station plan driving me nuts Help!!!

[buzz]

Hi alI
Am trying to come up with a tiny station that can be got together quickly.
Provide passanger traffic and very limited freight traffic,
as the first station for a large by my standards layout.
The reason the station has to be put together quickly, is its the has to hold the interest long enough for the rest of it to reach the hold the interest on its own stage.
Every thing I come up with seems overly complicated for the task required of the first station.
regards John

[pdlethbridge]

try looking here
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=ho+train+station&Search.x=0&Search.y=0

[Jim Banner]

A half or a whole passenger car often served as a small passenger station until a more permanent one could be built.  For a passenger plus freight, how about knocking the trucks off a combine?  Set the body on a wooden platform.  Instant station.

Jim 

[buzz]

A half or a whole passenger car often served as a small passenger station until a more permanent one could be built.  For a passenger plus freight, how about knocking the trucks off a combine?  Set the body on a wooden platform.  Instant station.

Jim 

Now thats an interesting idea and if it has a short siding for ?? thats it covered where do I get a cheap old time combine from almost a toy one would do.
I am sure I saw a model railroad article for something similar but where.
regards John

[ryeguyisme]

speaking of combines, they were often used on branch-lines along with freight cars in consist, in this case they often used it as the caboose rather than tacking on a caboose altogether

[DuceNova]

I'm a little confused about your question with a couple of issues that aren't covered in it.

1). What gauge railroad are you modeling?  The reason that I ask is depending on the gauge will determine what is available.

USUALLY it's safe to ASSUME that HO gauge USUALLY has the most selection in everything including structures.  That isn't to say that all the other gauges don't have selections of everything, it's just been my experience that HO seems to have more.

Bachmann has a pre-assembled HO scale station right here:  http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/products.php?act=viewProd&productId=676  Walthers is another source of all model railroad products:  http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?quick=station&quicksrch_butt.x=0&quicksrch_butt.y=0  The one problem I see with Walthers is that there is TOO much stuff there so you can spend DAYS Wishbooking there!

2).  Are you talking about a pre-assembled, or a kit or or kit bashing a station?  Obviously, a pre-assembled one requires almost no work other than opening the box, wiring it up (assuming you are putting lights and possibly a decoder in it).  Next would be a kit which usually take a few hours to assemble but gives you the pleasure of knowing that you assembled it.  Last and most time consuming is kit bashing = buying all the pices (roof, walls, windows, doors, planking, accessories, etc) and building it, and possibly painting it.

[AlanMintaka]

speaking of combines, they were often used on branch-lines along with freight cars in consist, in this case they often used it as the caboose rather than tacking on a caboose altogether

I have a few of those for my HO "Wild West" layout.  Like cabooses, they have a cupola near one end of the car.  That might make it a little odd looking for a station, but then again...  why not?

This is a great thread and has given me station ideas for that "Wild West" layout.  I never thought of taking the trucks off one of these old 34' - 40' cars to use it as a station. 

Have a good one,
Big Al Mintaka

[NarrowMinded]

I think this would make a neat temporary train station

[buzz]

Hi ducenova
Your safe it's HO
Pre built structures are popular these days but suffer a number of problems
invariably the wrong color murder to re paint because you cannot just pop the windows out.
the light shines through the walls and because of the way they are done.
vis a vie the base and the windows don't pop out you cannot paint the inside black to stop the light through the walls.
Warning very biased personal opinion next
pre built structures are in most cases very toy like and for children's train sets.
Very few seem to be for the discerning adult there are some good ones out there but the really good pre builds still have the annoying features and millionaire price tag.
I have always preferred kits even the ones that are marketed as children's
train set toys will even have a go at simple bash or kit mingle job.
That way no light through the walls painted while its easy and the chance to personalise it as its built so its not the same as tne next layouts building.
Unless of course its one of those well known fast food chains one of which the kit should have three signs in it one for Aus one for US and one for UK,
Because between the three the sign is the only difference but the building is a std that brand fast food structure.
regards John

[buzz]

I think this would make a neat temporary train station

Err no that would make a very nice train room.
I cannot fit anything that big on my layout
Seriously though does any one manufacture those type of long cabooses, because that would look nice with a train order signal as a station building
regards John

[NarrowMinded]

This would be a very simple kitbash, just unsnap a cupola from a inexpensive caboose and fit it on the top of a combine.

NM

[pipefitter]

Mantua Classics by Model Power has a drovers caboose. They were used on livestock trains for the crews that watered the animals during stops en route.

http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7881

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