Passenger car service

[Matthyro]

Passenger train cars, unless serviced right on the station track at the terminal, will lay over in a coach yard between runs. There are narrow concrete platforms to serve both sides of a cars on body tracks in this subyard. Subyard ladder tracks lead directly to lead tracks extending to the station at Maberly.
The building provides a commissary for dining cars and laundry for Pullman Co.
The four story building has kitchens on the ground level, offices on the second level and crew layover accomodations on the third and fourth floors. The lower section of the building has laundry on the ground floor and storage on the second floor.

Another view.

This bulding falls into the FLAT category in that it is only 7/8ths of an inch deep even though it represents a deeper building. Flats can be used where the space is narrow. The depth can be seen in this next picture.

I built this structure while watching NASCAR on Saturday and Sunday.
Three guesses as to what materials I used.

 

[shamus]

Hi,
PLYWOOD???? Just kidding


Great looking structure my friend, I don't see any Kitchen staff outside with a cigar!

Whats next to do? and how are the "Templar Tombstones" doing, the Matts Brick & Tile is doing a hell of a trade just lately.

Shamus

 

[Matthyro]

Shamus, the pictures were taken early before the first break. Future pictures will catch the smoking crowd.
Orders for the Templar Tombstones and the Cater Casket company are unfortunately thriving.
I hear there may be a shortage of granite coming from the BCBC until some future trackage may be created. Any word?

 

[kettlestack]

Robin, don't you dare tell me it's made from cerial cartons! coz if you do I'm gonna give up on modelling RR's.
You make a better job with card than I do with plastic kits!
Do you eyeball the aspect ratios/dimensions or is there a building like that near you? Are the window frames painted on? The architecture looks typical of the 1930's era.
Also, it would never occur to me that laundry would be done by the RR staff or for that matter that staff arriving would need layover accommodation. Such detail impresses me!
Well done sir!

Errol

 

[Matthyro]

Errol, one of the best books I ever purchased is called "Track Planning for realistic operation" by John Armstrong. In it he explains what the prototype does, what the modeller can do and how to make it practical.
On Page 42 he has a photograph of the coach yards serving Washington Union Station so that is what I based my structure on. He describes the commissary and laundry. The thought to have layover accomodations came from observations I have made regarding both CN and CP operations where in places like Jasper Alberta and Rivers Manitoba I have seen the layover accomodations. In some places the crew stay over in local hotels.

For dimensions I use an N gauge scale ruler but have found that I make windows 1/4 to 5/16 of an inch wide by 1/2 to 5/8 high. Doors are 5/16 by 5/8 and twice as wide for double doors.
The actual windows are drawn using MS paint which comes free with Windows . Signs and lettering I use Corel Xara a vector graphics program because it prints in exactly the size I set.
I cut out the window and doors from the wall material and glue the drawn windows and doors on the inside. I sometimes put a 1/16 frame around the widows and doors but not in this case

 

[roryglasgow]

Robin,

I'm going to have to plan a special trip up to Canada just to see these buildings in person! I'd love to sit in on a clinic on building card structures taught by you!

-Rory

 

[Matthyro]

Rory, you and your family are welcome to visit us any time you find a way to come to Ontario. It will be my pleasure to show you where I am at buiding my railroad. We have lots of room here so you wouldn't need a hotel.