Soliciting ideas for a row of Ameri-Towne storefronts

You can mix Ameritown with my models to create a scene as in the picture.

www.riverleafmodels.us

I'll be glad to assist you.

Andre.

The back row of the city are 2 Ameritowne flats and some DPM modules arranged as a flat.

Peter

I've made up to three feet of Ameri-Towne and similar buildings as a single unit.  What I did was make a small box out of wood to which I attached fronts, sides, backs, etc., so they would fit and look like one block face.  I cut out where interiors of windows would be.  It requires planning and measuring, and it was tedious in steps, partly because some of thje buildings were not Ameritown and so that had slightly different heights and depths, and all, but: a) it was far less work than building them indidivually, b) got an even look to the entire street of buildings (they were all vertical and nicely even at their edges, etc). c) easy to rig with lights, etc., d) easy to mount on the layout.  

I'm glad Lee jumped into this question, because in reading the OP's original question, my first thought was of the many pictures Lee has posted through the years of his Streets scenes with rows of 2-story businesses, many incorporating the Ameri-Towne fronts.  Of course there are other notable layouts/builders who have done the same, too. 

This would be a dandy OGR/Ameri-Towne tutorial video....building a 'block' scene using the store-fronts, basic box structure, roofs/details, signs, lighting ideas, etc., etc.  In fact, using the new Woodland Scenics lighting system products...combined with Miller Engineering animated signs...in such a structure would enhance the whole result, methinks.

Any author/takers?

KD

PL:

Best thing you can do is purchase 4 kits rather than individual walls (lot less expensive this way). It may be best to mix some two story and three story kits since the side and back walls tend to be a little different. This way you won't have the same designs next to each other.

However if you want all store fronts then you may be stuck buying individual walls.

Joe

I purchased Ameri-towne kits and used each as a false front street scene on the ceiling loop.   Much cheaper than buying individual as Joe notes.

I weathered each differently and painted some details to make the look different.   Still need to do some additional work to finish them off,  but a good start.

Mark

Thanks, Joe.  That's what I was thinking, with a mix of Ameri-Towne and Woodland Scenics kits.  I like Lee's idea of building a box skeleton for the city block.

Can you share your pictures?

I purchased 4 fronts and one complete building. I used the walls and roofing material from the complete building kit for the end walls and roofs. Mine are only about two inches deep but there is enough material in the complete kit for more depth if needed. Fronts are glued together and reinforced with wood from behind.

Pete

As stated by several, buying the whole kit is less expensive, and there is a use for all four walls in any bashing project like these here.  

As soon as one gets comfortable with cutting panels the possibilities become endless: you can cut out doors and re-position them, alter building width.  

I often add a small styrene foundation only 1/8 to 1/2 inch tall, notched or scribbed as if stone blocks, to slightly raise elevation to vary building height.

I depend very much of a small ($135 range) bandsaw when doing this work.  I use a fine toothed, metal cutting blade to get a precise, clean edge: it still cuts through Ameritowne panels like the proverbial hot knife through butter.  The edges of the bricks provide a very straight cutting guide so you can slice and "edit" the panels and keep edges true.  

It is as if they were made with bashing foremost in mind. 

All my buildings are copied from buildings I photographed. When I travel i take pictures of buildings I like and then reproduce them on my layout. Most of my structures are created from Poly Styrene and Precision board.