Raggs to Riches F.D.Works Buiding with Scratchbuilt Interior


Paul yes it can be done in HO also, in fact it is a bit easier in HO as there are a few more detail castings to use then in O. In this piece in fact several of the commercial details are HO castings that look "right" for O also. As for what it would look like in HO, that would also depend on the viewing distance, I did several small stores for a layout with quite similar interior details a couple of years ago that were being set in about 20-24" from the edge and they came off quite nice. It is also possible in HO to do the quite a lot of the interior using color photos with only the few pieces in the middle of the room being actual 3D depending on the distance this can give a terrific effect and look "real".
 
The interior is just about done on the storefront, still have yet to add the rolling ladders (though one of them is setting against the back wall) along with 5 more figures inside the store and the lighting circuit. Stock room is started with three shelving units along with other details. The doors into this were cut apart to allow them to be poised open to view the details in the room. Painted the base coat on the building and began installing the windows and doors. The storefront windows are not yet glued in to allow the lighting to still be added.
 
A couple of close ups of the storefront. Gaps between the window units are there since the storefront is just leaned in place at this point.
 
This is looking great. I still can't believe this is not going to be a building that's right in plain view, up front on the layout. Is the client going to be able to move it to take a closer look at every once in a while?
I love the effect of the simple cans and boxes. For a background building, I would have gotten away with a computer printout of stock shelves.

BRAVO!
 
Lighting system intalled today, it is 6 fixtures, 5 in the front room and 1 in the stock room. All are 16 volt grain of wheat bulbs to be run on a 12 volt accessory circuit which will extend their life. Also nearly complete is the exterior with just a few things remaining, chief of which are the roofs and a light weathering of the entire structure.
 
Mike,
Just to give you a heads up. You probably got it, but in the last picture, the top right front window, the left side trim is popping off. Slap a little glue on that sucker.
 
Thanks Ron, yes I did catch it when I was editing the photos to managable size. Just goes to show that despite the kits claim the laser cut piece are self stick you can always add a bit of stick too. Matt
 
Wowsers! Thanks for that PM, Mike, but I'm still bowed over by the work you've doen on that interior. Is Ron saying your customer is not going to have this as a foreground piece? If so, and I modeled O scale, I'd be tempted to staart an e-bay style bidding war. :)
 
Jim: Thanks for the compliments, yes this piece is set back from the layout edge about 3' on both the front and the right side (its inside a turnback loop). If I was building it for a foreground position I would have used actual labels on the cans/boxes on the shelves. You have to consider that this piece's storefront windows are nearly 3" tall in O so at 3' back you still see a lot of detail. For an HO equilivent it would be about 9" from the layout edge.
Matt
 
Detailed out the stock room and the loading dock today. Note the open packing crates made from 1" thick lumber
 
That is just unreal!

I've been folowing this thread, and can't believe the detail you have put into this.

Awesome modeling!

It looks like some of the places Dad took me as a kid in the early 60's.

Rotor
 
Nearly finished on this build. In the first shot the entire structure is turned on its back to allow the decals to be applied to the front. The two long decals (name and hardware/steam fittings) are single pieces over 12" long, a challenge to apply to a wood structure as they do not move easily once set off the backing paper. Roof on the structure is removable it is held inplace with several tabs and a press fit with the back wall. Weathering that has been applied is with chalks.
 
What still needs to be done is the addition of 7 more figures to the sidewalk and inside along with some pigeons on the roof. The figures on the sidewalk are being poised for a photographer taking a shot of the business. One of the period photos I have shows a group poised for this shot so I am duplicating it on this model.
 
A shot of the last 7 figures going into this building (11 total). These have been primed at this point, most of them were modified to better match clothing and hair styles in 1900. The short figure on the left is a youth, while two ladies are on the right. The "stiff" posed figures are the ones going on the front walk posing for the photographer across the street.
 
Build was finished this morning, took advantage of the good natural light to shoot the first shots outside. There are 11 figures poised about the structure, the group of five on the front walk are having their photo made. Note that the pigeons seem to be trying to get into the photo too as four of the five on the cornice are over the group. There are also five figures in the store including one who has climbed the rolling ladder to reach items on the high shelves. While the last one is just inside the loading dock trying to move all of the freight into a semblence of order.
 
A shot of the F.D. Works building next to the Hotel Lemmon. Both are going to the same client. Then a shot of the group of pigeons on the roof, along with the pigeon poop staining the structure. A close up of the group on the front walk. Then an overall shot with the lights turned on.
 
And last a close up with the lights on showing the man on the rolling ladder trying to get to a motor mount on a high shelf.

Over all build time on this piece was 71 hours of which 49 when into scratchbuilding the interior for the sales floor and the stock room.
 
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