Model Train Journal

Hello all

Has anyone built up a set of the Scalecraft paper buildings ? ..found in the 1937 catalog ..with Elliot Donley's family presses they could have printed up an entire city... .. did they release other series ?

Lots of cutting , folding , creasing , good practice for origami...... I'll have the originals copied and work with the copies before getting out the knife ...

Cheers Carey

Cardstock kits are still popular in the UK; czech out a company called Metcalfe (among others).

Metcalfe's stuff is really good quality printing and fits together really well.

Hello ..thank you for pointing me to Metcalfe ..some very nice buildings .....their offerings in N /HO ..so I assume you buy a kit and enlarge it to what ever scale you wish ......
I can see several uses for some of their products for various projects ....but for the vintage O scale layouts ...I'm going to try and keep it all vintage ..including buildings so Model Structures, Skyline ( card-stock not plastic of metal ) , I'm sure their are others in the pre 1950 era ... they are all part of the look to be blended in .
Cheers Carey

All:

Metcalfe did do a few in O, though in 7mm so perhaps large, terrace houses (row houses) being pretty much it. He says there wasn't enough response to continue which is kind of bad, since they do build very nicely. I think he didn't advertise it in the "right" places given the 7mm population in the UK, but that's history now.

"Purple Bob" and several others do many in cardstock in 7mm, and you are correct that card is a very mainstream material in UK 7mm. I like working with it.

In the US, Clever Brothers do quite a range in American architecture and 1/48. Fire up the Google machine and search "Clever Brothers"

Cary:

In building your vintage layout you still might want to check out Evans Designs "Brickyard".

https://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/brickyard.html

Quite a bit of this project was done using their software, the foundationwork especially, built up by laminating Evans print-outs on artists' foamcore:



This retaining wall is done the same way, capped with a couple courses cut from foam stone wall (Woodland Scenics maybe?)

You might find this stuff handy to "fill in the holes" when planting those Model Structures buildings et al.

Carey,

Lionel produced at least one cardstock structure kit under the name THE MODEL BUILDER, 15 East 26th Street, New York, N.Y. I have a partially started kit for a two stall engine house that I believe dates back to the WWII era. The plain brown kit box was shipped to a neighbor of my in-laws in Dundalk MD a suburb of Baltimore. The shipping label return address is: The Lionel Corporation, 15 East 26th Street, New York, N.Y.

I have never seen another one of these kits but I must confess that I have never looked for them. I was given this one by my father-in-law many years ago. Someone started cutting out some of the fascia trim and put it back away.

I think this is the kind of item produced during WWII to keep interest in Model Railroading alive when Lionel could not produce their trains due to restrictions.

Joe

Carey Williams wrote:Has anyone built up a set of the Scalecraft paper buildings ?

IMG_7567.JPG

No, but I'd like to see someone come out with all those trucks (in O scale at a reasonable price) on the bottom half of the first image!!!

Thank you Sarge and Joe

.. I picked up the Model Builder soft ware disc ...seems one is only limited to their imagination ...and time ...

I have a the Lionel marketed paper engine house ,think it was produced by Skyline for them ..offered as a freebie for subscribing to Lionel's Model Builder magazine . mid 40's

Initially was planning on using open framework on the layout like all the big boys ..but then remembered I've never build mountains or valleys with mesh/ wire ..... so I chickened out and currently adding a thin layer of plywood to the top ....

Priorities are to get the two loops up (running) ... have fun with the vintage door stops in motion ...add the vintage buildings .... and then be brave and build mountains and cut holes for gorges and rolling hills etc .....the thought of one of the door stops falling from 52" through one of the openings did not appeal to me ...

Cheers Carey
some work in progress shots

It's good to see your laying down some track for your collection to exercise on...it will add much enjoyment.

Robert