I’ve been noticing a marked discoloration of modern Bachmann Plasticville buildings versus original 1950’s and 60’s issue products. Especially the white plastics.
The Cathedral on the left was manufactured and purchased new maybe a dozen years ago whereas the Suburban Station on the right is the one I’ve had since at least 1972.
Anybody ever seen this level of discoloration on Plasticville buildings?
Yes, I’ve seen it with old white LEGO that’s become tan with time. It’s a common white (less so with other colors AFAIK) plastic problem from rather modern LEGO to '90s computer monitors, with no permanent solution / fix. Fire retardants (bromide, i think?) and such chemicals age in the plastic, causing this tanning to happen. UV radiation from the sun starts it usually, but it can also happen in total darkness without sunlight, due to other environmental factors. you can temporarily bleach it with certain techniques and harsh chemicals, but it will not stay that way for long and will become a loosing battle over time. Best to leave it be, honestly @pennytrains .
It’s become a serious issue so I’m going to paint a lot of my buildings before next Christmas. I belong to a Plasticville group on Facebook and I’ve been accumulating some great ideas for paint schemes from members.
Plus I remember some great articles in CTT about modifying and painting Plasticville including one on creating a “stucco look” on a bungalow. Originals in good condition like the Suburban Station and my old fire house will keep their original “sheen” that the modern versions lack.
I also saw a great rendition of a McDonald’s using a Frosty Bar.
We used to have this “problem” with the exterior plastic covers on copiers, the fire retardant in the plastic would cause the discoloration you mention. I put problem in quotes as it didn’t affect the operation of the machines at all. There was nothing to be done about it anyway.
Those are some very nice paint jobs! I like that “Miami Vice” vibe in photo 2.
It’s amazing what people do with the basic Plasticville products and some imagination!
Those photos look really nice 
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Is there a thread on the forum anywhere that anyone knows of for more ideas like these?
And that is an awesome backdrop
pennytrains, if you need ideas for house painting look no further than your neighborhood. Another good source is just looking at house listing pictures.
The houses below are 3D printed Z gauge houses I’m going to use for forced perspective in a diorama I’m planning. They are all renditions of the various models of Sears houses that were sold as 1:1 “kits” back in the first part of the 20th Century.
The house on the far right is copied from a house in the movie Akeelah and the Bee, the white house is based on a Sears house I used to live in, the single story light blue house was taken from a picture on the Sears house website - the actual house is located Cleveland. And the yellow house is the same color treatment of a house in the last neighborhood I lived in.
I recognized the one on the far right immediately as a Sears house! Even before I read the text. 
Here’s one that was talked about on a Facebook group about Cleveland Streets: Past And Present that caught my eye.
Can’t imagine why 
Those groups also connected me with photos of places I remember that are sadly now long gone.
SOHIO gas stations were everywhere.
Remember them?
EVERYBODY shopped at Uncle Bill’s!
The Mercury was my favorite theater where I saw Star Wars and so many big movies of the 70s and 80s.
In case you were wondering who Kenny King was he was our local Kentucky Fried Chicken connection. The building was originally a HoJo and it survived today.
Remember these?
And here, ladies and gentlemen, was the place most likely to cause any and all forms of currency to leap out of my pocket! 
How about an entirely different approach? , especially if that one picture with the '48 or so cars is your layout. My Dad bought our Lionels when i was 7. All buildings were Plasticville. For the past 68 years i’ve done nothing but attempt to make the layout more realistic. And one day i realized Plasticville was holding that effort back. So slowly and economically, began to replace with various kits and items picked up anywhere. Huge difference, in my opinion.
It’s just a holiday thing.
Nothing says Christmas like Lionel Trains and Little lighted Plasticville houses under the tree.
But for the rest of the year, I’m building a few structures completely from scratch using cardstock, illustration board and stuff laying around the house.
I started a water tower to go with the coaling tower I built a couple of years ago and I’ve been collecting resources for a grist mill.
