So we're looking to finally fill the vacant lot by the grade crossing on Rock Springs, and we had it pegged as a motel. My thoughts/memories of US motels is that a "standard" setup would often be two floors, with an outside walkway in front for the upstairs rooms and parking out in front? As we do "multi-era" operating sessions, we need something that would be visually okay in the 50's, and either "retro" or "run down" during the 90's. Also most pics I can find of motels from the 50's seem to be single story affairs, but a 2 floor structure would (I feel) visually be better for the location. Scratchbuilding or kitbashing is no problem provided I have something to work from. (Even a photo that I can judge proportions from.) Net searches on "Motel Architecture" are getting me very little, as most just have pics of surviving neon signs! So does anyone have any suggestions on where to go for more research, or memories/impressions of motels, or even photo's or plans! Before anyone mentions it, i'm not sure I like the look of the new Walthers motel buildings, not what I had in mind at all I'm not looking for "pretty" or "interesting" design, just the everyday look.... Thanks in advance! [ 29. December 2003, 15:12: Message edited by: Martyn Read ]
Here is a link to a site with one small pic which might be of some help. http://internationalhotelbrokers.com/brash/il/centralia/57cm/ You are right about not many pix available.
I understand your concerns about the Walthers model, but back in the mid-20th century, such architecture was common along US 66, as well as other highways. The separate little buildings were called "tourist cabins". Paint colors, signs and styles were different with each motel in an effort to attract motorists to their business. Of course, it could be I've lived along Route 66 for so long, and studied its history, that has me slightly prejudiced A paint job & weathering could help to "drab down" the building (perhaps a peeling white paint job). Also, connecting the tourist cabins with enclosed carports may help. If you do a little research on Route 66 online, and could ever get a copy of the book "The Mother Road" in England, it would help in your research. Naturally, since it's your railroad, you have the final decision. Good luck in your research.
Here is another link. http://www.nwon.com/radisson/rooms.html Bob has a good point. In the early 50s the style of motel design was changing. A lot of the older motels with a central building that probalbly housed the owner's family and an office, with a group of single-accomodation cabins, were still fairly common.
Newport City Motel Is this something like what you're looking for? It's a two-story motel in Newport, VT. The whole place is shaped like a 'C' with parking lot in the middle and a walkway (facing the parking lot) to reach all the rooms.
Thanks guys, that's a few leads, Pearce, that first link is exacty the sort of "ugly" design I had in mind to start with, a couple of the others are very similar when you get down to it, just different paint & construction! Bob, I see what you are saying, and the research I had found on old postcards & stuff all looks to be single storey ofvarious designs, when it isn't something wild and wacky like teepee's or somesuch! So are we saying that a design like this: http://internationalhotelbrokers.com/brash/il/centralia/57cm/ is a later than 50's design and would visually clash? Would something more akin to the old out of production Bachmann one be a decent compromise visually? (ignore the obvious build quality!) http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/160-45214 I'm just thinking the cabins would be too small visually on that plot of land, and may look a bit odd when running more modern stuff past?
For central Arizona in the 50s the Bachmann style motel is just about perfect. I should know, I'm an Arizona native. In fact there is probably a motel just like that still in use in the real Rock Springs. Some from that era are more like individual units (or cabins) with car ports in between, all conected with one continuous roof. {I wish I had some pictures to show you but it's not the kind of thing you photograph when you grow up around it.} BTW, it's nice to see I'm not the only one who knows of this railroad (mine is N scale).
You might search for Motel 6 sites. Most of them have been around for about that long, and many have not been chaged, just painted.
It's a cool railroad, we have a pair of these GP38, and a GP30 (still painted in California Northern) I wouldn't bet against seeing a couple more Arizona & California machines, the "new" SD's look interesting!
How about a motel similar to that in Hitchcocks Psycho. To me the Bate's Motel would be typical of a 50's or 60's U.S. motel, hey if you have the realestate avalible you can even throw in the big creepy house on the hill where Norman and his "Mom" lives.
