??? N scale Walthers Geo.Roberts Printing company.

[Catt]

It is a requirement in the city of Bel-Aire Michigan that you have grass if you have unpaved property. 

(Bel-Aire MI. is real that rule isn't.

[Catt]

Working out the street layout.Other buildings to the far left is Kindel Furniture a very old company here in GR.Near left is Kellett Storage named for my friend John Kellett.



I'm on a roll,can you tell? 

[peteski]

I'm on a roll,can you tell? 

Hey, as long as you're having fun....
 

[CrazyLynx]

I like where it's going!

[Catt]

I finally got some time to do a little more of the furniture factory project.

Got the curbing done and glued on and the road painted and glued down.Will start on some ground cover maybe tomorrow.Still need to do the truck dock area and employee parking lot.

[Baronjutter]

Love big realistically massed industrial areas!!

[Catt]

My thoughts are ,if it is rail served it needs to be large enough to look like it deserves rail service.Even the industries that don't get rail service need to be a believable size. Kindel Furniture is a Walther's Hardwood Furniture kitbash,Kellett Transfer & Storage is scratchbuilt.

[Catt]

Project was progressing very nicely.I got started on some scenery ,but then I hit a road block.I have no idea how I want to do the truck dock area. 

[C855B]

... I have no idea how I want to do the truck dock area. 

Given that I worked in such printing plants for half my life...

The pavement in the dock looks pretty good from what I can tell. Our docks were pretty desolate places - all pavement and little else around for the trucks to run into. You might put bollards on each side of the dock door openings, painted yellow. Put a dumpster in front of the doorless panel to the right of the right-hand door. Electrical apparatus (transformer, equipment boxes, big conduit) in a chain link cage in the corner.

One minor change - the opening in the curb from the main street is too close to the building. Think of how to maneuver 53' trailers in and out of the dock. Also, the corners of the curb cut will be all torn up from being constantly mashed by 30-40 ton loads.

[C855B]

My thoughts are ,if it is rail served it needs to be large enough to look like it deserves rail service. ...

That's going to change a lot by era. Modern, yes, it's gotta be big. But up until 1980, it can be as small as the local mom'n'pop lumber yard who might get one car a month. Heck... our local history museum used to be a grocery wholesaler, with their own spur to a single dock door. It is a modest three-story, with roughly 8000 sq.ft. per floor.

[Catt]

The pavement in the dock looks pretty good from what I can tell. Our docks were pretty desolate places - all pavement and little else around for the trucks to run into. You might put bollards on each side of the dock door openings, painted yellow. Put a dumpster in front of the doorless panel to the right of the right-hand door. Electrical apparatus (transformer, equipment boxes, big conduit) in a chain link cage in the corner.

One minor change - the opening in the curb from the main street is too close to the building. Think of how to maneuver 53' trailers in and out of the dock. Also, the corners of the curb cut will be all torn up from being constantly mashed by 30-40 ton loads.

As for the loading dock the only trucks that will go there are straight trucks as long distance out of town shipments are handled by the GVR.

I like your ideas,and am rather surprised that I didn't think of at least some of them.I really need to incorporate a people door so the drivers can get into the building.

[Lemosteam]

Hi Catt, I have not built a structure in many years, much less painted one.  I just purchased a similar kit and I am wondering about the steps you took when painting your model.

Steps and words of advice? Paint before assembly, after?

Any help would be really appreciated!

[Catt]

John, when I built the original kit I painted after I assembled,but when I added the new part I painted first using a small pointed brush to paint the brickwork took time but made for a neater paint job.I would suggest take your time and do not overload your brush.

Hope this helps,don't forget to post pictures. 

[Lemosteam]

Thanks Catt, it does.  I assume you spray bombed the stucco panels first and then brushed on the brick areas? The printing flat kit comes with some extra parts that I might not use.  I'll do some testing with that.

[Catt]

Actually the only wall that has the stucco painted is the blank end wall,which by the way has no brick detail it is just a sheet of flat styrene.The rest of the building (except the brick) is the colour Walthers molded it in.I think if I were to do it over though I would spray the whole building with a flat finish.