Name that Layout

[COMBAT]

I did some more modeling today and started my set up on my long thought out commercial corner. I bought both of these kits for this specific place on the layout. These buildings have some apartments on the upper floors and two businesses on the ground floor, but it wasn’t always that way.

These buildings have been around since the beginning of the town, long before the shipping container facility was built and the railroad moved in. The buildings were in a key location for this once sleepy fishing village. They were close enough to the waters and docks to sell bait and other supplies yet far enough to still attract people to stay the night in the upper floors as both buildings use to be competing Hotels.

Now a days, the buildings are a small IGA Market and a Picorellis Ice Cream parlor that pride themselves on keeping the past and its traditions alive. The upper floors of the buildings have been converted from small hotel rooms to large updated lofts. Both businesses help maintain these old and historic buildings while the City continues to grow and at one point even threatened the buildings existence.

When expansion of the BNSF Railway Container Facility was proposed 4 years ago the buildings were on the chopping block for this larger and more sophisticated terminal. BNSF needed to do something to keep the facility open. It wasn’t able to keep up on the demand and the City could not afford to lose this business to its community since it makes up the majority of jobs for the City . The taxes the port provides also allows the City to pay for its Fire, Police and highway improvements. BNSF first proposed that the terminal facility take over this area for more container storage and to allow more train movement. The city agreed and plans were made.

After the City and BNSF put the notice out that the buildings were going to be destroyed for growth and jobs for the City people immediately protested the destruction of these landmark buildings. They are two of only 5 original buildings left in the city from its original days of its prior fishing roots. The people said find another way to grow the terminal yet save our history. BNSF and the City went back to the drawing board and found a way. It would cost a lot more money to do but it was possible. The reason this idea wasn’t used before was just that. They would have to move a mountain and expand the facility out into the bay.

BNSF struck a deal with the City. BNSF would pay for all of the facilities expansions if the city would pay for its roadways to accommodate the new facility. This would save the historic buildings and would off set the cost for BNSF of the new plans. The City took out a loan to pay for the road ways, BNSF started construction and the rest is history.

The following pictures show my modeling progress towards the above story. You can see the area cleared out and the area being prepared for the buildings placement. The elevated area is a piece of card board that has been cut and the drive ways tapered to allow a ramp effect. I then used dry wall compound to cover the cardboard and start to shape the curbs.









I then placed a first coat or "road color" paint on the entire area. This allows a protective coat to keep future glues and other paints from damaging or distorting the foundation of the scene I am going for.









I like to sand down the area for its final look after this coat of paint dries. It allows me to see the areas that need more attention easy because the darker color really shows the flaws. While this dries I went and worked on a small area behind a bridge. I added some plants, a tree and worked on a rail crossing.







After I completed that area I went back to the building site. I sanded the area and made some adjustments. I also repainted the area for its final coat of paint, "road color".









Building placement and testing for fit. Some of the details for the surrounding area of the building site is on the roofs. Just ignore it for now.





Sorry the building is elevated here because of its wiring sticking out of the back. It will be fixed later. If you look close you can see some of the hand painted vegetables in the windows on display for sale. My wife does all my painting!













Now the final coat after sanding and shaping the curbs better. I will have to wait till the paint drys to make sure its final but I felt pretty good about the setup. The curbs, drives and side walk will be painted gray later to represent the concrete.







Thanks for looking.