If one works long enough at something, it eventually starts to look like something nice. I had a lot of "that's good enough work for now" buildings around my layout that needed finishing up. Assembly, getting the kitbashed parts done, painting, putting in windows, etc. Plus getting ground cover in. Lots of little things add up to a fine finished product. My layout now is starting to look like real RR scenes, not just half-built buildings sitting on blue or pink foam ground.
I have to say Lee Weldon's Cornerville town on his layout inspired me to make a similar scene on a blank corner of my layout. I used buildings and building parts I had laying around from various abandoned projects, then built up a passable ground cover for the area. I still need some ground cover and final installation of the trees. It turned out quite nice.
The road and countryside on the other side of the tracks still needs to be done, but that's simple work. Sadly, Lee's Cornerville was bulldozed to make way for RR expansion, but I have a nod to its existence with this town's name: Lee Corners, MA.
SEARS AUTO SERVICE. This was a pile of kitbashed parts all done but not assembled which made me decide to go ahead and finish it. All I had to do was paint and assemble it, and glue in the windows. Right? Well, with those open doors I needed details inside, too. One of Rasputin's excellent car models will be positioned entering the first stall. The main Sears store takes up half a block and sits just across the tracks on the right. (Ironically, I still need to print up and install the Sears sign -- so the building's still unfinished!)
I wanted a "poor side of town, down by the tracks" in my big town of Milford. I made it of completely wooden structures of styles from around the turn of the 19th Century. The gas station (in back) is a mix of various kits and kit parts, the structures on the right are modified wood kits from various mfgs, and the house with the roof askew is something I'm scratchbuilding out styrene and window sets. The small house I modified to copy one in my neighborhood, the unfinished one is based on a real house in CT I found with Google street view. Steep roofs is SO New England.
Lots of little things done adds up to a nice scene, and these two shots of buildings across from the main train station show. The gas station arrangement is meant to look like the crowded scenes of NE railroading, where it seemed anywhere somebody could possibly stick in a building, they stuck one in. (Ignore the thumbtack, but that scummy green pond behind the platform is scenery)
