A question for all you railroaders.Is there a market for detailed buildings on largescale railroads ? Engine houses with full interior detail like work benches, stoves , barrels and clutter. Hand car sheds with the same kind of detail including the hand car. I am thinking of starting a small website offering these types of items if their is enough interest. I could really use your input on this. Thax Dan
Dan,
personally I feel the market for a highly detailed outdoor structure is very, very specialised and thus small demand. The demand is more for the basic structure rather than the detailed internal clutter. Perhaps you could offer just the structure plus the internals as an option rather than a fully detailed model.
There are a few guys out there who will pay big bucks for quality, pre-built well detailed structures.
Good luck finding them! Cheap ba-----s, OTOH, you’ll trip over.
You might find that there is a larger market for the bare buildings as kits, and the detail bits, either individually, or in “detail packs”… But larger doesn’t necessarily mean profitable, either.
I’ve personally wondered if there was enough market for Victorian architectural details (arched window tops, corbels, carved doors, downspouts, etc) to be worth leaning to pour resin… I finally decided that the start-up costs were more than we could spare, and the market was just too darn fickle for me to do it anyway.
Dan,
Welcome to LSC. I used to model in HO and spent a lot of time detailing my models. I thought when I got into large scale that I would have even better details. But, when I started putting buildings outside I found that the weather just doesn’t allow it. Most indoor railroads are closer to eye level and cry out for details - not so much for an outdoor railroad on the ground. You just don’t get as close to buildings when they’re outside.
So, in my experience, there’s not a big demand for the interior detail in large scale. There might be some for those who model inside, but I don’t know many of those folks.
Having said all that, I still like to have details visible through the windows - like on my store fronts that I build. But, it has to have large windows.
what would be a great asset would be a central site that offers a wide variety of kits, buildings and most important detail components. When detailing, it is confusing and expensive for shipping to buy for example Priser people from one source, barrels from another signs from a third, and things like logs coal from a forth. to say nothing about doors window, etc for kit bashing. Plastic-plastic for most outdoor applications
I personaly would rather see more wood kits but very basic and affordable. Highly detailed stuff will not last outdoors unless the stuff is brought in. I feel most of the kits out in the market are too expensive especially when one can build something similar for a fraction of the cost. Colorado Models has the right idea. They build basic kits at an affordable price plus you can combine kits. Piko etc… has some nice stuff but way overpriced.
Would I buy one? It depends but most likley not. I enjoy building my own stuff and it makes it unique doing that way.
I tried detailing a scene once. It seems that the squirrels, or perhaps the packrats or crows, liked the details more than I did.
Sigh.
Dan
I agree with the above comments, personally I am a structure junkie, I have built award winning structures, and all my structures are designed to stay outside all the time. I have three large structures fairly close to 4 ft off the walk way, one has some of the inside detailed and in view, almost nobody sees that because of all the details on the outside. most all my structures has a 2-3 inch base extended out from the walls, so this allows a place for the details to be placed there, people will comment about all the details and the figures around the structures. Nothing of the inside. There are a few people out there that will pay several hundred to 1000 plus dollars for a large structure that will stay outside all the time and needs to stay for years, without the structure falling apart.
My suggestion would be build something no one else builds, something that weathers all climates, if you want to do details for gardenRR
I would stick with good outside details that can hold up to the elements and critters as good as possible. Be creative make a structure detail it with good signage, very critical, signage will direct peoples attention and eyes there, lights are always a plus. Once you have a few structures built good pictures, on the web, offer one on ebay, try to direct people there too, sell your first ones , probably at a lower price, to generate cash.
HERE is going to be the bummer, don’t plan on this for a living, you will starve. Use it to create a little extra $$$ with the satisfaction of providing a great product. If you expect to scratch a living with structures in GRR , you will do better with big shoes a big red nose and balloons doing birthday parties as a clown.
With this opinion and 8 bucks you can get a cup of coffee at starbucks.
Good luck
Dennis
All this feedback is great ! Dennis i dont plan on making a living at this it is a hobby and if i can make a few bucks to cover cost and stay in the hobby great. I am a carpenter by trade and love building in miniature and making it look real. I have seen alot of pictures on the forums and the railroads that stand out have the great bridges ,detailed buildings and landscapes. I have had 4 railroads and 20 years under my belt garden railroading. Now that im 55 i can start to enjoy the hobby and play a little more. Thanx for all the input .
I like stuff that is visible outside AND will hold up to the elements is to be preferred (at least for me 
)
I started to think about details that I could use in my existing railroad. I think that perhaps you should ask what people would like, and then decide what is feasible for you to to make.
For me, it’s “outside” details, not the office interior, for instance. I would envision either white metal or resin castings.
Here are some of the detail parts that I would like to have in 1:20:
- fire hydrants
- dummy street light posts (though you could make them so they could be lit)
- police/fire call box
- trash cans - covered and open; some municipal types as well
- manhole covers
- drain grating
- shipping crates to be set on platforms - fruit boxes/crates - pallets (I made some out of thin wood one time; they didn’t last long outside)
- building details.
But, lots of folks do windows/doors/other parts already, you’d have to come up with something different - maybe some Meskar type architectural details. - roofing details - parking meters
I’m sure others can think of even more. I got my list by just looking at some old pictures from the 20s, and 30s.
Think about stuff that people can add to a building or scene that they already have. Or, to a kit that they’re currently building. Just look at what HO has for roof vents!
I also agree that Colorado Models seem to have the right idea. He produces an affordable alternative that most outdoor hobbyists can enjoy and weather the outdoors. I have taken some of his models and added my own personal touches. Living in the NE, I bring most of my structures in for the winter. I have tried to use cedar to build most of my personal stuff. I buy the boards from HD an rip it down into thin strips. I have built both buildings and bridges with it. I am not a detail oriented person in that my railroad sits on the ground outside. My goal is mostly to enjoy the running and invite little neighborhood kids over to operate and enjoy. After 10 minutes of feeding the fish and starting and stopping my LGB Stanz, they get bored and go home. But…they always come back the next day for more.
Although I personally prefer buildings that are highly detailed inside and out, I have to agree that the market for outdoor models with such structures is extremely limited. I’m not even in the market for that myself, since I prefer to scratchbuild.
Of course I do like to buy some details, and I like Bruce’s suggestion of making exterior castings such as vents, chimneys, etc. There are already some interior details available from the dollhouse suppliers, but not a lot in 1/24th. (Most dollhouse stuff is 1/12th scale.)
There are actually quite a few 1/24 detail bits available from places that cater to architectural firms… unfortunately, they seem to be mostly either orange and cheesy or really fragile… and both are really, really expensive.
I seen some of Dan’s work and they are some of the finest models I’ve seen.
Don
The hard water we have here in central Nebraska soon cruds up the windows so much there is no use detailing insides. I do put lights inside. So have a glow at night. Plus, most of my buildings are not that close to the edge of the layout.
Isn’t this sorta what Garden Texture does?
I know they used to be very big dealers of outdoor LS building kits but I don’t how well they are doing these days with the downturn in LS in recent years.
Well I looked up Garden-Textures http://www.gardentexture.com/ and they sure look like they aren’t having any problem. Nice site too.
Chester Louis SA #64 Hampshire County Narrow Gauge
Dan,
First, I’d really like to see some of your work. Is there somewhere we can view pictures?
Second, I really like detailing structures but mine that I’ve done so far wouldn’t last through one rain- or snowstorm intact, so I intend to limit their use to where they are protected under porches and the like. I have alsways assumed that makes them very very limited in market value. Maybe I should put one up for sale and just see what happens.
Finally, I am interested in your question from another angle; namely, when weathering and detailing large-scale stock like box cars and locomotives, it actually seems to decrease, not increase, their value, at least in selling platforms like ebay. A lot of people seem to really like buying the brand new in the box stuff and won’t touch anything else. Maybe this is because weathering and detailing is so dependent on personal taste? However, there’s a guy who calls himself IndustrialModels who weathers O-scale stock and has done very well for himself judging from his completed listings on ebay.
Which (the issue of personal taste) might apply to structures also?
(A little off the topic but I’ve thought about this some to help me pay for my railroad costs, but so far all I’ve come up with that actually has worked is to keep my eyes out for estate-type sales and guys getting out of the hobby and buying stock if they’ll sell low enough, and then turning around and selling it for more than I bought it for.)