City row houses

I likewhat you have done. It will be nice to have a different look to urban housing.  Keep up the good work.

Paul

What is the width of this front?

Is a side stairway possible for the front entrance? Typically depth is at a premium in "O" urban area. If you have the space, the large sidewalk/entrance/stairway is a nice luxury.

How much does this cost? I went to the website and saw a lot of parts.

How much does it cost for this front and one unit depth of side walls for four stories. I won't need a back and can scratch build the roof.

Very nice!

Finally, a building with a "stoop" for us city kids to hang out.

Jim

Hey Jim;

You up for a game of "stoop ball?"

Chuck

Thank you all for your responsre to this post.

Harry, My intention is not to create a kit. I tried once and it turned out to be a very expensive but educational proposition. The cost of creating a kit is very expensive in time creating the masters. Mold and resin cost. The market is limited to the few people who may also want exactly what I made. Sorry but I can not give you a price for the entire front as shown.

My approach is to offer items (parts) I created for my models that could be useful to others in creating a building to their specific size shape and purpose. Take for example the 'bay window' This is a fairly difficult item to scratch build. A modeler using my part can accomplish the task of adding bay windows to multiple kinds and styles of buildings with minimal effort.

The building front pictured is 6-1/4" wide. My search was for a building that would fit in the area I dad to fill which was about 6-1/2" wide. The plans were selected because it called for a 25' avenue front depth or 6-1/4". The street length of the building block was truncated by limiting the houses to 5 mid block ones.

If you notice on twio fo the photos that I had to create a side facing stoop because as you mentioned realestate is limited on a layout. Even in this situation I still have to widen the side walk to make the appearance correct.

Jim, Woodward showed 2 building blocks and one mid block house or appartment house in his book. I got the feeling the drawings were based on New York architecture. Any way all of them were in my imnd suited for a model railroad layout. The finished building would top out at about 16"high . Such a building would allow an elevated train to pass below the roof line nicely. Memories of riding the 3rd ave L when I was a kid.

Many treasures are visible in the backgrounds of your photos. Would you show us more of them? They look too beautiful and authentic not to request the pleasure of seeing more, if you please.

Frank

Moonson, Thank you for your kind reply.

The evolution of my layout has been photographed in detail four times since 1988.

1-It was first featured in OGR Run 102, Dec 1988

2-OGR Run 154, August 1997

3-MR October 1997

4-MR Sept 2010

I would love to post additional photos but all of the good photos I have are really the property of the respective magazines and it would be inappropriate if not unlawful for me to post them.

Les Lewis

Les...you have a camera, take fresh new photos....those will belong to you and we could enjoy them!

Alan

Alan and Moonson I heard your request and have given it some thought. However I need your guidance before starting. Specifically what is your 'interest' and what 'information' would you like me to caption. Between the trolley layout and the railroad their is a lot to see. The trolley collection is somewhat unique as are many of the 121 buildings on the trolley layout. All the track is hand laid so a lot of track work is also unique. I can tell you it took professional photographers like Fred Dole a full day and extensive lighting plus some photo shopping to present the trolley layout. Of the probably 100 photos, only abou 6-12 were selected for publication. So before I launch on this effort, please advise.

Thanks Les

Are you saying that Fred shot 100 photos in a full day?  Just curious.

Dennis I would say so. Fred came at 9AM and worked until 5pm except for a lunch break. I was with him all the time assisting with his lights. Many scenes required 3-4 exposures at different focal lengths so he could photoshop them into a clear scene.

Remember Fred is a master at photographing layouts and a perfectionist. My layout is very compact relative to isle space so setting up the shots were not easy.

I should have mentioned this in my prior post on 'tell me what you are interested in seeing and having me annotate'. Feel free to call me at 203-226-2798, i am usually home after 3m. You can also email me your thoughts at wsptmdlwks@aol.com . Please include the words OGR in the subject line so I do not altomatically deleate your email.  Thanks

Les Lewis

Hi Les, Thank you for respondng to my request and for being willing to reply further. All that I would request would be better/further views of those buildings I cropped from your photos presented in this thread and featured in my reply . They look very, very authentic and interesting, IMHO.

Thanks again.

Frank

Progress is being made but doing it with individual bricks is very time consuming. At present I have created the side walls for the end buildings but still have to brick one of them plus let in the edge brick work to marry the end buildings' front wall to the side wall. As you will notice from the photos at this point the major components are held in place with masking tape. This works out well for me since assembly can not start until all the brick work is complete and all the walls are joined so that the painting and grouting will match. The cornice base is in place for the most part but the details can not be fixed until after the brick work is completed. Windows for the end units are completed and available on my web site www.westportmodelworks.com as well as the cornice. Starting to work on the window masters for the center units. Each wall panel for the end front, side and center units have a different set of windows in size and design from the other.

I have also attached a photo to show the positioning of the building relative to the trolley loop. I hope to include a scene infront of the end building on the right of a stoop ball game. I seem to remember it growing up in NY as being played with a pink smooth rubber ball.

Les Lewis

The pink balls were marked "Spalding", but always were called 'spaldeen'.

Jan

Yep - Spaldeen with the accent on the "deen". Make sure you call "Chips on the ball" so that they have to pay for it if somebody "roofs" it!!!

No problem if it goes down a sewer - I'll hold your ankles while you reach down and grab it. 

Jim

Jim I wish I were as skillful and had the artistic eye that you have.

Thanks for the info. I will probably ask for your help in positioning the players since its been about 65 years since I saw the last game.

Les

So, Les, you're saying Jim's old enough to remember?

Sure I remember! But, lately sometimes, I just seem to forget what it was I was remembering.

Jim

Finished creating the center front face of the building which required over 2300 bricks to cover and 3 additional windows. Following photos show the current status with views of the front and back sides.  My next step is to work on the mansard roof.
Then to paint and complete the exterior sides and front and add the interior floor and wall bracing and structure, The rear wall will be removable so I have access to the interior,

There were also Pennsy Pinkies, not as popular. "SPALDEEN" was the king! Jim, I thought I'd bust my side on the sewer retrieve.

Les' layout and his amazing buildings were both fun and a challenge to photograph. Noit only are the exteriors great but most of them have complete interiors as well. If you're anywhere near Connecticut, call Les and see if you can come visit. Since I was there he has completed a model of the New haven City Hall that is amazing.

Fred Dole

True - the Pennsy pinkies were usually used by the girls for "hit the penny".  Didn't have as much bounce as the Spauldeens.

Jim

Row houses?

Must take some mighty big oars.

Anybody remember pimple balls?

No problem if it goes down a sewer - I'll hold your ankles while you reach down and grab it.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo,

You take a coat hanger, straighten it out with a loop at the end and fish it out.

Scrfappy

Eliot,

It was always more likely to have a spare little brother around than a spare coat hanger. 

Jim

Right, it was never about safety or logic....   we needed that ball!

Jan