# Need a List of the Best of HO Wood Strusture Companies Past and Present



## skud312 (Feb 11, 2021)

Gentlemen - I am a bit new here. I need some assistance. My layout is 12x16 in my Olde Train Shed. I've become crazed about structures. I thought I loved plaster work, but NO - it's structures!. Most recently I have become addicted to FOS and Bar Mills, but there are a lot of cool companies out there making great stuff. But I realize that these companies are built upon the greats. I want to learn more about what came before Bar Mill sand Doug Foscale. This is my partial list and I am begging for help so I can start to search out kits. Below are companies that I have kits from or want kits from - who else should i be looking for and I want some info on them. Thanks so much for the help

Fine Scale Miniatures
Guts, Gravel & Glory
Taurus Products
JL Innovative Design
Downtown Deco
Micro Scale Models
Magnuson Models
Rusty Stumps
Sierra West
Scale Structures Limited
Campbells
Steam Era Structures
Banta Model Works
American Model Builders
Blair Line
Carolina Craftsman
GC Laser
Monroe Models
Motrak Models


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

So you want ANY kits, or just wooden ones? Several of the ones you list don't make wooden kits to my knowledge. A quick check of the description of one of their kits will usually tell you. Or you can go to Wm K Walthers co, the largest wholesaler in North America, and look up the description of the company. That will tell you more about what they produce for probably a good 3/4 of the companies you list.

A "good" model is all in the experience of the modeler. Do you like plans, a box of strip wood, and a bunch of cast pewter details? Or laser-cut micro plywood? Or styrene? Or cast plaster? The only way to find out if a given company's products meet your standards is to try one of their kits. 

See if you can find a good-sized train show near you, and go browse the offerings. If you're in the NE, the Amherst Train Show in Springfield Mass (held at the end of January each year) will let you see most of those companies' products up close and personal.

I will say that in your list above, you missed two of my favorites: Nick and Nora Designs (https://nickandnoradesigns.com/) and BEST (Bollinger Edgerly Scale Trains -- www.besttrains.com)


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## skud312 (Feb 11, 2021)

CTValleyRR said:


> So you want ANY kits, or just wooden ones? Several of the ones you list don't make wooden kits to my knowledge. A quick check of the description of one of their kits will usually tell you. Or you can go to Wm K Walthers co, the largest wholesaler in North America, and look up the description of the company. That will tell you more about what they produce for probably a good 3/4 of the companies you list.
> 
> A "good" model is all in the experience of the modeler. Do you like plans, a box of strip wood, and a bunch of cast pewter details? Or laser-cut micro plywood? Or styrene? Or cast plaster? The only way to find out if a given company's products meet your standards is to try one of their kits.
> 
> ...





CTValleyRR said:


> So you want ANY kits, or just wooden ones? Several of the ones you list don't make wooden kits to my knowledge. A quick check of the description of one of their kits will usually tell you. Or you can go to Wm K Walthers co, the largest wholesaler in North America, and look up the description of the company. That will tell you more about what they produce for probably a good 3/4 of the companies you list.
> 
> A "good" model is all in the experience of the modeler. Do you like plans, a box of strip wood, and a bunch of cast pewter details? Or laser-cut micro plywood? Or styrene? Or cast plaster? The only way to find out if a given company's products meet your standards is to try one of their kits.
> 
> ...



CT - THANKS SO MUCH! I forgot BEST - I love their stuff and have a nice selection to work on.Bu8t - I never hear dof Nick and Nora and I'm headed there now. I need some education.


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## skud312 (Feb 11, 2021)

skud312 said:


> CT - THANKS SO MUCH! I forgot BEST - I love their stuff and have a nice selection to work on.Bu8t - I never hear dof Nick and Nora and I'm headed there now. I need some education.


NOTE - I just went to Nick and Nora's WOW!!!!! Jackpot - cost me a couple of hundred bu neat stuff - THANK YOU SO MUCH


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## skud312 (Feb 11, 2021)

skud312 said:


> Gentlemen - I am a bit new here. I need some assistance. My layout is 12x16 in my Olde Train Shed. I've become crazed about structures. I thought I loved plaster work, but NO - it's structures!. Most recently I have become addicted to FOS and Bar Mills, but there are a lot of cool companies out there making great stuff. But I realize that these companies are built upon the greats. I want to learn more about what came before Bar Mill sand Doug Foscale. This is my partial list and I am begging for help so I can start to search out kits. Below are companies that I have kits from or want kits from - who else should i be looking for and I want some info on them. Thanks so much for the help
> 
> Fine Scale Miniatures
> Guts, Gravel & Glory
> ...


Add to list
BEST Bololinger Edgterly
Nick and Noras


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Nick and Nora -- not their actual names. A reference to the Thin Man movies. Nice folks. Had some good chats with them at the Amherst show.


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## skud312 (Feb 11, 2021)

CT - I've been wrapped around Doug Foscale's models but I realize that what came before is as nice or nicer. Not easy to find. I went to the Asheville show and got turned onto BEST by Jeff from MOTRAK Models. I bought his stock of BEST stuff and all is at least 30-40 years old. I managed to purchase a few FSM's and WOW - super detail.. I/ gonna fly up for the NC and SC shows next month in hopes of finding more stock. I guess my question is - is the best palce to find these "classics: at the train shows? or can you recommend other sources. I've used TrainZ.


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## skud312 (Feb 11, 2021)

I think this kit is an FSM - really nice and fun to build. Below is my take on FOS' Moscone Bail Bonds. I feel like I am just starting to understand how to make these things and I want better models.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Muir models 
Woodland Scenics makes (made?) a beautiful small town series of kits..
Suydam 
Gloor Craft 

I just got an old Muir Models Kearsarge Trucking that I'm just duckie to start. (hurricane cleanup priorities at the moment) the lines are everything I look for in a wood kit....


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