Since getting into MRRing a little over 5 years ago, like so many others - I started looking at the world completely different - i.e. with a modeler’s eye. Buildings, structures, trees, signs - you name it; if I wasn’t taking a digital picture of it, I was at least taking a mental one so that I could come up with new modeling ideas for my layout. Even pouring through old books, magazines, and visual media (DVDs and VHS tapes) became a learning experience.
The reason I bring this up is because Bob (Seamonster) posted a picture of an old time gas station in Boissevain, Manitoba that he had ran across recently in his travels. In Bob’s words, “It looks just like the gas stations from the 1930s that so many like to model. This one is still going, selling gas and repairing vehicles.”
This topic was a great idea. To bad we couldn’t throw out a DCC forum and get this on in it’s place. I love looking at old pics like those. Why was the other thread locked???
OK, I’ll bite… This is what is left of an old Grain Elevator located in Canandaigua, NY. When I was a kid, my father used to buy his cattle feed here. I can still remember the smell of the grains and the molasses mixed together.
Benham’s Elevator:
Back side:
I have an HO scale blueprint of the building drawn by a friend. I intend to scratchbuild it this winter.
OK, here’s one I happen to have in my image library: The Woodstock Inn, a biker’s bar right beside the grade crossing of the B&O [now CSX] Old Main Line across Woodstock Road in my hometown of Woodstock, MD. I hope to model it myself some day - every once in awhile they have Hot Rod shows in their parking lot, that would give me an excuse to park some 1950-70’s vintage muscle cars on my layout.
Here’s the structure as we approach the crossing:
…a full-frontal view:
…and the other end. I couldn’t get directly behind to shoot a full view of the rear of the building…
Great idea for a thread. I dug through my photos, and had forgotten I took some shots of this abandoned concrete plant in New Hope, PA. It was originally served by rail, as the NH&I spur that is now their dead line behind their shop extended several hundred feet further onto the property.The rail facilities are long gone.
I had to climb through a thicket of tree branches to get into the decrepit office (the 1 story structure in the right of the first photo, which I should have gotten in frame) and shot some pictures of the rotting office equipment, including these Toledo truck scales. The floor didn’t feel too sturdy!
For those of you that have seen pictures of my trestle in progress, you may recognize this first one. It’s the Red Jacket Trestle on the former Milwaukee Road just south of Mankato MN. The second picture is of the former Union station in Mankato. It was owned by the CNW/Omaha Road and still stands today. It is now the home of a few attorneys and my financial advisor. His location had no bearing on why I chose him![:D]
Thanks Mike! I sure wish the area I’m modeling (northern Ohio) was as hilly as around here in central Maryland, mine will need to be on a somewhat flatter surface.
Corey - that station looks like it came right out of the Walthers catalog, what a find!
Thanks for asking the question. My original intention was so that this thread could have a fresh start and that pictures wouldn’t be posted to both threads. (Hence, why I linked to the other thread in the OP.)
However, now after mulling it over; the original spark for this may have come from Bob’s thread…but there was absolutely NO viable nor good reason for me to lock his thread in the first place…and it was wrong of me to do that. [] I was too focused on getting this one started that lost sight of what I was doing. [D)]
Mike, thanks for the 2 by 4 upside the head…really! I’ve now reopened Bob’s thread. Bob, forgive me for infringing on your original thread.
Ken, I’m using two Walthers City Stations to try and recreate the second floor and roof line. You’re right though, I could almost use the kit by itself. I drive past this Depot twice a day so it’s something that’s fun for me to model.
I have to apologize for using a picture that’s not mine. It is courtesy of the Blue Earth County Historic Society. This is a picture of a mill that I am currently trying to reproduce on a little smaller scale. It is still in operation, though the silos have been replaced in my lifetime.
This is a picture that I took of the reverse side, current day.
No problem. I really really appreciate you explaining it. That’s what we need more of around here my friend. Now lets get this topic going strong, LOL. I am spending all day tomorrow looking thru old pictures of stuff to add to this.
Two humble structures that still may make interesting little vignettes on a model railroad layout:
Old wooden two story hotel outhouse in a museum, near Virginia City, Montana, summer of 2008. In the olden days, guests staying at the hotel used the elevated walkway to reach the upstairs bathroom, bar patrons used the downstairs bathroom.
Fortunately for the bar guests, the throne in the upstairs bathroom is set a little further to the rear than the throne in the downstairs one [:D]
RR crossing protected by manual swing gate. Belt Line crossing, Minnesota Commercial Railroad, Roseville, MN, summer of 2007.
Here is a small business scene - tow boat pushing a single interesting looking barge on the Mississippi River, near St. Paul, MN, summer of 2006:
Ah yes, an excellent idea has come up with a bumper crop by the looks of things. I’ve got a few here
These two were found in Ripley ON. A former feed supply store
This one is right next door to the feed supply store. Behind these buildings rested 3 tractors–an old McCormick-Deering, A Massey Ferguson and another one that I could not quite identify.
BTW—if touring the backroads for a day trip–pack a lunch or summat–some places that may appear on the map may not be as big as one would think.We did find out that around here that places around 1500 and up may actually support some diners so have fun but bring along lunches—just in case
We also fell over about 8 ghost town sites that we are currently researching. If you find any places like that–leave the stuff there–some of these places are now on private property—
Thanks for posting this! [tup] I’ve become really intrigued by early signals. I’ve already scratch-built a couple of ball signals. I saw one like this on a NYC DVD recently and thought it would be a fun one to model. The details of the manual swing gate (Franklin, IN?) weren’t as clear as I wanted in the DVD so this will help greatly. Thanks again! [:D]
This is the Southern Pacific Colton CA. Depot and Express building. They are still standing in the pictured condition. It would make a great railroad park as the BNSF diamond is about 100 yards west. To bad the tower and mill were removed long ago.
These structures are located at the 9th street exit off the 10 freewy.
I lurk here but don’t often post, however, this thread seems pretty worthwhile. I don’t have any pics to show, but, as I’m sure Norfolk-Western fans already know, there is a museum in Roanoke, Va. that houses the photo work of O. Winston Link. The photo contents on the museum are available to the general public just by accessing its web site. I’m not a big steamer fan, but the photo archives in this collection are awesome. Most were taken just prior to, and during the transition era and Link loved steam! The archives are a transition modelers dream and all you have to do is Google his name, and voila!
] I was too focused on getting this one started that lost sight of what I was doing. [D)]
