I would like to make some signs that sit on top of tall buildings for my layout. These signs are typically tall letters mounted on framework like the one in the photo below. What are my various options to make such signs? Decals on clear plastic? Stickers? Cut out lettters? I need some help and advice. Thanks.
Rich
This is a Blair Line laser-cut sign :
GE_Warehse by Edmund, on Flickr
Here’s a link to the Blair Line Santa Fe sign.
http://www.blairline.com/cutouts/page8.html
Blair has a set of letters, too:
http://www.blairline.com/cutouts/page7.html
This one is done using Plastruct alphabet sets:
Another Blair Line:
and this one, on the left, was made using cafeteria menu board letters with scratch built styrene framework:
If you provide the art, their is a company called LITKO that will laser cut the letters from acrylic for you.
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I am sure their are many other companies that will do the same thing.
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One of the Woodland Scenics Gold DPM kits came with a kit and letters for such a sign. I have bought a few of them leftovers and loose at train shows, but the font is wrong for your sign.
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-Kevin
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OK, guys, thanks for that info.
Let me up the ante a bit on my search. I am planning different signs including, but not limited to, the Santa Fe sign. Like the Santa Fe sign though, the signs that I need to make will include both capital letters and small case letters. And some signs will be white letters and some signs will be red letters.
Rich
I made such a sign for my fanciful “Moose Mills” background building. I bought wood lettering at a craft store and painted it black.
I am more enamored of the Miller Engineering signs. These provide both illumination and animation. I build simple support frames from balsa strips, and, with the proper resistors to step down the voltage, I can wire them directly to my lamp bus and eliminate the need for special power supplies or batteries.
This is just a though, take it however you wish, but you could 3D print a sign like that. I don’t know how practical this is however, as you would have to design the letters and get them printed at a higher quality so the characteristic lines of 3D printing wouldn’t appear too much. That could get expensive.
If the lettering is common and readily available in some other form, that may be easier and/or more economical.
The three- dimensional lettering on my P & M LANGUAY factory was done with a plastic alphabet set found in the craft department of a nearby hobbyshop, now gone.
Such letters could also be used in the manner shown in the photo in the first post of this thread.
I’d like to find a set in a different font than the one I’ve used, but will likely use Letraset dry transfers on .060" sheet styrene, then cut them out as individual letters to make a stand-up sign for the platform awning of Dunnville’s train station.
It’s right across the street from Languay’s…hence the need for a different font.
Wayne
Take a look through Hobby Lobby’s scrapbooking stickers. They have at least two or three styles of chipboard letters apptiximately 1/8" thick- good price too all under $5 then less with coupon. They also have the menu board lettering. It will be quite a bit harder to find lower case lettering. 
Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions and ideas. They are all good, but I remain uncertain how to proceed.
What I need is a lettering scheme containing both upper case letters and lower case letters in a font that closely resembles the lettering on the prototype signs that I want to install on some tall buildings.
What I am thinking of doing is to set up the lettering scheme on my home printer to get close to what I want and then go to someplace like Kinko’s and see if they can print vinyl stickers on a clear background or maybe decals that I can mount on a clear acrylic background atop the buildings as in that photo I attached in my initial post on this thread.
Has anyone done anything like what I am proposing?
Rich
Were it Me…I would rather use the Miller Eng. large sign, instead of going You’re route. 46 different animated lighted variations to choose from with a touch of a button. Great focal point in the dark or day. I always receive great comments on all the lighted signs on the layout…makes it come alive, with all the signs I have on the layout…
Good Luck on Your decision!
Frank
Frank, as always, good to hear from you.
I do agree with you that the Miller Engineering signs are outstanding. I do not own any, but I have considered their product line in the past. After I read your post, I went back and looked at their website and, to my surprise, they actually have a Meadow Gold sign which is one the signs that I am considering for my new layout.
Here is my problem. I want to faithfully reproduce the sign on top of the building to replicate the one on the prototype. To do that, I need a specific size in terms of height and width and exact letterting with a specific font type. I do not believe that Miller Engineering accepts custom design orders and even if they did, it would probably be cost prohibitive, at least relative to the benefit.
I should have been more specific in my initial post as to what I am trying to do and what I am looking for. I think that my most practical solution for the issue at hand is to figure out some way to have a printer, home or commercial, print out a sign in upper and lower case letters that can be applied to a clear solid background mounted on the old style wood or metal billboard framework. That solution will likely be a vinyl sticker or a decal set up.
Rich
A quick search for “plastic three dimensional alphabet sets, in various fonts and sizes for scale models” came up with a few sites that may be of interest.
Letters and numbers - railway models
Wayne
Wayne, you got my attention with those links, in particular the Plastic Letters - Any Size. These are upper case and lower case acrylic letters that can sized to my exact requirements. The cost would be just around $50.
Thank you so much for those links. I need to give some serious consideration to going this route.
Rich
Blair Line makes a rooftop Santa Fe billboard which has the correct lettering (and logo if you want) with all the necessary support framing.
Check it out here: http://www.blairline.com/cutouts/page8.html
