I have just acquired a North East Scale Models Watch Tower kit. Do you know what prototype it is based on. Or if it is freelanced what road would it be good for?

Thanks

Ken

Do you mean this one ?
[attachment=6748]

Yes, the kit is basic and contains no prototype information. All the pictures I have been able to find of this type of structure have more conventional shaped windows. It may be basic but the pieces are extremely well cut and it looks like it will be straightforward to construct.

Someone has directed me to a site with a similar structire on the Soo Line, which has surprised me as the manafacturer is based in Massachustts.

Thanks

Ken

Such structures are still very much in use today, although sometimes it seems that the gate keeper often seems to be "asleep at the switch!"

Witness a typical day in Lansdale, PA (it's maddening ... I used to live there!)

The tower is now gone and the Broad St crossing is all automated now. I don't thinkt he guy was so much asleep as simply a moron - he's clearly moving around in thre and looking at things. Perhaps his schedule said a train is due by at such adn such time and he wasn;t about to raise those gates until said train went past - because once lowered, if he raised them, he might not be able to get them down in time to catch the train. But since he does raise them after he walks out the back and sees the guy filming, probably just a moron.

--Randy

I guess if I went into "downtown" Lansdale today, I wouldn't recognize it ... moved away in '91. I know my favorite LHS has changed hands ... I'm sure the whole town has been transformed since I left ...

Which one? Hennings is still called Hennings, and still has plenty of trains, so the changing of hands didn't hurt things there. And Penn Valley is still owned by the Shives, although I think they've been trying to retire for years now, lots of good deals from their inventory on eBay, and they scaled back their hours years ago, back when I lived down that way.
In fact I think Hennings has a BETTER train department that they did back when I used to live down there.

--Randy

I went to the website, and found.....Trackside Structure Watch Tower.
Interesting that it was not described as a crossing gate tower. Also interesting, the style of window used. a bit fancy
( expensive ) for the usual crossing gate tower. I suspect, there might be a prototype for it, but I am beginning to doubt that. At this point I'm more inclined to believe that this is a "fictional" guard tower, that might have been used in a high end junk yard.
If a kit is a model of a prototype, it is usually marketed as "that prototype", and not with a generic description.
It would make a neat bridge tender's shack.......or some kid's expensive play house, or, it could be a crossing gate watchman's shack, on a freelanced rail line that crosses, or interchanges with, your chosen prototype line.
The up side is, in building this kit you have become more familiar with the materials, and could use that knowledge to scratchbuild something more in line with a chosen prototype.

North Eastern Scale Models have replied to my email enquiry. The kit was inspired by a photo of a watch tower in a New England city, though they cannot remember which one! I will keep looking.

This is not my first laser cut kit but yes it would be a good one to learn the basics.

Thanks

Ken