Tall Buildings Tuesday

@bluelinec4 posted:

@bluelinec4

Those are GREAT models of the Trade Towers!!!!  Are they part of a club layout? What was used to construct them?

Thanks for sharing these.

@Randy Harrison posted:

@bluelinec4

Those are GREAT models of the Trade Towers!!!!  Are they part of a club layout? What was used to construct them?

Thanks for sharing these.

That is at the NJ HiRailers club layout in Paterson NJ.  We cut the exterior walls from Matt Board   The interior is a wood frame with plexiglass over it  The Matt board was glued to the plexiglass   It is three sections   We were thinking of adding another section for the height but then we would lose the TV tower

@bluelinec4 posted:

That is at the NJ HiRailers club layout in Paterson NJ.  We cut the exterior walls from Matt Board   The interior is a wood frame with plexiglass over it  The Matt board was glued to the plexiglass   It is three sections   We were thinking of adding another section for the height but then we would lose the TV tower

Thanks for the quick reply. If I understand you correctly, all of the small windows on each floor were hand-cut in Matt Board?

@Randy Harrison posted:

Thanks for the quick reply. If I understand you correctly, all of the small windows on each floor were hand-cut in Matt Board?

No   The matt board was cut with a laser cutter  Drew everything in a CAD program   Here are some pics of early attempts 

I sent alot of the early attempts to Alan for future use on his layout

This is the member that drew them  LOL

@bluelinec4

Thanks for the information and the "early attempts" photos. The tower models are GREAT!

@bluelinec4 posted:

That is at the NJ HiRailers club layout in Paterson NJ.  We cut the exterior walls from Matt Board   The interior is a wood frame with plexiglass over it  The Matt board was glued to the plexiglass   It is three sections   We were thinking of adding another section for the height but then we would lose the TV tower

They are just right Ben...the tower is important and the overall proportions are perfect!

Tinplate tall buildings:

Scott Smith

@scott.smith posted:

Tinplate tall buildings:

Scott Smith

I love em Scott!!  WOW!!

@scott.smith posted:

Tinplate tall buildings:

Scott Smith

Scott, these sort of remind me of stain glass art, or those old style trash can my grandparents had that are made out of tin or such. Of course the trash can sort of don't have the style of the buildings you have posted, but what I mean is the artistry on them. I think the black trash can has some sort of golden paint with some design like symbols or a flower, the light tan one I can't remember, always think it has a scene of a field or something, but I believe that was a painting that was in their hallway. Definitely breathtaking Scott.

@scott.smith posted:

Tinplate tall buildings:

Scott Smith

Scott....these would make a nice article in the magazine!  $$$$ for you!  If not, then tell us how you made them here.  There are some great possibilities with what you have done.

You know Alan, when I first saw Scott's cylindrical tower it reminded me of linoleum tile flooring, except that it is clear. Whatever Scott used, amen to ingenuity in making it into a building. 👍🙂

Scott welcome to TBT!  I was wondering when you were going to trot your Tinplate skyscrapers over here.

Scott got me fired up again!  Too many pages to go through so if I posted this before, please forgive!

Arnold that's fabulous.  The shape reminds me of the Pan Am (Met Life) Building.

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:

Scott got me fired up again!  Too many pages to go through so if I posted this before, please forgive!

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER

Alan:

That is a GREAT building! what did you use to form the grid for the windows?

@Randy Harrison posted:

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER

Alan:

That is a GREAT building! what did you use to form the grid for the windows?

Hi Randy!

I did not build this building however I did modify it by putting reflective film over the window material.  The grid is made from a ceiling light cover/diffuser.  This material is available at the larger DIY stores.

@bluelinec4 posted:

No   The matt board was cut with a laser cutter  Drew everything in a CAD program   Here are some pics of early attempts

I sent alot of the early attempts to Alan for future use on his layout

When I received the box from Ben and opened it, I was overwhelmed!  Lots of good stuff.  Right now I am trying to figure out the best use of some of the pieces.  Real Estate is non-existent in the city so some urban renewal/demolition will be in order!  

A storm is looming over the city ...

Here is a picture of my first urban layout city area from around 1994:

South Fork Railroad Headquarters

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:

A storm is looming over the city ...

Looks like the Ghost Busters cloud Alan.

@Ron H posted:

Looks like the Ghost Busters cloud Alan.

LOL!!!  Actually, Bill Bramlage photo shopped the clouds in this photo.

@W&W posted:

@W&W This scene is VERY well done. I love urban railway stations! I have a question about the close-up photo in your post prior to this one. Where did you get the concrete railing?

Thank you.

@Randy Harrison posted:

@W&W This scene is VERY well done. I love urban railway stations! I have a question about the close-up photo in your post prior to this one. Where did you get the concrete railing?

Thank you.

Randy,

East Coast Enterprises made the concrete railing, also several buildings including MET LIFE. SOUTH FORK RAILROAD and others.

Craig

Here is a picture of a group of tall buildings from my first urban layout back in 1990 or so.

Nice Alan.

Yesterday I was looking through all 10 pages of this posting and was amazed at all the great cityscapes that have been created by our members. Very inspiring. I turned down the lights and got up on a ladder to take a couple of aerial photos.

@NYC Fan posted:

Yesterday I was looking through all 10 pages of this posting and was amazed at all the great cityscapes that have been created by our members. Very inspiring. I turned down the lights and got up on a ladder to take a couple of aerial photos.

Those are really great Skip. Do you recall that the Empire State Building was originally going to have blimp docking way up top? One tragic day in New Jersey changed the minds of many so that was no longer a viable option. Could you imagine it though, if that was something that had actually happened to be? Blimp docking, top floor. It would be interesting to try and model that, but the antenna on top of the Empire State Building would have to pop off and be as when King Kong had come to town.

@Dave NYC Hudson PRR K4 posted:

Those are really great Skip. Do you recall that the Empire State Building was originally going to have blimp docking way up top? One tragic day in New Jersey changed the minds of many so that was no longer a viable option. Could you imagine it though, if that was something that had actually happened to be? Blimp docking, top floor. It would be interesting to try and model that, but the antenna on top of the Empire State Building would have to pop off and be as when King Kong had come to town.

The navy thought about it but felt it was impractical even before the Hindenburg disaster. It was never really seriously considered for commercial passenger service. Wind was a major issue making it too difficult to be practical.

Navy test docking in 1930 prior to the building's opening.

The steep narrow stairway leading up to the 103rd floor.

This recent photo shows the 103nd Floor observation deck. Special groups have been allowed to tour the 103rd deck but it is generally closed to the public. This would have been the floor used for blimp docking. It has a very narrow outside deck with a scary low wall.

103rd Floor deck. Inside is not much room for anything but the narrow stairway down and a yellow ladder for workmen to reach the antenna.

Skip, you really know how to make me smile. I do remember the photo but forgot it was a Navy blimp test. I think I saw all this on maybe Modern Marvels or possibly a thing on the building itself. They had covered just about everything that not very many know. Glad to get a further education, thanks Skip.

Gosh, I was so busy yesterday that I am a little late to the party!  Here are couple of shots:

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:

Gosh, I was so busy yesterday that I am a little late to the party!  Here are couple of shots:

Alan - these are really beautiful and would be fantasic on my period of layout.  Are they 100% scratch build or did you (or someone else kitbash)?  Would really appreciate all backgound and information you would share about these two.

@DETROIT posted:

Alan - these are really beautiful and would be fantasic on my period of layout.  Are they 100% scratch build or did you (or someone else kitbash)?  Would really appreciate all backgound and information you would share about these two.

Thanks.  The building on the left is made up of four building fronts I purchased at York from one of our advertisers/sponsors East Coast Enterprises.  I bought the raw fronts, painted them, and then put the fronts together into a building.  The building on the left is made up of several old American Skyline building kits that I purchased on Ebay.  These are primarily HO building sets however if you assemble floor windows next to one another, it essentially makes the resulting building O scale.

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:

Gosh, I was so busy yesterday that I am a little late to the party!  Here are couple of shots:

Alan, with these two up views, you may need to do like the NJ HiRailers and pop Spiderman or Superman somewhere on these to protect the city from evil doers. After all, "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive!" Hmm, what can be said about Spiderman? Maybe this, "Today is not a good day to take the subway."

OK...I will start this off today:

@OGR CEO-PUBLISHER posted:

OK...I will start this off today:

That is one big building Alan. What is it, kit of something, or winging it?