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This architectural style also known as 'bungalows'and 'four squares' were/are very common around rail lines all over the country. They were the most common style of residential architecture from approx 1905-1930 and many are in use today as private-often restored- private residences, or were converted to businesses of all sorts. The bungalow style is easily recognizable with its front porch, columns-often tapered like 'elephant legs', fairly steep pitched roofs w/ a single shed or gable dormer in front and gabled roof ends. Furthermore the roofs typically had exposed rafter tails. These bungalow were usually 1 or 1 1/2 story homes, although some were larger and two storied. Depending upon the region of the country where they were built, they often had shingled siding, sometimes mixed with clapboard, and most used accents of local stone or brick. Typically they were fairly small houses 1200-1800 sq.ft. The "four square' style was usually more conservative, often lacked a front porch or had a much less prominant entry, were usually clapboard and always two story homes. Roofs were either hip or gabled (front to back or side to side). They were usually built on small lots, especially in town, and if they had a garage it was detached and located at the rear side of the property. Bet you've seen a bunch of these and if you haven't, the next time you railfan in most any community look around. Towns evolved around their local train routes, especially 100 years ago. My point is, with a few exceptions, model railroaders have had to settle for less appropriate real estate for our residential neighorhoods near our tracks and in towns. Spectrum offered the now out-of-production Sears catalog home (a four square), Timberline Scale Products' kit #354 Juniper Street was a superb bungalow( but are they still in business?), and years ago Suydam offered several typical Calif. bungalows. Other than that we have to settle for lightly disguised European prototypes except fort a few nice kits (but not 'bungalows' or 'four squares') from Walthers and IHC, plus a couple with some kitbashing potential from Atlas. Anybody know of any kits, especially plastic, that I've overlooked? These homes are needed to accurately portray railroading from 1905 up to today. What do you think?
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