I spent the last several months finishing a Walthers Modulars kit made of various sections.
It represents a A&P Food Cold Storage warehouse. I built it as a complete building to include a Truck Dock, Rail Dock, office etc… I thought it came together quite well except for a few “built in” problems that I attribute to my own methods of structure building.
I used a camcorder to get the photos instead of the camera which is out of action at this time. The pictures are not as good as I would like them to be and reveal some small flaws in construction.
The Sign came from Bar Mills, Trucks from Mini, water tower was a HO scale SS kit. I used Blair line signs off of several of thier products mostly “Signs for industry”
The are plans to incorperate this industry with several rail tracks to accomodate a large number of various reefers in a given workday. The rest of the complex is not yet completed but things like Telephone poles, gaurdshack and fencing along with landscaping are in the future.
The building was painted in several testors colors and dullcoated. I may weather the building someday. Lights probably will be installed at some point in the future along with the workers etc.
I dont know the full cost of this building. However there are many blank wall sections which only came in groups of 4 per package. I do have a pile of various windows and walls etc left over that will greatly reduce the cost of the next building or two I might build in the future. I think that is the downside of such a large structure, having to purchase number of packages just to get at certain componets that are needed and setting the others aside in the “Parts” box for future use.
Without further ado:
Truck Dock Overall
Rail Dock Overall
Railcar Dock Sizing
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I can smell the ammonia already!!
nice job SV, that would be a nice project for a peninsula
COOL!!! (couldn’t resist, sorry)
Nice job the finished product looks great. I’m still laying track and watching the building boxes pile up. Again good job!
Guy
Awesome job! Just looking at it gave me the chills. Keep up the good work! [:)]
-Brandon
Looks great!
Other than having to buy so many packages to get what you wanted, how was assembling the Walthers Modulars? Is it as easy as they would like you to believe? I’ve looked at them several times while at my LHS but I haven’t tried them yet. Plus I would think a building with much size would get pricey even if there are a lot of leftover parts for other projects.
Bryan
Looks real nice. I have been thinking of a similar project but have been holding off. Wasn’t sure if the kits went together as easy as they make it seem? I have the need for several odd shaped bldg and the modular kits would seem to fit the bill. Tks for sharing.
Terry[8D]
SV, you’ve done a nice job on your cold store. And it’s great to see a model structure large enough to support rail service! How often do you see a lineside “industry” that’s smaller than the boxcar spotted beside it?
All the best,
Mark.
Thanks!
It is pricey. No doubt about it. I sat down and audited the project.
Just the blank walls alone came out to 16 walthers packages and of course I used other packages for the rest of the structure. The result was a very expensive large structure. The upside is I probably have enough windows, doors flat roofs etc to create a “Family” of buildings in the future. So off the top of the head about 150- for the walls and 50- for the rest give or take a little. The Barmills Sign, Water tower and trucks etc are extra that already existed on the shelf waiting to be installed.
I started with a base with three sections and the foundation peices. I called one corner #1 and literally worked around each of the other corners in a connect the dots fashion. The foundation and bases came together very tightly and some cutting etc was needed. I cannot stress enough that you need a level surface and a very good foundation.
Then the walls went on one floor at a time, per section. I was told that it is better to build one complete wall with two stories as a “Sheet” and tend to agree. The margin of error increases with building length. I contended with the final sections on the roof and one corner area that were about 2-4 HO scale feet off. Some butchery was needed to get them in.
For example the canopies. When they were assembled and ready, all 16 of them I discovered that they would “Rub” each other and knock the last 3 or so off the walls because of the error between each palisters. (The wall peices that go between the main wall sections) So out came the sand paper and I filed off the excess all the way down to the brackets and the result was a lesson in measuring, filing, measuring and repeating until it just fits.
Clamps, all kinds of glues, note taking and planning almost daily went into the project. It was very stressful to me as I wanted it to come together correctly the first time especially considering the expense involved in the walters modul
Safety Valve you are a Master modeler now!!! Kevin
thats cool wen i build some thing like that i get worryed wen i lift it down th steps
That? Pick it up from any angle and carry it, the base has a series of cross ribs that serve as handles quite well. I worry about banging it into door frames and around corners. That is one reason I inserted blocks under the roof, over the frame and in a few other high stress places. I over glued it for strength in many areas.