I received some feedback from one of my “Around the tracks” readers. He said he liked the article on “Paper models for train layouts” – then came the confession: The paper buildings just did not look 3D.
To protect his identity, I am not going to tell you too much more, but he confessed to have raided a dollhouse. [Editor’s note: He did not say whether it was his sister’s or daughter’s dollhouse.] He took a few doors and windows and attached them to his paper model. The three-dimensional effect was instantaneous.
Perhaps a better or safer idea would be to get a 3D printer, or at least find a friend with one and print what you want. Attach the print to the paper and voilà 3D model. Of course, if you have access to a 3D printer, print the whole thing instead of printing parts of a building. If you do not have a printer, consider prefab kits.
You can purchase online and have kits of all kinds of different buildings shipped right to your door. For kits, I discovered a small business called Mine Mount Models. This guy is great. He does not include directions in the box. Instead, he sends you to his website, which has detailed directions with lots of photos on how to put the models together. Prices are reasonable and he already has dozens of kits to choose from.
I got the Pinales Petrol Gas Station. What I like about these kits is that the buildings are made of wood. The small accessories – in this case, the gas pumps – are 3D printed plastic. The kit went together quickly and easily. I think it looks great, and best of all, it was fun to assemble.
Another kit company to look at is Jason Jensen Trains – I got his Watch Store kit. It, too, was fun to build and came with a lot of colour signs to make the place look real. But what makes this kit stand out is that it comes with no directions. Instead, you are directed to a series of videos on his YouTube channel.
There is a video for each kit, and he goes step by step through the building process and shows you exactly what needs to be done. He even shows you how to carve cracks in the sidewalk, put nail holes in the walls, and lift some of the corners of the boards to show normal wear and tear of an old building. He guides you each step of the way and shows what he is doing and the effects that will be achieved.
Now, that is not to say there is anything wrong with traditional plastic models. There is much more variety in plastic, but I love the personal touch. Imagine the model creator explaining the build process to you. You learn more and build a connection; even the Mine Mount Model was great. They sent me a note when the item was shipped, followed by a note that it had arrived. The note included an email address and even a phone number for if I had questions. Best of all, they had a photo gallery.
Customers are asked to take pictures of the structure of their layout and forward it to Mine Mount. The best pictures are then included in the photo gallery where other hobbits can get inspired. And, yes, they even publish the name of the hobbits with the photo. If you have a 3D printer, you can experiment and print just what you want.
Until next time, I hope to see you adding details (whether kits or just a few 3D printed items) to make your railroad more interesting.
Picture: Once the model is finished, add a base, people, and other items like a dog, cat or even a trash can. In this case, oil stations can be added.
