Elevator

Here's the elevator at one end of town:

The older structure has been around for some time, and has served on two previous layouts.  It was scratchbuilt from photos I took of a small elevator in La Salle, CO.  The prototype is still apparently there, but hasn't aged well since I photographed it in 1991.

I'm still looking for something to represent the two small storage bins in front of the building better, so the ones in the model photo are stand-ins for now.

The original elevator didn't look quite appropriate for loading half a dozen 100 ton hoppers at a time, so I supplemented it with a more modern annex.

This part of the industry was build from two Rix grain bins, plus a Rix elevator.  I added an unloading shed kitbashed from leftover parts out of a Walthers ADM elevator kit.  There's a grate in the floor of the shed from a gravel facility kit.  To keep the whole thing from being overly fragile, I made a foundation from .060" styrene sheet, and round bases for the bins are slices of 3" ABS pipe.  Because this area is right out at the edge of the aisle, I threw on some extra details like a drive belt for the elevator pulley fabricated from .010" x .020" styrene strip (you can make it out in the photo if you squint).

Cenex

At the other end of town is Cenex farm supply.

The part closest to the road is a conglomeration of things.

The stone building was scratched around 30 years ago by my friend Dave Darcey, but was never really finished.  At some point the original false front warped, so I built a copy from styrene, identical save for the modernized area at the bottom, where I used a Pikestuff door and window.  I thought about replacing the Campbell shingle roof, but couldn't figure out how to do so without destroying the whole structure, so settled on painting it to tie with the rolled roofing elsewhere in the complex.  I scratchbuilt the corrugated annex from plans for a similar structure in Chama, NM.  It's a styrene core with Campbell corrugated aluminum siding and Grandt windows.  I still need to make some signs and refine the foundation under the stone building somewhat more.

The white building is a Walthers Sunrise Feed Mill with a few extra details like the big cyclone on the roof at right.  I represented peeling and weathered paint with watercolor pencils as described in MRH.  There's pastel chalk and dry-brushed acrylic craft paint weathering as well.

The metal building at left is from a Walthers Interstate Fuels, and has a Walthers grain conveyor and piping (the conveyor was shortened by a couple sections to keep its height from overpowering the rest of the complex).  Note the angled pipe extending from the bottom of the trackside wall, which represents an auger from the hopper dump to be located in the spur track.  There are still more details to come, including some exterior lights.

Maybe another one?

There's a big blank space between Cenex and the road, and I'm still thinking about what will fill it.  One possibility is this small building built from a Cigar Box Models plaster kit (out of production).  This building was finished a few years back, and is still looking for a permanent home.  It might go here, but who knows yet.  To make it look more substantial I placed some vertical storage tanks at the back.

Liking It

I envy you being able to place previously built structures. Once I reach the plywood pacific stage, structure building will drag out for a very long time as I will be starting from nothing. Oh well, it's a planned retirement hobby for me so it is only fitting I may not get structures until that AARP card goes active!

Your layout is going to be so cool.

Coming along nicley!

As always Rob coming along very nicely.  I always enjoy seeing your work.  Thanks for sharing!

Steve

Nice Looking Structures

The extra detail you've added and the subtle weathering really make these structures look great, Rob. I'm sure it feels good to be at the point where you can bring the structures back out. Interesting concept with the .060 styrene base for the annex. I'm building a small tipple right now and the conveyor assembly is really fragile. My plan is to follow your example and mount the conveyor, the breaker and possibly the receiving bin on a piece of either .060 or .080 sheet styrene. I assume there isn't much flex in the base- correct?

By the way, the stake bed truck next to the Mountain States Oil building looks fantastic. Nice job on the weathering.

Tom Patterson

Re: Comments

Thanks Alan, Steve, Tom...  I'm starting to have fun making some pieces of the layout actually look like something for once.

Correct.  I can move the model around without concern about all the piping coming loose.  Attaching the bin foundations and unloading shed stiffened it to where it doesn't flex much at all.  If you don't want exposed concrete, you could of course bury the styrene base beneath some dirt.

Very nice!!

This is a great series of kitbashed buildings!! Even though many of the are common kits your twist on them has really made them unique and interesting.

Keep up the great work!!

Thanks Greg

I do have several of these all-too-common kits forming the basis for structures.  I'm hoping that details, paint, weathering, and the inclusion of scratchbuilt and heavily kitbashed buildings around them will keep me from having a tribute to Walthers and DPM.

The right look

Rob,  your combining of structures and additional details capture the right look of farm country.

Steve

Thanks Steve

The farm country look is moving along, as scenery has started in the area this week.  Once I have more done and some photos ready later this month I'll start a scenery construction blog.