Tomix Station Control Building

[gavino200]

Not really sure what these buildings are called. I think its sort of a control/lookout tower for a station. I bought this a few years ago but, didn't complete it due to a move. All that's done is interior light proofing for illumination. Black primer, then white primer. I like the structure, but like many Tomix structures it looks very plasticky. I think it needs to be painted. It also needs an interior floor to divide the two levels. That's the first job. Next I need to find some prototype photos to guide my paint choice.

 

 

[gavino200]

Actually, I see that Tomix also produce this in a different color scheme. This may work well.

 

https://www.plazajapan.com/4543736042242/

[MeTheSwede]

I call them Signal Boxes. As far as I know they are often called Interlocking Towers in the US. From here signals were controlled before the advent of centralised computerised traffic control.

 

 

Here are some Japanese prototypical examples:

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=信号扱所&client=ubuntu&hs=ASD&channel=fs&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjiobrHveXvAhXrl4sKHVPCByUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1250&bih=655&dpr=1.5

 

 

I leave describing the details for people who know more than I do. 🙂

Edited April 4, 2021 by MeTheSwede

[gavino200]

Thanks. I guess they are sort of obsolete these days. I'm gonna just ignore that as I like how they look. 

 

I kind of like the green roof on this one.

 

https://ishikari210.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-1130.html

[gavino200]

I wasn't sure how to interpret the weird pink/salmon color of the Tomix model, but they must be going for something like this.

 

http://nigochu.xsrv.jp/img/views4/B/CIMG0912_b.JPG

[gavino200]

Similar roof on this model. It seems like a "regular" tile, or lead roof with a board around it for design appeal or something. 

 

https://www.echomodel.com/swfu/d/20210128153108_00001_R.jpg

Edited April 4, 2021 by gavino200

[Kiha66]

I believe the tomix model was based on the type used at stations, either on the platform with the second level above the roof or between tracks, hence the narrowness.  It seems most surviving examples are more rural and beside a signal station, and thus seem to be much wider than the tomix or kato offerings.

[gavino200]

I bet it goes between the tracks. Probably why it has that weird base. It's like its on little stilts. Maybe so it's raised above the ballast? I bought the Kato signal tower too more recently hoping to put it on the platform. The old platform with the hole was hard to find. But it looks bad combined with the new type canopy, so probably I'll sell it. Whether I use the Tomix one in the station or not, it's already started and is part of my "unfinished project debt". So I'll put it togher, paint it and then decide. 

 

I wondered why Kato discontinued those cool "through the roof" towers. I guess, because they're now obsolete. 

 

[katoftw]

pretty sure if you dont use the base, the tower can drop through the roof of the tomix platforms also.

 

The Tan colouring is the same colouring as the platform sets said tower was released with.

[gavino200]

The tower is painted and I gave it a thin clear coat. The windows are cut to fit a floor piece that's ready to size and fit. The last thing will be to fit an LED. I just realized that an LED would be fairly pointless. I don't know if these towers were ever used at night, but if they were, and you turned a light on inside, you wouldn't be able to see anything at all through the windows. I'm going to put an LED in it anyway. 1) I just like lit structures. 2) This structure will be a bit difficult to light as there's very little wall space to hide a wire. I'll have to use magnet wire, which I hate. I think I'll learn from the challenge. 

[bill937ca]

I wondered about those lights.

Edited April 9, 2021 by bill937ca

[gavino200]

I stuck with essentially the original color scheme. I mixed a beige that's similar to the plastic beige color. The brown lines are painted rather than the stickers that come with the kit. I also painted the doors and railings. The interior light doesn't make much sense so I used a very small LED and a large resistor, to make it look like a faint glow, perhaps from surveillance screens. In person it's much less bright than it appears in the picture. I considered making a desk with a computer or some monitors but decided against it. I have too many awaiting projects right now. 

 

 

 

[Kiha66]

Nice work Gavin, that paint job really improves the look of the tower.

[serotta1972]

18 hours ago, gavino200 said:

I stuck with essentially the original color scheme. I mixed a beige that's similar to the plastic beige color. The brown lines are painted rather than the stickers that come with the kit. I also painted the doors and railings. The interior light doesn't make much sense so I used a very small LED and a large resistor, to make it look like a faint glow, perhaps from surveillance screens. In person it's much less bright than it appears in the picture. I considered making a desk with a computer or some monitors but decided against it. I have too many awaiting projects right now. 

 

 

 

 

 

gavino200 continues to earn modeling creds - getting close to next level, keep it up.  Unlike me, I'm stuck at level 0.5. Haha.  

[cteno4]

You will start down that slippery slope junior! Just wait.

 

jeff

[gavino200]

On 4/11/2021 at 1:57 PM, serotta1972 said:

 

 

gavino200 continues to earn modeling creds - getting close to next level, keep it up.  Unlike me, I'm stuck at level 0.5. Haha.  

 

Y'know Junior, I really appreciate the compliment. But some disclosure. I'm becoming a bit comfortable with a few techniques and niches, but the vast majority of railway modelling is completely uncharted waters for me. If I were to take everything in modelling overall, I'd be lucky to be at level 0.1 

 

I'm equal parts scared and excited about trying some terrain and landscaping for the first time since the very basic work I did as a kid. 😱

Edited April 13, 2021 by gavino200

[cteno4]

says the man who made a custom curved, arched shinkansen tunnel with lighting! yeah right. 😜 

 

jeff

[inobu]

On 4/10/2021 at 4:23 PM, gavino200 said:

I stuck with essentially the original color scheme. I mixed a beige that's similar to the plastic beige color. The brown lines are painted rather than the stickers that come with the kit. I also painted the doors and railings. The interior light doesn't make much sense so I used a very small LED and a large resistor, to make it look like a faint glow, perhaps from surveillance screens. In person it's much less bright than it appears in the picture. I considered making a desk with a computer or some monitors but decided against it. I have too many awaiting projects right now. 

 

 

 

That came out good. The rails should keep OSHA off your back as well.

 

Inobu

[gavino200]

1 minute ago, cteno4 said:

says the man who made a custom curved, arched shinkansen tunnel with lighting! yeah right. 😜 

 

jeff

 

That's what I mean. So far I've been working on man-made structures and buildings. What I was actually thinking of when I made the above post, is the process of making the mountain that that very tunnel will fit into. 

 

And grass. The last time I made grass it was by strewing bits of dyed sawdust called scatter-grit. it was pretty awful. 

[serotta1972]

23 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

And grass. The last time I made grass it was by strewing bits of dyed sawdust called scatter-grit. it was pretty awful. 

 

I hope you don't plan on using chicken wire for your mountains. Haha. 

[gavino200]

6 minutes ago, serotta1972 said:

 

I hope you don't plan on using chicken wire for your mountains. Haha. 

 

LOL. That's EXACTLY how I made my mountain when I was a kid. I also had a few hills made from lumps of papier maché!!

Edited April 13, 2021 by gavino200

[railsquid]

Yeah, when I started my layout I was imagining I'd have to do that kind of thing, and wasn't looking forward to it.

[gavino200]

1 minute ago, railsquid said:

Yeah, when I started my layout I was imagining I'd have to do that kind of thing, and wasn't looking forward to it.

 

You've made nice work of yours though. I'm actually planning on going through your old posts to study how you did it.

[railsquid]

It's mainly plaster cloth over shaped styrene blocks, possibly involving a framework of disposable chopsticks; paint plaster cloth with an ad-hoc green/brown acrylic mix, scatter flock (I find a mixture of shades works best for general scenery) over the paint while it's wet and mostly it sticks in place quite nicely and then you have a reasonable base scenery. Add foliage as desired (this is usually the most time-consuming part). Not going to win any prizes (I've seen much better and more nuanced techniques) but a reasonably effective and satisfying way of covering large amounts of landscape.

[gavino200]

Thanks, Squid!!