# Tinplate Buildings



## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

I have a few on the S&Y layout. Not really into tinplate buildings but the few I have kind of blended in with the other stuff.

First up is the Lionel Factory.

Bill


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## beachhead2 (Oct 31, 2017)

That's one I don't have yet. Yet!


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

I picked up this Marx crossdock building many years ago at a Barn sale that featured real deal farm equipment for auction. No other train stuff in the barn, bid $5 and won it.

Bill


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## beachhead2 (Oct 31, 2017)

Bill, that is cool. Any chance you have a wider shot? I'd like to look for one of those.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Very nice buildings.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

Just picked up this American Flyer station off eBay for $10.77 (including shipping and tax) - still in transit to me. These are the seller's pics.

The lithograph walls are in fairly good condition. The roof and base will get sand blasted and new paint. I'll add some benches, people and LED lighting under the eaves ...

[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

beachhead2 said:


> Bill, that is cool. Any chance you have a wider shot? I'd like to look for one of those.


I will take some other photos of the Marx Crossdock. It is pretty good size.

Bill


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

The thing I like most about tinplate buildings, you can easily replicate the design onto a TIFF, or JPG files, Print them to cardstock or paper, the cut out 1/8" cardboard walls and roof, then glue the paper printed walls to the cardboard walls. once the glue has all dried you can coat the buildings with semi gloss lacquer. they look EXACTLY like the originals. It is also a very easy way to design your own buildings.

Here is the front wall of a train station I did. Very easy, and you can save the designs and place windows etc. onto designs of your own.
I also added a blank brick wall. Add your own whatever.


Dan


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

Beachead2, more photos of the Marx Freight Terminal.

Bill


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

Stole the building pic.'s for future use ....


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## beachhead2 (Oct 31, 2017)

seayakbill said:


> Beachead2, more photos of the Marx Freight Terminal.
> 
> Bill


Excellent. Thank you.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

Panther said:


> The thing I like most about tinplate buildings, you can easily replicate the design onto a TIFF, or JPG files, Print them to cardstock or paper, the cut out 1/8" cardboard walls and roof, then glue the paper printed walls to the cardboard walls. once the glue has all dried you can coat the buildings with semi gloss lacquer. they look EXACTLY like the originals. It is also a very easy way to design your own buildings.
> 
> Here is the front wall of a train station I did. Very easy, and you can save the designs and place windows etc. onto designs of your own.
> I also added a blank brick wall. Add your own whatever.
> ...


It occurred to me that the smaller gift boxes in my dollar store could make the perfect "frame" to attach the printouts. They're machine manufactured with perfectly straight sides and crisp corners.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

My one Tin building, 











Info here, (and pictures you can see) 
https://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=51930


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

Millstonemike said:


> It occurred to me that the smaller gift boxes in my dollar store could make the perfect "frame" to attach the printouts. They're machine manufactured with perfectly straight sides and crisp corners.


You can also increase or decrease the printout size to fit any box by adding a few rows of bricks.

Dan


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

Panther said:


> You can also increase or decrease the printout size to fit any box by adding a few rows of bricks.
> 
> Dan


Yep, do it a lot. I was trying to distinguish from the flimsy, gift boxes you fold into shape - like for clothing gifts. The smaller, machine made boxes are precise in shape using heavy, sturdy card stock.

Your comment is apropos. You can't just enlarge or shrink to image to fit. You need to maintain a reasonable scale for the bricks (among lots of other things). So if you need more area, you need to cut and paste more bricks.

Did you know? Portland cement is named after Portland stone from the Isle of Portland, GB. Sorry Portland WA hwell:


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Panther said:


> The thing I like most about tinplate buildings, you can easily replicate the design onto a TIFF, or JPG files, Print them to cardstock or paper, the cut out 1/8" cardboard walls and roof, then glue the paper printed walls to the cardboard walls. once the glue has all dried you can coat the buildings with semi gloss lacquer. they look EXACTLY like the originals. It is also a very easy way to design your own buildings.
> 
> Here is the front wall of a train station I did. Very easy, and you can save the designs and place windows etc. onto designs of your own.
> I also added a blank brick wall. Add your own whatever.
> ...


Years ago I found a paper rr booklet that had cutout buildings. I applied the same principles and built them larger, 
Once I repaired a roof that rusted out. Don't underestimate the copy machine.







12 2008


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## Panther (Oct 5, 2015)

I have also made large decals of Marx building art. For example the Roof to the Glendale Depot. Once I get the tin roof stripped and smooth, I apply the decal and the roof appears as new.
It takes about 1/2 sheet of decal paper, but they don't make these roofs anymore.

I went through several PROTOTYPES of this design until I was happy with the PRODUCTION VERSION.:cheeky4: 

Dan


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Neat


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Panther said:


> The thing I like most about tinplate buildings, you can easily replicate the design onto a TIFF, or JPG files, Print them to cardstock or paper, the cut out 1/8" cardboard walls and roof, then glue the paper printed walls to the cardboard walls. once the glue has all dried you can coat the buildings with semi gloss lacquer. they look EXACTLY like the originals. It is also a very easy way to design your own buildings.


I agree! I did just that, printed onto matte photo paper a few years ago, for a Lionel prewar transformer station. Here are my wallpaper images, and the rebuilt station ...

Cheers,

TJ


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

beachhead2 said:


> Bill, that is cool. Any chance you have a wider shot? I'd like to look for one of those.


Saw *This* on the bay. Buy-it-now for ~$80 including shipping.


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## SouthEasternRRFan (Dec 29, 2019)

I love old tinplate buildings! Out of curiosity, do y'all like American Flyer tinplate or Marx or Lionel? Which one should I collect? Should I start with all 3?


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## beachhead2 (Oct 31, 2017)

SouthEasternRRFan said:


> I love old tinplate buildings! Out of curiosity, do y'all like American Flyer tinplate or Marx or Lionel?


I go for new and shiny. Therefore I own many Lionel/MTH reproductions. However, I picked up an old litho Flyer station for $15 at a train show and I really like it. I don't own any Marx yet but after Bill posted that freight terminal, I'm looking for one.

All things being equal regarding condition, I really like the Flyer buildings for the litho. But Lionel had more products and bigger stuff like the 840 Power Station and terraces for the passenger stations. The size of those makes an impact.


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## SouthEasternRRFan (Dec 29, 2019)

Thank you for the input! You know something, I hae never seen an original Lionel Power Station. I see that you are in to Std. Gauge, do you have a Blue Comet? That is my favorite tinplate train.


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

SouthEasternRRFan said:


> I love old tinplate buildings! Out of curiosity, do y'all like American Flyer tinplate or Marx or Lionel? Which one should I collect? Should I start with all 3?


Adding to Beachhead2's take, I like nice a shiny as well. But I am focusing solely on older tinplate buildings. That mostly restricts choices to prewar but not always.

If it's lithograph, then it has to be in very good condition. I have Marx and Ives like that. But old Lionel mostly avoided litho by having individual components in different solid colors make up the entire building/accessory. I can't duplicate litho on metal, but I can disassemble a Lionel structure and repaint the individual components to look like new.


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## beachhead2 (Oct 31, 2017)

SouthEasternRRFan said:


> Thank you for the input! You know something, I hae never seen an original Lionel Power Station. I see that you are in to Std. Gauge, do you have a Blue Comet? That is my favorite tinplate train.


Yes but again, I only dabble in repros. I have an MTH version of the 400E w/ nickel trim and the 390E with brass trim. Also, I have an 840 Power Station on the old Christmas tree layout this year. Here are a few pics.


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