Peter's Model Railroading | My Library | Magazine Categories
Structures - Industrial Articles

3 Great Scratchbuilding Ideas

The author describes techniques for how he scratchbuilds windows and doors, making styrene walls with openings using the snap-and-glue techniques (breaking the walls up into sections), and how to model asphalt shingle siding (using heavy bond, or manila folder, paper).

A Block of Brick Industrial Buildings

The center fold-out of this issue is a complete scaled drawing of a group of multi-story industrial buildings found in one block in Binghamton, N.Y. Includes prototype photos, as well as a trackplan with dimensions.

A Coal Loader for the Roakandee Mountain RR

This small truck-to-rail facility is based on the real ones throughout Appalachia. Includes model photos and detail drawings.

A Firecracker Factory

A simple scratchbuild project of an 3.5" x 8" HO-scale model of a small firecracker plant. Scale drawings and model photos are included.

A Large Industry for a Small Layout

This article covers how to kitbash an industrial complex in a corner of the layout.

A Longer Project

After last month's one-evening project, this month the author expands on the same techniques to build a two-story structure that represents a building that used to maintain horse-and-carriages, but has since switched to the new "automobile" repair service industry. The building is part wood and part brick.

A Mine You Can Model in S

Brief info about Stearns, Kentucky. Includes one coal mine photo.

A Movie Theater for Your Town or City Part 1

Kitbashing a Walthers Power Plant kit into an old or modern movie theater. Includes prototype New York area modern movie theaters.

A Northern Michigan Sawmill in N Scale

The author describes how he scratchbuilt this imposing structure. There are many diagrams, and special construction steps.

A Novice Scratch Project: Let's Build a Fuel Storage Tank

The author built the model based on storage tank where he works, so he could take photos and measurements. Includes the prototype photos he took, and several photos of the completed model. The article is a step-by-step process he took to build the model. The model, by the way, won first place "Scratchbuilt Structures" at the 2015 NASG Convention.

A Quonset Style Building

The author describes how Tony Dixon scratchbuilt this farm building for a friend of his. Since there is a lot of farming equipment available in S-scale, Tony himself has switched from HO to S-scale to be better able to model farming.

A Ravishing Corpse - Almost

A problem with the decals spurred the author on to take a unique direction in the purpose of this structure, to make it into a recycling center. The article includes many additional photos of the finished product.

A Simple Unloader

The author shares a photo of an unloader found in an industrial area on the east side of Sacramento, California.

A Small Industry

This industry is served by Burlington Northern trackage in the town of Girard, Illinois. The factory receives vermiculite in moisture controlled covered
hoppers. Includes a track plan, and several prototype photos.

A Small Industry

The focus of this article is the Pacific Coast Producers, a fruit packing plant, in Lodi, California, focusing specifically on the area that receives tank
cars loaded with sugars and sweeteners. Includes two prototype photos.

A Small Industry

Denis Fortier submitted some information about unloading salt from covered hoppers in Coteau Station near Toronto. Includes prototype photos.

A Styrene Shed

Taking us through the process of building a simple, non-descript shed, the author describes how to work with styrene to make a structure look like it is made out of wood.

A Tiny Trackside Business

Skip Gibbs Company in Redwood Valley, CA converts surplus flat cars into bridges for use by various companies. Includes several photos (no modeling).

A Tour of the Iron Mountain Stamp Mill

The author describes how he kitbashed the Western Scale Models stamp mill to fit his era. Includes lots of close-up photos and discusses the animation he added to the model.

A Very Hardware Manufacture Company

A design of an early 20th Century brick building, shaped to fit a pie-shaped area of the author's layout. Includes many design diagrams.

A.R. Gilmore Feed Mill

Photos and scaled drawings of a feed mill that was common in farming communities. Page 118 contains a page of colored signs that can be used for this structure.

A.R. Gilmore Feed Mill Signs

Color signs to be used by the feed mill structure described on page 80. Signs included can be used for N, HO, and O.

Add the NYO&W Creamery to Your Layout And a Milk Run to Your Schedule

The author reviews the Laser Art Structures Branchline Trains structure of the creamery kit. Photos are of the completed kit.

Adding a Prototype Industry to my PRR Shamokin Branch LayoutShamokin Branch Layout

Building the Crowl General store and passenger station.

Adding Depth and Life to the Layout with Shallow Structures

The author shares some of his models that are no more than 1/2" to 6" deep.

America's Last Beehives?

Photos of beehives of the Alverton Coke Co. in rural southwestern Pennsylvania's East Huntingdon Twp.

American Small Businesses No. 14

This installment covers farm implements, manufacturers, and dealers.

American Small Businesses No. 15

This article is the second installment of the farm implements, manufacturers, and dealers started in last month's issue.

Ammonia and the Railroads

This article covers how ammonia is transported via tank cars, and transferred to storage facilities. Includes a large number of prototype photos, and several model photos by the author.

An Alternate Use for Background Building Kits

Using background, shallow-depth kits for foreground structures, detailing the interior.

An Easy Cinderblock Factory Kitbash

Taking several kits and constructing a modern factory building.

An HO Walthers Pier Warehouse Will Do Just Fine

The author gives some tips on what he did to make an HO-scale kit look like it fits on an S-scale layout.

Armco Steel Building

A detailed review of this kit offered by the NASG.

Backwoods Gravel Producer

The author describes how he scratchbuilt a structure and a scene showing a gravel producer, based on prototype magazine articles. Includes model photos, drawings, materials list, and references used.

Badgerland Earns Best of Show at NMRA Meet

Roy Meissner scratchbuilt a coal elevator (photo included) and won best-of-show in the structure contest at the 1998 regional NMRA convention. He describes how he built it.

Barrett's Mill

This article contains scale drawings, and close-up and diorama photos of C.E. Barrett's mill in Smethport, PA. The article describes how the author did the research, constructed the walls, applied aging and weathering, and discusses interior bracing, the foundation, the trim, and roofing.

Beehive Coke Ovens

The author describes the history of these coke ovens, their purpose, how they work, and then describes how to model them effectively. Includes model photos, track arrangements, detail drawings for construction, as well as how to model the coke wagons.

Best in Show

The author briefly describes how he built the structure, which won best-of-show at the 2002 NASG Convention. Includes a model photo.

Beyond the Layout Industry

This article covers how to model an industry that isn't visible on the layout, but is hinted at by the scenery.

Blacksmith Shop Important to Rural Areas

The author describes how he built his small blacksmith shop building. Includes a photo and drawings.

Bob's Machine Shop

The author describes how he built this kit by an Australian manufacturer called Walker Models.

Bonus Building: A Box Factory For Your Layout

Model photo and scale drawing of a simple structure.

Build a Carolina Planing Mill

This group of N-scale structures is patterned closely after a planing mill in Carrboro, N.C. The mill belongs to Fitch Lumber Co., which has a large, modern lumberyard several blocks away. Includes prototype photos, scaled drawings, and some construction photos and diagrams.

Build a Concrete Plant

After a brief explanation of this type of plant, the author provides step-by-step directions on how to build one of these.

Build a Concrete Plant

Through the accompanying drawings and the text, the author describes how to build a model of this structure.

Build a Hulett Ore Unloader

The author seems to have accurately modeled this large structure. The article includes a description of a hulett, how he constructed his, several scale diagrams, some construction photos, and a materials list.

Build a Light Overhead Gantry Crane from an HO Kit

The author adapts the Rio Grande Models' HO-scale Light Overhead Gantry Crane kit to S-scale. Includes two model photos.

Build a Modern Concrete Grain Elevator

Includes prototype photo, model photos, scale drawing, and building instructions. Made using styrene.

Build a Sunkist Packing Plant

The author details how he built a model of this structure located in Ventura County. Includes prototype, model, and construction photos, as well as scale drawings.

Build a Working Coal Tipple

Using a PVC pipe, a 1" auger bit, and a windshield wiper motor, the author shows how he built a model that actually loads coal into awaiting hoppers.

Build an Easy Container Yard Backdrop

Shows how to photocopy commercial containers and then glue them to foam core to simulate a collection of containers that are essentially flats up against a backdrop.

Build Artz Lumber Co.

Artz Lumber combines three Atlas 750s and an AHM no. 15303 American farmhouse kit for the office and as storage for the hardware and other "goodies" lumberyards sell.

Building a Mine Ventilation House

This article covers adding a ventilation house to a coal mine scene. Includes prototype photos of the interior and exterior of the structure, as well as scale drawings and some construction photos.

Building a Mine Ventilation House Part II

This installment covers the construction of the air way and air lock, which the author built out of modified DPM wall sections. The article includes scaled profile drawings, construction photos, and one prototype photo.

Building a Whiting Gantry Crane

The author describes how he scratchbuilt this model out of styrene. Includes model photos, detail drawings, and a materials list.

Building from War Surplus Machine Shop Part I

The author uses parts from military model kits to form industrial parts for his heavy industry. He shows several examples, which include the kits from which the parts came.

Building Glacier Produce And Cold Storage

The author kitbashes the Pine Canyon Poured Concrete Storage Facility (kit #359), to fit a specific area on his layout. Includes assembly instructions, and two photos of the final model.

Building Knedler's Mill

Construction of a landmark mill near Prairie View, Illinois includes scale drawings, prototype and model construction photos, as well as a parts list.

Building Lehigh Valley Model's 300 Ton Coaling Tower

The author takes us through the whole process of tackling an old-fashioned craftsman-style kit.

Building Lone Star Industries

The diorama is centered around the operation of coal mining operation. It includes moving trucks, loads, and track for some switching work.

Building the Mount Blue Models Cranberry Storage Barn

The author describes how he turned this barn model into a harbor scene's fisherman's net shack, complete with suggested interior details.

Building the Timberline No. 1 Mine Part I

The author describes building the head house and mine building. Includes lots of construction photos of the model.

Building the Timberline No. 1 Mine Part II

The author continues with his project by construction the conveyor and ore bins. Includes lots of construction photos.

Bulk Oil Depots

This article includes prototype photos and full description of the variety of oil depots. An HO-scale model is shown in one photo, but only suggestions are provided for how to model it.

Butz Milling & Feed Co.

Scale drawings and several model photos accompany this article about how the author built a structure he saw for only about 5 to 10 seconds.

Buzzard's Roost Co-Op

Building a feed mill based on a photo taken three weeks before the building burned down to the ground. An interesting structure. The article contains scaled drawings.

C&NW Freight House in Buxton, Iowa

Two photos of the building (then and now).

Canadian Prairies Module Part 2

This installment covers painting and weathering the elevator, adding the logo, building the annex building, roof construction and weathering, modeling the terrain, laying track and ballasting, and making realistic vegetation. The module can be seen on the web.

Card Stock Modeling Part 1

The owner of Clever Models describes how to build card-stock based models economically. Includes topics on paper choices, tools needed, (The free kit mentioned in the article is no longer on the web site, so the link associated with this entry takes you to the kits that are freely available on their web site; however, the article contains the content of that free kit.)

Casting a Platform

The author describes how made an odd-shaped unloading dock using Woodland Scenics plaster.

Ceresota Flour Mill

The gray weather-beaten building from which this model was built stands in Slatington, Pa. It's more than a century old. Includes model photos, scaled drawings, and a description of how the author built the structure, including how to get that weather-beaten look.

Charlie Wyman's Mill

The author describes how he built a lumber mill facility based on one in western Massachusetts. Includes prototype photos, model photos, scaled drawings, and detail drawings.

Coal Dealer Down by the Tracks

The author describes how he scratchbuilt a scale for the local coal retailer. Includes photos and scale drawings.

Coal Dealers

This article describes the different sizes of bituminous coal available, and contains a photo essay of many coal loaders, both of prototype and models.

Coal-unloading Trestle

The one-page article describes the timber coal-unloading trestle located on the C&O at Shandon, Ohio. It includes one photo and several scaled drawings.

Cobleskill Coal Co.

A retail coal dealer in rural New York. Includes prototype photos of the building upon which this model was based. Also includes scaled drawings. Construction is mostly text as model photos are only of the completed model.

Compound Kitbashing to Produce a Feed Mill

In addition to how feed mills work and what they do, the article includes prototype and model photos, and how the author build his complex using several kit structures.

Constructing an Operating Warning Light

The author describes how he built a flashing warning light (LED) seen on top of water and radio towers. The model in the article is a Kober Models water tank. Includes the parts list.

Curved Tracks and Close Quarters

Building two curved buildings to allow for curved track in between them. A prototype photo is included along with two model photos. Makes for great urban tight-quarter modeling.

D&M Brothers Bicycle Factory

Shows model, construction, and prototype photos of this rather large building. The author used DPM modular wall system templates and cardboard to mock-up the building first.

Del Norte Canning Go.

The author describes how he built a cannery with Design Preservation Models' modular wall system. Includes construction photos, detail drawings, and a parts list.

Design Preservation's All-Brick Layout

A 4'x8' layout was built using only DPM's structures as a showcase of the company's product line.

Designing a Hoist House Part 1

Initially the author intended to just build a basic "box" to represent a hoist house, but upon further research decided to fully model one, including an interior. Many prototype photos (mostly of the interior) are included in the article. This installment focuses on the prototype information for such a structure.

Designing a Hoist House Pt. II

This installment describes the interior of the building, the wall construction, the foundation, floor, and machinery. Many construction and close-up photos are included, as well as scale drawings and a materials list.

Designing a Hoist House Pt. III

This installment shows how the author built the roof trusses using jigs, and built the cupola and roof. Construction photos are included as well as drawings and a materials list.

Details, Details, Details

Using a photo-copier and acetate plastic to make custom windows.

Developing an Industrial Scene... Plastic Pellet Storage Part 2

This installment covers the construction of the tanks and the legs. Shows lots of close-up details of the construction process.

Developing an Industrial Scene... Plastic Pellet Storage Part 3

This installment covers the construction of the storage tanks, the silos, and their detailing. Includes prototype and lots of construction photos.

Eastern Junction

Dealing with lesser-known railroads leaves gaps in one's research, which the author covers in this article describing his coal mine structure.

Electric Substation Part 1

After a foreword by Bob Jackson about how substations work, the author introduces this three-part article, describes the model he built (and for which he won an award at the 1986 NASG Convention), and provides a parts list.

Electric Substation Part 2

In this installment the construction commences. Includes many construction diagrams.

Electric Substation Part 3

The series concludes with the construction of the many details that need to be added to building. Includes construction diagrams, and close-up photos, as well as a parts list.

Erie's 28th St. Freighthouse

This impressive model of the 400-foot long building was built from 6 Walthers REA Transfer building kits. Includes prototype, model, and construction photos, and a parts list.

Essential Businesses Part 5

This installment covers lumber yards. Includes many prototype photos and some model photos.

Essential Businesses Part 6

This installment cover coal dealers, with lots of prototype photos of buildings, advertising signs, and a few model photos.

Essential Businesses Part 7

After a brief introduction to Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) dealers, the article includes many prototype photos of various dealers, and includes diagrams of a tank car unloading riser.

Essential Businesses Part 8

This installment covers junk & salvage yards. Includes many prototype and model photos.

Federal Grain Limited Fertilizer Shed

Includes N-scale drawings and 3D perspectives, but not much descriptive text.

Feed Store

Step-by-step instructions on how to build the structure, with lots of close-up construction photos.

Finishing the Frenda

This installment finalizes the structure, by building two buildings that sit on top of the structure built in the previous month's issue.

Foamcore Buildings

Using this shortcut to quickly get some buildings on to the layout, using photocopies attached to the foamcore to represent windows, doors, and even siding materials.

Four Easy Kitbashes from Other Gauges

The author took kits from HO- and O-scale and modified them to fit S. It is a brief photo essay, showing the models.

Freight Door

The author shares a technique for creating freight doors for buildings.

Freight House Photos From the CNWHS Archive

Prototype photos of various freight houses. Also includes a few model photos at the end of the article.

Frenda Mine Part 1

The author needed a small mine for his Sn3 D&RGW layout. The article shows how to measure and fit a new structure into existing scenery, and how to start with scratchbuilding the structure.

Front of the Layout Vignettes N0. 12

This installment describes condensed milk plants, with several photos of real factories.

Front of the Layout Vignettes No. 10

This installment covers small businesses and lumber yards. It includes a map of Pierce, Nebraska.

Front of the Layout Vignettes No. 11

This installment covers creameries. Includes numerous prototype photos and several maps showing track around creameries.

Front of the Layout Vignettes No. 13

This installment covers coal yards. Includes a sidebar on the unloading trestle.

Front of the Layout Vignettes No. 20

This installment covers terminal elevators.

Front of the Layout vignettes No. 21

This installment covers how railcars were kept cool before mechanical refrigerations via ice houses. This first part discusses using natural ice.

Front of the Layout Vignettes No. 7

This installment covers grain elevators. Many period prototype photos are in the article

Front of the Layout Vignettes No.16

This article is part 3 of the farm implements, manufacturers, and dealers of the early 20th Century.

Front of the Layout Vignettes No.19

This installment covers more country elevators.

Full Scale Freight Station Plans

Scaled drawings of a typical freight station built in the late 1800s to early 1900s, with suggestions for how to model it.

Galena, Illinois Waterworks

S-scale drawings of this building, built in 1886. Includes three small prototype photos.

Gathering Ideas

Bob shares his thoughts about how to prepare for and then actually gather data from prototype structures that you want to model, such as photographs and using a "walking stick" to place next to structures when photographing them.

Grain Elevators

This article is a photo essay of various grain elevators.

Gravel Loading Facility

A scale diagram showing the Plastruct-designed gravel loading structure.

Griffin & Howe: An Example of Over-the-tracks Space Utilization

The author describes how he built (kit-bashed) this structure such that a portion of it covers the railroad tracks. The building was built for author Paul Caparatta's layout, based on the prototype photos they took (see Paul's article in this issue).

Hard Coal: The Anthracite Story

This prototype-only article covers how anthracite coal was formed and how it is mined. Includes photos of several railroads' equipment.

Heljan Brewery Build

The author describes how he set about creating an S-scale bakery out of this large HO-scale structure kit. He used his 3D-printer to make more-to-scale windows.

How I Built My S Scale Oil Refinery

The author describes the 3-foot scene he built on his layout representing an oil refinery using Plastruct oil refinery kit (Kit #8008, Petro/Chem Refinery).

How to Build an Abandoned Mine

After ten years of staring at an empty spot on his layout, the author has finally built an abandoned mine in the space. Brooks describes how he modeled the abandoned building and the techniques he used for the materials he chose. Includes a good number of close-up photos.

How to Cast a Stone Building from Plaster

The author shows how he constructed the Nuckolls Packing building found in Telluride, Colorado. Include scale drawings and a parts list. The building is made out of plaster and he shows how he hid the corners, modeled the space for the windows and doors, and how the brick was painted and weathered.

HRM Coal Handling Facility

The author describes his experience building the Hidden River Manufacturing Coaling Facility kit (part #HRM-512).

If It's Blue, You Know It’s Good!

History and information about Blue Coal from the Lehigh & Wilkes-Barre Coal Company located in northeast Pennsylvania. Includes photos of the breaker, advertisements, Blue Coal nick-knacks, a 3D diagram of the Huber Colliery's operations in 1939, a track map, and a few modernday photos of the colliery.

Industrial Gas-Holding Tanks

The author describes how he built a reduced-size of a typical gas-holding tower

Industrial Gears and Machinery Parts

Using old mechanical parts to create scenery components that might be found around machine shops, factories, or backyards.

Iron Mountain Mine

The author describes how he built his mine structure, based on the O-scale Western Scale Model design that was published in the NGSL Gazette in 1995. Includes dimensioned drawings and model photos.

It sure doesn't look like a powder works!

Inspired by structures made by other modelers, the author describes how he wound building this structure. Includes scaled drawings.

Jefmar's Supply Co.

The author shows how he super-detailed the interior of this structure. It includes making the cardstock walls look like wood, many scratchbuilt interior details, and a removable roof to admire the work.

John Deere Tractor Works in HO or N Scale from DPM

Prototype and model photos of the John Deere Tractor Works factory.

Juicing-up the Citrus Shed

The author describes how he added more details to the 2006 NASG Special Project kit. Includes a couple of photos of the author's model.

Kanuck Valley Models Heavy Sawmill Kit

The author shares his experience with the 3D-printed and wood parts kit. Includes several construction photos.

Kitbashing a Lumber and Coal Dealer

The author built a structure that mimics one of the Fine Scale Miniatures kits which he could not afford to buy at the time the kit was released, and it is now hard to find.

Kitbashing a Plasticville Retail Coal Tower

Using two Plasticville coaling towers, this coal dealer structure can be built using the authors step-by-step instructions and accompanying photos.

Kitbashing Prairie Skyscrapers

The author bought four Walthers Valley Growers Association grain elevator kits to build this one building as he photographed and studied it in Alma, Kansas. Includes prototype photos and scale drawings.

Kitbashing River City Welding

The author describes how he modified a Grand River Models kit to turn it into a freight house.

Kitbashing the Kerosene Refinery at Rio Dell

The author started with mock-up parts and then eventually built this model of several small buildings that fit a vacant part of this layout. Several close-up photos are included.

L.C.L. Operations Part 2

Cover freight house operations. Includes several prototype photos, information about merchandise service cars, the effects of trucking, and other railroads' merchandise box cars (MP, NYC, PRR).

Levine Brothers Iron Works

The author discusses what an iron works company does, and shows how he scratchbuilt a model. The article is accompanied by a lot of prototype photos of several such companies. Also includes are scaled and detail drawings, and construction photos.

Lineside Industries To Model

Prototype photos and a track plan for the two grain storage facilities found in Clinton, Wisconsin in 1993.

Loading Coal

The article covers how to build a modern-day, working concrete coal loader. Includes detailed internal construction photos, wiring diagram, hand-held control panel, and structure building information.

Lumber Kiln and Boilerhouse

These two buildings are part of Charlie Wyman's sawmill complex in western Massachusetts. Includes prototype photos and scale drawings.

Lumber Movement

Lumber transfer yard, Springfield, IL, with the Chicago & Illinois Midland Railway.

Make a Low-relief Factory Wall For a Shelf Layout

The author describes how he scratchbuilds shallow-relief buildings for his shelf layout. Includes construction photos and a materials list.

Making Coal Mine Jennies

Using HO-scale track and cheaply-acquired HO-scale gondolas, the author shortened the cars to make S-scale jennies (coal mine carts). Includes several construction photos.

McClanahan's Hundred

The author created a condensed and simplified Western ore mine to fit his layout, while preserving all the features one would find in such a structure. Includes model photos, scale drawings, and detailed construction drawings

Meet Gatorboard

In this article the author describes how he used Gatorfoam and Gatorplast to build a diorama, including the base and the building. Fome-Cor warps but Gatorfoam has a wood-fiber veneer on it that keeps it from warping and it takes all sorts of glues and paints very well.

Model a Marble Quarry

The author describes how he planned and built the marble quarry on his layout. Includes several photos.

Model a Ready-mix Cement Plant

The author describes how he built a structure around the 2x4 post he uses to hold up the end of his peninsula.

Model of the Month

Gauley Valley Feeds photo.

Model of the Month

Model of a modern truck-dump coal loader from a prototype located on the Clinchfield RR.

Model of the Month

A photo of a nice coal mine and double tipple structure based on no particular prototype.

Modeling a Burned-down Building

George describes, in a step-by-step method, how to model what are the remains of a burnt-out building. Includes photos of the completed scene.

Modeling a Cotton Gin

HO-scale drawings of the various buildings that make up a complete cotton gin, overhead drawing of the layout of the buildings, and model photos of the completed project.

Modeling a Meat Packing Plant and its Operations Pt 1

Prototype photos and area drawings.

Modeling a Railway Express Terminal from a Walthers Kit Part 1

Walthers' new Railway Express Transfer Building and Freight House is modeled after a real structure in Jersey City, New Jersey. The article includes prototype photos and lots of construction photos. A large part about this article is the construction of a removable interior for the building.

Modeling a Railway Express Terminal from a Walthers Kit Part 2

This installment covers how to install the interior into the building, completing the interior, and finalize the overall structure.

Modeling Consumers Fuel

Consumers Fuel Co. is based in Martinburg, W. Va. The author build a selectively compressed model of the collection of structures. A prototype layout plan is provided. Scale drawings and possible trackplans are included.

Modeling for Beginners

The author covers building the Walther's Red Wing Milling Company structure, including painting and weathering it.

Modeling Slate Roofs

The author describes where slate roofs are found, how the roofs are made, and how to model them.

Modeling The Belin Works Boiler House

The author continues the series by describing how he scratchbuilt the structure. Also includes one more prototype photo and a materials list.

Modeling the Ibex Tipple

The author describes how he built the tipple. Includes model and prototype photos, and scale drawings.

Modeling the Matchless Mine

Modeling a small mine complex. Includes prototype and model photos, including scale drawings.

Modern Concrete Grain Silo

The author describes how he scratchbuilt a modern grain silo, and the associated equipment. Includes lots of construction photos and prototype data. See the web site link for the new, permanent location of the supplemental files the author provided as part of this article.

Moore's Modern Mill

The author shows how he built a freelanced feed mill from scratch for very little money. Structure includes a covered driveway, transformer posts and platform, and is accompanied by scale drawings.

Multi-purpose Building

The author provides a description of the construction of the kit. Includes several photos.

Narrow Budget Narrow Gauge

Using hydrocal-based kit pieces from both HO- and S-scale kits to form kitbashed structures.

New York, Ontario & Western Milk Stations

A brief article accompanied by scaled drawings, as well as a typical set-up next to the track.

Nostalgic Warehouse

The author describes how he built this heavy weathered fertilizer warehouse modeled after one in Ringoes, N.J. Includes models photos and scale drawings.

Not Enough Space for an Icing Facility

(the article's actual title is just ridiculously long) This article covers how to model a mobile icing truck, since the author did not have the space for a full icing platform structure on his layout. The author started with a Hartoy model. Includes a couple of photos.

O Scale Adobe Buildings From Balsa Wood

The author describes how he built this adobe blacksmith shop.

Office Furniture For Just Pennies

The author describes how to make some common, scaled office furniture pieces from styrene.

Oil Dealer Depot

A photo and drawings of an oil dealer in Cranbrook, British Columbia.

Oil Storage Tanks that Cost Next to Nothing

Using the cap from an aerosol can to make an oil storage tank.

Old Building, New Techniques

The author built an S-scale logging supply store copying Earl Smallshaw's HO-scale Perkins Produce. He used foam core board and polymer clay to build this structure.

Old But Still Superior

The author describes how he kitbashed the Superior Sandwich Factory structure.

One building Complex You've Gotta Have!

This is a kit review of the Grand River Models' Prince Edward Express structure consisting of a brick building containing offices and loading bays, together with a wood annex ("shed") that abuts its rear. The article includes photos of the kits parts and details, and various views of the completed structure.

Operating Loader

The author describes how he built an operating coal loader. Include one small photo of the finished structure and a materials list (no construction photos or diagrams).

Other Resources Part 3

Using larger HO-scale buildings in S-scale layouts.

Other Resources Part 4

More examples of O- and HO-scale structures that can be used on S-scale layouts.

Paint and Weather a Blast Furnace

Painting the HO and N scale Walthers blast furnace kit.

Painting Faded Signs

Using press-on lettering and a couple of airbrushing techniques, the author shows how to model faded signs on brick buildings.

Perry Shibbel Fruit & Produce Co-Op

This is a kitbash based on the F&M Schaefer Brewery kit first marketed by AHM.

Peru Propane Corp

This article describes the structures of the Peru Propane Corp., of Peru, N.Y. building, a bulk and retail outlet providing bottled liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for heating and bulk industrial fuel.

Photo Buildings Part Two

The article continues with using photos as backdrops of buildings. In this part the photos are glued to various low-relief structures so that they can be mounted to the backdrop. The article concludes with a discussion about how to process photos using your computer.

Photos from the Internet

Lumber-related photos copied from the Internet, including model photos.

Pickle Salting Stations

This article describes salting stations, and how specialty rail cars were involved. Includes prototype and model photos.

Pocahontas Coal Company

The author describes how he built a coal dealer spur and its surroundings, including the building.

Port of Erin Industries: Cargill Terminal Grain Elevator Part I

The author starts off with how he built his silos and sheds. Includes a description of the jig he made to cut round PVC pipe.

Prize Parade

This page has a photo of the wooden coal tipple that John built to win the on-line structure category at the 1994 NMRA convention.

Proto-View

Photos and a description of the grain elevators of Linn County Co-op in Alburnett, IA.

Proto-View Midwest Grain Elevator

A few photos of grain elevators.

Quincy Mining Co. Machine Shop

Blocks cast to look like stone were used on the prototype structure, which is located on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and the model faithfully captures the architecture and texture of the original. Includes model, construction, and prototype photos, and scaled drawings.

Re-working the Brickwork at Georgetown

The author describes the different technique he learned modeling brick buildings. So much so that he describes what he to build a more accurate model of the Georgetown Stewart & Wing Warehouse.

Realistic Brick and Stone Buildings in 7 Steps

The author describes how she uses cosmetic sponges to paint and weather a South River Modelworks brick and stone structure.

Recollections from Gene Green

The author shares his stories about interacting with coal, and shares a number of prototype photos of coal storage facilities, advertising signs, and waybills.

Researching Industrial Structures Using Google Globe View

The author takes you through his steps for using Google Maps to determine the size and shape of an industrial building.

Rockhill Furnace Sand House

Photos and drawings.

Roller Mills N0. 8

This installment covers the roller mill to process the material stored in the grain elevators across the country. This all-prototype article has many prototype photos and one track plan of a roller mill complex in Minot, N.D.

Rotary Car Dumper

The author built a real working car dumper modeled after a prototype unit. Includes model and prototype photos, scaled drawings, and a materials list.

Rube's Rhubarb Plant

The author describes how he built a rhubarb processing facility. Includes model photos and scaled drawings.

Rusting Barrel and Tank Bands

The author describes how he built barrels with bands that appear rusted.

S Scale Industrial Building Projects Part I

The author uses Pine Canyon's shallow-relief structures to create an industrial scene.

S Scale Industrial Building Projects Part II

S. J. Young & Sons Coal Co

This is a brief article describing this company in Windsor, New York, and includes prototype photos and scaled drawings. The structure has a footprint of 50' wide and only 16' deep. It only has one door.

Santa Cruz Portland Cement Part 1

History, theory, design, and model of the Portland Cement. Includes prototype and model photos, track plan, and layout photos. Great ideas for modeling track through an industrial complex.

Santa Cruz Portland Cement Part II

In this installment the author finishes the immense-looking structure and discusses painting and weathering. Many different angled photos of the final structure are included.

Scale Scene

The author builds the NASG's Kermit's Kleaning Kemicals modular building kit, and gives his opinion of the final result. The kit was developed by banta modelworks. Includes two photos of the author's completed model.

Scale Scene

The author describes his experience building the Grand River Models' Prince Edward Express structure kit. Includes photos of the model, including one built by Dick Karnes.

Scene Around the Layout

Using the HO-scale Walthers Particulate Dust Cyclone used in O-scale.

Scene Around the Layout

The author shares a photo of a building that people confuse for a real structure. He describes how he built it using postcard paper and foamboard.

Scrap Building

The author shows how he used some bottle caps and drip-irrigation pipefittings to make a structure for moving Soylent Green into tank cars on a siding.

Scratchbuild a "Scrap" Stone Building

Using pieces of leftover styrene and other parts, the author describes how he built a building that appears to be made out of stone.

Scratchbuild a Small Freight House with Loading Dock

The author provides a brief article on how he built a small stand-along freight station. Includes one photo.

Scratchbuilding a Rotary Car Dumper Part I

In this installment the author describes the overall operation, and starts the project.

Scratchbuilding a Rotary Car Dumper Part II

Scratchbuilding a Rotary Car Dumper Part III

This is the last installment of the article (part II was in the March/April issue of this year). It covers the motor guide system, and installing the contraption in the layout.

Scratchbuilding an HO Factory

This article covers building a factory. Included are diagrams, and detailed construction photos of the windows.

Scratchbuilding Icing Facility for a Short Line

The author describes how he built a small, local icing facility to help keep reefers cool.

Scratchbuilding River Fish Filet

Although the article is about building the structure, a significant part is about the large number of signs using on this building. The model is based on a 1936 photograph of "Roadside Stand Near Birmingham, Alabama".

Scratchbuilding Skei Coal & Salt Co.

A modern building that serves the local government with salt for heavy winter days. Includes model and prototype photos, and scale drawings.

Scratchbuilding the Farmer's Gilt Edge Creamery

The author built a copy of a midwestern creamery in Steele County, Minnesotta. Because of the complex curves, the structure was built with home-made castings. Prototype and model photos (including close-up construction photos) are included, as well as scale drawings.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 1

This is the introductory installment of a series for scratchbuilding an HO-scale water-powered sawmill. The prototype of this saw mill, found in western North Carolina, was built in the early 1940s, and is based on prototype photos found in the book Foxfire 6 (1980), which came from a collection of articles published in the Foxfire magazine. The owner of the mill was Ben Ward. This installment offers a design diagram of how the equipment was powered inside the buildings, an overall overhead photo of the completed diorama, and text that covers the overall construction sequence. It took the author 4 years, off-and-on, to build the model.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 2

In this installment the author shows how to he built the bandsaw filing room, which houses customized workbenches to sharpen and weld the handsaw blades, and a small workbench for general equipment repair. Shelves in the back of the room are used for machinery parts storage. Includes construction photos, diagrams of the floor, walls, windows, and interior details, and a parts list for building this in HO-scale.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 3B

In this installment the author describes how he scratchbuilt the many interior details for the woodworking shop. Photos and diagrams help in illustrating all of the machinery that is modeled. The article ends with a description of adding the building's exterior details and surrounding scenery.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 4

This installment covers the construction of the scrapwood storage bin. Includes construction photos, HO-scale diagrams, and a materials list.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 5A

This installment covers the construction of the bandmill, which houses the log-handling equipment, handsaw, and circular-saw machinery used to produce finish lumber. Includes HO-scale diagrams and construction photos.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 5B

This installment covers the construction of the bandsaw section. Includes photos of the interior details, HO-scale diagrams, and a materials list.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 5C

This installment covers the construction of the lumbering section, where rough-cut lumber is cut into finished boards. Includes construction photos, and HO-scale diagrams.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 6A

This installment covers the construction of the support features surrounding the sawmill buildings, including the dam components and the log pond they create, the log dump, the log drag and walkway, and the lumberyard where the newly cut wood is dried, cured and stored.

Scratchbuilding Ward's Sawmill Part 6B

This installment focuses on combining the sub-assemblies to complete the diorama, and the site details, such as power pit components, the incline section roof, the log pond, the loading dock, the lumber piles and rack, and the various miscellaneous details to complete the scenes. Includes model photos and detail drawings, materials list, and a Northeastern Scale Lumber Co. conversion chart for the old-to-new parts numbers for HO-, S-, and O-scale.

Scratchbuilding Yancy's Coal Dock

The author describes how he built a coal dump, a truss bridge over a road, and the office for this industry that sells coal to local customers. Includes model photos and scale drawings.

Scratchbuilt an HO Scale Coal Dealer

Modeling the Dunellen, New Jersey area, the author describes how he built an accurate model of the Dunellen Coal & Lumber facility. Includes prototype photos and lots of close-up construction photos, including how to make the silo bands.

Shallow-relief Structures

The author describes how he built shallow-relief structures for his shelf layout to convey the idea of trains passing behind lots of structures and to only be able to view parts of the trains passing through the city scene.

Small Building for Storing Long Parts

The author describes how he built a structure that could be used around most factories or engine facilities to store lengthy metal parts such as boiler flues, pipes, bar stock, and angles. Includes model and prototype photos, and scaled drawings.

Small Oil Facility

Built from various kit parts, the author describes how he built this structure.

St. Paul Coal Mine in Cherry, Illinois

This article provides the historical background of this mine (and its 1909 disaster) for the diorama the author built.

Steam Heat Comes to the Cobwebs, Dust & Ashes

The author describes how he scratchbuilt a small central heating plant. Includes model photos and scale drawings.

Steel Mill Railroading

Prototype photos and a description of steel mills in Pennsylvania.

Stuckum Glue Works

A small brick factory is described. Includes scaled drawings.

Supplying Fuel Since the Reign of King Coal

Coal trestle and office. This is where coal was delivered via rail to the local areas from where homes and offices purchased their coal. Includes prototype photos, 1:320 scale drawing, and textual description of how to build this structure.

Tank Farm at Chateaugay

This article describes combining several kits to build a unique fuel dealership that is serviced by the railroad. This is a structure built for the Rensselaer Polytechnic club's layout.

The Argus Tap & Die Co.

A wood L-shaped building that can be used for a small business or light industry. The author describes how he built this structure. Includes model photos, and scaled and detailed drawings.

The Belin Works Boiler House

The first part of this series covers the prototype boiler house of DuPont powder mill as found in Moosic, Pennsylvania. The building was built in 1908 and represents a typical boiler house for small to midsize industries. Many modernday prototype photos and scaled drawings are included.

The Blacksmith Shop

The author describes The Blacksmith Shop found in Naper Settlement, Naperville, Illinois. The article includes scaled drawings of all four sides.

The Canada Crushed & Cut Stone Co.

This article provides suggestions on how to model a limestone crusher through the use of selective compression. Includes many prototype photos, many scaled drawings, a typical track plan, and a material flow diagram.

The Cannonball and Safety Powder Works

This square (50' x 50'), multi-roof structure can be used as any kind of small factory. The author describes a story about the structure, how to build it, and then how to make it look like it has just exploded! Includes scaled drawings and several model photos.

The Davies Steel Coke Plant Part 1

The author starts of the series about how to model a coke processing plant. This installment covers the history and purpose of coke and the coke plant, how to size the model, what construction materials to use, how to add common details, how to build the oven foundation, how to build the oven, and detailing the oven. Included are many model photos, and several scaled drawings, including one on how to scratchbuild the oven doors.

The Davies Steel Coke Plant Part 2

This installment of the series covers the exhaust gas system, the governor house, the west end control building, the dump house, the crusher house, the conveyors, and the transfer house. In additional to model photos of these buildings, there are also scaled drawings included.

The Davies Steel Coke Plant Part 3

In this installment, the author covers the construction of the east coal bunker and the quench tower. Included are lots of model photos and scaled drawings. This completes the structure. In the October 1991 issue, he covers the rolling stock and locomotives that were used in these types of facilities.

The Farm Town

A lot of activity can be modeled in a small farming community, including the Farmer's Co-op, stock pen, and a small depot. Includes photos of the author's diorama.

The Giant with Gentle Hands Sandusky's PRR #3 Dumper

Model and prototype photos of the huge unloader.

The Gold King Part II

This installment completes the construction of the gold mine by focusing on the ore bin, roofing, timber bunker, stairway, and trestle. Includes scale drawings and model photos.

The Johnson Manufacturing Co.

The company manufactured tin and galvanized ironware for railroad lines across the U.S.

The Kingfield Chemical Co.

A small structure of free-lance design which captures the feeling of a large New England mill, and was based on an O-scale mill complex built by Al Hanson. Includes scale drawings, parts list, and construction photos.

The Mill at Saltillo

This article describes the small grain mill served by the EBT in Saltillo, Pennsylvania. It includes prototype photos and scale drawings.

The NASG Armco Building

Showing several variations of the NASG's special-projects kit members of the Miami Valley S Gaugers club have made.

The NASG S Scale Aarmco Building

The author reviews the construction of the pre-fab, metal-sided building styrene kit, including the integration of the structure into their club layout.

The O Scale Addison Tie & Timber Company

A very-well detailed and award-winning diorama of a store with a backshop.

The Posthole Mine

The author provides information about how he built this mine building. It includes scale drawings, a materials list, and photos of the complete model.

The Schmidt Brewing Co.

Prototype information about this company (having had its property appraised), with prototype photos.

The Siamese Connection

The author describes how he models often forgotten details of facilitating fire fighting of commercial buildings with a Siamese connection (for attaching fire hoses), a wall post indicator valve, and a fire alarm.

The Straight & Narrow

The author shares his experience building the Pro Patria Mill by banta modelworks.

The Substation at Winterthur

The author describes how he researched and then scratchbuilt an electrical substation for his traction layout. Includes a photo of prototype substation, construction photos, and scaled drawings.

The Tilbury Cement Co.

This structure was built in 1962 in Springfield, Ohio. Lots of prototype photos and scale drawings are included with the article.

The Tilbury Cement Co. Part 2

This installment covers the construction of the model of this prototype structure. The author shows how he makes the silo's outside wrappers, creates the cone covers, the various structures, and the platforms. Constructions photos and drawings are included.

The Ullian Machine Shop

The author describes how he built a diorama of buildings in O-scale despite being a dedicated HO-scale modeler. One building is made out of hydrocal simulating stonework.

The Wertz Feed & Supply Co.

Modeled after a small mill in Wernersville, PA, the author shows how he built this structure. Includes prototype and model photos as well as scale drawings.

The Wm. H. Archer Corp.

A grain and feed-supply building.

This Old (Ware) house Part 2

This installment covers creating the floor and foundation, which the building didn't have when the author bought it. Includes many construction photos.

Tonopah's Tall Tipple

The author makes a larger version of a prototype tipple. The article includes model photos, and scaled and detail drawings.

Tool Shed

The author details how he built this 9'x17' building on a raised platform.

Trainstuff LLC's Williamson's Warehouse

Gerry reviews and describes how he built the kit.

Triangle-Shaped Coal Dealer

Small prototype photos and a track plan for the layout of a coal dealer positioned in a triangle.

Uranus No. 2 Mine

The author describes how he built a small ore-loading bin and bucket conveyor. Includes model photos and scaled drawings.

Using Mock-Ups

To answer the questions, How does it look? and Will it fit?, the author builds mock-ups of the structures he is planning to build from scratch or from a kit. He uses foam core board.

Walthers Coal Mine Part 1

The article describes underground coal mines, with many prototype photos.

Walthers Coal Mine Part II

This installment shows the converting the mine to a common, transition-era coal mine. Many detailed construction photos.

Walthers' Coal Mine Part 2

This article finishes up the support assembly.

Warehouse Conversion from HO to S Scale

The author describes how he converted the Campbell HO-scale J.K. Jansen's Seed & Grocery Store Warehouse Kit #436 to be suitable for S-scale. Includes several photos of the finished model.

Welte Lumber & Millwork

Using three Atlas Lumber Yard kits, the author kitbashed this structure. Included are diagram of kit modification details, and how the buildings are composed. Other details, such as the cyclone, stairs, walkways, gantry, water tank, and more are all covered by text and diagrams.

What Doing?

The author describes building and installing a set of grain storage bins to his feed mill scene.

What's On Your Workbench Today?

Photos of the Modular Industrial Buildings produced for the Pines and Prairies S Scale Workshop's "make and take" clinic to be held at the 2016 NASG Convention.

What's On Your Workbench Today?

Two structures under construction are the Back Alley one by Pine Canyon Models and the McMurray Shippers by Model Tech Studios. Both are shallow-relief buildings.

What's On Your Workbench Today?

The author shares his work so far on building the Lehigh Valley Models Sandhouse kit. Includes a line drawing of the building, and several construction photos.

What's On Your Workbench Today?

A 4mm-scale building converted into an S-scale office building.

Whiting 20-ton Gantry Crane

Prototype photos, a brief description, and scale drawings of this crane.

Woodbourne Substation

The author describes how he researched and then scratchbuilt this large substation. The article includes plenty of prototype-based drawings, and model photos.