Temporary Elevated Train Station

It’s a great first step Arnold. It’s long overdue on your pike, particularly next to that Yankee Stadium.  

Thanks Strap Hanger.

The same guy who used beer bottles for trestle, also used the cardboard inserts of toilet paper rolls on his temporary layout.

I don't know yet what he did with the cardboard toilet paper inserts. However, I just took out of my recycle bin a couple of those cardboard inserts, and painted them tan in color. When the paint dries, I will use them to hide my water bottle supports under my temporary elevated station.

I like the idea of using throw aways or common stuff around the house like coffee cans, coffee grinds, wooden coffee stirrers, toothpaste caps, bottles,  toilet paper rolls, Popsicle Sticks, etc., to make scenery and structures on a layout. The price is right because it's usually free.

Arnold

Great idea, Arnold!

I thought it was a new fangled water tank!  LOL!  

I also try to reuse items rather than throw them away.  I even disassembled an old computer hard drive and saved a lot of the internals.  They will eventually be weathered and find their way into a scrap load in a gondola.  

John

In this photo, the cardboard inside a roll of toilet paper has been painted tan and glued to the water bottle support on the left front of the station, with rubber bands around it until the glue dries.

I think it's a little better than seeing the water bottle.

It's been fun to do this on a temporary basis. I will sleep on it, but think I will do some research to determine how best to make this into a nice looking permanent elevated downtown station.

In the meantime. I need the cardboard from 2 more rolls of toilet paper. At my advanced age and that of my wife, I should have that extra cardboard in no time. LOL, Arnold

The way things have been going it may be wise to stock up a little more than usual!

remember what happened last year!

nice station! Cool idea.

What would be awesome is to have a nice staircase and foot bridge for passengers to go from the elevated station to the one in front and along the track. I have seen this in photos of layouts in OGR Magazine.

Therec coud be a lot of interesting modeling projects turning this into a permanent downtown station.

Another thing; the wood and cardboard need a very good paint job. Not sure yet what color(s).

This weekend, I began the process of converting my temorary Lionel #115 City Station into a permanent one on my layout. This included removing the temporary water bottle supports, affixing the wooden legs to the plywood platform with screws, paint it with tan acrylic paint, and connected wires so it lights up, among other things mentioned later.

Here are a couple of photos:

I like the combination of the City Station and the Operating Dispatch Board for several reasons, not the least of which is that I already have them, love them and want them on my layout. If I did not already have them, I probably would not go to the expense of purchasing them unless I got them for an irresistibly low price.

I added cardboard side panels with windows to the Dispatch Board. The windows come from a kitbashed International Hobbies Engine House.

To my dismay, once I got everything installed, the Dispatch Board stopped working. So, I had to take it off the train table and attempt to fix it.

It seemed hopeless at first, because I couldn't figure out how to take the Dispatch Board apart. Then, I noticed the little silver colored horns on top of it, and remembered that they unscrew. When I unscrewed them and removed a couple of additional screws on the bottom, I was able to open it up. Then, I noticed the thread was off the wheel, which is part of the pulley mechanism that makes the big blue man go back and forth.

It was an easy fix: I just put the thread back on the wheel, and it worked again. I was delighted to have fixed it. Then, I put everything in place back on the train table.

I will sleep on this project for a day or two and then decide what I want to do next, if anything. Arnold

Here's a video of the Dispatch station in action:

I made a couple of more small improvements to the City Station.  These include building a platform (made of wood and cardboard) for it, and painting the platform:

I think it's better than before. The cream and brown colors were left over acrylic paints I've had for 20 plus years and give it a Tudor style look, which I like.

If and when I add details like  green colored staircases (between the elevated station and the station down below), and/or a foot bridge, I think such details could make a big difference.

I also may need to replace the brown illuminated station down below because it is way too small compared to the City Station and Dispatch Board. I may be able to scratch build the station down below using wood painted the same brown color.

Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I made a couple of more small improvements to the City Station.  These include building a platform (made of wood and cardboard) for it, and painting the platform:

I think it's better than before. The cream and brown colors were left over acrylic paints I've had for 20 plus years and give it a Tudor style look, which I like.

If and when I add details like  green colored staircases (between the elevated station and the station down below), and/or a foot bridge, I think such details could make a big difference.

I also may need to replace the brown illuminated station down below because it is way too small compared to the City Station and Dispatch Board. I may be able to scratch build the station down below using wood painted the same brown color.

Arnold

It looks wonderful Arnold! This inspires me to improve my main station

Bryce

Very ingenious sir, I’m going to keep this in mind. Thank you for sharing this.

Added fencing (Atlas G Scale).

The right staircase connecting the elevated #115 City Station with the station below would be a nice improvement.