Considering a scratchbuild...

[Zman]

I haven't found anything I like by way of a small depot for my layout - New England architecture circa late nineteenth century. I'm considering scratchbuilding this one - in North Easton Mass, just a half-hours drive from me. It was built in 1882.

I would appreciate any help you all could give me about scratchbuilding. Where are some good instructional sources? Thanks in advance.

 

[farmer ron]

That looks like a lot of work for your first scratchbuilding project..I have done a lot of scratchbuilding for many years and I have learned to start on small projects and work your way up to this one. if you do not you may flustrated to the point of abandoning your project, and we do not want you to do that..evergreen styrene puts out a booklet which i highly recomend reading, gives lots of good ideas and hints. The station appears to have a lot of stone on it, practice with foam board or thin pieces of foam also maybe try making a few plaster moulds. Practice with a cardboard mock up to get the nack on the roof etc, it will also give you a good idea of how big you will have to make things to scratchbuild it, size of windows and how much room it will take for your layout. Keep us posted..Ron..

 

[ausien]

Zman, if you haven`t already had alook at the archives, (under robin at his best)I say you should do so, as there is a stone coverd house there, and he describes how he did it, the technique should be adaptable to your project, good luck with it, and keep us posted...have a good one..steve

 

[60103]

If you are planning a scale model of the station, rather than using it as inspiration, I'll offer 2 tricks.
Take your photos straight on when possible, aiming at the middle of the side.
Make up a six-foot stick (dowell, broom handle) and paint it alternating strips of black and white at one foot intervals, with the last 6 inches done at one inch. Include this in all your photos and you have your first scale point. (Or get a wife/girlfriend to stand in the picture and make sure you know her height.)

 

[Zman]

Geez, all three of you guys - farmer ron, ausien, and 60103 have great advice. It's exactly what I need to get started.

This is why I love this forum.

 

[zedob]

What a pretty little depot. Just out of curiousity, does that station happen to be located on old Boston and Maine ROW? The design, although different, is similar to some others I have seen around the Springfield area. Mainly the light colored granite with the brownstone window frames and door jambs.


60103 has a good plan there too. However, getting a good straight-on shot can be almost impossible due to natural or manmade obsticles. It never fails that with another 10 steps back you can get everything in, but unless you can walk through walls, fly, or dodge traffic while taking the pic, you end up having to take multiple shots, which never seem to line up quite right.

Here's a few shots of the stations I was talking about. However, the one you have is exceptionally interesting.