faraway Wrote:It is a big advantage if the skills of the person painting the prototype and the person painting the model are at the same level

This is 1919 South Santa Fe Av LA. The LHS had some brass that could be used for security gates. I got some and tried it until the real stuff arrives in some weeks/month for the US.






ps. The "for lease" signs have been added after the photos have been made.

Top drawer modelling again, Reinhard; well done.

The gates are something I'd eventually like to try myself as you see them just about everywhere in this district. Did you solder the brass or is it cyano?

Best wishes,

Jonte.

jonte Wrote:... Did you solder the brass or is it cyano?....

Jonte, the gates are simply cut from larger sheets (about 10 * 20 cm) of brass with that structure. I do not know what the intended use is but it look "similar" to security gates from the distance.

faraway Wrote:

jonte Wrote:... Did you solder the brass or is it cyano?....

Jonte, the gates are simply cut from larger sheets (about 10 * 20 cm) of brass with that structure. I do not know what the intended use is but it look "similar" to security gates from the distance.

Then that's simply an amazing feat, Reinhard.

Jonte

Great choice for a structure, and great modeling to make it come to life!
Well done Reinhard!!!!

Yeah, those are security gates. South Central and East L.A. where all of this industry is not the most desirable area of So Cal to live in. Before the shop I worked in moved out to City of Industry, we had razor wire strung over around and through everything in the yard. Transients would find ways to scale the fences and then throw brand new condenser and evaporator coils back over the fence. Of course when they landed, a $1500.00 coil was reduced to scrap metal, on the occasions when they did not succeed in hauling the coils away to sell for scrap value.

At the corner E.12St and Santa Fe is the building of California Aluminum. I assume the same gifted painter left his traces as he did at the neighbor building I posted some day ago.



This is my interpretation of that key structure of LA




ps. It is remarkable how the direction of light reduces the visual effect of the black wash. The top picture looks very clean. The front of the building at the lower picture is close to but only the left wall in the shadow looks like the real thing.

Hey Reinhard,

Great inspiration and as always stunning work...

I have been looking at the finer details on your layouts... I am at the stage of looking for all my finer track details like switch stands and track bumpers etc... Where do you find them and how would I get reference to the items I need to make my layout look like a realistic representation of a modern era Industrial district??? I too am not in the US so cannot go out and have a look...

Callum

SSWUPinSA Wrote:... switch stands and track bumpers etc...

Callum,

I did use the bumper from Walthers. They are very universal and I did see them in yellow and dark red paint.
There are three switch stands I like and use (all three from Walthers) 255-80301 more expensive 525-1916 and very modern with an impressive price 525-1918
You might also need a switch motor 235-903 if you have a connection to a CTC controlled main line. A derail 235-925 might be also useful to catch run away cars.

However, there are much more available as models and you might need a different one if you want to the exact kind your prototype uses.
I use a printed Walthgers catalog and the online Walthers shop. The brands like Details West etc. have their own web sides with PDF catalogs.

This forth building completes the series of low profile structures without rail service adjacent to the small classification yard. I did scan LA further north of 6.st St between Alameda and Santa Fe for brick building I could build out of the Cornerstone kits I have. None did really fit but I understood a pattern of simpler brick buildings features and they are sometime painted all over. That would be a nice fit to the other buildings in the row.
As a result the Cornerstone kit "Engineering Office" has been rude down graded.

Both little paper signs have been found in that area by streetview, printed and glued to the building. You might investigate more on the film location...

ps. The area is basically improving today. Lots of structures found by BING in terrible condition are much improved or replaced with new building in Google streetview.
pps. I wonder to find no grafitti in that area. Even the usual gang markers are at least not over all visible. Is there is special situation in south LA causing that?

I know in this hobby its not supposed to be a race, however I must admit that I am envious of you guys who can model a structure in what seems like a matter of hours from where I sit. Your structures look great Reinhard.

faraway Wrote:ps. The area is basically improving today. Lots of structures found by BING in terrible condition are much improved or replaced with new building in Google streetview.
pps. I wonder to find no grafitti in that area. Even the usual gang markers are at least not over all visible. Is there is special situation in south LA causing that?

Many communities have been cracking down on grafitti. I'm not sure, but I think I have also read about some new types of paint (possibly epoxy type?) that is very durable and at the same time does not allow other type of paint to stick. The grafitti "artist" can do his worst, but a pressure wash removes the grafitti without harming the base paint. Another factor is that it is illegal to sell paint in aerosol cans to anyone under 18 in California. If a minor wants to have spray paint in the aerosol cans, they can have it if their parents or other adult buys it for them. Most "big box" home centers have all of their spray paints locked up in cages that require a customer to find an employee to unlock the cage to make a purchase.

Great stuff, Reinhard.

How about a blow-by-blow acount of you construction methods punctuated with one or two photos?

(You're probably cursing my suggestion ).

Best wishes,

Jonte

Reinhard,

As usual, another nice job of scratch building. It appears you can complete these models every couple of days. My compliments.

Larry

Thanks for the kind words.

Jonte, in fact it is extreme easy and fast to build those simple structures.

1. It is all about the front wall only. I cut a piece of 1,5mm styrene in the planned size and do the openings for doors and windows. An easy way to get the horizontal dimensions is Bing (it has a nice ruler in the lower right corner) and street view for vertical dimensions. You will find an automobile in front of most buildings. Put is vertical and you get a great scale. Their length (about 4.5m) is known and you can check the right dimensions with your car models.

2. Next step is to cut the sides from styrene and glue them to the front. I use little auxiliary pieced in the corners to hold the 90° angle.

3. Next is to put a support about 0,5-1cm below the top line of the front and the sides to hold the roof in place.

4. Now put the structure on the edge of blank styrene and get the dimensions of the building for the roof. Cut it out and glue it on the support.

5. Last mandatory step is to glue strip on top of the styrene walls to make them visual thicker.

6. Next steps are decoration of the front wall to get closer to the prototype. But the basic "box" is done in the previous steps.
Put doors and windows behind the openings from step 1. You might glue extra styrene around the door/gate openings to simulate thicker walls.

7. Painting is done from the rattle can.
- First layer is plastic primer intended to be used on plastic bumpers in the car shop
- Next is a light gray primer. It is a fine roof color and covers all pencil marks etc.
- Last is white primer for the front and side walls only. Do it firm and well covering for modern slab buildings or sloppy older buildings.
- The white layer is a good base for more details done with a brush.

8. Finally a black wash and some rust and dirt traces completes the simple structure.

It is no problem to do it within one day. It depends on the quality you are going for if they will be your final models or if you use them as fast and easy mock ups.



There may be two more steps necessary

9. If the roof is not a simple flat roof you may have to do some hidden construction to hold the roof. Those roof support is at least during construction required. The upper example got a back wall to support the roof.

10. Longer buildings will become very floppy. They need additional strength. I do like to use wood 1 * 1cm and glue it on the back side of the front wall (lower example) or glue a longer strip of styrene at a 90° angle to the inside of a wall (upper example where the back wall (to support the roof, ref 9) became instable).
Cut the window and door openings first. It is not so funny to learn that you just clued a wooden support across a line of planned windows...

faraway Wrote:[quote="SSWUPinSA...

I use a printed Walthgers catalog and the online Walthers shop.

Hi,

Just caught up on this thread, superb structure building.

I was thinking of ordering from Walthers direct as I now need a lot of detail parts to finish Palmetto ie roof details, dumpsters,pallets etc and
even CSX boxcars. I've sourced everything from UK retailers, but now need to order from the US.

Do you find Walthers expensive for postage to Europe?

thanks,

Mal