Scale Drawings for Passenger Train Stations

Paul seeing that you're retired and live in WI I'd plan a few trips to Wausau and take tons of photos and measurements and make your own plans.  That's a great looking station.

You might also try the local municipality, township or county office that issues building permits and requires that various codes (electric, plumbing, construction, etc.) be met.  Often times, builders are required to submit detailed plans before permits are issued.

Chuck

Thanks Nick and Chuck, Yes, I am retired but I am also disabled due to cancer which took my right hip. I could still go there and take pix, but it would be  easier if I had a book. Maybe a road trip with my wife and I would be a nice idea!

This is off the wall, but wasn't there an insurance co. that used to advertise that it

was Wausau_____________ and didn't it show a RR station in its ads?  Seems like a small station compared to the above photo, but IF their logo wasn't sylized, maybe

that company or its advertising ageny did homework on it? (I said "off the wall")

Getting good measurements of the above structure with tape and cameral looks like time and work. PRR1950's advice pursued at the city engineer's office sounds like

the easiest first move.

Another thought:  Kalmbach, HQ'd in Wisc., has, over the years, published a blue million

station plans, including much in Wisconsin.  Their plans would probably be in HO, but

Staples can blow them up 1.8XXX.  You could approach them.  Seems they have a way

to search old issues of Model Railroader.

Coloradohirailer, You are correct sir! Wausau Insurance or Employers Mutual of Wausau is the company that used the depot for their logo and yes it was stylized a bit. Your Kalmbach idea might be a good start for me. Thanks again.

MilwRdPaul - I have the 75 year collection of Model Railroader and unfortunately it is not one of the stations. 

Perhaps you might check with https://www.mrha.com/contact.aspx  Milwaukee Road Historical Association.  They did an article back in 1983 on the station and had their convention there I think in 2010. 

Also this issue has an article about Wausau  https://www.mrha.com/store/product.aspx?Product=109&Name=1st+Quarter+TMR+-+2010

Good Luck

Hi MilwRdPaul,

A little searching revealed the 720 Grant Street Station is now the Marathon County HeadStart Buiding(or was) the building used by the insurance company.

The Marathon County Historical Society may also be of assistance. They have a map of another showing a station by the river with info on the architect. 209 W. Washington St., 1899. 

Fun research! Nice Buildings! Hope that helps you.

Another thought...since the insurance company "built a faithful reproduction", perhaps they have plans still. A call to their public relations department wouldn't hurt.

To purchase a set of drawings reproduced can be expensive, I have gone that route.

Probably the fastest and cheapest method is to take pictures with a measuring pole, marked in feet, standing against the building, then everything else can be scaled. Takes quite a few pictures to capture all the measurements and details, but it works.

Hi Milwaukee Rd Paul,

I am an avid scratch builder and my technique is to go out to a building with cam era and tape measure.  I measure the building horizontally and photo the **** out of it.

From the photo you posted I believe the building is brick faced. take a bad of paper and measure the size of one brick. then measure the height and width of about 6 bricks so you can include the mortor joint spacing in drawing your plans. Sketch the building and count the bricks to determin correct heights. You will be able to determine window size based on your brick scale.

If you check my web site www.westportmodelworks.com You may find some windows and other items that would assist you. Also check "my current projects" for scratch building tips.

Best of wishes

Les Lewis

Hi Paul,

I was doing some research a while back on the Milwaukee Road in Tacoma and found this site that has scale drawings of many Milwaukee Road Stations, including the one on the Tacoma Tide Flats.I don't think your station is one of them on the list, but for anyone wanting to build a station, I think the Mil Road used similar plans in lots of locations.  Here is the link and a few pictures of the tacoma station.

 http://www.train-orders.com/MILW/MILW.html

I also found a site that has the complete set of Milwaukee Road magazines,  I found one that had an article on the Tacoma Tide Flat station in the May 1954 edition.  Anyone doing research on their local station may find something similar for your station.

 http://milwaukeeroadarchives.c...ukeeRoadMagazine.htm

Wow!  Thanks for this link, Dave.  What a great original source for Milwaukee Road info. And it is searchable.  I browsed the 1935 issues, and read a neat article on a speed test run of the Twin Cities Hiawatha.

Many thanks

Bob

Brewman1973 and everyone else, Thanks for the great help and links! I found an HO scale model that I will buy from Walthers that I can use as a reference.

Perzsonally, I would like to find plans for the PRR Altoona, Pa station and train shed along with the Cresson Station. Both are non existant now and photos of all side of the structures are tough to come by.

Which one?

It appears that a field trip is in order. The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission has many of them un-catalogued.

They are in Harrisburg:

Phone: (717) 783-3281 Mail: 350 North Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120
E-mail: ra-statearchives@pa.gov

Which one?

all three structures...

PRR Altoona Station

Altoona Train shed

Cresson Train Station

I went to the city engineering department here in town and got blueprints of the old Seaboard Air Line depot downtown.  Also went to Franklin and the Chamber of Commerce had blueprints of the depot there.

Historical Societies are also a good source.

You might also check the Library of Congress HABS/HAER library of historic buildings, engineering and architecture. I was able to find 1/4" scale drawings of the National Orange Company packing house in Riverside, CA as the actual structure burned down the week before the day I had set aside to go down and take measurements.

The library covers the country, but the selections seem somewhat random. Some include scale drawings while others just have photos. Here's the link:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/habs_haer/