Jersey City Industrial Railroad Micro-Layout

[LKOrailroad]

Among other things Detroit symbolizes what has happened to manufacturing in the US. The majority of the Midwest major cities look similar but not to the extreme of Detroit. Having lived my whole life in one Midwest city or another I can tell you that at one time they were great vibrant cities. Sadly, that is history now.

[Hornwrecker]

If you want more info about Detroit's old car factories, there's this massive thread/online research project about them:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/6790/78791.html

I joined that forum about halfway through the thread, and later made a DB of the hundreds of buildings that we traced.

[DKS]

If you want more info about Detroit's old car factories, there's this massive thread/online research project about them:

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/6790/78791.html

I joined that forum about halfway through the thread, and later made a DB of the hundreds of buildings that we traced.

What a great resource!

[Hornwrecker]

Thanks, we put a lot of work into that beast.  There was a smaller rail related one about some of the lessor known Detroit railroad locations.

http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/6790/54651.html?1175099266

[Specter3]

There is an amazing amount of manufacturing that still goes on in the US. We actually still lead the world in manufacturing. But most people do not want to live anywhere near a large manufacturing facility these days so they end up being out in the country. Most companies have decided it costs too much to operate inside a city unless they get massive tax breaks. New procedures and inventions make older companies go out of business. Look at the textile industry that was the reason people initially came to New England. When textile makers in the south figured out how to do it better/cheaper most of  the New England businesses went out or moved. Happened again when folks figured out they could produce in places outside the US. The textile industry in the south pretty much dried up. Happens with lots of things. It is sad to see the cities deteriorate, but at the same time people just want to keep doing things like they always have and you just can't. You have to shift with the conditions and figure out new ways to move forward. Those that dont end up like Detroit, bankrupt. Unfortunately with a city you dont auction off the assets to other folk and have them put back to use.

[DKS]

Thanks indirectly to Dave Vollmer, I've made a minor change to the layout.

[Chris333]

They made that building before, only it was a "built-up". I slowly started to turn one into a kit to use as an engine house. Nice of them to sell it as a kit though.


I've been wondering what to put in that corner as well. I was thinking scrap yard with a crane. Or some business that would need covered hoppers. Still no idea what to do.

[Dave V]

Thanks indirectly to Dave Vollmer, I've made a minor change to the layout.

Nice!  Yes, that building was available before as a built-up...  I want to say it was something like Dayton Machine Works or something.

[DKS]

I'd go for scrap yard.

[Alaska Railroader]

Its interesting how much buildings look alike stretching from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and beyond. Some of these photos look like they would go on this layout just fine. I love how David takes his multiple kits of a single design, adds other kits, and turns them into anything he wants.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--5Xo3RF0Ajs/UeiGislJv8I/AAAAAAAABdU/Nr2YsoQ-R24/s720/0%25200%2520old%2520akron%2520area%2520photos.jpg

[LKOrailroad]

I mentioned earlier that I have lived in cities throughout the Midwest during my life. You are exactly right - the buildings all basically look the same. I am guessing that is because the whole of the Midwest manufacturing complexes east of the Mississippi were built up at roughly the same time. Cincinnati, Cleveland, Akron, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Toledo. Have spent much time in each of these. Put you in an industrial alley in any of these and it would be a challenge to correctly identify the city.

[DKS]

Finally got the sides and back added to the apartment building--



and the back for the corner building--

[peteski]

That sure is an interesting shape.

[basementcalling]

What are you using to cut the DPM plastic, David? Those walls are thick and tough in my experience and I don't often even want to kitbash with their buildings because the walls are so hard to modify. Plus the draft angle is pretty severe on the edges of side walls, so how are you cutting and trimming?

[Chris333]

I think David has a mini circular saw.

You can score the walls a few times and snap them. I clean it up with a cut off wheel and a nice 1" wide file.  Some of the shallow angles can be scored from the back, softened with solvent glue and bent.