A couple weeks ago Gregg showed off a nice kitbash that created a good sized industry on his new PRR layout. Many of you are familiar with my paper mill, but I thought I'd re-visit it again, and open a topic about everyone's approach to creating a large industrial complex.
One of the things that drives me nuts is industrial buildings that are barely larger than the boxcars that serve them. This seems to be the norm in HO scale, but in N, we have the opportunity to make room for larger complexes, even on a small layout.
Here's the paper mill complex I've built, part kitbash, part modular wall systems, and part off the rack.
There are four major components to the complex...
The warehouse, built from DPM Modular Wall units, with some Evergreen strip stock to tie it all together
The Power Plant, a kitbash of an old Heljan warehouse kit, with some parts from the junkbox (the twin stacks are leftovers from two Model Power Brewery kits)
The pulp digester is a stock Walthers back shop building, with some details added, like the scratch built conveyors.
and in the middle, the Paper Mill building. This is a combination of 4 different kits, two Model Power breweries, and two Heljan warehouses. This image shows you the patchwork before I painted it.
The best part about this project was the cost. To purchase large structure kits from Walthers can run $40-50 a pop. I think I did this whole complex on about $50 total.
I'd be interested to see how you have tackled large industries on your layouts...
Lee
