Suggestions Needed: Small Building For Turntable Status Display

What about a bill board type display? Maybe mounted on the roof.

How about some kind of lightly-frosted plastic? When the display is off, it will look like a window with condensation. Just a thought.

Could easily be solar panels or sky lights on the roof of any building!

John, check out these MTH Railking buildings, I think the windows would accommodate your circuit boards:

MTH 30-90006 30-90006 | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS (mthtrains.com) nominal footprint of about 3" square

MTH 30-9097 30-9097 | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS (mthtrains.com) nominal footprint of about 3" x 2"

There's also larger towers with larger windows, though it sounds like you want a very small building.

without panel doors?

or with OPEN panel doors

Are you committed to the panels? Maybe a one- or two-digit, 7-segment display, mounted in a signal box or dwarf signal housing facing the edge?  I know you know how.

I tried to find out how big this item actually is and could not.  I was hoping maybe the display would fit inside against the back wall.  Maybe someone else knows.

Bachmann Plasticville Frosty Bar #45606

John

@feet posted:

What about a bill board type display? Maybe mounted on the roof.

The object is to be pretty small, I don't want a really tall structure in front of the TT. Also, the panel is about 1" thick if you count the rear connector, so it would be a bulky billboard.

@PRRMP54 posted:

How about some kind of lightly-frosted plastic? When the display is off, it will look like a window with condensation. Just a thought.

I have to be able to see the relative position of the lighted square to know which track is energized.

@Bossman284 posted:

Could easily be solar panels or sky lights on the roof of any building!

Solar panels in the 40's and 50's?

@Paul Kallus posted:

John, check out these MTH Railking buildings, I think the windows would accommodate your circuit boards:

MTH 30-90006 30-90006 | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS (mthtrains.com) nominal footprint of about 3" square

MTH 30-9097 30-9097 | MTH ELECTRIC TRAINS (mthtrains.com) nominal footprint of about 3" x 2"

There's also larger towers with larger windows, though it sounds like you want a very small building.

I can look around for those, they are about 20 years old, I do see a few on eBay...

@rattler21 posted:

I think this is from a Korber kit, not sure.  Could be cut down, top of single window to peak is just under 4 inches. 3 1/2 inches square.  If you can use it, it is yours for the price of postage.

Might be able to do something with this, I'll send an email, thanks!

@Arthur P. Bloom posted:

Are you committed to the panels? Maybe a one- or two-digit, 7-segment display, mounted in a signal box or dwarf signal housing facing the edge?  I know you know how.

There could be any number of tracks energized not just one.  That's why I went with the individual indicators.

@AlanRail posted:

without panel doors?

or with OPEN panel doors

I think it would have to be bigger than that, the PCB is 2.25" wide and 1.25" high and I need at least an inch behind it for the connectors, etc.

I'm thinking maybe having the actual display heads form a "window" and have them on the surface of the outside?

John

I took an existing Model I had, the sizes can be changed and a window opening can be added.

it's the concept.

Well, the concept is sound, that's what I had originally envisioned.  A small building that I could just hide the PCB in and show the display.  Since it's going in a small space, I wanted it not to overpower the surroundings.

You might look at HO buildings.   I found some old Atlas brick tool houses that I intend to repurposes as a pump house.

Jan

I would think a small yard office when fit the bill.

John, here's a couple to think about. The beige building is by Lionel and the red one by Mattel.

If you want to go toy-like, the shack that came in Erector sets would work well.

If you want to go rustic, one of the Plasticville hobo shacks would work.

John,

I have these two small switch towers. The first is MTH 30-9097 and the second I picked up at the Strasburg 2-rail show. The second one is a little wobbly but the roof comes off for access. You're welcome to either one.

Both of these are sold.

Charlie

Dave:

I like the Indian Red siding & Bronze Green trim of your Mattel shed.

Of course, You model the CB&Q !!!

CB&Q Bill

@cpowell posted:

John,

I have these two small switch towers. The first is MTH 30-9097 and the second I picked up at the Strasburg 2-rail show. The second one is a little wobbly but the roof comes off for access. You're welcome to either one.

Charlie

The MTH one looks to be the size I have in mind, Measures:3 3/8 x 2 1/2 x 5 7/16...

The larger (6-pane) window on 30-9097 is 1-9/16” wide X 13/16” high.  The total width of the gate house on the long side is 2”.  Total width on the short side is 1-1/2” with about 1” to work with inside.

I was looking at the Atlas 6903 gate tower when I ended up getting the MTH version.  the Atlas gate house looks to be smaller than the MTH version.

Trackside Shanty & Elevated Gate Tower, O Scale Structures, Track & Accessories| Atlas Model Railroad (atlasrr.com)

The Atlas tower comes in kit form which may be easier to modify for your application.

The MTH Railking Power Station/County Jail may work at a little over 4" square and is only one story high ...

RAILKING MTH JAIL HOUSE MAROON AND DARK GRAY 30-90014 658081062150 | eBay

If you're not stuck on a structure, you might also consider the side of one of the small Menard's box trucks. They come in a variety of flavors and are pretty inexpensive. Some have opening doors in the rear which will allow access.

1:48 Santa Fe Box Truck at Menards®

The jail would probably not look like it fits, probably a lot of bashing involved.  It may be better to simply consider scratch building a small building...

Not sure of your exact footprint, but would the Lionel PRR Crossing Shanty work ?

Pennsylvania RR Crossing Shanty (lionel.com)

If you're looking to build, both Bar Mills and BTS look like they have buildings that would fit your requirements.

I have something providing similar status.  Mine is much larger in size and hangs on the wall.  I made it look like a train arrival/depart board.  You know "arriving on track 61" only mine has yard route and occupancy status lights.

@shorling posted:

I have something providing similar status.  Mine is much larger in size and hangs on the wall.  I made it look like a train arrival/depart board.  You know "arriving on track 61" only mine has yard route and occupancy status lights.

I'm guessing that building is too small: Dimensions: 2 1/4" x 2 1/2" x 3"  The outside dimensions are the size of my display board.

I didn't consider occupancy status lights, I just look at the TT.

Here's two more suggestions. What about an MTH shipping container. I took the bottom off and placed it over some hinges I wanted to hide. Interior dimensions are: 4.5" long, 2.0" tall and 1.75" wide. You could cut out one of the sides to see your display.

Another off-the-wall idea is to use Legos to build a three-sided box with a roof. You could then paint as need. Photo shows a small switch tower I made for a Lego layout.

Charlie

GRJ,

I was just thinking that a photo of your display lit up might help.

@PRRMP54 posted:

GRJ,

I was just thinking that a photo of your display lit up might help.

Well, it has to be wired in, but that happens after the building installation.

Hey John

Have you considered Alan Graziano?

@Transman posted:

Hey John

Have you considered Alan Graziano?

I presume you're thinking of a custom building?  That's a possibility...

John- I've done several projects with paper prints. I print the building images on card stock and then attach to thin cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect). Cheap and easily customizable to fit your displays.

I bought the images from a blogger in the UK here

Bob

The more I think about it, the more I think that maybe this should be a custom building.  After practical considerations, I'm thinking of mounting it vertically, that way I can print an overlay with the whisker track numbers on it over the lighted boxes.

Just throwing another idea against the wall. It could be a sign on the exterior of a building that incorporates the numbers that says something along the lines of:

1 Days since last safety incident

3 Days since last derailment

2 Days since last woman was see  in the basement

4 Days since last eBay purchase

you’ll have to solicit better jokes from the group 😉

Hi John

Have you come up with a decision on what you're gonna do here?

I have looked at the options, and I am leaning to Alan's idea of making a custom building, I really want it to be small, just big enough to hold the status display.  If I mount it vertically, I can put numbers on the LED indicators, that would be useful as well.

Did you talk to Alan already?

John, I think this would look pretty cool next to your turntable.  I already fit your display board graphically.  Windows measure 5/8" x 1-5/8".  Entire building has 3-1/2" x 6-1/4" footprint standing 9" at peak.

@gunrunnerjohn have you considered lighted bumpers on the whisker tracks?