Like John suggested, small structures that would fit on pikes of any size and would be affordable. My most desired structure would be a replica of Quality Craft's 206 Enginehouse kit (later Gloor Craft 288-2005) as seen just below (note that the kit had many cast parts and that its doors are missing). It has a modest and prototypical shortline look and would be at home at home on any road from perhaps 1910 forward. Perhaps its just me, but authentic North American single-stall engine houses are hard to find. The plastic kits are of European make and have that inescapable Black Forest look. RS Laser Kit's 3003 is from the balloon stack era and stands much too tall. Laser Art's BLN-883 looks better, but also stands nearly two stories tall.
I've never assembled anything but plastic. My exposure has been in the form of pics of mostly 'older' types of buildings . Are they hard to build? Painstaking? Detailed vision? Suggestions: Control towers 'Expandable' passenger platforms? so I could make one 5"s or 10" or ? Small barge? Might not be popular, don't know 'Olde Time' passenger car interiors? Seats? Flat car excursion 'kit'?so passengers ride out in the open air? Lighting kits or room for them where viable. Maybe partner up with a suppler These are plans I have for the layout. I perceive them as 'CEQ',Cheap, Easy and Quick'. Hope these help.
Well, I think that I am average, and I scratch built mine out of styrene, drew up the plans, manually cut out the walls and windows, I have about 3/4 hours of work in it....
The stairs and rails are plastistruct....the windows and doors are Grandt Line...the stairs being laser cut would be a bit harder and layered doors and windows are not hard to work with.
Wood Laser kits are made from very thin wood so some care has to be taken when handling and when cutting out of the wood sprue. I recommend either staining or painting both sides at the same time to keep from warping and weight the section down while drying so it dries flat. Excess wood from the sprue can be used to brace the insides. Use a water base wood glue rather than other types of glue like ACC because it effects the painting finish. I generally use only a single coat of paint then a wash of India ink in alcohol to give the effect of age. There are kits were you have Laser cut window frames and door frames and those little buggers can be trying. I prefer the ones with plastic windows and doors, less trouble. Roofing material can be paper shingles or tar paper. I give all my buildings a foundation of styrene or styrene over laid with cut stone strips. It takes me about three days to construct a laser structure since the first day is to paint or stain the parts while in the sprues and then weight them down to prevent warping while they dry. This is a mill I have done 2nd Mill for the brewery complex, loading dock side. by John Moore posted Sep 8, 2006 at 9:42 PM Another mill. Completed water powered mill for brewery module. by John Moore posted Sep 10, 2006 at 10:31 PM And Wicked Wanda's and Waterfront Willy's both craftsman laser kits modified to be waterfront structures. DSCN0029-6 by John Moore posted Dec 31, 2015 at 4:45 PM You take your time and the result is a great little structure.
Dave, for something like that, I would contact Red River Models. They do large custom structures. (I covet the old SP Townsend St terminal they’ve done in HO)
Era Housing..... for example... 1950's housing development with 5 to 10 houses to complement it... 1960's etc. you get the idea I hope... and not individual houses for $40 each.... simple with some add on features... porch second story etc.... Keep the price reasonable....just a thought
Buildings that aren't readily available now like old downtown style banks, '20s houses, maybe Sears catalog homes, inexpensive rowhouses so the buyer can actually build a large row of them, modern stores, modular highrises, modern gas station, fast food restaurants. Please don't make a '50s style gas station. It seems like every manufacturer ever has made a generic 50s gas station.
