Is this building "American" style?

Harald Brosch Feb 16, 2013

  1. Harald Brosch

    Harald Brosch TrainBoard Member

    215
    116
    17
    Moin from Germany.

    I´ve build a little H0 Artitec kit some years ago - european style.
    Meanwhile I switched totally to FREMO USA H0 modules.
    North-eastern part of the States.

    I like this little building, but I think its not american style.
    Is this right - or can such things been seen in the States.


    [​IMG]


    Thanks for helping

    Harald
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2013
  2. Harald Brosch

    Harald Brosch TrainBoard Member

    215
    116
    17
  3. paperkite

    paperkite TrainBoard Member

    935
    35
    12
    Her Brosch , No picture showed up but I submit that there are numerious examples of European style buildings in the US ( especally the east coast ) as the style would have been brought here by europeans moving here and others . The building could be a " Euro " membership club or etc , or a " Sons of Norway " type thing. Maybe an ethnic business or ???
     
  4. Harald Brosch

    Harald Brosch TrainBoard Member

    215
    116
    17
    Hmmm - no pics showed.
    therefore I´ve edited my last post and used the URLs of the pics.

    Thanks paperkite for Your answer

    Harald
     
  5. HOexplorer

    HOexplorer TrainBoard Supporter

    2,267
    3,219
    70
    I saw pictures and I will vote pre-WWII European building.

    Just noticed that "pre-WWII European" building is a link unto it's own. Not my doing. Jim
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 16, 2013
  6. retsignalmtr

    retsignalmtr TrainBoard Member

    898
    4
    19
    I think it could pass for a freight house on an American layout
     
  7. FriscoCharlie

    FriscoCharlie Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    11,140
    261
    135
    I fixed the first photo. You had extra stuff in the URL that did not need to be there.

    Charlie
     
  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,735
    653
    I'd have to say it does seem more European than anything we'd see in the States, for a railroad specific building. Might be good for an industry. Some painting, weathering and a few details will change the flavor.
     
  9. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

    2,494
    696
    46
    Well, if you knew about American architecture, many buildings in the US have foreign origins: Victorian, Tudor, French Colonial, Spanish Mission, Mediterranean, Italian Renaissance Revival, etc...

    The depot doesn't scream foreign, but the walls with the outside frame does look different. If you're up to painting, paint the walls a solid color (white/cream/beige) and it will fit right in.
     
  10. Metro Red Line

    Metro Red Line TrainBoard Member

    2,494
    696
    46
    Usually, for a building with foreign-inspired/influenced architecture, it's a "featured" building like a house, hotel, restaurant, office, etc. Or even a passenger station. But a freight station is more utilitarian, most people don't get to see it, much less use it.
     
  11. Harald Brosch

    Harald Brosch TrainBoard Member

    215
    116
    17
    Thanks a lot

    To "european" for US-modules, especially the walls.
    Don´t want to overpaint these walls, cause I had a lot of paintwork with them .-)

    Therefore I´ve just promised this little freight station to another FREMO-member,
    modelling German H0 modules.

    Pre war building - thats right - but little freight stations like this one
    could still be seen in the 1960th and 1970th when I grew up in Northern Germany.

    Harald
     
  12. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,735
    653
    Yes. True. But with some exceptions, usually seen in more important places on a system. Big cities, division points and such. Sometimes when the RR was originally constructed, such buildings were even financed by the local citizens, who wished their community to be better represented than by the utilitarian B&B department offerings. The more common community freight house and outbuildings were austere wooden, with drop siding, or board & batten.

    There is such a surviving exceptional citizen influenced example in my home valley, which had an impoverished short line as built. Yet here is a grand, large depot with stained glass, dual waiting rooms, a turret and large attached freight house. Whereas all but one other on that line were considerably smaller, and cheaply knocked together using board and batten. This in a town of a few hundred for over 100 years, that finally grew at the end of the twentieth century. Long post-tracks gone.
     
  13. ken G Price

    ken G Price TrainBoard Member

    541
    24
    15
    Come one every one. On the east coast of the USA and Canada, you will find a whole lot of European style buildings.
    The farther you move towards the west coast, the fewer you will find. It also depends on the era time frame.

    Herr Brosch, what is the years you wish to model?
     
  14. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,735
    653
    Well, my last post said "Yes. True."

    European style? Or European influenced? The latter are plentiful, coast to coast, and world wide. I know there is definitely one architect on TrainBoard, perhaps others, who can put it in proper perspective for us. Meanwhile, the building example Harald showed us is being best utilized as he has described it's fate.
     
  15. ScaleCraft

    ScaleCraft TrainBoard Member

    2,176
    98
    26
    Welllll...lots of folks have had their say. The external timber over brick certainly isn't common...added to flat roofs (how well they would survive in the US NE with snow load is probably answered with "not long"), the notches in the corners of the roof, the huge strap hinges on the doors...
    If I have the building, and an H0 layout, I would use it.
    I think eventually I would replace the roof with a pitched roof, but I don't think anyone can fault you for using it.
    Go for it. Arm wrestle anyone who complains!
    Dave
     
  16. MisterBeasley

    MisterBeasley TrainBoard Supporter

    1,089
    20
    29
    For the northeast region of the US, the flat roof is inappropriate. We have a lot of snow here, and that's a problem for old wood structures. A steep peaked roof sheds snow more easily, where a flat roof might collapse.
     
  17. Harald Brosch

    Harald Brosch TrainBoard Member

    215
    116
    17
    Moin, moin

    @ Ken G Price - 1995 to 2004

    @ Scale Craft / Dave >>>If I have the building, and an H0 layout, I would use it.<<<
    :) I´m building FREMO US modules - means playing with other guys.
    And if I use it on these modules, there will be some members who will not stop
    in telling me, thats not american enough.
    So - if You guys - living in the US - say - "okay - american - maybe - if You change this and that" , I know
    its not american enough for some FREMOs :)
    And - to be honest - eben if I hoped to hear - "You can see it on every corner in US",
    I was relativeley sure this would not happen.
    Therefore - thanks helping me find my decision

    Harald
     
  18. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

    5,677
    580
    82
    It looks american enough for me. Go to google images and search for building pennsylvania america. There are lots of things built by german immigrants.

    it's a hobby... relax, have fun, drink a beer. :)
     
  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

    67,560
    22,735
    653
    But only one. Otherwise.....
     
  20. FLG

    FLG TrainBoard Member

    126
    12
    18
    If your trains are in an area populated by an ethnic German population there is no issue but might want to change the roof a little. You can use the building as a historic site or a German restuarant. Examples are the towns of Boerne, Fredericksburg, Shiner, and New Braunfels Texas which were founded by Czech and Germans in the mid 1800s and to this day have German influence in everything from the beer (Shiner Bock), festivals (local Oktoberfests), and restuarants (Friesenhaus in New Braunfels etc).
     

Share This Page