DINERS ON YOUR LAYOUT

From around the time when Lionel moved production to China....

Peter

 I have had a number of diners on the layout over the years. The Twin Whistle is probably 20 years old. No. laser   cutting back then. Lots of cutting and fitting. It recently got moved to what I call RR Ave. . It was once on a country road and now it resides just outside the city rail yard. I had two other diners in another portion of the RR. The first one was one from my wife. It was actually a working telephone if you chose to use it as one. It was actually a fairly well detailed close to O Scale Diner. The one that replaced it was an aluminum K-Line one. That got removed as well and was replaced with a Grill and a few other structures. I did detail the interior of it. I need to get a period menu printed to place behind the counter. Both of these areas do have a modeled sidewalk that resides on the edge of the layout. The road and what is parked there is left to your imagination.

Perhaps someday, I might get around to finishing this stainless steel (actual) diner that has been collecting dust on my layout. The kit that was offered by Miller Engineering years ago.

I fiddled with my Miller Engineering Diner kit for years, but finally finished it. It's different from any other kit I've ever built.

Interior lighting is very bright.

Ken

Here's mine!

I'd like to have a model of a local joint: 29 Diner

An early layout version.

Thanks to all for posting. Interesting...

MELGAR

The Miller Engineering model sure looks great. Hadn't seen that one before. 

bigtruckpete posted:

The Miller Engineering model sure looks great. Hadn't seen that one before. 

Wish they still made it!

Miller has discontinued numerous products they once made. It's an unfortunate circumstance for many modelers. I wonder why they discontinued such superb models.

I too have the Joe's diner phone, the sounds make it a hit.  It replaced one of those K-line kits that I was trying to detail.  I added some stainless steel duct tape to the corners, hexagon floor tiles was even installing some toy details behind the counter.  Never finished that one.  Think about buying a Lionel Irene's diner so both the wife and I are represented on the layout.

Mine is scratch built....the White Tower is too...I found the plans in an old model RR mag....The Tin Plate Diner is made from a Lionel 610 passenger car.

Here's the Starlite diner on a friend's layout. There's paving work going on in the lot....I hope those cars plan on being there for awhile!

Coalyard Andy's is an all night place down near the coal yards that attracts all sorts of folks.

These folks may have been indulging at the Star Grill earlier and are in need of some strong coffee and blotting paper (Andy's home fries) as the dawn is breaking.

Several years ago forum member Frank Knautz was taken down his layout and selling the buildings he had on it.  I bought a couple of them, including this diner.  These pictures are of it while still on his layout.  Unfortunately, its still in the box he sent it in.

  Gene I liked the Bellerose Diner.  I lived behind the Bellerose Diner in Queens ,N.Y. for over 20 years.

Choo-Choo Mike....Yeah I grew-up on 240 Street and we hung out at the original Bellerose Diner and the Bellerose Bowling Alley...I live in Mass now...If you would like to chat about Bellerose contact me at    genemaag@yahoo.com

Wow!  I'm so glad that I stumbled on this topic!  Coincidentally I just ordered the Whistlestop Diner kit from Model Train Stuff minutes ago.  When I did a web search for more photos and information on the kit, I got this hit.  

In case you are unaware, I started a Forum thread for real diners that used to be trolleys and railcars a while back.  It also includes photos of "real" diner buildings and train station restaurants: Diners, Trolleys, and Railcar Topic. The photos and info might inspire some modelers.

Everyone's posts here are certainly inspiring me. But I only have a carpet layout. Thus, my options are limited to "story telling" using an odd rail car or scale figure.  Here's what I ordered along with the diner kit for some of those stories:

Woodland Scenics Farmer's Market set so that my diner will have fresh produce.  I can also use the figures and objects for accessorizing a RR commissary if I ever have room for a train station.

Preisers Railroad Personnel (with waiter and etc.) and an Arttista milkman; and unpainted cows, sheep, and goats for more Farm to Table fun at the diner and my PRR dining car.

Lastly, an Arttista Pizza Delivery Boy figure for the diner so that the PRR dining chef (Chef Chuck Wagon) can order out.

MELGAR, I liked your vertical wood slat adaptation to the sides of the Whistlestop kit in your initial post's pictures.  My plan is to do something to fix the windows.  The proportions seem incorrect and could benefit from a band of 1940's Worcester Lunch Car-style orange stained glass at the top.  This will be my first kit, so I'll have to see how successful that will be.  My web search says the prototype diner was in Malden, MA.  I'll see whether I have any photos.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

banjoflyer posted:

I have the telephone diner "Joe's diner": (this picture isn't mine)

I also have this combo from years ago:

Mark

Mark,

That K-Line looks like an update on this plastic Marx example: 

Marx Diner Model and Accessories

Tomlinson Run Railroad

TOMLINSONRUNRR,

I think the Whistlestop Diner makes for a great scene on a model railroad. But, even with the kit, it is a bit like scratch-building. Despite that, I intend to buy another for some as yet undetermined future railroad. Send me an e-mail if you run into any problems and want to talk about it. As a former resident of the Boston area, I sure would like to see any documentation to the effect that the real thing was once in Malden. There certainly were (are?) tracks through there.

MELGAR

A bit flashy for me, but my wife fell in love with it, so we got it.  I'm not sure how it is going to fit on the new West Virginia mountains layout, but we will do it.

A wise decision, Mark. 

MELGAR,

Thank you so much for your offer of help.  I appreciate it!  I'm not sure how soon I'll start work on the diner once the kit arrives as I am *supposed* to be spending my weekends on my thesis, not trains!   Ha!

The prototype for the Whistlestop Diner seems to be Judy's Diner on 906 Eastern Avenue, Malden, MA. It was built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1932.  I have a small print that shows Judy's Diner when it had the two roof vents that the model includes, but the print is framed and probably won't photograph well.  After several name changes and some exterior ones, too, the diner is now known as The Lunch Box. It is located perpendicular to the street (good for small layouts) and only seems to have one entrance, on the left. The "etched" panels on the model's walls seem to mimic what were probably the original enamel panels.

Amazingly, the diner is a mere 0.6 miles from the Lionel dealer, Charles Ro, located on Cross street, which joins Eastern Avenue.  You are correct about the railroad tracks.  They ran parallel to Eastern Avenue -- in between Charles Ro and the diner.  The track is now the East Coast Greenway (or something) -- a paved rail trail that seems to get a lot of use by city folk.  The diner and train store would make for a great road trip for those living in or visiting the Boston area.

Here are links that show what the building looks like now, including the interior:

On main street, I have a Liquor Store. Found it on the Big Bay, and had it moved to Michigan.

Gary

TOMLINSONRUNRR,

Thanks for the great pictures. I'll be sure to visit the diner next time I'm in Malden. Keep us informed on the progress of your Whistlestop kit but the Thesis is more important... See photo of the interior of my Mel's Diner.

MELGAR

Mel's Diner. The jeep belonged to Elvis in the 60's

Don't need any diners on my coal patch railroad but the thought of a nice classic Silk City diner model surrounded by classic trains sure is nice. 

MELGAR,

Thanks for that photograph of the interior of your Whistlestop kit diner.  It looks great -- and surprisingly roomy.  The view suggests that any sash and stained glass window modifications might require more skill than I originally thought.  But I'm also getting an idea for simulating the actual tile patterns in the floor. 

I forgot that I had these photos.  Here's a very early lunch wagon diner -- circa 1900 -- on my layout ... er ... carpet:

This is the Tip Top.  It is in S scale. For some reason, it is impossible to get an in-focus picture with my cheapie digital camera:

Tomlinson Run RR

TOMLINSONRUNRR

I'm a fan but not a student of railroad car diners. I think they came about by removing very early passenger cars from their trucks and leaving them at the side of the tracks. The Whistlestop Diner model is two inches wide (8 feet full scale), enough to have been an early passenger car. Many older railroad-car style diners are wider than a railroad car (maximum about 10 feet), so either they were not made from railroad cars or they were widened after becoming diners. That's why I think the Whistlestop model may be prototypical as is.

The tile floor of my model was a piece of paper supplied with the kit. I have made similar floors for other models by drawing the tile pattern onto paper and filling in the areas using a fine black marking pen. See photo below of another of my models.

MELGAR

Fun thread. Great to see everyone's photos. This is my Joe's Diner. 

For Diner fans (count me among you), Rick Sebak's documentary is most enjoyable. Actually all of Rick's work is great fun.

Pete

Norton, Rick Sebak's documentary is great.  I saw it years ago (new) and even purchased a copy for my Dad.  We grew up in the Allentown & Pittsburgh areas and it was great to see these Diners and road side restaurants once again.  Thanks for posting.

Here's mine.  I love diners, O scale and 1:1.  Many great memories of diner dining with my dad searching for the perfect hamburger.

OK, here are some pictures of my "diner on my layout". Oh wait!!  Do you mean I have to build it first, then post?

Rats! But seriously, folks.  My Whistlestop kit arrived this week, along with enough O scale food, livestock, cooks, waiters, and other people to supply and fill it. 

This is my first O scale building.  What a fantastic kit.  The construction is surprisingly simple (or perhaps deceptively so?).  In spite of appearances, I want to take my time planning things like interior painting, experimenting with the correct windows and stained glass, and etc. to get it just right.  Then there's that quilted chrome back bar behind the stove to try to recreate. I also want to scan the floor pattern and signs so that I can print more and change their color or orientation on my computer.  Once/when I get started, I'll create a new thread.  For anyone inspired by the finished examples shown in this thread, I give it 2-thumbs up so far.  It was certainly reasonably priced for the quality of the materials and the interior details that are included.  Lastly, it gets bonus points because it's based on a real building, which I intend to try and recreate (except for that roof line :-). 

Tomlinson Run Railroad

P.S. -- I think I'm going to call it the "Run-ny Egg Diner" with a sign that shows a picture of a sneaker-clad egg being chased by a spatula. We'll see ...

UPDATE:  I haven't even built it yet, and already the New York Times has done a review "In Praise of a Runny Egg".  Wow, that chef's a keeper!

TomlinsonRunRR posted:

OK, here are some pictures of my "diner on my layout". Oh wait!!  Do you mean I have to build it first, then post?

P.S. -- I think I'm going to call it the "Run-ny Egg Diner" with a sign that shows a picture of a sneaker-clad egg being chased by a spatula. We'll see ...

Can't wait for the new thread, TR.

Here is mine on my Standard gauge floor layout.

Pretty good thread here. Having been raised in the Bronx I grew up in diners. Only have one on my layout it is made by Lionel I think the number may be 422. I am in the Malden area sometimes for work and may try finding that diner. Got to stay away from Charles Rho though or I'll need a bigger house.

Everyone need a place to set down for dinner.

Super Chief rock and roll!