Erie Railroad Mahoning division HCD

[sirenwerks]

I'm not a fan of laser cut kits but have you thought about something like Branchline's DuBois Store (bonus that it's in Erie colors)?





Maybe with a set of gas pumps outside?


Or Branchline's Roscoe Store?





Something with more 'downtown' oomph?


Branchline also makes a nice gas gas station...





Though the HO version looks so much more presentable...

[Sokramiketes]

I've tried two Branchlike kits now... they are pretty bad.  It seems like they scaled down the HO ones and never tweaked the parts fit after building one.  You can see a lot of fitment issues just in the photos you referenced. 

[Chris333]

See page 35 for the Rosco store 



Even chucked this down for a pic, but 2 feed mills?

[sirenwerks]

Yea, I'm not promoting Branchline at all, nor laser cut kits - they always seek to have issues, from puzzle assembly patterns requiring massive corner trim to oversized nasty fuzzy window details - but the buildings themselves represent what I was trying to get Chris to consider.  Architecturally, IMO, they fit more with that beautiful feed mill structure he's presented on this side of the layout.

[OldEastRR]

I've tried two Branchlike kits now... they are pretty bad.  It seems like they scaled down the HO ones and never tweaked the parts fit after building one.  You can see a lot of fitment issues just in the photos you referenced.

There's also some weird inconsistancies... notice how everything on the Branchline gas station is wood except the brick pillars holding up the canopy? Why brick THERE? I replaced them with wooden beams for consistency:



And only after I built it did I realize the canopy was way too high -- you could put an attic apartment in there!

Chriss333 -- maybe a nondescript repair shop for that spot. One story, rambling, with added-on sections, maybe an open shed attachment. Something that looks like it used to be a blacksmith/horse barn that was repurposed for general equipment/auto repair? You could put up a leaning fence, and junk/junkers stuck around, maybe some down the riverbank and into the water. That area could look like a thrown-together collection of mess and unplanned expansion, to counter the neat and precise look of the downtown. What with the river and the railroad track, not really be considered by your townspeople as being an ideal spot to build anything decent. Hey, as a repurposed horse barn you could even have one lone gas pump to serve as a "gas station".

[wazzou]

It's funny, I have that J&L Innovative McLouds Service Station but the orientation of the Garage or Service bay is the opposite direction.  I guess I really can't remember if there was an option or why I chose the orientation I did.
I do have that WS Filler Up & Fix'er and I did remove some of the details and repainted the trim because it's a little sloppy from the factory.  I painted the roof to lessen the checkered look and slapped a lot of A&I on there to tone down the stark white.
I would recommend the Filling Station from Depots by John.  I have a thing for Gas Staions and it's one of my favorites.

[sirenwerks]

I would recommend the Filling Station from Depots by John.  I have a thing for Gas Staions and it's one of my favorites.

I agree, the Radtke's Filling Station by Depots By John is a nice structure, a well executed model.

[Dave V]

I used the City Classics station:



...seen in the upper left on my layout:

[Chris333]

I like the City Classics station, but I already have a spot for one around the corner (bright white glow on the left):


Right now I'll wait for my Woodland Scenics kit to show up and see how it turns out. I like most of the buildings I have just not in that spot.. I do like the idea of a few junk cars out back and the low profile will let me see the feed mill better.

[Chris333]

It's funny, I have that J&L Innovative McLouds Service Station but the orientation of the Garage or Service bay is the opposite direction.  I guess I really can't remember if there was an option or why I chose the orientation I did.
I do have that WS Filler Up & Fix'er and I did remove some of the details and repainted the trim because it's a little sloppy from the factory.  I painted the roof to lessen the checkered look and slapped a lot of A&I on there to tone down the stark white.
I would recommend the Filling Station from Depots by John.  I have a thing for Gas Staions and it's one of my favorites.

If I recall the J&L kit is just a box of wood with plans, you can build the garage either way. I like the kit, but it is more back woodsy looking.

[OldEastRR]

I suggested a low profile structure kinda plain so the feed mill behind it does stand out and is more easily seen, since it's an excellent model. So your eyes see the plain drab front structure then skip quickly over it to "wow, neat feedmill"!
Are you going to weather and trash up any of your town buildings in the final scenic-making stages?

[Philip H]

There's also some weird inconsistancies... notice how everything on the Branchline gas station is wood except the brick pillars holding up the canopy? Why brick THERE? I replaced them with wooden beams for consistency:

There a ton of these gas stations all over the Deep South and about half of them have brick posts. Supposed t be a "classy" touch.

[sirenwerks]

There a ton of these gas stations all over the Deep South and about half of them have brick posts. Supposed t be a "classy" touch.

I imagine the brick serves another duty as first line of defense against over-zealous drivers.  Better they crack apart the masonry than make a direct hit on the wood post that is the main structural support for the entire roof.

[Baronjutter]

Love the updates, this side of the layout is really coming to live suddenly!

[GimpLizard]

So I was thinking 

I last ended up using Showcase Miniatures Bartlett building here on the left:

JMO but... I think I like this one the most. With the filling station across the street, maybe. Makes it look more like the railroad is passing "through" town. As opposed to skirting it.