Large Scale Central

Ideas, photos for small houses for my layout

Modeling
#1

I’ve determined that I have too many commercial structures and not enough houses for my layout-to-be. The only house I have is a two-story Railroad Avenue kit, which I assembled several years ago. So I’m looking for ideas and photos and whatever.

Nothing too fancy like ante-bellum mansions, just some single or two story homes that are kinda basic. Porches OK. Gables, not so much.

My perfect town with the right mix of commercial and residential buildings would be something like what appears in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of the Gazette (“The Crested Butte Museum’s Hon3 D&RGW Layout,” page 71). If you look at the photos, you’ll see how nicely the guys arranged the various structures around their “town.” I especially like the photos on page 74 and 75. And I like the period too–1930s, when we had steam and many dirt roads, which would be easier to model than paved streets. Plus I have a dozen Hubley Model A kits, painted and assembled, with no place to go. Granted they are 1/24, but maybe if I put 'em in the background…

Anyway, yer thoughts, etc.

#2

Joe,

You don’t mention what time period you are looking for, but I just did a search on Google for ‘1920 house plans’ and got a bunch of hits. Give this a try for whatever time period you are modeling. Also any year earlier will give a diversity.

Bob C.

#3

The Piko “Pleasantown” or “Wild West” buildings make OK company houses if you gable the false fronts. They are truly tiny, though. (center and left)

(http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/P5160061.JPG)

Another inexpensive option is the New Ray farmhouse. It’s nominally 1/32, but the doors are more proportioned to 1/24. It’s actually smaller than the Piko, but the wrap porch makes it look larger. (lower right, above) Here are plans for a coal patch duplex as well.

(http://www.the-ashpit.com/mik/indfultonrun5c.gif)

You might also look for an old book on Sears houses, I used to have one, but it got lost several moves ago…

#4

Lost several move ago…

That sounds like me! I have lost way too much stuff I can’t replace.

Bob C.

#5

Here’s two I found Googling old houses–on a site called Old House, I think. There was a “share” button, so I figure I can paste 'em in here without repercussion. I love the unusual shapes.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/joerusz915/_forumfiles/Oldhouse1.jpg)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/joerusz915/_forumfiles/Oldhouse2.jpg)

#6

Wow, them’s some huge photos. Sorry, but that’s the size they were (800 wide) and I couldn’t figure out how to resize them. If yer on dialup, have yerself a coupa coffee and she should be ready to view.

And you guys thought only Bruce Chandler can find unusual buildings. :slight_smile:

#7

Interesting screen doors on that brick house.

#8

Or if ya want to make it a company town…pick a common design and build a dozen of them…

#9

“Shotgun” homes made for great model houses as they are narrow and allow for several fronts in the space of one larger house footprint.

Musings…

#10

Bart: thats what I have planned for Majestic. Six or eight identical company houses…

#11

Grandtline had, and I assume still has, HO kits for several prototypical very small houses. They used to post pix of the houses and/or plans. You might check them out to see if they’re still doing so.

Also the book The Logging Modeler’s Plan Book by Ken Schmelzer - 1995 has plans for skid shacks from Long-Bell, Potlach and Weyerhaeuser that might be of interest as well as other structures, etc. The pages are much too large to fit on my scanner or I’d email you some plans.

#12

Thanks for the tips, all. Sorry for the delay replying (we’ve been away). The latest Walther’s monthly catalog has some HO kits that look interesting. Unfortunately, I always come back to the question, “What are the dimensions?” This tends to deter me from plunging ahead with yet another project.

#13

Joe a house with a shotgun type build, or one room wide is around 18’ wide. For two rooms width, around 28’ wide. Length average is 12’ per room. Maybe that will help. Of course a tape measure around your home may give you general information too. :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :wink:

#14

Joe,
Unless you have a lot of space, you may want to do some selective compression of the dimensions.
On Hollywood’s example of a shotgun house, you may want to go 12’ x 10’ for a room dimension. Maybe 7’ ceilings instead of 8’.
As for scale dimensions, I guess that depends on what scale you work in.
I figure my buildings in 1/24, because 1/2" to the foot is easy to work with and die-cast cars are 1/24th.
Ralph

#15

Yeah, a tape is always handy, Dave. Actually, there are two small, board-and-batten cottages that resemble shotgun houses, at least from the front, in our town. They date back to when SB was a beach retreat for folks living in LA. Anyway, I passed by them today and thought I’d better photograph and measure them before they are demolished to make way for more, very expensive row houses, which is what gets built on those lots. My only concern is that someone will see me and call the cops, which the folks who live in that part of town, like to do. The local throw-away newspaper runs a weekly Crime Log and the stuff these people bitch about is silly: “Resident called to report man was sanding surfboard in alley and making noise.”
Pardon me for breathing.

#16

I can understand your plight there Joe :slight_smile: But the tape you can use around your own home or apartment and get an idea of sizes. Stairways have a tread of 10" to 12" and a rise of 7" to 8" nominally their width is around 32" to 36" normally. Doors, windows, porch wall heights, etc.

And Ralph is right on selective compression sometimes.

#17

You can’t get much smaller than these:

http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/plans

I’ve been following this housing trend for a couple years now, they are pretty interesting!

#18

Hmm, Vic, them there small houses look mighty interesting when the missus and me go off the grid. 'Course we’d need an extra one just for our wine cellar…

About the original topic: found a couple of possibles at American Model Builders aka laserkit.com

joe

#19

Sounds like more B S of someone trying to sell you something by beating around the bush.
What ever happen to getting to the point and not waste my time.

#20

David, speaking of beating around the bush, what are you refering to or implying? Because what I’m reading is that by mentioning a website “someone (is) trying to sell you something.” Would that be me?