The Old Man wrote: Falls Valley RR wrote: Here is a website that was presented in these forums that expressed one person's experiences with model railroading. Pertaining to model building construction in many areas. http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/layouts.htmlI urge patience and lots of time reading this material. it is quite workmanlike, rather basic and easy to understand.This is an amazing article. It's funny, I was thinking about going the WS Grand Valley route, but this may have talked me out of it. I like very much that he discussed model making from a non-expert point of view. This has given me a lot to think about.David
Falls Valley RR wrote: Here is a website that was presented in these forums that expressed one person's experiences with model railroading. Pertaining to model building construction in many areas. http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/layouts.htmlI urge patience and lots of time reading this material. it is quite workmanlike, rather basic and easy to understand.
Here is a website that was presented in these forums that expressed one person's experiences with model railroading. Pertaining to model building construction in many areas.
http://www.visi.com/~spookshow/layouts.html
I urge patience and lots of time reading this material. it is quite workmanlike, rather basic and easy to understand.
This is an amazing article. It's funny, I was thinking about going the WS Grand Valley route, but this may have talked me out of it. I like very much that he discussed model making from a non-expert point of view. This has given me a lot to think about.
David
I am glad you understood the material, I myself got alot out of it as well. But try to remember that I enjoy a good Athearn Blue Box Kit with metal wheels, kadee couplers etc etc... but cannot stand those Proto 2K kits with the million grabirons, rivets etc. Maybe one day, not anytime soon.
For a bit of fun here is the mass of plastic parts slowly becoming a building:
Scattered windows http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/2584/windowschaostw6.jpg
Finished windows http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/9005/workbenchchaosbpl4.jpg
Foundation planning http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/3149/workbenchchaoscwj0.jpg
I will upload some more next week.
Well, it depends on what kind of quality you expect, there is very a simple but strange kind of way of making buildings, some guy on ebay is selling CD discs that have the correct size print outs different scales, you simply select a building style and then print out the four sides of the building in close to photographic illistrations and cement them to a block of wood or card board cube that you make, now as back ground buildings go if I had to make a city skyline in the very rear of my layout I'd consider this but not for the interior building of my lay out, it kind of leaves the look of the building flat and I sure wouldn't want to get them wet in any way of your Park Ave sky scrapper will end up looking like Tammy Fay Bakers masscarra....LOL!
I've attempted to scratch build my own and it is hard and to get the right detail working from photos I think in the end the kits give the nicest over all appearance.
Good luck and let us know how things are going.
A New bee myself.
Jess Red Horse.
David,
As I scanned through this thread I noticed no one metioned "used" structures from train shows. If you'd like to fill up your layout with 10 - 15 buildings and not invest too much time or money, consider getting to a train show (or eBay). Sometimes you can get really good deals on buildings, like 3 or 4 bucks for a structure, or a whole bag of 'em for 20.
Granted, these type buildings are often damaged and/or poorly assembled and painted, but I'll get them and refurbish them. Often all they need is a coat of grey or red auto-primer on the walls and some flat black spray-paint on top and they can convincingly go right to the back of your layout.
Here are two buildings I glued together and primed. Not back for a total investment of $9.00. I guess the other benefit to this approach would be that you could practice on them if you are unsure of you modeling skills. Just a thought.
This is a great great forum! Thanks for all the info.
I'm also a newbie with a 4x8 and can second the recommendation for Walthers Gold Ribbon series kits. I have put together 4 this past year and they go together well plus they look quite good for small town buildings. Some of the regular Walthers kits I have done were a little more complicated but again they aren't very difficult as long as you take your time and follow the directions. A bonus for the Gold Series is that they are pre-coloured so you don't have to paint them although I found that a wash of weathered black on the roofs helped the look.
CN Charlie
Walthers Modulars are expensive.
Repeat that after me one more time. Expensive.
Now having said that, I bought mine on sale.. the Tannery and the Sterling Dairy. I simply combined both of them and added more modulars buildings using spares from a previous construction and buying small numbers of needed parts.
Walthers... if you are reading this: Issue a box of modulars with nothing but BLANK WALLS!!!!! Putting 4 into a variety box is spending way too much money for the required number of blank walls.
Let's see.. that cold storage I built used about 32 blank wall peices more or less... that is 4 per 9 dollar box... round down to about 70 dollars cost for all those packages to break open for the blank walls.
UGH.
Oh that cold storage? A cool 150 dollars total when finished. What was I thinking?
http://stores.ebay.com/Paradise-City-Depot_HO-Scale_HO-Building-Kits_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ3QQftidZ2QQtZkm
Check this place out for DPM kits. He's got really good prices and his shipping is really low. DPM's are about as easy to build as it gets. You really don't need instructions. Just common sense.
The latest Walthers sale bulletin says that the famous "Mount Vernon Mfg." kit is available for a mere $11. This flexible kit has been the subject of entire articles about how it can be kitbashed into other structures. It was one of the late Art Curren's favorite kits for raw materials
It is easy to build, looks good, fits in any era, and would make a great first project.
Dave Nelson
The Old Man wrote: I appreciate what you, and others are saying. I was going to try something like a $15 DPM model--but DPM's instructions were slammed on the Modelrailcast podcast. I need GOOD directions, but in the $15 to $20 range. Best bets?
I appreciate what you, and others are saying. I was going to try something like a $15 DPM model--but DPM's instructions were slammed on the Modelrailcast podcast. I need GOOD directions, but in the $15 to $20 range. Best bets?
If you can get some of the IHC Center Street Series buildings, They fall in that price Range, are very well detailed, and have decent instructions. Just paint the details to suit your liking. as a personal tip, I would take the Lettering "Stickers" and have them transferred to White Decal stock as the stickers will eventually lose their tack and fall off. The decals would be permanant, and decals give you the option of adjusting the final posistion till its just right.
Just cut the decals with a hobby knife and straight edge.
James
Be careful with kits. There are too many of them out there to make a good choice. After building a couple, you may decide that you want your buldings to be just a little different.
Possibly, you could stumble across Art Curren's "Kitbashing HO Model Railroad Structures" and will never look at a kit the same way again.
Taking my tongue out of my cheek, pick up a simple, inexpensive kit and DO IT. For some of us, it is a very rewarding experience. That's why they put the "model" in model railroading.
Some of the buildings presented here are N scale I think but I found similar experiences in HO scale.
One other thing... there will be times where there is great tedium in building structures. Just an hour ago I installed 26 individual windows into 26 individual walls. Trimming a few for plastic flaws as I went. Im done for the night tonight as they all dry and good riddiance.
Tedious tasks with much repeating and large numbers induce boredom and lack of motivation sometimes but it has to be endured for a good building.
I use Ambroid Safeweld. It sets in about 20 seconds and cures in an hour or so. But I keep the Model Master's heavy glue similar to what I remember from being a kid as the big stuff. Then there is walthers goo for incredibly heavy work such as corner or roof bracing with hardwood materials custom cut to fit.
That safeweld gets away from me sometimes and tries to become brick mortor. That is what weathering is for.. covering up these icky glue splats.
Try the King Coal set from Walthers. It has a nice trestle, a building with windows, doors etc. The instructions are ok, if I could figure it out im sure you can too. =)
All directions need to be taken with a grain of salt. You can try the book way once. Next time you might invent a way to get the same two parts together YOUR way.
tstage wrote: David,Why not buy a kit and give 'er a try. At least then you won't be second guessing yourself. I'd put in another vote for one of the Walthers Cornerstone kits. You could even pick an Accurail or Athearn "Blue box" boxcar. David, if you decide to go that route, make sure you buy yourself one of the thin (watery) plastic adhesives for bonding styrene. Much better than the model-glue-in-a-tube you might have used as a kid. Tom
Why not buy a kit and give 'er a try. At least then you won't be second guessing yourself. I'd put in another vote for one of the Walthers Cornerstone kits. You could even pick an Accurail or Athearn "Blue box" boxcar.
David, if you decide to go that route, make sure you buy yourself one of the thin (watery) plastic adhesives for bonding styrene. Much better than the model-glue-in-a-tube you might have used as a kid.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Get them ready built or use ebay for specific buildings with search terms like "Built, -kit, -kits" that usually digs up that week's assortment of good or not so good buildings.
I myself specialize with Walthers Modulars but they are incredibly expensive and most of the other buildings were prior built by others and bought/rebuilt by me.
Walthers Cornerstone isnt all that painful, they are rather easy.
Invest in a very flat surface before you go into structure building. I use a glass topped corner table myself. It does a very tiny sag into certain angles but nothing that scenic materials cannot fix.
Patience and steady work is the rule.
For example last thursday I designed a machine shop. Last Saturday the foundation was built, then yesterday all of the windows, doors etc painted and pre-assembled. Later this weekend the floors will go up and I expect completion next week sometime.
Alot of time is waiting for glue to cure, paint to dry and thinking on particulars for the buildings.
Finally but not last, if you think you are not sure about a certain building, there is probably sufficient photos exisiting on the internet forums, ebay and other sites about the kit from many different angles. Sometimes it will help you resolve instructions that seem to contain a insufficient diagram or bad english words.
If you DO finish a building... DO SAVE the left over parts and sprues. Put them into a box so that if you ever need or want a whatzsit for something in a future building you will have it.
One kit that broke my reluctance for buildings is actually a small wood laser cut miner's house of some basic one room design with peel and stick construction. Those windows did not turn out as nicely as I wished but the next wood kit I build, it will be better.
Walthers sells some built ups at pretty descent prices if you catch them on sale. Sign up for their sales flyer at their site.
I just built a 4 x 8 table for HO. It's the first thing I've ever built. I now need to get/make 12 to 15 small town buildings. I was a terrible model builder in my teens. It appears kits are a lot cheaper than ready mades, but I don't know--it may still be worth me buying the ready builts.
What do you suggest? What are the easiest kits for a newbie?