Hey guys,
I'm messing around with a little subway scene and I'd like to put a bunch of little stores along the platform. Thing is, since it's below ground, I only need the fronts. I tried printing out a bunch of storefronts on my printer but it looked hokey. Besides, I'd like to put LED's behind for light so I'll need actual windows. Anybody have any ideas? I looked into DPM but couldn't seem to find just the fronts. Anybody have a bunch of old pieces laying around they'd care to part with?

Since the shop-fronts would mostly be glass - at least in the modern era - scratch building is probably the best way to get the look you want. Sheet styrene is very accomodating!

Sounds like a familiar topic, you might have some luck searching in the archives of this forum of about two generations ago, probably in conjunction with making neon signs behind windows. Planned a subway layout some years ago and needed similar scenes..

From the top of my head, you might be able to print some of the products in view in the store window on a transparent sheet (thin styrene can be printed on, although you may need to fix the ink, or not, as you won't be touching it) which may let just enough light through to give a believeable effect (need to play with light level of led and the darkness of the printed sheet). Leave the printed side on the inside of the shop, so that you keep a shop window with some thickness (as if the products aren't part of the window, but behind it). You could put in another sheet of styrene to act as a second level if you want. Use styrene or whatever for finishing touches.

Pictures will be appreciated

TrainNut Wrote:Thing is, since it's below ground, I only need the fronts. I tried printing out a bunch of storefronts on my printer but it looked hokey. Besides, I'd like to put LED's behind for light so I'll need actual windows. Anybody have any ideas?

Did you try printing out in 'photo' quality? I print out photos with glossy to get finer details

No, this is not a store front, but.....[attachment=2519]

It started out as a flat sheet of styrene, cut to shape. detail was then "layered on", front of sheet, and back of sheet. A store front could be built up in the same manner, in a relatively short time. A NWSL "chopper" would help do all the repetitive cutting.