Looking for automotive heaven


After listening to the advice of fellow modellers and watching several tutorial videos I am attempting create a cohesive theme for my as yet unbuilt layout. I have a space that is 16' x 5' with a perpendicular 3' extension on the end. I want to model the automotive industry. I have been looking for an automobile factory kit but no luck so far and cannot seem to find any good pics to scrathbuild with. Any ideas or assistance???? Also besides the obvious what other industrie would be associated??
 
I will suggest that you locate a copy of the May 1997 issue of Model Railroader Magazine., and probably an issue or two after that. In the May '97 issue is Part #1 of an article titled, "Railroads and the Automobile Age". The article is about 10 pages and provides just the suggestions you need for such a layout and how to model it in limited space as well as operating suggestions for just such a model railroad (inbound and outbound loads, etc). I assume there is a Part #2 in the next issue, but I don't have that issue.

Next, I would suggest locating a Walthers Catalog from 2000. That year, Walthers introduced a line of HO scale Structure Kits in a line they called "America's Driving Force". These structures represented auto industry structures. Some may still be available, others are discontinued, and some may have been repurposed into different kits. I believe the kits were based on actual structures of Ford Motor Company. The auto industry kits included:
#933 3074 Headquarters Building
#933 3075 Stamping Plant
#933 3077 Uptown Motors Auto Dealership
#933 3076 Distribution Facility
#933 3078 Tire Plant
#933 3079 Auto Assembly Plant

I suggest finding the catalog as it suggests rolling stock and other products to use with these structures. Some components of the old discontinued kits may show up as part of other structures in current kits.

Someone makes, or made, flat car loads of automobile frames. Can't remember who made that, but it might be something worth looking for that could be stacked around a structure or as a flatcar load. It might have been "Scenemaster". http://www.bgtrainworld.com/storefront/shop/item.aspx?itemid=2

If you decide to expand the layout to include the steel industry supplying the auto industry, the 2000 Walthers Catalog also has a full line of (now mostly discontinued) structures for the steel industry that could give you some scratch building ideas if you can't find the original kits.

Good luck. I want to see pictures of your work.
 
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If you watch e-bay regularly, the Walthers kits might just show up on occasion. But make sure its not something you can find in the current Walthers catalog (possibly with a different description and part number) before you bid something up on e-bay.
 
I sent Walthers an email requesting assistance and have begun checking ebay. Will let everyone know my results.
Walthers website is one where searching is so much easier if you know their part/stock) number. Unless you hit the name of the item as it is written in their list (and sometimes not even then) it can be very frustrating. Done that way I think to make you buy their Catalogue.
 
I will suggest that you locate a copy of the May 1997 issue of Model Railroader Magazine., and probably an issue or two after that. In the May '97 issue is Part #1 of an article titled, "Railroads and the Automobile Age". The article is about 10 pages and provides just the suggestions you need for such a layout and how to model it in limited space as well as operating suggestions for just such a model railroad (inbound and outbound loads, etc). I assume there is a Part #2 in the next issue, but I don't have that issue.

Next, I would suggest locating a Walthers Catalog from 2000. That year, Walthers introduced a line of HO scale Structure Kits in a line they called "America's Driving Force". These structures represented auto industry structures. Some may still be available, others are discontinued, and some may have been repurposed into different kits. I believe the kits were based on actual structures of Ford Motor Company. The auto industry kits included:
#933 3074 Headquarters Building 100.00
#933 3075 Stamping Plant 70.00
#933 3077 Uptown Motors Auto Dealership 55.00
#933 3076 Distribution Facility. 100.00
#933 3078 Tire Plant 150.00
#933 3079 Auto Assembly Plant. 80.00

I suggest finding the catalog as it suggests rolling stock and other products to use with these structures. Some components of the old discontinued kits may show up as part of other structures in current kits.

Someone makes, or made, flat car loads of automobile frames. Can't remember who made that, but it might be something worth looking for that could be stacked around a structure or as a flatcar load. It might have been "Scenemaster". http://www.bgtrainworld.com/storefront/shop/item.aspx?itemid=2

If you decide to expand the layout to include the steel industry supplying the auto industry, the 2000 Walthers Catalog also has a full line of (now mostly discontinued) structures for the steel industry that could give you some scratch building ideas if you can't find the original kits.

Good luck. I want to see pictures of your work.
Walthers website is one where searching is so much easier if you know their part/stock) number. Unless you hit the name of the item as it is written in their list (and sometimes not even then) it can be very frustrating. Done that way I think to make you buy their Catalogue.

Jim 68Cuda came through big time listing the original stock#'s. I saw ebay has all of the listed kits NIB......but it will cost about $600 _700. Ouch!! Lol
I need to get the May thru December 1997 issues of Model Railroader Magazine......guess thats next while I contemplate the allocation of resources.
 
Jim 68Cuda came through big time listing the original stock#'s. I saw ebay has all of the listed kits NIB......but it will cost about $600 _700. Ouch!! Lol
I need to get the May thru December 1997 issues of Model Railroader Magazine......guess thats next while I contemplate the allocation of resources.
I see that, definitely a "need to have" for Walthers.
 
If you compare certain products in the current Walthers catalog to the original kits, you may find some suitable substitutes for a few of the originals.

The original Headquarters Building appears to be now offered as the U.S. Post Office #933-3782 with minimal changes to the original.

The Uptown Motors car dealership has been slightly altered and is now Wayne Brothers Ford Dealership #933-3483 and a variation is offered as the International Truck Dealership #933-4025. If you are modeling an earlier era, Wallschlager Motors #931-805 would probably be a more appropriate dealership structure.

The Tire Plant appears to have been somewhat condensed, and the silo and smoke stacks eliminated, and then re-released as the George Roberts Printing Company #933-3046.

The Stamping Plant components appear to be incorporated into the new Armstrong Electric Motors #933-3172

You may need to just buy the original Auto Assembly Plant cause it looks like the only current offering with part of that structure is the Lauston Shipping #933-3191, but it is an incomplete low relief structure meant to go against a backdrop.

If you are modeling a more modern era when autos were loaded onto multi level auto racks, you may also need buy the original Distribution Facility kit just to get the critical auto loading ramps. The rest of the kit is now offered as the Yard Office and Guard Shack #933-3517.

The original magazine article from May 97 suggests using components from Design Preservation Models (now part of Woodland Scenics) Modular Building Systems to create the needed structures.

Looking at the current Walthers catalog, City Classics also has the Smalltown Street Warehouse #195-103, that can be expanded using the additional walls and windows components from their product line to create a similar structure to some of the original Walthers kits.
 
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Jim 68Cuda came through big time listing the original stock#'s. I saw ebay has all of the listed kits NIB......but it will cost about $600 _700. Ouch!! Lol
I need to get the May thru December 1997 issues of Model Railroader Magazine......guess thats next while I contemplate the allocation of resources.

You probably just need May and June 1997 issues of Model Railroader Magazine for the article. If it turns out to be a 3 part article, then you would need July as well.
 



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