jwb Wrote:But remember that in many areas, the old-style main street with brick storefronts has given way to ...

We did find a lot of strips of old brick buildings in small towns at the country side. Most of those town are to small to attract a Walmart. They got a smaller "noname" supermarket at the outskirt. The old brick building strip is physically still existing but in lousy shape. Lots of stores are unused, empty or used for pawn shops etc. It is sad to drive through those small town as a tourist but it must be worse if you are young and hungry for the colorful world or if you are old and remember how your home town has been many years ago. When we traveled in the 90' most small town has a small and simple but friendly restaurant we got a nice lunch (e.g. liver, mashed potatoes and gravy for less than $5). They were easy to identify by the trucks of the local plumber, mechanic, , sheriff etc. parking in front. We found that has also changed. They have all been replaced by fast food restaurants chains....
However, what I want to say is that I do try to freelance one of those many small nameless towns with two industries still alive and therefor some trains serving them. The commercial strips are a leftover from better times.

Garbage cans, palettes, gas meter etc. are on order. Will take some weeks.... and added some details

faraway Wrote:

jwb Wrote:They got a smaller "noname" supermarket at the outskirt. The old brick building strip is physically still existing but in lousy shape. Lots of stores are unused, empty or used for pawn shops etc. It is sad to drive through those small town as a tourist but it must be worse if you are young and hungry for the colorful world or if you are old and remember how your home town has been many years ago.

See, this is the world I'm used to.

Yeah, I just spent the afternoon walking around Old Town Alexandria where the brick storefronts have given way to upscale boutiques and cupcake shops. But I'm used to those dead towns where its been 1975 for the last 37 years. I grew up in Butler PA and that town hasn't changed since the day Pullman-Standard shut down the plant. Well, it has changed in the sense that things go out of business. The Wal-Mart is always to blame, but those businesses were already dead before they built the big boxes. You can't expect to stay in business when you're not open seven days a week and close at 530. But that's a whole tangent.

Some more details and did the ground

The ground cover is looking great!

You have a gift Rienhard...honestly. You actually make me feel guilty for not doing any work on my layout, the speed and seeming "ease' at which you transform your layout each week really is inspirational... I have only managed to post a new video but otherwise done no work on my SSWUPinSA Layout at all.

As always... ... I Like!!!!

SSWUPinSA Wrote:....you transform your layout each week ...

You picked the right time I did just start to transform the rear left corner an hour ago. I felt I would like to have a large warehouse replacing the grain silos and elevator building.

Reinhard,
a great change to a very impressive building - and I would like to see more about this project!

Bernhard, here we go. The long front wall (107cm / 42") made from two Walthers kits "American Hardware Supply" needs some horizontal support while handling. The short vertical supports are handy to stabilize the wall during testing on the layout.



All openings at the 1.st level have been closed with brick walls. Burglars are not invited at all! Some other windows have been closed random. Six elements will be used for loading gates.
Next step will be the basic paint coats from the rattle can of plastic primer and light gray/light brown. The bricks (just added and under each window) must will be get red paint with a brush. That will take some time... I am not sure about the light gray/brown layer. The original plastic tone is right but plastic needs to get a coat of paint to look right . It is difficult to get a rattle can other than light gray primer that is absolute dull. Most rattle cans are gloss or semi gloss. Both is not suitable for a building.
We are expecting windy weather. Working with the rattle can on the balcony will be a challenge... Last time gusty wind had only one direction "into my face

You're right, the basic plastic color is correct, since the facing material is terra cotta tile. Since I live in LA, and that's a very typical LA-style art deco building, I tend to see it every day as a very light tan. However, terra cotta tile comes in other colors <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.mosaictileco.com/color_terracotta_ceramic_tile_porcelain_tile_and_stone.htm">http://www.mosaictileco.com/color_terra ... _stone.htm</a><!-- m -->

jwb Wrote:You're right, the basic plastic color is correct,....

If I can not find a matching rattle can I may try to mix a color form Tamiya as close as possible matching the original plastic color and give it a thin coat with the brush. Just to get rid of the plastic shine.
I wonder it is terra cotta tiles. I assumed it is all concrete. Thank you for the valuable information!

As expected no perfect matching light brown could be found in a rattle can. Beside the usual boxcar red primer was "terra cotta" the only brown available. This is not the terra cotta the prototype tiles are made of. They have been burned twice and glazed. This terra cotta is intended to be sprayed on cheap flower pots to look Mediterranean. But it is absolute dull and I gave it a try. The bricks are painted with Tamiya XF-64 Red Brown. Both paints result in a rough surface.



Next is a mortal wash made from light gray paint I use for concrete roads too. The mortal wash toned the terra cotta nice down.



And a final black wash had the expected effect on the bricks and toned the front down.



ps. If you do not like it at all I will call it a German layout in the area of Mainz at the river Rhine and the red building is made of local limestone hock:

The thin light gray window frames are nice and got glued in place as is.
The building will not have any interior. I plan to paint all window flat black from the inside but I have got a question:

It is quite common to see the windows of larger industry buildings painted white from the inside. What is the reason to do so ?

I know these white windows also from here, Germany - and in most cases from the former Russian casern.
In first is works like a sune curtain with a high grade of light passage. And second, and this was the reason for use by russians, it was a screen agains views from outside. And this was the cheapest curtain which was available, white chalk.

Bernhard is right, it's to avoid heat buildup.

I think that one reason for painting the windows white might be for the light reflective qualities of white. Black tends to absorb light while white is reflective.

I also think most businesses would have gas lines and meters. Even in Southern California, it gets cold enough to need heaters in winter, plus a lot of industries need heat for their industrial procedures. You might find electric heat in the Pacific Northwest because of all of the hydroelectric plants along the Columbia River results in cheaper electricity. In most of the rest of the country, natural gas is much cheaper. Here in So Cal, my combination gas & garbage collection bill typically runs around $60.00 per month. Electricity typically runs @ $100.00-$125.00 per month. This is with setting my ac thermostat for the central heating/air conditioning @ 80 degrees f. I also have an electrically heated spa in the back yard. I conserve electricity by running the heater one to two hours per day, or even every other day.