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Sometimes one comes across the darndest things- esp during a family crisis hour. I recently came across this old wood box. It represents an interesting times during my Childhood and being exposed to the world of model railroading. Back in the 1970's, I asked my Dad for the Lionel Enginehouse Kit. As typical with many parents their response was they can't afford it and instead made me this box to represent an Enginehouse.  

Fast Forward 28 years later, I find this box as I am cleaning out some excess stuff from the home I grew up in. Currently my dad is in the Hospital ICU fighting for his life from  a form of kidney failure. as I currently struggle to deal with this family crisis, as a moment of solace, I find myself drawn to this 'wood box'. I want to make something out of it to remember my dad- regardless of his outcome [hopefully he will pull through this second round].

 

So what I am asking -esp many of you talented O scale builders - is to give me an idea on what type of scratchbuilt industry i can make this box into. Since I have a customized IHC/Atlas O Enginehouse and other RR shop support buildings, the enginehouse/car shop idea is DOA. Instead, I would like to convert this "box" into a unique RR Shipping/Receiving industry.

 

I am looking for unique designs that incorporate the following parameters:

  • An industry that can be styled anywhere from the Victorian era to the 1960's
  • the unloading-loading of the car will be from inside the structure [as aposed to an a-typical loading dock]
  • doesn't have to be the a-typical box car load - a Tank car/ Gondola/flat car, etc can be used
  • ultimate setting will be in bucolic central PA along the PRR main line.
  • can be fictional and/or real industry
  • Since this will be my fist scratchbuild- a Beginner/ intermediate level of difficulty would be encouraged.
  • Dimentions are 21 1/2 inches Long x 7 1/4 inches High x 7 1/4 inches Wide

Thank you all in advance for your suggestions/pics/scematics for this project. Here are pics of that wood box:

 

 

 

wood-box1

 

wood-box2

 

wood-box3

 

wood-box4

 

wood-box5

 

 

 

 

 

Attachments

Images (5)
  • wood-box1: car- end of wood box
  • wood-box2: back end of wood box
  • wood-box3: length - interior of wood box
  • wood-box4: width
  • wood-box5: height
Last edited by prrhorseshoecurve
Original Post

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That is starting pretty basic.  I could see using that as the support part of a box (paperboard) manufacturing company, in which the boxcars on a sideing were run into.

You could cover the whole outside with either styrene or milled (clapboard, board and

bat, etc.) siding, or a brick material.  Using it to frame a box company might always

remind you of its past.  I could also use that as the frame for a coal dealer, such as the KP (York, Pa.) kit where a truck (loaded from it) or hoppers could be run under it and unloaded into the bins overhead, with spouts on the sides to fill the trucks.  All

of this could be covered with siding and only you would know of its childhood past.

into the

PRR,

I will say a prayer for your Dad.

The idea I have would be a refrigerated warehouse. Make something like the Tropicana Orange Juice warehouse in Jersey City, NJ. You can cut in a couple of doors for the rail cars to pull inside. You can add vertical strips to the exterior of the box to look like pre-cast concrete panels. This should keep you busy for a while.

 

Alan Graziano

The idea I have would be a refrigerated warehouse. Make something like the Tropicana Orange Juice warehouse in Jersey City, NJ. You can cut in a couple of doors for the rail cars to pull inside. You can add vertical strips to the exterior of the box to look like pre-cast concrete panels. This should keep you busy for a while.

Alan Graziano

 

Do you mean like this?

 

 

How about the base for the unloading / loading for a grain silo complex.  Russ

Interesting as I do have a complete[but damaged] Korber Grain Siloh. The box seems too big for a "six pack" grain siloh.


 

 

Best wishes to your dad and to your family.

 

I don't have a suggestion for what kind of building, but I do have a thought on how to approach it.   If it were me, I would make it a goal to have as much as possible of the box actually visible.  My approach to this would be to make the exterior walls from widely spaced vertical slat siding, kind of like this:

 

 

I would make the battens out of strips of basswood (or balsa for a more rustic look) butting two of them together to cover the rough corners.  I would then stain the whole thing with a brown I/A mixture. I think it could be made very handsome and realistic while still exposing a lot of the original box.

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