Shabby, Delapidated Structures

I think the dilapidated tower is already perfectly weathered. Perhaps the better one could be placed nearby so it would appear that it’s the updated replacement. You could position a demolition crew at the old tower.

I think this might qualify .....

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

I think the dilapidated tower is already perfectly weathered. Perhaps the better one could be placed nearby so it would appear that it’s the updated replacement. You could position a demolition crew at the old tower.

Great idea, Jay.

Absolutely!  The layout I'm building will have it's own little hobo village:

-Greg

Here is my crap shack

I think its arguable that the shabby, delapidated and dirty structures have more character, are more interesting and are more realistic than the perfect, clean and neat scale models.

But, to each his own.

Hobos are a must, IMO:

Shabby and dilapidated has my vote! There is just something about things from the past surviving to today that makes it real. Especially in rural settings. As I make my build I will post pics. Besides, shabby and dilapidated is easier from scratch than brand spanking new!

Hobo feeds his fury friend a hotdog.  Dog house in weather beaten.  

Shabby is prototypical....you can see one driving south on I-75 through Cincinnati.  I have shown my ghost town (abandoned mining town) with collapsing RR station on here.

Shabby, weatherbeaten structures look more realistic.  Buildings look "showroom fresh" only at ribbon cutting.  As early as 1 year after a new coat of paint the color starts to fade and dust, smoke and smog cling to it.

Here's a picture of a couple of lionel buildings,  a switch tower and crossing shanty I repainted and aged.

A combination of acrylic paint and then washes.

The old station didn't look so hot in its prime:

Then, it really went to heck:

Jim

Every downtown needs shabby, rundown and dilapidated buildings.  Not only are they fun to build, but you can never really screw up the weathering.  Here is an Ameritown building repurposed for my Bowery section -

Well, here’s a few of mine. First, a coal, scrap iron, and lumber dealer, and second, a few hoboes built a camp down near the tracks.

@Strap Hanger posted:

Every downtown needs shabby, rundown and dilapidated buildings.  Not only are they fun to build, but you can never really screw up the weathering.  Here is an Ameritown building repurposed for my Bowery section -

Now THAT is an awesome CBGB building!
Do you have a push button accessory that plays the Ramones or the Talking Heads?

Bryce

@Oscale_Trains_Lover_ posted:

Now THAT is an awesome CBGB building!
Do you have a push button accessory that plays the Ramones or the Talking Heads?

Bryce

Definitely, Bryce.  You can even see copies of actual appearance posters for those bands attached to my model’s front wall.  Although not activated via push button, my train room stereo can often be heard playing those great bands along with others like Iggy Pop, Blondie,  Patti Smith, and David Johansen. I’m fact, on a good day, you might even hear the Police, who also made a few stops at CBGBs back in the late 70s. Would you expect anything less? LOL!

@Jim Policastro posted:

The old station didn't look so hot in its prime:

Then, it really went to heck:

Jim

Jim, I have that same station shown in your 1st above photo. Here is mine:

Do you know what company made it?

I looked at it closely and could not find the name of the manufacturer. Arnold

PS: Jim, you did a great job weathering it.

@third rail posted:

Shabby, weatherbeaten structures look more realistic.  Buildings look "showroom fresh" only at ribbon cutting.  As early as 1 year after a new coat of paint the color starts to fade and dust, smoke and smog cling to it.

Here's a picture of a couple of lionel buildings,  a switch tower and crossing shanty I repainted and aged.

A combination of acrylic paint and then washes.

Gorgeous, Bill.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Do you know what company made it?

I looked at it closely and could not find the name of the manufacturer. Arnold

Arnold,

It was produced in kit form by Lionel starting back in the MPC era, I believe. It was produced at various times in different colors.

Jim

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I think its arguable that the shabby, delapidated and dirty structures have more character, are more interesting and are more realistic than the perfect, clean and neat scale models.

But, to each his own.

Arnold,

If you are looking for some gritty and shabby guidance, just Google:  Franklin and South Manchester Railroad.  It was built by George Selios, owner of Fine Scale Miniatures.

I won't even try to offer a description.  It is amazing.  Some years ago I had the good fortune to visit George and get a layout tour.

Regards,

Lou N

@Jim Policastro posted:

Arnold,

It was produced in kit form by Lionel starting back in the MPC era, I believe. It was produced at various times in different colors.

Jim

Thanks Jim!

Shiny new buildings look like plastic toys. Too perfect. For this reason, I always scratch-build with soft materials such as balsa and pink foam. The results look old and weathered. A few examples:

IMO, all of the above photos are fabulous.

I'm getting sold on weathering. Arnold

Everyone needs a hobo jungle on their layout ...... this one happens to be under a bridge operated by the SF railroad company.

OK Arnold,

A few more:

Very charming structures, Pete. Thanks for sharing.

Here is a fun little scene of an abandoned  old house in a rustic scene . Times past. Just weathering away with the internal critters at work.

@farmerjohn posted:

Here is a fun little scene of an abandoned  old house in a rustic scene . Times past. Just weathering away with the internal critters at work.

Very cool, Farmerjohn

Many fires at this site.

Okay, I'm operating an iMac 10 and have downloaded some pics to my computer from my Nikon Coolpix camera.  How do I post them here?

Be kind.  I'm a genuine computer dinosaur, so use small words.

Thanks.

I'll respectfully nominate George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester HO layout.  An absolute masterpiece of "shabby and dilapidated" modeling.    But, then again, that's what the hard times of 1935 (setting for the railroad) tended to offer...

Too bad the HO scale HDTV DIYers and Fixer Uppers hadn't left a spiffy spot anywhere the last time I looked at the layout photos.

Kudos, George!

@dkdkrd posted:

I'll respectfully nominate George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester HO layout.  An absolute masterpiece of "shabby and dilapidated" modeling.    But, then again, that's what the hard times of 1935 (setting for the railroad) tended to offer...

Too bad the HO scale HDTV DIYers and Fixer Uppers hadn't left a spiffy spot anywhere the last time I looked at the layout photos.

Kudos, George!

Outstanding, one of the best layouts I've ever seen.

@Forty Rod posted:

Okay, I'm operating an iMac 10 and have downloaded some pics to my computer from my Nikon Coolpix camera.  How do I post them here?

Be kind.  I'm a genuine computer dinosaur, so use small words.

Thanks.

Just drag-and-drop them into the message wherever you want them to appear.

1) Move the pointer over the image.

2) Hold down the mouse/trackpad button

3) While you are holding it down, move the pointer over the desired spot in your message.

4) Relese the button.

Voilà!

Great posts gentlemen!

I've seen some clever use of Plasticville models on this thread. As your photos demonstrate, they respond well to weathering and complementary settings.

Here's their log cabin secluded in the mountains of my modest size layout. That fellow is keeping his eyes out for passing postwar classics.

@dkdkrd posted:

I'll respectfully nominate George Sellios' Franklin & South Manchester HO layout.  An absolute masterpiece of "shabby and dilapidated" modeling.    But, then again, that's what the hard times of 1935 (setting for the railroad) tended to offer...

Too bad the HO scale HDTV DIYers and Fixer Uppers hadn't left a spiffy spot anywhere the last time I looked at the layout photos.

Kudos, George!

Outstanding! He’s even got a Lionel Factory building.  What a work of art.

@Strap Hanger posted:

Outstanding! He’s even got a Lionel Factory building.  What a work of art.

I also have a scratch built Lionel Factory (built by someone else) that I bought at a LHS during the summer, but I don't have it on my layout yet because it's so big. It will be tricky to get it on my layout in the future because it takes up so much space.

Zeek asks Virgil, after a hard day of scraping'.. What's for dinner'...