Scratchbuilding the old west

smoolie671 Sep 16, 2014

  1. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    I have started to build an old west town for my new layout. The crowning jewel of the town is a building that many have likely seen. Lets see who can guess what it is.
    IMG_20140831_113348852.jpg
    I'll post another pic in a little while if no one can guess.
     
  2. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Doesn't look like a saloon, nor a general store. Other prominent buildings might have been a hotel or bank.
     
  3. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    Hint, It's a local government building.
     
  4. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    Ok, next picture.
    IMG_20140831_150626834.jpg
     
  5. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Something like a city hall? Quite large for a jail!
     
  6. traingeekboy

    traingeekboy TrainBoard Member

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    I was thinking maybe it will become a domed capitol building.
     
  7. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Maybe we need a hint on the expected population size for this community. :)
     
  8. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    Hmm, thats a hard one. "Back in the day" maybe 1 to 2 hundred.
     
  9. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    Here is another pic. IMG_20140831_162813804.jpg
     
  10. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Well, for a town as small as you've noted, it must have been an important settlement for such an imposing building. If not a city hall, maybe a county seat type structure?
     
  11. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    You are very perceptive. ;)
     
  12. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    I must make a confession, this town is a fictional location.

    IMG_20140901_145437216.jpg
     
  13. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Argh. That makes it even more difficult!
     
  14. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    How about another photo. IMG_20140901_180817231.jpg
     
  15. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    With imposing steps such as those, it must be something like a court house. Something very important as to government.
     
  16. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    You are once again very astute. Here is what it currently looks like.
    IMG_20140914_122633611.jpg
     
  17. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    OK. I'm curious about the columns and capitals. Are those something you hand made? Or a manufactured part?
     
  18. smoolie671

    smoolie671 TrainBoard Member

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    I was originally going to use corrugated paper to make the fluting for the columns, but I couldn't make the fluting small enough to look right. So I found a picture online of some fluting and shrank it to the propper size, printed it out and wrapped it around some dowels. The tops were made from some beads I found at Michael's. It's not quite perfect but it plays with the eyes just enough to look convincing.
     
  19. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Convincing. Good word, as that is how it caught my eye.
     
  20. JimJ

    JimJ Staff Member

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    That is very crafty modeling! My hats off to you.
     

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