# Hospital out of a passenger depot



## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

For some reason they don't make a decent looking hospital in HO. So my wife suggested I use a rather large passenger station that I already have for just this purpose. After studying it, I tend to agree with her. I purchased this depot several years ago to go on a layout I had back then. It measures 20-1/2" x 4-1/2" x 5-1/2". Here's a picture of the depot. http://web4.hobbylinc.com/gr/vol/vol7505.jpg I'm building another extension table. This table won't have any trains on it. Instead, the hospital will be on it. The table's going to measure out at 25" x 60". I'm thinking that the hospital property will be taking most, if not all of the available real estate on the table. Especially the parking lot, as a hospital this size would have a huge parking area. Maybe on the outskirts of it there can be a gas station? Maybe a pharmacy/drug store? Maybe a few doctor office type buildings or a small medical park?

The train side of the depot will go up against the wall. Thus this along with a few well placed bushes around it will cover the existing building length passenger dock from view. I already have the headline plastic letters that read MEMORIAL HOSPITAL and is about 6 inches in length.. They came with a high rise building that I recently bought which could either be modeled as a hospital or as a hotel, restaurant and a bar/lounge. I'm modeling it as a "high browed" hotel, restaurant and longe

I'm also thinking about using transfer lettering to read EMERGENCY, MAIN ENTRANCE, ETC. I'll leave the color of the building as is. I'll have to also get a ton load of cars to park around it and a few ambulances as well, not to mention all of the people walking around at it. So what are your thoughts on this? Do you think in the end this depot could be passed off to look like a good sized hospital? Any suggestions on what maybe I can add to this to make this look more convincing?

Routerman


----------



## log0008 (Jun 5, 2010)

yeah, i see a hospital in it to


----------



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Very creative. I like the idea and would go for it!
Bob


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

JZ,

Here on the East Coast, many local hospitals date back in their origins to the late 1800's / early 1900's. Of those, many are still operating (partially) in their original buildings.

The architecture of that depot would fit right in, in my opinion ... especially a hospital with an "institutional" theme. The side wings for "wards", and the central area for general management / operation.

Keep us posted,

TJ


----------



## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

Thanks, Bob and Log.



tjcruiser said:


> JZ,
> The architecture of that depot would fit right in, in my opinion ... especially a hospital with an "institutional" theme. The side wings for "wards", and the central area for general management / operation.
> 
> Keep us posted,
> ...


I will. TJ, this is exactly what my wife was saying, even about the side wings being wards. She also suggested that at one of the winged entrances, I should install some type of a ramp, thus making the entrance wheel chair accessable. Thanks for the architectural information.

Routerman


----------



## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Awesome ideas on the hospital. Never thought about adding one, seems like a needed addition.


----------



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Kwikster said:


> Awesome ideas on the hospital. Never thought about adding one, seems like a needed addition.


If you have more than one fast food joint on your layout a hospital should be mandatory! :laugh: :laugh:
Bob


----------



## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

you could also add a parking structure, most hospitals that size will not only have a parking lot but they will have a parking structure (usually 2 to 4 levels hi) with ped ways from the garage to hospital attached for additional "over flow" parking to handle visitors and other situations that may have more vehicles then what the main lot could normally handle, we have a massive medical complex here that would equate to the size of your building and its got two garaged (4 levels each) and a massive parking area and its usually always cram full of cars, and then the special area for ambulances and also the helipad(s) for the med flights (yes those are important to have)


----------



## Mr.Buchholz (Dec 30, 2011)

:ttiwwop:

-J.


----------



## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

raleets said:


> If you have more than one fast food joint on your layout a hospital should be mandatory! :laugh: :laugh:
> Bob


I love it!!!!:laugh::laugh:



New Berlin RR said:


> you could also add a parking structure, most hospitals that size will not only have a parking lot but they will have a parking structure (usually 2 to 4 levels hi) with ped ways from the garage to hospital attached for additional "over flow" parking to handle visitors and other situations that may have more vehicles then what the main lot could normally handle, we have a massive medical complex here that would equate to the size of your building and its got two garaged (4 levels each) and a massive parking area and its usually always cram full of cars, and then the special area for ambulances and also the helipad(s) for the med flights (yes those are important to have)


I was thinking along these same lines. I'm leaning towards something like this along with regular parking areas located around the hospital itself. 
http://web4.hobbylinc.com/gr/vol/vol3804.jpg

Routerman


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

That station would make a perfect hospital. You could make it a mental hospital for lunatic model train people. You could call it the "Nuts,whacko and Delirious Institute". Good railroad sounding name there. Ha! Pete


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

A lot of old hospitals have new wings added on to the old part.
If you want to add on, modern with the old would be OK too.

I think that would make a fine hospital, and you already have it so you might as well use it.:thumbsup:


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Greystone Asylum, NJ

A lot of fruit loops went to this one.


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

That place reminds me of a couple of schools I went to. The inmates were in charge there too. Ha! Pete


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

norgale said:


> That place reminds me of a couple of schools I went to. The inmates were in charge there too. Ha! Pete


:laugh:


Originally opened on August 17, 1876, the hospital was known as the New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum ,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greystone_Park_Psychiatric_Hospital


----------



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

big ed said:


> :laugh:
> 
> 
> Originally opened on August 17, 1876, the hospital was known as the New Jersey State Lunatic Asylum ,
> ...


Big Ed,
Can't say "lunatic" and be PC these days.  :thumbsdown:
Gotta say "for the mentally impaired" or some other BS. :lol_hitting:
Bob


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

raleets said:


> Big Ed,
> Can't say "lunatic" and be PC these days.  :thumbsdown:
> Gotta say "for the mentally impaired" or some other BS. :lol_hitting:
> Bob


OR just mention my name! Nuts, Crazy, Lunatic, Severly Unstable, Wacked, Off His Rocker, Yep that me!


----------



## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

Just open the dictionary to "whacko" and VOILA, there's my picture! :laugh:
Bob


----------



## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I like lunatic better. Pete


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

The word "lunatic" is derived from the root "luna", or "moon". The belief was that one's crazy/insane disposition fluctuated with the phases and cycles of the moon ... roughly around 28 days.

Hmmm ... 28 days ... makes sense, I guess ... I'd say about half of the population falls generally into the "lunatic" category at times!


----------

