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Largest scratchbuilt structure

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  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 9 posts
Posted by jazzmaster48 on Saturday, March 24, 2018 12:30 PM

Nice work! 

  • Member since
    March 2017
  • 86 posts
Posted by gthomson on Friday, March 23, 2018 3:22 PM

MisterBeasley
I've got a total of 4 subway stations. 3 are large enough to accomodate 4-car subway trains, while the other is just for trolleys

Mr. Beasley do you have an album with pictures and videos of your layout I could see? I love subway and trolley cars Smile

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Friday, March 23, 2018 11:48 AM

Southgate
...The quality of my builds took an epic step forward when I started using Grandt line windows instead of trying to scratchbuild them....

I agree:  Grandt Line (and Tichy), plus the now ready-availability of styrene in sheets, strips and shapes, has made scratchbuilding fun for me again, and I no longer worry about "cheating" by not growing my own trees to make scale lumber.

Wayne

  • Member since
    April 2013
  • 917 posts
Posted by Southgate on Friday, March 23, 2018 4:35 AM

hon30critter

 

 
bearman
I have no scratchbuilding ability.  I tip my hat to you guys.

 

Bearman,

You really need to give scratchbuilding a few more tries. If you want to choose a possible project I would be more than happy to help you with it. You won't regret it! All you have to lose is a few dollars in supplies. (Please don't start with the Union Station!)

Dave

 

Dave is so right. I've never bought a craftsman kit. I jumped right in scratchbuilding. My first efforts were disasters by comparison to now, but I had no clue how to start.  (Mid '70s)

Start with a simple plan, whether published or a model of an existing structure. Sheds are great. You can use Northeastern Lumber productes in wood, or Evergreen Styrene products, whichever you're more comfy with. (Or print, like the OP) 

The quality of my builds took an epic step forward when I started using Grandt line windows instead of trying to scratchbuild them. Plenty of guidance to be found here on the forums. Dan

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Friday, March 23, 2018 1:07 AM

bearman
I have no scratchbuilding ability.  I tip my hat to you guys.

Bearman,

You really need to give scratchbuilding a few more tries. If you want to choose a possible project I would be more than happy to help you with it. You won't regret it! All you have to lose is a few dollars in supplies. (Please don't start with the Union Station!)

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Friday, March 23, 2018 1:03 AM

BigDaddy
This is my largest, and also my first.  It is protypically correct model of the bidet behind my grandmothers' house, circa 1938

Henry, that's excellent, especially for a first try at scratchbuilding. I noticed the attention to detail with the ventilated soffits and the rot at the bottom of the boards. The 'whitewash' paint job is very well done too! 

Our cottage has an outhouse as well as a composting toilet. I put the composting toilet in years ago to save my elderly parents the trip over the rocks to the loo. They never used the composting toilet!Bang Head Good thing actually because I was the only one who would clean the thing out. The outhouse was a two holer (side by side in case you are wondering). The floor rotted out in one side so we nailed the door shut. We always told our guests that there was a dead body in there. That scared the crap out of more than a couple of people.LaughLaughLaugh

I look forward to your future scratchbuilding accomplishments. That is my favourite part of the hobby.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, March 22, 2018 4:10 PM

Southgate

Thanks, Wayne.  Um... Isn't that structure the famous manufacturer of flux?.... 

Yup, that's the one!  It was featured on the cover of the December issue of Popular Flux magazine...

Wayne

  • Member since
    April 2013
  • 917 posts
Posted by Southgate on Thursday, March 22, 2018 3:30 PM

Thanks, Wayne.  Um... Isn't that structure the famous manufacturer of flux?  

Nice work everyone. Let's keep the "biggest" ones coming. Even if they are a bidet. 

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, March 22, 2018 12:05 PM

Dan, it's nice to see that your lumber shed seems to be coming along very well.  After seeing the photo of the prototype, it's instantly recognisable.

The biggest structure on my layout is a combination of kitbashed Walthers buildings and scratchbuilt stuff.   The modelled portion, a little over 6' in length, represents about a third of the entire facility, not counting the mine area, of course, which extends several miles out under Lake Erie...

Wayne

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Thursday, March 22, 2018 11:58 AM

BigDaddy
It is protypically correct model of the bidet behind my grandmothers' house, circa 1938

Wow Henry, it must have took granddad a week just to dig the hole! Surprise Laugh

Mike.

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • 10,582 posts
Posted by mlehman on Thursday, March 22, 2018 11:32 AM

Big structures, tiny RR cars is a pretty good formula for modeling HOn3 narrowgauge in the mining districts of the San Juan's. This is my Sunnyside Mill in Eureka.

 

Mike Lehman

Urbana, IL

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, March 22, 2018 10:26 AM

This is my largest, and also my first.  It is protypically correct model of the bidet behind my grandmothers' house, circa 1938

 When you have 7 kids you need more than one seat.Stick out tongue
 

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,483 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, March 22, 2018 10:07 AM

I've got a total of 4 subway stations.  3 are large enough to accomodate 4-car subway trains, while the other is just for trolleys.  This is the one in front of the layout.

It's dual track so it's the widest of the bunch.  I made molds and cast the platforms and walls from Hydrocal and used forms from Evergreen for the H-columns.

There's a city block with streets and buildings above it.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • 1,950 posts
Posted by NVSRR on Thursday, March 22, 2018 9:06 AM

The largest is the quarry limestone processing complex that is still under construction.   The Acme  company would be next largest. I do believe pics are on here of that one

A pessimist sees a dark tunnel

An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
  • 1,835 posts
Posted by bearman on Thursday, March 22, 2018 3:17 AM

Man, oh, man...commenting is difficult since I have no scratchbuilding ability.  I tip my hat to you guys.

Bear "It's all about having fun."

  • Member since
    April 2013
  • 917 posts
Posted by Southgate on Thursday, March 22, 2018 2:26 AM

The above are good examples that show that model trains look better serving buildings that way outsize them. It just looks more natural.

This WIP, a lumber shed, will be the biggest structure on my layout. With a footprint of  12" x 5 feet, freight cars will go both inside of it for loading, and up next to it. Dan

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Canada, eh?
  • 13,375 posts
Posted by doctorwayne on Thursday, March 22, 2018 12:34 AM

I agree with Kevin...the larger version does look better.

The largest scratchbuilt structure on my layout is the station in Dunnville, with an express operation at the far end, the Station itself in the centre, and a Post Office in the near wing. The lower two floors (one is below track level) of the Station also include shops and a restaurant, while the upper floors are the railroad's headquarters and general offices.

Construction is .060" sheet styrene, braced internally with more of the same.  The doors and windows are mostly leftovers from a couple of Walthers warehouse kits.
While it doesn't show very well in the photos, the entire structure is scribed to represent Ashlar cut stone...

Wayne

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 6:15 PM

Pretty impressive background structure you built.

.

The pictures you posted looked terrible on my monitor, but when I clicked them for the enlarged version, they look great.

.

Looks like it was fun to build. I should build some 3D High Relief background building from foam core for photo props.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2018
  • 39 posts
Largest scratchbuilt structure
Posted by JohnnyB on Wednesday, March 21, 2018 6:07 PM

This is by far the largest scratchbuilt structure that I have ever done. It's 3 feet long, about 6 inches deep and features 3 loading doors for 3 50' cars. It is made entirely of foam core, glued together with hot glue and faced with building facades using the Model Builder software. One of the unique aspects of it is the track that runs under the left and right side towers and under the "office" portion of the plant. Took about 10 hours to build and about 20 hours designing it in my head before the first cut was made.

 

John is retired and loving it!

https://jmrailroad.wordpress.com/

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