Roundhouse Kitbash Buildings

I am looking for some feedback on possible businesses for a slightly run down 1949 downtown small town. The layout is set in SW Missouri and NW Arkansas, so I am looking for business that would have been in the area in the late 1940's. I prefer businesses that are local to this four-state area, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, or Arkansas. There are four buildings I have not filled yet. Two of the 1-story, and two of the 2-story buildings. there are one each of brick and stone. Don't limit your thinking to the window and doors in the picture, as they are easily kit-bashed. 

 

These are the two kits assembled per the instructions. 

Some of the stores I have thought of, although I have already found out there were know Duckwalls in this area. I need four businesses.  The upstairs can be apartments, or an additional business. 

This building has four businesses in it, a bank, a barber shop, a newspaper office, a bar and grill, and an attorney upstairs. Obviously, few of these are finished.

As mentioned above, I can kit-bash them. Here are some examples. This Newmans Department store is the same kit as the one above but in brick. I simply assembled the building modules differently. I used different doors than came with the kit, and cut in a new front window.

In the rear I cut in a freight door.

This is one I am working on, it originally had two windows, but I mulled three together.

With this powerhouse, I simply added a small section to make it "L" shaped. 

I also have many spare modules, so I can change out sections as needed.

Jordan Spreader Kitbash, + 3 Tank cars, Blue Boxes, etc.

I did not take virtually any in progress pictures of this project.  Just guessing, but I probably started this five years ago.   I believe I have all of  the Roundhouse 3-in-1 kitbash kits.  The other two  

I built the handrails with styrene, and the generator using the hood from an N scale locomotive. 

 I weathered the model with craft acrylics, then used weathering powders to blend it all together.

 A little goes a long way, and I always put down a paper towel to keep it from getting everywhere.

Link to the directions on one of the designers pages, http://kitbash.ourpage.com/3in1/1516a.pdf

 Ready for window glass.  

 A rear view, showing the brake detail.

 The frame is the same frame as the Roundhouse Old Time Tank Car.

 Lots of sheet and strip styrene in this kitbash.

Other 3-in-1 kits can be seen at these links.

http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2010/08/i-am-dull-boy.html

http://nvrr49.blogspot.com/2009/10/kitbashes-and-craftsman-kits.html

I was going through my collection of tank car kits, and came across these three Athearn blue box kits, and figured they would be quick builds.  

Vintage HO Model Kits, a couple Red Ball kits.

I like to build the old kits, using modern materials when I feel it fits the project.  I have seven vintage kits I just finished up, and will be posting them over the next couple weeks.  Here are a couple Red Ball Kits, that date back when cars had printed paper sides, and consisted of wood and metal parts...pre-plastic, for the most part.

Red Ball Tank/Box Car

I picked this up off eBay.  It had lots of damage, but it was a kit I had been wanting, and it looked repairable.  This was a prototype for an early tank car and box car combination.  The thought was that one would fill either the tank portion or the box portion, so the car could be hauling a payload in both directions.

This was a paper side kit, with cast metal details.  The ends and underframe are metal, and the roof is wood.  With a lot of weathering, it came out acceptable.

Red Ball Poultry Car

This was also a paper side kit, bit I did not use the paper sides.  I scratch built most of the model from wood, wire and tulle.  

 The only parts of the kit I used were the cast metal ends, the feed box (the wood block under the floor on this side), the wood roof details, and the metal ladders. 

 The rest is either parts from the parts bin, or scratch built.  All the lettering was done with decals, one letter at a time, based on the original paper sides.

This is the original paper side I used for inspiration.  

Next up, some Roundhouse metal kits I picked up at the Amherst Show a couple years ago.  I also have a Penn Line tender I built in to a water car, and trackside water tank that is a 1949 kit...,so it fits my modeling era perfectly. 

Until next time.  

2-4-4-0 Steam Engine, kitbashed HO scale

This is a static (non-powered) model assembled from a long out of production Roundhouse 3-1 kitbashing kit.  This kit is part of a long out of production series of kits designed to be kitbashed.  Most included three different projects, this one, even though it is called a 3-in-1 kit, it is really just one, but it can be built may different ways.  As is the case with all these kits, there is a lot of cutting and fitting involved, and outside parts that must be added.  Below is one of 12 pages of instruction, not detailed instructions, but ideas on different ways one might build the engine.  With all the different options, there will be lots of parts left over to use for junk around the railroad yard.

Instructions for this and other kits may be accessed through this link.  Gerry Dombroski was one of the designers on several of the kits, and has put together a great resource here.
 http://kitbash.ourpage.com/index-linked.htm

Here are a couple views of the kit ready to be weathered.  Since I have never weathered a steam locomotive, I am looking for direction.  I plan on this being a derelict engine, setting on an overgrown siding.

An overhead shot.  Any feedback on weathering and/or additional detailing, based on the idea it is an out of service engine, is appreciated.

Yes, I do other things than just 3d printing HO scale items.  I have some logging cabins on skids I am in the process of kitbashing using some Atlas cabins.  I should have them done in a few weeks.  

BUT, I am also 3d printing all the buildings for a farm diorama.  I will be doing blog entries on it's progress, but you can follow along in one thread on mrrrforums.com.  Here is a direct link to the thread. 

 http://www.kitforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=8723