seems like these buildings are very inexpensive. what are these kits made out of and how do you guys feel about these? their website is unclear about what material they are constructed from.
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Here's part of the description of Bill's Place on the website "...All Ameri-Towne buildings are complete kits, ready-to-assemble, complete with window graphic inserts and textured brick walls, molded in brick-red polystyrene fully 1/4 thick. Each building comes with roof and sidewalk details molded in gray polystyrene. The kits are unpainted..." (Emphasis mine)
These are nicely detailed plastic kits. However, they are not snap together and should be painted for a realistic finish.
Dennis is right. They don't snap together, and they should be painted.
The plastic is thick and good quality - it takes plastic cements well, cuts easily if you want ot modify it, etc. Modling brick and such detail is good. In some kits, the panels are slightly warped, not perfectly flat, but easy to straighten out.
While they don't snap together, it is hard to imagine anything simpler: four sides and a roof. Just glue it together. I've done many (several dozen) although I usually bash them.
I will note they are manufactured and distributed by the folks who own and run these forums, so I typically buy Ameri-towne, rather than kits of other companies, for that reason alone.
Originally Posted by Lee Willis:
I will note they are manufactured and distributed by the folks who own and run these forums, so I typically buy Ameri-towne, rather than kits of other companies, for that reason alone.
And for that we thank you, Lee!
One other thing I will note...
products are 100% made in the USA!
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thats great to know... by looking at the prices i was thinking they were cardstock or balsa wood!
they look really nice
For some very creative ideas on what you can do with Ameritowne kits just put Ameritowne (and try spelling variations) in the search criteria for this forum. Lots of great ideas.
Very nice kits, made in USA, very thick plastic walls and very reasonably priced too. They also offer some parts separately for kit bashing and other uses. All are good quality items!
Originally Posted by Mark Boyce:
Originally Posted by OGR Webmaster:
Originally Posted by Lee Willis:
I will note they are manufactured and distributed by the folks who own and run these forums, so I typically buy Ameri-towne, rather than kits of other companies, for that reason alone.
And for that we thank you, Lee!
One other thing I will note...
products are 100% made in the USA!
Lee is right. I was very impressed when I learned this Shortly after moving from HO to O Gauge. I think they are great kits! Thanks, Rich!!
To make things easy, here are some direct links to our Ameri-Towne products.
Paint makes these buildings.
They look great. Here they are mixed in with structures from other manufacturers. They are excellent and I am using these buildings in my new layour 15 years later.
This is the old layout, circa 2000-2001.
Peter
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If you would like to see how one of these kits is constructed and painted.
Take a look a this video, from my You Tube Channel.
I do recommended Ameri-Towne kits for structures & flat buildings. Good Luck
I been thinking of the Hotel, but 6 stories makes it to high for my layout. Are the walls scored to make it easier to shorten?
These buildings are high quality and really easy to put together. What makes them pop is the color scheme you pick out. When painted well they are very realistic. If you search the forum you can also see what some of the folks here did kit bashing these buildings.
I've done 6 of them and if I can do them, anybody can.
Ed
Make great fronts.
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I am pretty partial to these kits, and it doesn't hurt that I can pick them up direct 20 minutes from my work... There is also some great kit bashing parts available from OGR. Email Cari- she is great.
I picked up some of the round roofs from the water tanks and cut them down for very large roof vent caps. I also picked up some of the plastic lights for the front of the police station for another building of mine. Good Parts, Good Stuff, Good People.
I have taken the card stock window graphics and photocopied them onto thin paper, then laminated the graphic to save a step of installing the window glazing...
If you cut the walls, cut slow, and don't think pushing them slow through a table saw counts, because it doesn't TRUST ME.
I put a rip fence on my band saw, that did a real slick job...
In a pinch, I set a bunch of these over top of a string of C7 Christmas lights. The thick wall had zero bleed through. The plasticville buildings, glowed light a hot air balloon at night.
These are definitely buildings you will want on your layout. Inexpensive, easy to build and easy to modify.
Al
These kits are pretty easy to put together. The first Ameri-towne building kit I did.
Here is another kit that I bashed to put along the wall. Easy to cut to use in any situation.
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