Passenger Stations In O Scale

I think there are several reasons. first would be price. Those large station would be expensive and out of the range of most folks budgets. They probably wouldn't sell many, so it wouldn't be economical to produce. Next I would guess real estate would come in to play. They take up lots of room and I would think most folks would have to shoe horn them into their layouts, especially when you consider, platforms, parking lots and other station structures and infrastructure.

Here go...

BIG Stations Link

....and a worthy sponsor, to boot!

Otherwise, it's all about...

...when it comes to replicating the 1:87 into the 1:48 realm.  

These HO separation anxieties are rather common.  But, all in all, there's plenty else to celebrate in the O corner.

IMHO, of course.

Probably a good idea to toss those old Walthers HO catalogs.....the whimpering becomes an eye-rolling nuisance around our house.

KD

Like many of us, I am a fan of passenger terminals. I assembled one and animated it a while ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8NJN1vCfCU

Hmmm...fill your pickup with money, and you can have one of those on that link,,,and a Denver one, too.  Guess l will make do with this huge, rustic one l bashed for my RR's HQ.   But l am not looking for "big city"

dkdkrd posted:

Here go...

BIG Stations Link

....and a worthy sponsor, to boot!

 

Otherwise, it's all about...

...when it comes to replicating the 1:87 into the 1:48 realm.  

These HO separation anxieties are rather common.  But, all in all, there's plenty else to celebrate in the O corner.

IMHO, of course.

Probably a good idea to toss those old Walthers HO catalogs.....the whimpering becomes an eye-rolling nuisance around our house.

KD

Which is why you can't buy a O scale Blast Furnace Kit off the shelf. Roo.

The size of an O scale station is limiting in what a manufacturer can make money on    This station was custom built but if you compare it to Walthers HO Union Terminal its dead on   Imagine waht the shipping costs would be    Only way they can do it is make it as a kit in small sections

dkdkrd posted:

Probably a good idea to toss those old Walthers HO catalogs.....the whimpering becomes an eye-rolling nuisance around our house.

BOB WALKER posted:

Like many of us, I am a fan of passenger terminals. I assembled one and animated it a while ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8NJN1vCfCU

 

Hah! This plasticville station is literally the poster child for the dearth of cool passenger stations we have in O scale. If ever there was a symbol of passenger station poverty in O scale, this is it. 

As an aside, I'd be curious to know how many of this kit I have in various boxes around my house...but it's not worth the effort to find out.

Don

dkdkrd posted:

Here go...

BIG Stations Link

....and a worthy sponsor, to boot!

 

Otherwise, it's all about...

...when it comes to replicating the 1:87 into the 1:48 realm.  

These HO separation anxieties are rather common.  But, all in all, there's plenty else to celebrate in the O corner.

IMHO, of course.

Probably a good idea to toss those old Walthers HO catalogs.....the whimpering becomes an eye-rolling nuisance around our house.

KD

I love Trainworx. But I am unable to show them quite that much money...

Don

Trainworx' stuff is usually expensive (but very well done).  In this thread, there is a custom New Haven Union Station that would really be neat if it was offered as a lit.

https://ogrforum.com/...-layout-coming-along

Peter

Those of you who are LCCA members....you do have a resource for a large city station plan, Model Builder 1937-49 is online and included as part of our membership.....

October 1948 has a Frank Ellison article on how he built Fillmore Station (which looks very close to the Lackawanna Station posted by Ben).

Peter

What about this MTH building as a “scaled down” city station?

Peter

Peter, that's another building that's very versatile.  I never thought of it as a station but switching window(s) to door(s) and it would make a creditable station.

Is The Depot by Woodland Scenics too "small town" to be considered?

Speaking of "small town":

dkdkrd posted:

Here go...

BIG Stations Link

....and a worthy sponsor, to boot!

 KD

Do they have any interior details?

I find Menard's first (larger) train station to be "large" on my layout, though perhaps not what you are looking for:

Putnam Division posted:

What about this MTH building as a “scaled down” city station?

Peter

Peter, a great starting point. The building height gives you some nice options.

I ended up doing the four MTH banks into one to create the B&O Station that never was. Took a lot of time, but happy with the end product. Also scratch built station platforms underneath and cut up a pedestrian crossover for the steps. Almost done installing this whole section and getting the details and lighting wired in.

A BTS kit.  Orbisonia Station, part of the EBT, East Broad Top Railroad. 

B&O Fan posted:

I ended up doing the four MTH banks into one to create the B&O Station that never was. Took a lot of time, but happy with the end product. Also scratch built station platforms underneath and cut up a pedestrian crossover for the steps. Almost done installing this whole section and getting the details and lighting wired in.

This is exactly what I want. I read what was probably your thread on building this and it just seemed like it was a project I was not going to be able to do and be happy with the results (due to the level of complexity and my general unhandiness). But I love what you have done! Congratulations!

Don

TM Terry posted:

Is The Depot by Woodland Scenics too "small town" to be considered?

Yes. The ones that combine a passenger station with a freight depot are exactly what I don't want.

Don

Putnam Division posted:

Those of you who are LCCA members....you do have a resource for a large city station plan, Model Builder 1937-49 is online and included as part of our membership.....

October 1948 has a Frank Ellison article on how he built Fillmore Station (which looks very close to the Lackawanna Station posted by Ben).

Peter

I would have to dig it out to be sure. But I think the same exact plan or one very similar appeared under Ellison's byline in MR during WWII. I have most of the WWII issues of MR and Ellison has a nice station plan in one of them that looks something like the prototype NYC PRR station with several sections and the columns out front. 

But a plan is a plan. Are my modeling skills up to the level of craftsmanship necessary to translate the plan into a good model. My feeling is that this is not where I am today. But maybe in a few years....

Don

Mike D posted:

I think there are several reasons. first would be price. Those large station would be expensive and out of the range of most folks budgets. They probably wouldn't sell many, so it wouldn't be economical to produce. Next I would guess real estate would come in to play. They take up lots of room and I would think most folks would have to shoe horn them into their layouts, especially when you consider, platforms, parking lots and other station structures and infrastructure.

Agreed 110%.  I barely had enough room and money for this passenger station on my layout......

I admire those big passenger stations, but one wouldn't work with my small town western Virginia theme - so I've got three:

BOB WALKER posted:

Like many of us, I am a fan of passenger terminals. I assembled one and animated it a while ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8NJN1vCfCU

 

Nice work Bob!

Don Merz 070317 posted:

B&O Fan posted:

I ended up doing the four MTH banks into one to create the B&O Station that never was. Took a lot of time, but happy with the end product. Also scratch built station platforms underneath and cut up a pedestrian crossover for the steps. Almost done installing this whole section and getting the details and lighting wired in.

This is exactly what I want. I read what was probably your thread on building this and it just seemed like it was a project I was not going to be able to do and be happy with the results (due to the level of complexity and my general unhandiness). But I love what you have done! Congratulations!

Don

 

Thanks! I had to set it aside at one point during construction as I had hit a couple of snags. I haven't posted it before but found a write up on another website that I used as a guide. Here's a shot down under on the platform. 

Mike CT posted:

A BTS kit.  Orbisonia Station, part of the EBT, East Broad Top Railroad. 

Great work Mike! I helped build one of these long ago. (Convinced me I didn't need one of my own;-)

I don't have a whole lot of room so I've taken a Plasticville Grand Central Station and elevated the foundation by an inch and a half so it looks less diminutive.  The photo is of poor quality from cropping and enlarging but it does kind of show the improved scale between the two Lionel structures.

I know this is not North American prototype, but what it shows is if you have good plans and a large supply of Evergreen and Plastruct parts and supplies, you can build anything you want. Miketg

Don Merz 070317 posted:

Go online or into your Walthers catalog and look up HO passenger stations. Now do like wise for O scale. O scale passenger stations go from the old lionel tinplate 115 straight down to your choice of "suburban" passenger station kits, often with combined freight depot. The only thing in between is the MTH stations, one a single story unit and the other 2 sotries with 2 platforms. Both of them have wood trim windows and a general "small town" look. Why isn't there some selection of BIG CITY, or even medium city passenger stations in O scale? Dare I ask for modern architecture?

I've seen the kit-bashes that take 2-3 MTH bank buildings and slice them up to make a decent city station. Is that the best we can do for a decent O scale city passenger station? Where's my multi-level station kit with tracks below and street access above? 

We need a redo when it comes to city-size o scale passenger stations. The HO guys have a wealth of choices and we have slim pickins.

Don

Don -

You are so right. Look at the opportunities here! 

Wow,  Kanawha, you have a C&O tower station.   Was that a kit or a scratchbuild?

colorado hirailer posted:

Wow,  Kanawha, you have a C&O tower station.   Was that a kit or a scratchbuild?

It's a scratchbuild but not by me. A fellow commissioned an NMRA Master Modeler to build it. He later decided to get out the hobby and put it up for sale and I got a great deal on it. Its a very unique model.

Several years ago B.T.S. announced they were going to do a kit of the Quinnimont, WVA station which had a rectangular tower on its roof. Unfortunately it looks like that project has been delayed indefinitely.

Ken

Focus on "city" .  The Lionel hospital is a reboot of the original American Flyer city stations. For "scale", a door replacement MIGHT be needed I don't have the moveable door and gable part to measure (mine is now a doorless, green glass safety window type factory..,who wants to enter that for work? 😁)  I've seen these  toin combineds . Sigh...I'm finding fixing "spellwreck" compounds the issue; so a back up and repeat⏩ ....seen these in combined station form to make larger footprints, and some minor sandstone paint would do wonders.

  No interior detail and a Plastiville look as is, more or less; but not "country" architecture; it's pure city... I'd call it 2 level or high ceiling. 6"x15" to 16"x 5" tall. A second level inside would split the windows, putting glass floor to ceiling  on the upper floor; like something you might see in a more modern building. 

   Big city isn't the focus for most of us unfortunately for you. ( not smart-a** "too bad" comment, I don't like to see anyone left out ) 

 Most folk are trying to get away from all the rush-rush of city life, and go deeper into the country, and/ or a past era with less of a big city feel.

 I lived both, mostly cities. I still prefer the former and forgetting about the cold nature of city street personalities where no one makes eye contact let alone says hello or even nods. IMO the former is simply more relaxing than any city of any scale and the architecture simply not a big enough draw. My fav. is FLW's Falling Water anyhow. No city structure could stand taller than that home IMHO 😉