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I found 3 Sherwin Williams Paint tank cars and it triggered building a plant to need them. This corner of the layout is to portray Emeryville, CA about 1955.
I used a pair of Walthers '"Railroad Shop" kits - radically altered - with reduced sized window openings for Tichey tiltout windows.
The animated Sherwin Williams Paint sign on the roof is from Miller Engineering - nice unit BTW. The sign is held up by a scratchbuilt framework.
The roof started as a 3/4" thick 6 by 30 inch block of laminated balsa wood that was shaped into final form using woodworking tools.
The factory has interior scenes with over 50 white LEDs inside.
The Model Power tank cars had poor running trucks that were replaced with Kadees. These tank cars were only 9 bucks each. The lettering is excellent.
That arched roof is a really great touch. I think the extra work you put into it was certainly worth it. It's great when kitbashes are not discernable from what the original kit's purpose was.
The windows and arched roof really set it off. I'm sure it would be cool to see the interior in person, you can see that there is one in the pic which is nice. Good job!
The windows are Tichey Train Group #8133 25 pane masonry tilt-out windows. I used them in sets of 3 fro each window opening. They are nicest windows I've seen in HO scale.
It's hard to see the interior until the room is dark. But here's one with the roof sign and interior lights on. The roof is glued down making it hard to see other than through the windows.
That's why I used LEDs - they will last for many years. If spiders ever nest inside it might be tricky getting to them though.
After building stuff solely from childhood impressions, I finally find pictures of the real thing. Mine model is close enough for "Hollywood-work" at least.
I found what I think was the same factory at the corner of 45th St. and Horton St. in Emeryville,CA on Google Earth Street scenes. The lobby/entry doors are on the NW corner of Sherwin St. and Horton St. Wow, I need to add that nice blue awning over the doors!
When I was a Cub Scout, we went on a trip to lots of factories in the area. The Ford plant in Richmond making 1955 Crown Vics was really cool. The most fun was the Wrigleys chewing gum factory tour. Anyone have any old photos of the gum factory by chance?
Very nice looking layout and some good pictures.
although as far as the top one i would have really liked to see some more weathering and distress on those rails and ties. they look brand new and fresh at the moment.
Ballasting at that spot is minimal so far. I make all the ballast in yard and industrial areas from fine, sifted, local rock. I ran out of dry material from a recent huge rain storm.
I hope the Chatsworth Hills are totaly dry in a week. Over a 100 years ago the SP quaried rock out of there BTW. Now its all mine!
