Now that my pin nailer is working again I think my next project might be to build some facades for the RR.
The question is what is the best approach to doing so? How deep should they be to give a feeling of a structure? I could probably come up with a few one and 2 story designs that would fit the RR theme but I’m stumbling in getting started.
Does any one have a go to source for a how to video or photos of the process?
Thanks
Ooh. A very interesting question!
I’ve only built one…and it wasn’t even for my own layout. It was 20" x 30", and hardly deep at all - less than 1/2". It was for the Rosseau Hotel and lives on Doug Matheson’s Northland RR in Canada.
For ME, the idea was to give it some extra dimension, and I like to think that I did that with the fire escape.
It’s basically some 1/4" acrylic with brick on the front. But the fire escape gives it a little more depth.
I used coroplast for the base with a veneer of stone and board and batten.
It was basically to hide the hole in the wall, but it also serves as a industry. It’s only an inch deep minus the overhang and loading docks. I plan on a few more the back wall of the shed, mainly the backs of buildings.
Oh, that’s cool with the loading docks! I had forgotten that.
Todd, I guess the real question is do you have a place/desire for a facade? What are you looking to achieve?
They ARE cool…
Building Facades or “flats” as I call them are great projects to fill in the tight spaces on your railroad.
I have built quite a few for my line and for others, using lots of different materials. Great fun to see them
pop into place and look perfect sitting there.
As for size and depth of the flat I try to think what it is I am trying to accomplish with this structure.
Do I want it to be a partial view block as I look down the track? Do I want it back out of the way so I
have a clear camera view down the track? You know, that kind of stuff. Most of the depth issue is controlled
by how much room you have to work with between track and obstruction (building wall, fence, etc.)
I normally like to make them as deep as possible, it seems to give the structure more thereness, is that a word?
Don’t know of any videos but they are probably out there.
I will try to round up a few pictures of some of my attempts and post here, my give you some ideas, or not(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
Rick
Todd,
Here are a few different ones I did on the old railroad.
the passenger shelter on the track side of the depot, dark yellow building on left, is a 3 dimensional flat that suggests that the depot is just behind it from track level camera/eye view.
Construction: left over chip board siding from house project and pressure treated 2X4 framing. exterior latex house paint, and
rolled roofing felt. left out year round
The barn, silo, and stock pens are another example of the same type application.
Construction: Silo is 5 inch PVC pipe wrapped with redwood strips and bailing wire with a metal roof. Barn is cedar fence boards
and other wood framing, roof is old Dough-boy pool metal. Thinned exterior latex house paint for colors. Left out year round.
The foundry (grey building) is another example of cedar fence boards and redwood cut to application. The roofing is a solid cedar plank with hand carved shakes, makes a solid unit. This was built to sit and seal tight to the structure behind. Again latex house paints. Left out year round
Engine shed drive through to train storage. Again house siding, 2x framing, dough boy roof and latex house paint. Sealed tight to building for weather tightness. Year round application.
The general store with upstairs offices on the left and the brewery/bottling plant are carved blue foam with 2X framing and are only out during the summer season. These represent the back sides of buildings because the fronts generally face the street not the tracks.
As for ideas, the last three buildings above are somewhat accurate copies of buildings as they existed in our town at the time I am modeling,
Old pictures on the net are a great source for building ideas, just have to find your era and style. One thing about it building styles are timeless.
I mean a building built in 1899 that is still in use in 1999 can fit right in with your modern railroad.
Just some thoughts.
Rick
just half an inch thick:
All great examples guys, thanks for posting. It looks like I need to figure out how deep I can go for the space and then get building.
The extra pieces such as the fire escape and loading dock does give the structures more depth.
The building on the corner that Rick Marty built is really clever.
I feel left out as I have no facades or flats. But I did notice that Bruce’s fire escape is illegal by code. Thinking he paid off the code officer!
" Rooster " said:
I feel left out as I have no facades or flats. But I did notice that Bruce’s fire escape is illegal by code. Thinking he paid off the code officer!
In what way? I was a code enforcement inspector if it’s original to the building, and that looks about 1930, and as long as it’s maintained and in good condition it’s still allowed to be used as an emergency exit, even in sue crazy cities like LA. PS you should see some of the escapes I inspected, really fun climbing a ladder 10 stories up 
This is a great topic. With my space, I have a lot of places where this will come in handy. I am excited to see the creativity and how good they look.
Rick,
your flats are just awesome, they really give the illusion of full size scale buildings. I especially like the train shed built in the corner.
I noticed that lighting took away the flatness …
We purchased some last year at the ECLSTS, they were pretty cheap and held up well so far this season outside.
They will need some TLC over the winter but it saved me the time in building them!
Over the past few days I built my first facade and the paint is drying now. I then started on a second one and the glue is drying.
They are both rough planked typical looking RR warehouse style buildings.
This thread will come in handy. I just put an overhead line in my sitting room. (reversing line) I want to add some facades to it.
Shawn Viggiano said:
This thread will come in handy. I just put an overhead line in my sitting room. (reversing line) I want to add some facades to it.
hmm, then maybe, you are interested how to make them cheap and easy? -> http://kormsen.info/buildings/
Garden Texture, if it’s still around, sold plans for building facades. Store fronts mainly. I have a couple of sets of plans that I will eventually be using.
Still around, but it doesn’t appear that he has facades anymore. (http://www.gardentexture.com/transportation) Of course you could just buy the building plans and only do the front.
Edit:Oh, he DOES have some storefronts.
He has VERY nice kits. I bought the Camel Back bridge from him and everything was already cut to fit; great lumber as well. It’s been outside since 2003 and looks great.
Korm Kormsen said:
Shawn Viggiano said:
This thread will come in handy. I just put an overhead line in my sitting room. (reversing line) I want to add some facades to it.
hmm, then maybe, you are interested how to make them cheap and easy? -> http://kormsen.info/buildings/
Thanks Korm. I like cheap and easy (shut up Rooster)
I have been busy over the last few weeks and just put the roof covering on the water tower this morning.
Each facade is up to 3.5 inches deep. The water tower is 7x3.5x24
These things are fun to make and I plan on building several more in the near future. I think over the Winter I will add some details.
(http://www.largescalecentral.com/filesharing/file/view/60/facades-jpg)
(http://www.largescalecentral.com/filesharing/file/view/60/facades-jpg)
