# Plasticville isn't a dirty word!



## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

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Following a good discussion on another thread, I want to speak up for fun and creativity. When spending a good amount on a pre-built structure, I likely would not even consider mucking with it. Conversely, you can pick up excellent and complete, or passable and incomplete Plasticville items for a few bucks. They are easily converted to acceptable (unless you're a scale addict) with added lights and people inside, weathering or paint on the outside, or as I did with only a "Union Station" front section, create a sky-lit r







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oof from a pasta container, add/glue fruit or veggie decals (around the house), toy-train-style paint and some snow, and I had a station front, etc. I had a lot of fun doing this kind of thing and no one has ragged out on me because doors to my P-ville structures don't open up realistically...














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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

[Mods: please delete the extra pix. They were added, I guess because I couldn't seem to find a "Preview" button that worked, thus I kept trying, I guess "loading" the pix time after time. Sorry for the unnecessary work!

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Following a good discussion on another thread, I want to speak up for fun and creativity. When spending a good amount on a pre-built structure, I likely would not even consider mucking with it. Conversely, you can pick up excellent and complete, or passable and incomplete Plasticville items for a few bucks. They are easily converted to acceptable (unless you're a scale addict) with added lights and people inside, weathering or paint on the outside, or as I did with only a "Union Station" front section, create a sky-lit r
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oof from a pasta container, add/glue fruit or veggie decals (around the house), toy-train-style paint and some snow, and I had a station front, etc. I had a lot of fun doing this kind of thing and no one has ragged out on me because doors to my P-ville structures don't open up realistically...
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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Just click edit , the 3 dots up right in the posting box, then scroll down to the pictures, delete the extras.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Nothing wrong with Plasticville, I have seen many layouts built with all Plasticville buildings.
There were a lot made.
Plasticville...........brings back memories. 
I bet most had at least one, at one time.


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## callmeIshmael2 (May 28, 2012)

Big Ed said:


> Just click edit , the 3 dots up right in the posting box, then scroll down to the pictures, delete the extras.


Big Ed, thanks for the heads-up, but it doesn't work for me. I've not been able to get rid of the extra pics. It's the same thing every time. Can't figure out why - I followed your directions, didn't work. Looks like it works, but when I go back to the Forum, the extras are still there...


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

You have to hit save.


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

Also, when you edit your post, click on the little cog wheel at the end of the tool bar. That will toggle the BB code on and off. Toggle it on, and then delete the code for the extra pics. When done, click it again to toggle the BB code off. Then click save. I had to have someone explain this to me as well, because I couldn't get rid of extra pics, either.
But now I knows the secret!


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## Madman (Aug 22, 2020)

Plasticville was what allowed my brother and I to populate our Lionel layout with buildings, figures and accessories.


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

It is good stuff. Like anything else a lot depends on the creativity and imagination of the person making the layout. I love it when do well, like in your photos.


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## J.Albert1949 (Feb 3, 2018)

I still have a Plasticville freight house in use that's approaching 50 years old...


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

We have a few already, but I'd love to get more. For us, even the out of scale or poorly painted ones would be fine, as this is a fun layout that my kids play with. Heck, he was happy to have mountains drawn on paper taped to the wall until I showed him that we could build a mountain (although he wasn't happy with dads color choice!). I'd love to get enough to make a small village.

I seem to find a lot on eBay that are damaged and missing pieces... Like a roof...a lot though.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

Plasticville are our structures of choice for our Christmas O layout. I bought a box of nearly complete and slightly damaged buildings for 10 bucks at a train show and I still haven't used them all yet. Right now they mostly plastic colors but the plan is to paint most eventually or at least to paint the inside dark so they don't glow when lit.

I agree that the deals on them on ebay generally aren't great. Local shop sale bins, Craigslist and train shows are better bets. I've found a few good deals at antique shops and vintage toy stores.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I have a bunch all packed in a box, I may pull out the gas station and use it, I bought a service crew pack years ago for it. So what it is a bit small. 

Plasticville sizes up nicely with S scale. I think there is an S man here that has his layout setup with all Plasticville, looks great. ( I think it was here)

You can piece together some, I have not looked in a while, but on ebay I saw a bunch of lot ( pieces) sales. All kinds of parts. But a lot think they have Gold. 
You also have to know what piece goes with what building.

A lot are missing something, most of mine I bought new, never opened, in the sealed box. Some are older never opened models. ( they are opened now by me) 

Some go for a good buck by collectors.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Personally, it's not my cup of tea... I prefer more realism. But I can see the attraction for those of you who don't king as much.


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

CTValleyRR said:


> Personally, it's not my cup of tea... I prefer more realism. But I can see the attraction for those of you who don't king as much.


For the most part I agree when it comes to our HO layout. For our Christmas O-27'ish layout however we gleefully embrace it's toylike quality.

I have seen Plasticville sometimes used realistically on layouts but not without paint, often with some upgrades and usually a minority of buildings on a layout.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

You would think that for something of that scale there would be even more detail than in HO or a smaller scale. Those building don't even have gutters or downspouts.

For a kid's first railroad you couldn't do better, but for an adult built serious railroad I would need more realism than Plasticville offers.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

One was sitting on the layout, my gas station. I must have took it out to check out the size last year.
I tossed it in a box with some other things I grabbed from here and there on the layout.
The men look a bit too big for the station.


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## Eilif (Nov 6, 2017)

MichaelE said:


> You would think that for something of that scale there would be even more detail than in HO or a smaller scale. Those building don't even have gutters or downspouts.
> 
> For a kid's first railroad you couldn't do better, but for an adult built serious railroad I would need more realism than Plasticville offers.


It's not surprising when you consider that these were some of the first mass-produced model plastic buildings (first introduced in 1947!) and that they were designed to be assemblable without glue and also disassembled. The detail level is on par with the Lionel and American Flyer trains they were originally designed for. The detail is about the same in those and HO scales, but it's easy to add more. 

The target audience remains generally the person who wants a classic toy look for their layout.


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

I have a few Plasticville buildings on my AF layout. After some detailing, they don't look like Plasticville. It's easy to add details to change the look. I've got a bunch more unassembled new ones that I bought at a train show several years ago. I've been known to use pieces from more that one kit and build an entirely different structure plus it's easy to cover the Plasticville name if you choose to. Cheap and easy. 

Kenny


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Plasticville? Isn’t that where the Kardashians live.....?


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I thought that was Fatassville where they resided...


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## AFGP9 (Apr 8, 2015)

Old_Hobo said:


> Plasticville? Isn’t that where the Kardashians live.....?


I forgot about that. You are correct. I believe they do. 

Kenny


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

AFGP9 said:


> I forgot about that. You are correct. I believe they do.
> 
> Kenny


In that case maybe Plasticville is a dirty word.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Ish, love the feedent sign! Plasticville is what it is. Perfect for some. I personally like it and the nostalgia it has. Others, build life like models. To each there own. For me personally, i suck at models , plasticville is way better then i could ever build myself. And as Ishmael said, after adding some stuff around them they can come to life. Trains are toys, its all up to the owner how they play with them.


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## KG Bird (Jun 17, 2018)

No shame here, the gas station worked out just fine for me.


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