A plea to building kit manufacturers

[Water Level Route]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.  As I mentioned in my original post, I'm specifically talking about buildings with highly visible interiors.  I certainly don't think it's necessary for all building kits.

wjstix

when Walthers came out with their larger HO roundhouse and turntable, they teamed with Preiser to produce a "roundhouse workers" figure set of 8-10 prepainted workers

Just the sort of thing I'm talking about.  In this case, there is enough there to warrant a separate piece for sale.

SeeYou190

I do not understand the lack of interior details in kits. We'll pay big $$$ for a detailed locomotive.  I am sure we would pay more for buildings with interiors included.

MisterBeasley

I have the Baldy's Barbershop and Annie's Antiques kits, which I think came from  Model Power, complete with interiors and lighting for those first-floor storefronts.

Perfect example of what I'm talking about AND proof that it doesn't cost that much.  Those kits were very affordable and looked good when done.  I've got the Jimmy's Barbershop and Sneed's Feed & Tools.  Only the storefronts had details.  Basic figures work for them, so they weren't included, which was fine (other than the ones in the barber's chairs of course). 

Doughless

Offering a separate detail kit is a good idea.  It would probably be fairly pricey given that not everybody wants that level of detail.

JL makes a detail kit for their service station which is very affordable too.  Less then $25 for a good assortment of unique in application details.  If it's visible, it's hard to be passable with an obviously barren interior.

Pruitt

https://roometteslighting.com/ makes interiors for a limited number of kits in HO, N and O. They're one way you might be able to add interios to some structures.

That's true Mark, but I've done similar using the same textures site that Ed uses and/or google images.  Still, they are a nice solution to save some time and possibly frustration.  Interior images of stores from the 30's & 40's (my desired era) taken from the right perspective can be hard to find.  Then comes the colorization process...

richhotrain

As for figures, there is a wide choice out there already, so most needs should be able to be satisfied.

Most, probably, but I challenge you to find the servers (dressed in pink with white paper hats on) shown on the Walthers Vintage DQ box photo.  Unobtainium.  And what would it have cost Walthers to include two figures on the parts sprues for the rest of the structure?  Not much.  I can make some basic shapes to represent the ice cream machines inside, but figures in the right uniform-nope.  Probably would have increased the kit cost by a negligible amount.  No big deal and boy would I have been happier with it.  And if somebody didn't want them, leave them out.  How many of us have left parts off kits or saved them for other uses?

richhotrain

Mike, I hear you, but I doubt that the manufacturers do. We need to send a letter directly to them in the likely event that they do not read this forum.

True Rich, but the thought of sending letters to all the different manufacturers seemed to be more time than I have available lately.  Besides, maybe somebody from one of them reads this stuff.  We've had reps from a couple manufacturers on here before.  Even a blind bird gets a worm once in a while!

gmpullman

and beginning to fill the space with storage shelves and various bits just to make it look "busy".

Ed, where do you get your stuff?  Shapeways?  You seem to have no shortage of bits.  I'm envious sir!

gmpullman

When I have visitors they mostly seem to get a kick out of peeking in the windows and doorways. The trains kind of get a cursory glance 

Similar experience here.

Cheers everyone!

[doctorwayne]

I might have a couple of buildings with some interior details, usually right near the aisleway, but they're not high on my to-do list.

Wayne

[gmpullman]

I sort of follow what Rich is doing. I may have four 'tiers" of detailing. The farthest background buildings may get Dullcote on the windows and some colored images to show just a little variety.

Then I'll have the next closest with minimal details and maybe a few "B-grade" figures.

Presently I'm working on a structure with the next-higher detail where I'll use many printed wall sections and rudimentary "furniture".

Then I'll have the "up-close and personal" details where the figures will be more detailed as well as the furnishings and equipment.

This is my present project. It will sit about 18" from the layout edge:

Hadlock_Machine-3-4 by Edmund, on Flickr

Hadlock_Office by Edmund, on Flickr

I get "textures" from a web site that has thousands available to make stuff like the walls and carpets then print them on photo paper. I used to use CorelDRAW but I've found Affinity designer to be superior.

Hadlock_Office1 by Edmund, on Flickr

Here I'm building up the floors like the tiers of a wedding cake, adding the lighting as I go.

Hadlock_Warehouse by Edmund, on Flickr

    — and beginning to fill the space with storage shelves and various bits just to make it look "busy".

Hadlock_Warehouse1 by Edmund, on Flickr

This bank is another example of just the basics:

Big-Bucks-Bank-insidejob by Edmund, on Flickr

I printed this background for a rolling mill building:

Mill_backing by Edmund, on Flickr

Then added some mill stands and "stuff"

Mill_stands by Edmund, on Flickr

I cut the rolling mills in half to double the apparent number.

Mill_line2 by Edmund, on Flickr

I really enjoy seeing scenes lighted and if they're lit up and there's nothing to see, well... kind of a letdown.

Mill_litup2 by Edmund, on Flickr

When I have visitors they mostly seem to get a kick out of peeking in the windows and doorways. The trains kind of get a cursory glance 

Regards, Ed

[richhotrain]

John-NYBW

Interiors are a nice option if the structure is near the front of the layout and/or is lighted. Otherwise, I think they are a waste of time and money since they aren't going to be that visible.  

I call them Close Interiors of the Third Kind. 

The Third Kind: You can see the interiors as well as human life forms.

The Second Kind: You know that the interiors as well as human life forms are in there, but you cannot see them.

The First Kind: Your guests have no idea whether or not there are interiors or human life forms in there.

Rich

[John-NYBW]

SeeYou190

I do not understand the lack of interior details in kits. We'll pay big $$$ for a detailed locomotive. 

I am sure we would pay more for buildings with interiors included.

-Kevin

 

I think it would make more sense to make the interiors separate kits. I have built a few craftsman kits that had interiors available that way.

Interiors are a nice option if the structure is near the front of the layout and/or is lighted. Otherwise, I think they are a waste of time and money since they aren't going to be that visible. I just did a couple city blocks with printed interiors which suffice for the location they are in. I just went online and found suitable images of store interiors. 

[jjdamnit]

Hello All,

wjstix

...when Walthers came out with their larger HO roundhouse and turntable, they teamed with Preiser to produce a "roundhouse workers" figure set of 8-10 prepainted workers. I think they did something similar for airplane / airport personnel when they introduced their DC-3 airplane kit.

Partnering with other manufacturers to provide specific details for specific kits would be a great solution.

As far as detail kits, some manufacturers do provide separate options.

The one that comes to mind is the Northern Light & Power Powerhouse kit, the interior kit along with the substation kit.

richhotrain

The thing is, there are those of us who don't give a hoot about building interiors.

I too am in the "don't care that much about interior details" camp.

That being said, I do combine kits or kitbash to obtain unique external structures.

To make one large structure, I combined two (2) Walthers Northern Light & Power Powerhouse kits to cover the NCE booster on my pike.

I also bought the interior kit for the crane components, which will be kitbashed for exterior use.

The Heavy-Duty Overhead Crane kit will also be used for the main loading dock.

MisterBeasley

It's part of my creative process. I typically spend a month building a four-walls-and-a-roof structure kit. Part of that is spent downloading and printing wall and floor textures and building simplistic counters, shelves and seats from styrene.

For some, "customizing" structures is part of the joy of modeling.

Water Level Route

Often these building(s) require persons in particular dress/uniforms that can be nigh impossible to find.

I suspect there might not be a large market for off-the-shelf accessories from manufacturers, which is why some accessory kits have fallen by the wayside.

Good luck in your search and...

Hope this helps.

[MisterBeasley]

I do a lot of interiors in my structures.  In fact, I intentionally seek out storefronts with large windows so I can detail the interiors.  I have a few buildings where I have deliberately cut open warehouse doors, etc., to expose the interior so I can add details.

It's part of my creative process.  I typically spend a month building a four-walls-and-a-roof structure kit.  Part of that is spent downloading and printing wall and floor textures and building simplistic counters, shelves and seats from styrene.

A lot of this is first understanding what's worth detailing and what's not.  Little windows in houses or upstairs in apartments are too small to get much value from interior detailing, as are the windows in an HO scale caboose.

I have the Baldy's Barbershop and Annie's Antiques kits, which I think came from  Model Power, complete with interiors and lighting for those first-floor storefronts.  I like the way they came out, but I take more pride in the interiors I scratchbuilt for a Walthers Merchants Row and particularly a scratchbuilt pool hall and the City Classics Supermarket and Diner models.

[Pruitt]

https://roometteslighting.com/ makes interiors for a limited number of kits in HO, N and O. They're one way you might be able to add interios to some structures.

[richhotrain]

Doughless

Offering a separate detail kit is a good idea.  It would probably be fairly pricey given that not everybody wants that level of detail. 

Yeah, separate kits would be a much better idea than including interiors as part of the structure kits.

Rich

[wrench567]

  I remember years ago that Walther's had accessory interior and exterior kits for some of their structures. I used to have a Diner with the accessory interior that had booths and lunch counter with stools. Unpainted and tan in color. Greenway products used to have all kinds of interior details such as office furniture and machine shop equipment. Although I never found a vise for my HO scale workbench with hanging wrenches.

  I'm sure Ed, Wayne and others will chime in with pictures of building interiors fully detailed to the max. You might even see a trash can that needs to be emptied. Details are something that can turn a $50 kit to needing a second mortgage to accomplish.

  I just wish that manufacturers offer caboose interiors for their cabooses. And will someone please make an HO scale dirt bike with rider for my HO scale sand pit. We got a lot more bikes tearing up the banks and spoiling the screened products than quads.

      Pete.

[Doughless]

Offering a separate detail kit is a good idea.  It would probably be fairly pricey given that not everybody wants that level of detail.

I find that the more detail I add to things, the less my Pike becomes about the trains.

The structures, scenery, and backdrop are things that provide a setting for the trains.  I take the "Impressionists" approach to creating the setting.  They are detailed to the level that provides a strong suggestion rather than an exact replica.

[richhotrain]

Water Level Route

Dear building kit manufacturers (Walthers, DPM, JL Innovative, etc).  

Mike, I hear you, but I doubt that the manufacturers do. We need to send a letter directly to them in the likely event that they do not read this forum.

Rich

[richhotrain]

SeeYou190

I do not understand the lack of interior details in kits. We'll pay big $$$ for a detailed locomotive. 

I am sure we would pay more for buildings with interiors included.

The thing is, there are those of us who don't give a hoot about building interiors. I just built the Walthers Cornerstone Beer and Ale Brewery and the Walthers Cornerstone Union Station. As if those kits weren't expensive enough, what would a set of interiors add to the price - - another $20 each? No thanks. As for figures, there is a wide choice out there already, so most needs should be able to be satisfied.

Rich 

[SeeYou190]

I do not understand the lack of interior details in kits. We'll pay big $$$ for a detailed locomotive. 

I am sure we would pay more for buildings with interiors included.

-Kevin

[wjstix]

IIRC when Walthers came out with their larger HO roundhouse and turntable, they teamed with Preiser to produce a "roundhouse workers" figure set of 8-10 prepainted workers. I think they did something similar for airplane / airport personnel when they introduced their DC-3 airplane kit.

[Water Level Route]

Dear building kit manufacturers (Walthers, DPM, JL Innovative, etc).  

A humble request from one of your customers.  When you make a building kit with a highly visible interior that requires some rather specific pieces to detail the interior, please consider making them available in either an interior detailing kit (Thank you JL! Others?).  Include in the kits for either the main building, or the interior kit figures to complete the scene.  Often these building require persons in particular dress/uniforms that can be nigh impossible to find.  It would be a minimal cost increase for you as a manufacturer and a huge boon to your customers (read that as an increase in loyalty!).

Thank you.