DRIVE-IN Movie Theater

[Blazzin]

  Geared Steam... Wow.. fantastic.  Exactly what I was looking for in terms of designing the Screen.  I really like the white lattice work at the bottom of the screen.. that one pic alone helps so much.  I was planning on adding some corrugated sheets for the sides of the screen.  I was planning on painting them, but now intend to use them as the color they come in.  I guess that color would be best described as a Chrome Blue,  shiny and bright as it is,  it might add some 'Glitzy' look to it.

  As far as fencing.. I plan on painting the corrugated sheets a drab light blue.. or drab light green.  As I remember most Drive In's,  corrugated fencing was the way... all along the perimeter of the lot.  How I do this won't be that easy unless someone has an idea of how to make fencing with corrugated sheets.  I will follow up with some pics tomorrow morning. 

  I just want to Thank you again.   I knew someone would come up with some ideas.  You've made my day, you really have.

Keith

[chatanuga]

Saw this one on a modular club's HO layout at the Fostoria (Ohio) Rail Festival a couple times.  Would be able to get an even larger lot for smaller scales.

Kevin

[Geared Steam]

As seen at the San Diego MRR Museum, the used a portable DVD player. The rows would be simple to make by just mounding up ballast/gravel/earth and white glue/water.  

[Blazzin]

  Just one follow up pic.  I had cut and matched the screen with styrene painted a dark flat black. 

[Blazzin]

  But here is the reason why I made the screen so thick.  OH yes..!  A Sneak Peak  .. you gotta love it.

 

Picked this up off Ebay for $40 US dollars.  Melted in the back .. from some hot light bulb no doubt, but the price was right!  I sanded down the burnt part,  plugged it in and it works. I did have to buy the camera's separately but still I think I've paid more for some buildings!

  IN case if you are wondering what this is?  It is a Baby Monitor that fits the exact dimensions of N scale modeling.  I have the camera's to go with this,  and would guess to say I can hook up two camera's and have a screen switching back from one scene to the next.

  I have already made the screen trim to go around the outer box of the screen.  I'm kind of excited.

I just thought I'd share this with all of you .. and I appreciate the help.  Thank you.. all of you, and please give me some ideas.  The Marque off hand I'd say,  can be improved.  Maybe a separate one aside from what Blair Line offers.

[Blazzin]

  The actual screen that is painted black is also leaned forward to give the Movie viewers a better shot. (Look good to me~)  The size of the box screen is somewhat large,  then again I have seen plenty of photos of such large screens in terms of thickness. 

 

[Blazzin]

joe323

It depends how modern you want to be. The wife and I visit the the Drive in Vineland NJ. There is no asphalt only dirt and the white poles which I guess in the old days held the speakers were every 2 cars.

Blair Line sells a laser cut drive in kit in HO maybe they have it in N?

  I do have the kit,  IN N scale. (on right, blue box)

 Now I'm sure some of you could make all this from scratch.  But in N scale,  things become more of a Grand scale,  mainly because everything is so small.  But all in all, it does have the basics to make a Drive In.  A Marque',  a  Ticket Booth and the back side of the screen mainly because most Modelers would not dare to take up such space.  Although, I do have a few surprises for you that have been following this thread.  Yes.. More pics to come! 

  The sad part is,  for some reason,  I have misplaced the Blair Line instructions.  Is there such a place to go to on the Internet to find these instructions?

   Here are my basic plans and early beginnings.

Some parts of the kit and the basic outline of things to come.

[Blazzin]

leighant

Some generic ways of searching any question like this...

#1

Library of Congress online.

www.loc.gov

then click "American Memory"

Then select Architecture/Landscape... opens 9 collections.

Then select "Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey, 1933-Present"

1933 refers to when they started measuring, drawing scale drawings and photographing buildings and works of engineering.

Once in collection, enter your search.

I tried "coke oven" and got 109 items.  The ones labelled "Built in America" usually include scale drawings, multiple photographs from different angles and explanatory text for each identified building or complex.

#2

Visit a nearby drive-in theater and measure it.  You know where one USED TO BE and doesn't exist any more?  Go the location on Google Earth and change from satellite view to historical imagery" for old aerial photos.  Estimate from your aerial photos.

#3

There must have been old engineering and design tstbooks and technical magazines "back ihn the day."  Look them up in the library of a technical school that has been around since 1950.

  Now I don't know why I said Wayne,  but Thank you Leighant for the wealth of information.  Fantastic!

[Blazzin]

Medina1128

Blazzin

  When someone mentions the words Drive-In Movie Theaters,  all sorts of vivid memories race through my mind.  Before I start posting my attempts of designing one,  I thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas.

  I am modeling in N scale and have come across some interesting idea's and thoughts.  My biggest problem is how to design the rows and rows of undulating 'rises' in the asphalt, that assists the viewers in the car the correct level of viewing the screen / movie.   How does one go about the design of the rows?  And the spacing?

Have you considered gluing some small dowels in place, then covering them with plaster cloth?

  NO, but now that you mention it,  that does sound feasible.   Just off hand I'd say you've given me an Idea or two.  Off hand,  coat-hangers of a smaller size might do the trick as well as you have mentioned plaster cloth.  I was thinking along the lines of Putty but plaster cloth could do,  perhaps a layer of Party Foam over that to blend it all in.  Hmm.. Thank you!  Please keep the ideas coming. 

Wayne I Thank you for that wealth of information.  I can see myself getting lost in there for quite some time.

[joe323]

It depends how modern you want to be. The wife and I visit the the Drive in Vineland NJ. There is no asphalt only dirt and the white poles which I guess in the old days held the speakers were every 2 cars.

Blair Line sells a laser cut drive in kit in HO maybr they have it in N?

[Medina1128]

Blazzin

  When someone mentions the words Drive-In Movie Theaters,  all sorts of vivid memories race through my mind.  Before I start posting my attempts of designing one,  I thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas.

  I am modeling in N scale and have come across some interesting idea's and thoughts.  My biggest problem is how to design the rows and rows of undulating 'rises' in the asphalt, that assists the viewers in the car the correct level of viewing the screen / movie.   How does one go about the design of the rows?  And the spacing?

Have you considered gluing some small dowels in place, then covering them with plaster cloth?

[leighant]

Some generic ways of searching any question like this...

#1

Library of Congress online.

www.loc.gov

then click "American Memory"

Then select Architecture/Landscape... opens 9 collections.

Then select "Built in America: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey, 1933-Present"

1933 refers to when they started measuring, drawing scale drawings and photographing buildings and works of engineering.

Once in collection, enter your search.

I tried "coke oven" and got 109 items.  The ones labelled "Built in America" usually include scale drawings, multiple photographs from different angles and explanatory text for each identified building or complex.

#2

Visit a nearby drive-in theater and measure it.  You know where one USED TO BE and doesn't exist any more?  Go the location on Google Earth and change from satellite view to historical imagery" for old aerial photos.  Estimate from your aerial photos.

#3

There must have been old engineering and design tstbooks and technical magazines "back ihn the day."  Look them up in the library of a technical school that has been around since 1950.

[Blazzin]

  When someone mentions the words Drive-In Movie Theaters,  all sorts of vivid memories race through my mind.  Before I start posting my attempts of designing one,  I thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas.

  I am modeling in N scale and have come across some interesting idea's and thoughts.  My biggest problem is how to design the rows and rows of undulating 'rises' in the asphalt, that assists the viewers in the car the correct level of viewing the screen / movie.   How does one go about the design of the rows?  And the spacing?