Hi I am trying to figure out what style stations I am going to use on my cascade northern r.r. and I am reletively under-informed when it comes to structures of different railroads. If anyone can help I’d really appreciate it.
Most major railroads had engineering departments with standard designs for depots, freight stations, towers, etc… Your best bet for freelancing is to find either
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a railroad you interchange with that could serve as a “parent” road from which you could use their structure designs or
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Find a shortline or regional road and use their structures as a guide for kitbashing/scratchbuilding your own.
There have been many articles and drawings on “standard” structures in MRR, RMC, and other publications. Just search the index.http://trc.trains.com/en/Train%20Magazine%20Index.aspx
Interesting. I am trying to find some prototype to kind of base it off of but not an exact copy of any railroads specific station design.
Go generic with one of the station kits.
Heres one of my favorites.
https://www.walthers.com/city-station-kit-17-5-8-x-5-7-8-x-4-3-8-quot-44-8-x-14-9-x-11-1cm
PRR, SP, ATSF and others had ‘common standard’ station designs. Most small town stations followed those designs.
A book written about the N&W in the twilight of steam mentioned, “Locomotives just off the erecting floor rolling past stations, built in the 19th century, which had come with the original roads’ mergers into the transition era N&W.” Also, some towns built stations in anticipation of a railroad’s construction, in order to influence the route. Translation - get themselves a place on the main line, not two miles of muddy road away.
There were a few cases where the railroad posted the plans of a ‘common standard’ flagstop in order to have the city fathers finance a more grandiose structure.
So, what’s the history of your road? Was it built through virgin country? Was it influenced by a population already in place? Maybe Fred Flintheart offered a re-purposed bunkhouse if the railroad would build through his land… All reasons to have either a single standard design or a patchwork of no-two-alike buildings.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with non-identical stations)
Cascade Northern sounds like the Pacific Northwest.
There are drawings of various stations of the NP, GN and SP&S here:
And, of course, there are lots of photos in books and quite a few online. Here, for example, is a photo of the (former) depot at Lyle, WA:
Klickitat WA:
Kettle Falls, WA:
Standard stations in the West tended to be wood construction and not heavily decorated. Unless they weren’t and were, respectively.
I noticed while exploring the drawings (above) that there was included a drawing for a yard/freight office for Kettle Falls dated 1984.
Ed
Yes! You are correct, my railroad is set in the pacific northwest. Check out my website cascadenorthernrr.webs.com
Thanks!
American Model Builders makes kits for structures based on designs used by railroads in your area. You might consider the following:
#133 Great Northern standard depot.
#149 Northern Pacific Class A depot.
#188 Northern Pacific Class C depot.
#134 Southern Pacific number 22 depot.
#176 Southern Pacific number 22 depot, left hand (mirror image of #134).
#150 Southern Pacific number 23 depot.
#127 or #182 Union Pacific standard (Walthers Clarksville Depot is similar).
Tom
Sounds great! Actually I live in Louisiana so any photos of the pacific northwest would help!
It is probably controversial but you don’t actually have to stick to the prototype of your railroad if you like something else
It’s your railroad, so none of us have a dog in your hunt. I think there is a specific place in the national archives where you can see railroad stations. I did not bookmark it and what I found has 400+ pages; which I am not inclined to go through. However you can add other search parameter and narrow down your search. https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=railroad%20station%20photographs&f.oldScope=online&tabType=image
I believe what you are speaking of is “freelancing” correct?
Also thanks for the suggestion!
What’s great about the world wide web is that you can see pictures of anything instantly without being there. Here are two useful ways to research stuff like this.
Use the image search feature on google or yahoo to see pictures of what you are looking for. Use key words that you think are approaite for your railraod. Here is one of the images I found. this is BN in Washington but it looks like a standard Southern Pacific depot from northern California or Oregon also. The colors are usually either yellow or off white.
Use google earth in 3D mode to look at actual structures by searching for a station at a town which you are trying to copy.
Ok thanks.
Yes I was blocking on the word. I am not a rivet counter it only has to look good to me. That may not be your thing.
Lone Wolf’s photo"
If I had doctorwayne’s skills I would build something like this. 
Well I am looking for any style station for ideas not just those from the pacific northwest. You see the CNRR is operated by a consortium of railroads even some east coast roads! It exists in this alternate history where steam and diesel were NOT rivals but equals working together. So I would say I’m an EXTREME freelancer! Please check my website to get a better idea.
Others have already mentioned that the major railroads often developed standard designs that they would use, giving distinctive styles unique for each road. But they also had many stations that were built prior to the standard plans, or that were built by a predecessor small railroad line that was bought up. Lots of architectural variety out there, and lots of published photos.
Yes is there a good resource to find that? Also I would like to mention that I am not looking for a specific prototype but some inspiration for my standard design or my stations in general. (I may not abide by the standard design concept!)
Being from the PNW, many stations resembled this one.
http://www.depotsbyjohn.com/kitspg2.html
The 18 x 40 Country Depot. I believe is a Milwaukee Road prototype, buts fits GN and NP as well.
In case you decide on prototypical vs your railroad. Many wish for visitors to immediately identify where geographically your railroad represents when visiting.
Thanks! By the way can anyone tell me how to add photos to my posts?