. Walthers don't seem to do. what I would call large. I believe there some that are available ready made but are way out of my budget.
Any thoughts would be greatfully received.
Colin U.K.
Bachmann had a line of Cityscenes kits under the Spectrum brand name. You might find them on the secondary market.
Custom Model Railroads offers some large urban structures made from milled acrylic plastic. They can get pricy though.
https://www.custommodelrailroads.com/cmr-train-kits.html
Eric
Design Preservation Models has a couple tall kits that could be kitbashed higher.
https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/HOScaleBuildingKits
They also sell modules, a pack of 4 walls that have differrent architectural features as in a wall with 2 windows, 4 windows, doors and windows, no windows.
https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/HOScaleModular
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Lunde Studios makes some pretty decent (moderately) tall downtown sort of buildings. There are quite a few in the 10- to 15-story range. Kitbashable as well.
Here's a link: http://www.lundestudios.com/
I have several in N-scale, so there should be no problems finding plenty in that other scale.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
A few years back Atlas had some modern high-rise office building kits in N scale. You could buy extra floors and stack them to get taller buildings. You might be able to find some here and there at shows or on eBay.
Jim
Most of what is out there is going to be in the 12" to 15" variety. Walthers has the Ashmore hotel that is a thought. As others have suggested the Bachmann City Scenes are great kits- (When did they go out of production again?) there are three that would be good- The Metropolitan and the trade tower as well as the hotel are all reasonably tall. These are still readily avaible on ebay. Lunde Studios are really nice kits- they have one that works out at 16" tall. As has been said Custom Model Railroads makes some incredible kits- seen them at the national but they come with a hefty price tag. Not mentioned previously was Imagine that Laser Art- they make what looks like some pretty neat large city buildings.
Don't overlook kitbashing. I have seen some neat stuff built with City Classics buildings. Modular parts are made by Design Prervation Models as well as Lunde Studios. I have also seen the Life Like Hotel and factory used as raw modular materials too.
The "Baldwin Locomotive Works" by Model Power could be combined with itself to build a structure higher and higher.
.
Ooops... Now that I have done a Google Search, this model might have been in N scale only.
I think they must have built the locomotives standing up on end, then lowered them to horizontal tracks. Why would the locomotive works be a high rise?
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Walthers Cornerstone has a couple of tall backgound buildings
Ashmore Hotel is 8-5/8 x 4-7/16 x 13-7/8"
https://www.walthers.com/ashmore-hotel-kit-8-5-8-x-4-7-16-x-13-7-8-quot-21-9-x-11-2-x-35-3cm
City Apartment Building is 8-1/8 x 5-3/16 x 12-11/16"
https://www.walthers.com/city-apartment-building-kit-8-1-8-x-5-3-16-x-12-11-16-quot-20-6-x-13-2-x-32-2cm
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
I saw a layout at an exhibition with a couple of very tall (for a layout) model buildings in a city scene which from normal viewing distance looked very effective. Looking closely I presume that they were a plywood box with normal building tiles glued around them, consistently one colour such as deep blue which gave the window effect.
Such a tile system could work very well on a backdrop to give a low relief depth but give the impression of more. Seeing a tile dealer for a remnant would be your cheapest option! You might even fool people at first about the detail and depth in your windows with moving characters in the office areas that look like the people admiring your work!
You could add a range of details such as Doors and Shop front windows at the ground floor and individualise it as I doubt there would be too many model kits 700+mm (about 2ft 4") tall.
Hope this helps,
Cheers from Australia
Trevor
http://xdford.freeasphost.net/stag01.html for a taste of Canada in Australia
I just did a quick search for HO scale skyscrapers, and there is a ton of info out there.
Kit bashing, by combining kits, and scratch building would be a good start.
Mike.
My You Tube
Hi Colin,
City Classics makes several building kits where multiple kits can be combined to create structures as tall and as wide as you want.
There are five basic downtown office building kits. They are about 8 3/4" tall (61 1/2 scale ft.), and each additional kit will provide about 6" (43 1/2 scale ft.) more height. Five kits will give you about 225 scale ft. in height.
The basic kit width is about 3 1/2" (25 1/2 scale ft.) and you can use additional kits to add to the building width in 3 3/16" increments. You can easily vary the depth by cutting the side walls.
City Classics also makes window treatments to fit their various office kits including business signs, and draperies and blinds.
They also offer industrial kits which can be combined in a similar manner.
The kits do require some sanding to get the wall joints square, and if you are going to add height you will need to cut the wall castings accurately. They have to be painted as well.
http://www.cityclassics.biz/
If the cost of the kits is too high, you could always just buy a single kit and cast copies on your own.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
My tallest building are only 5 or 6 stories, but it works fine. None are background buildings.
Some are City Classics buildings, but there are a lot out there.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
SeeYou190 Why would the locomotive works be a high rise?
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
Look at Rod Stewart's lay out with it's tall buildings.
I think he mentioned he was inspired by G. Selios and the F&SM, the way he "stacked" building sections for tall buildings, for the "big city" look.