Modern Skyscrapers

I just saw this post on another forum I belong to and I thought I would share it here.

It's a link to Modern Skyscrapers. Has anybody built them? It seems they have a limited amount of designs in N scale.

http://www.winmuir.com/index.php

Now this does interest me, as 30% of my new layout will be modern city, the remaining being 30% small town/port seperated by rural/mountainous.

I have noticed the distinct lack of tall buildings, and those that are available rarely go above 7 or 8 stories. My initial thought was to "doctor" 2 or more kits to create a larger structure…. I will read this with great interest.

This also came from another forum, but this uses various Japanese models from Kato, Tomix and Green Max as well as the usual suspects like DPM.  Scale is listed as 1:160, but the Japanese models are 1:150.

I like the effect of Japanese street scenes better than North American.  With everything crowded together in Japanese scenes it seems to work better as a model.

And I've seen several prototypes for junctions with trains on two or three levels, which is sometimes necessary on a small layout.

Bill,

Thanks. I liked the way he kit bashed a couple of the kits, especially the Katos. That's one aspect of layouts that's really hard, trying not to duplicate the buildings on your layout since there is a limited choice to select. What you posted gives a nice variety.

Actually I find that the variety of big city buildings is better in N than it was in HO. There are five large Kato buildings with each coming in two colors.

23-431

23-432

23-433

23-434

23-435

Kato also has the local bank which makes a good heritage structure.

There also are the Tomix 4034 condo buildings in 2 colors,  the 4020 mid-size office which is sometimes adapted as a train station., 4018 the office tower, the square and bow front buildings (Tomix 4048, 4049,4050 and 4051) which can be combined into taller structures and the three smaller office buildings 4042, 4043 and 4044 which have appeared in various colors.

Green Max also has a couple of kits which each can make two buildings or be kit-bashed into one large structure.  Those kits are 46-6 and 46-7 and there also are the station kits 29 and 30 which look like small office structures.

I don't have a shortage.  You just have to be a little creative.

I just found this link from eBay Germany. I really like his work, especially the city hall, but the conversion from Euro to US dollars will hurt plus shipping.

What do you think?

http://stores.ebay.de/City-Town-Moderne-Architektur-in-N

Very nice work!!! 20 euros to ship here.... may be worth thinking about it. The euro/pound conversion rate is bad at the moment though.

Those are pretty nice...

Look at how tall this one is..

http://cgi.ebay.de/Modernes-Stadthaus-Hochhaus-Wolkenkratzer-Skyscraper_W0QQitemZ320496331516QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen?hash=item4a9f11eafc

But...can you add interior lighting to it? 

But...can you add interior lighting to it? 

Sure you can, just warn your local power plant before you turn it on! 

Scraper - Here is another building he's has up for sale:

http://cgi.ebay.de/Modernes-Stadthaus-Hochhaus-Highrise-building_W0QQitemZ320497676876QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen?hash=item4a9f26724c

I notice he uses the same material in both buildings and it's quite effective. What is the material and where can you get it?

Hmm.. I remember seeing a thread on a forum somewhere. There was a link to a online hobby craft store. They sold the mirrored tile. As for the other material, I think it's just thick card stock if I am correct. I am with Jerry on this one. I'm not a huge fan of these though they look good.

One thing is for sure, I've periodically browsed this guys site and he's always got 2 or 3 for sale and they always sell. There seems to be a growing demand for N scale modern high rise structures all the time.

Bernard are you going to order one?

Jerry did you get that Japanese building yet?

 

 

Bernard are you going to order one?

 

 

No, I'd rather try my hand at making one first, for me it's more fun. Scraper what I like about your buildings is they are kitbashes, and therefore unique.

I think this is the thin mirrored glass tile you can get for accenting things like bars and such where you want this reflective look. i think its backed with a peel off sticky back as well. i have seen a number of chaps use this stuff to do mirrored high rise buildings like this.

most of what i have seen looks better at a distance than closer up.

i have always wanted to play with doing lines on stiff acetate for floors and mullions and then put the reflective window film over it to see if you could get the lines to show through some to give that totally mirrored building face with only minimal lines. on the to do list with a lot of other things...

cheers

jeff

I've gone to a store here in Victoria called industrial plastics. They have some cool materials that could easily be used for making model buildiings and especially skyscrapers. I'll dable a bit and see if I can make a couple. I'm almost at the end of building my buildings thought. I've got a couple more ordered. And I'm waiting for CMR's next building to be made in N scale to order a big order from them.

The intersting thing is, once I've finished my own projects I may sell some. I'll be selling some Lunde buildings coming up in the next month or so and maybe a few other odds and ends.

Bernard. Thanks for the compliment. This is what I've tried to do. Is make something that is soley unique. When I started building these models nothing was offered at all. I spent days emailing companies asking them to make a highrise kit etc. I started getting what I could find in smaller kits but it was so tought. It wasn't till I started browsing on ebay that I started finding old kits that I had never seen before. Or kits that I had and wished I had more of. I didn't know who made them or product numbers etc. It took me so much time and work finding these kits. I thought I'd share what I found and what I built from them on flickr so others who were having the same dreams of modeling n scale towns could be inspired to know that it's possible to do it. The only problem is in the last few years between, myself, jerry and others prices have gone through the roof on these old kits. Oh well that's the way it goes hey.

Funny thing about these old kits too is, I'm always finding new ones that I had never seen before.  I just finally found where those old Vero kits came from I had bought off ebay built and used. Then I've found some built ones I've not seen before too. I'll have to figure out what these are too.

If anyone recognizes these models let me know.

Anyways I just sold off some of my older models I had to make room for newer better ones. I also sold off some of my unbuilt kits that I decided I didnt want anymore as well.

Always trying to improve on my last models. Jerry, Chris, and others have helped me discover so many new ways of making more realistic looking structures it's been awesome.

Scaper - Out of curiosity did you ever kitbash the Walthers Union Station kit?

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Walthers_N_933_3257_Union_Station_Kit_p/933-3257.htm

No but I have one of them in a box, unopened. I have been curious about doing a bash on it. Have you seen what Jimmi made out of them?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/schuylkillvalleyrr/

Look at how tall this one is..

 

http://cgi.ebay.de/Modernes-Stadthaus-Hochhaus-Wolkenkratzer-Skyscraper_W0QQitemZ320496331516QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDE_Modellbau_Modelleisenbahnen?hash=item4a9f11eafc

Just to let you all know , i got the tall one, in fact i have many of wolfgangs buildings, he is really a master builder.

The tall one is actually a building he build for me , it was but on ebay for other to see he`s craftman ship.

He does take requests , if you would like at special building build, just write to him at ask.

domino

brian

i got the tall one, in fact i have many of wolfgangs buildings, he is really a master builder.

So Brian, I'm REALLY interested in seeing some photos soon! 

I can't even imagine what a city of those buildings would look like! Pretty incredible I expect!  Any photos we can see?

Brian I'd be interested to see a closer detail of this building too. Cool you got it! :D

I just saw this one listed on ebay. It is interesting what can be done with the old Atlas Skyscaper kits:

http://cgi.ebay.com/N-Custom-Built-Atlas-High-Rise-City-Office-Building_W0QQitemZ110509314449QQcmdZViewItemQQptZModel_RR_Trains?hash=item19bade5191

Just a FYI, in East and Southeast Asia, many skyscrapers also have to pass the Feng Shui test! 

For example, triangular shape skyscrappers served as a three edged swords towards other skyscrapers and the businesses within.

A circle shaped building act as a barrier to the edged shapes buildings.

A bottom heavy building means a stable foundation while a top heavy one means it is very unsteady.

Also little elements like gun shaped motifs towards your competitors and lions by the front entrance to ward off any evil spirit from coming in.

If building backs onto a mountain, it is wise to leave a hole in the building or empty at the ground level to allow the natural spirit to go thru thus bringing one less problem and more wealth.

Leo - Great info. A friend of mine a few years back was selling his house and this one family was interested in buying it but it had to pass the approval of the grandmother. Because of how the front door aligned with the windows, the grandmother said the house would not allow bad spirits to leave. To say the least, the family didn't buy my friend's house.

Some photo of the tall  building i got.

Happy Easter