Which is better? Walthers White Tower Restaurant http://www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/PROD/933-3030 or Atlas’ Roadside Restaurant www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/PROD/150-0760 ?
I have the White Tower which is based on the White Castle restaurants which like Wendy’s began in Columbus, OH. It has decals for White Castle. It is a very simple, basic kit. Four walls, a roof and a simple tower. I don’t have the Atlas but it if memory serves it is based on a Howard Johnson’s but uses many componets from their small station kit, including the roof. A little more involved but still pretty basic.
The White (slider) Castle looks better. The Burger King kit has them both beat though.
Who makes the Burger King Kit?
Luke,
If it were me, I’d go with the White Castle (Tower). It has more personality; both for decor and for food selection. (Home of the Bellybomber.) To me, the other kit looks more like a HoJos (Howard Johnsons).
Tom
It would really depend on where you were going to put it. The White Tower is more of an urban or suburban restaurant, more at home in a cityscape or town. HoJo’s made their reputation as a “road” restaurant, often at highway rest stops. These would be seen along a large to medium sized roadway.
Also, what do you think of adding an interior to the restaurant? The HoJo restaurant has rather small windows, so it would be sufficient to put in a light bulb unless the restaurant is in the immediate foreground. The White Tower, on the other hand, has really big windows. A simple bulb inside would show to the eye, but the big windows give you a great opportunity to scratch-build a couple of bench seats and a counter to add character to the building.
Just to add, White Tower really did exist as a Hamburger chain: Wiki Link, but apparently it’s only a few outlets let nowadays.
I’ve always liked the “Art Deco” style. I just about lived in the White Castle by my house back east, So my choice is the Walther’s kit…
The original Atlas was a HoJos, but some time later they changed it to a more generic Roadside Restaurant. They still kept well known HoJos the orange roof. I have one in my collection of “old model kits that I may use someday”.
I thought at one time there was an unauthorized McDonalds resturant kit produced in HO scale. I have seen the Burger King kit. Someone also has a KFC kit on the market.
I like White Castle/Tower better than HoJos.
I have the White Castle on my layout.
Rotor
Nothing like a White Castle…Take home a sack today!!..The Atlas Roadside is thier Railroad station just worked over…check it out…Cox 47
The White Towet takes up smaller foot print than the Atlas, so you would have additional space available to you.
If it is the one I am thinking of - Vollmer - Walthers part # 770-3632 - like $60.00. You may also want to check out http://www.summit-customcuts.com/homeproducts.html
Yep, Vollmer.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/770-3632
I am curious as to why there is no MacDonald’s kit available. Is it because the company won’t give permission. It seems like it would be a popular kit. I would love to get one of the old Golden Arches hamburer stands before they went to the style with the indoor seating. I’ve seen a few of those retro style restaurants in a few locations but that are drive throughs, not the walk up kind I worked in when I was in high school. Back then, the typical Mickey D’s had a glassed in lobby with no indoor seating. Ours had a few outdoor tables but most people either ate in their cars or took their food home.
In my younger day, White Castle was where you stopped at 3:00 am after a night of heavy drinking. The theory was you loaded up on them before you went to bed to prevent a hangover the next day. Instead, you got a gas attack. They were also one of the few places still open all night. It was either that or IHOP and who needs a stack of pancakes with blueberry compote at that hour.
Don’t tell that to people in Ohio , indiana , Missouri and New York city. It’s still a large chain across those areas. I’d rather stop there than any other place. When I travel west from Pennsylvania , I stop in Cleveland for my first fix. then Columbus for my second fix , then Dayton, Indianapolis and St Louis Mo. That’s the last one heading out west. ( I’m a member of the Cravers hall of Fame)
I have one of the white Castles on my layout , put an interior in and the cooking area is visible from the front.
And for the one who mentioned the McDonalds kit. I believe it was Revell that put it out years ago, I have one. The clown sued them for infringement so Revell had to pull it.
Unfortunately, White Castles have their own inherent side effects…[xx(]
pancakes at 3:00 am ? Me and I had the physique to show it [:)]. The diner after a gig was a tradition. The only memory I have of White Castle was years later when our truck broke down on the George Washington bridge at 1am. The tow place was across from a White Castle that was hopping at 3 when we finally got settled. Served the burgers and coffee through a slit in 1" boiler plate (not thesafest neighbourhood on earth but better than lovely downtown Subic Bay). Survvived that to write responses to posts on Trains.com.
I-5 the answer is what space do you have and how much detail do you want to devote to this most American of all stores? The White Castles were mostly urban (as were Wetsons). The Hojos’ were mostly suburban, and as you well know Burger Kings and MacDonalds sprung up on every empty lot everywhere. And always remember - it’s your railroad. J.R.