structures

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

has anyone assembled structures from Railway Design Assoc?

if so, any tricks or problems?

thanks

2

No I haven’t but I’ll let you know after I build the one I just ordered after reading your post. Some nice looking kits if they fit your era and the price seem way more then fair A lot less expensive then an FSM kit which models a similar style of architecture. It appears these are injection molded styrene as opposed to wood but styrene is just fine with me. Thanks for the info.

3

I have about 4 of the RDA kits and have built one. My first impression was that they were going to be great models, and they do look good, but not without a lot of hand work. The molded parts don’t fit as well as most other kits I have built(plastic kits only) and the walls are not flat and the edges are tapered more than most kits. I built the switch tower kit and it looks very good, but as I said, with a lot of hand work. I replaced the stair handrails with scratch build ones from strip styrene as the kit ones are way too thick. The additional detail parts that come with most of the RDA kits is very poor; I tried to make the oil drums round and make the two halves match somewhat, but finally trashed them; too much work.

I am looking forward to building the Blaney’s Iron Works building complex (3 buildings connected) because it has so much character and detail, but now know how much work it is going to be. If you don’t mind the aggrivation of parts not fitting and the amount of work you have to put into it, the end results will be very satisfactory. My tower model looks really great and will be installing it on my layout whenever it is ready for structures.

But, I won’t be purchasing any additional RDA models. I will stick with the Walthers, DPM and some of the European models.

Bob

4

Hi,

Don’t know nothing about them, but the pics on their site look great and have an FSM look anyway.

Hope to see more models to come whith these affordable prices for you HO modelers.

Unfortunately their line didn’t exist in Nscale…[:(]

Marc

5

I purchased 4-5 of these kits off ebay about a half-dozen years ago, when they were selling them to the highest bidder. Got some good deals, too! I had forgotten about them, having moved onto other facets of the layout the past couple of years. These kits look GREAT on my layout!..The finished product does take a bit of extra work for a plastic kit, but the results are well worth it. And there ARE a few issues with some pieces not quite fitting properly, but they are easily overcome. Your post caused me to check out their website, and they have some neat-looking new kits. Now I’m going to have to buy one! Thanks!!

6

Thanks for all the feedback. I may still purchase their kits because they look so great, despite the extra handwork needed.

Thanks again

Go Team USA

7

I have one. I found the instructions to be less than complete, and fit of parts to be less than accurate. I am going to have to rebuild one entire wing of the structure with a different wall. If I had it to do over, now knowing what I know now, I would pass.

Rick

8

I got one of these kits about a year ago, didn’t get to build it yet because the instructions only seem to be half there.I have built quit a few craftman kits with no problem, but for some reason this kits instructions just does not seem to be all there.Every once in a while I go back to it to give it another shot, but end up put it back in the box.