Thoughts on a former Pennsy yard office?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm working up a yard office for Windsor St, and I've decided to kitbash it out of Walthers modulars that I have on hand (because I like the way the one Lee did turned out).

It's supposed to be a remnant from when the yard was owned by PRR and a bit busier.

I've mocked it up, but I have some questions for the crowd .

Here's the top down view. Those are the engine pit tracks above, and are former lead tracks to the turn table. That's all gone now, they've been straight railed across the pit, but still end up being where engines are stores and occasionally fueled (by a visiting fuel truck). Below the structure is the caboose storage track. It's where the cabooses in local service lay over and get serviced (basically, filled with water and occasionally some fuel oil for their heaters).



Here are the four elevations.

Wall along the caboose track:


"Front", where crews come to mark up or deal with their paperwork:


Engine pit side:


Back side, where there's a garage door for a storage section, where the supplies for locomotives and caboose supplies would be stored:


Does this layout make sense?

Does anyone have any pictures or sources for pictures of similar structures? In the PRR era are great, but PC or CR would be even better.

So, what does the brigade think?

[Chris333]

This is the building where my Dad used to get his check and schedule:
http://binged.it/1yNvOei

Sorta like what you built minus the enginehouse. Erie built it in the 1954 as a diesel shop and car dept when they got rid of the turntable, but what I remember as a kid it was mostly a locker room/crew office type thing.

[bman]

There's an building NS uses now just south of Marion Union Station that I believe is ex Pennsy.  I'll double check with those who know.  Here's a google map view of the area. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5885509,-83.139917,3a,75y,145.85h,106.23t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s-NlgYSCubf_c1qBt7BtRGg!2e0!6m1!1e1

[jpec]

Very nice...fits in with the utilitarian style of old RR buildings - efficient and built to do the job...

Jeff

[OldEastRR]

I think the windows and wall heights of the Modulars are geared for industrial use -- i.e., tall ceilings for bulky machinery or overhead power take-offs, large tall windows to let lots of light inside. For offices there was not as much need for high ceilings (except in the South). You could photocopy the walls and slice off about 3 feet or less across the center to shorten both windows and walls and see how that looks.
As for looking like a reduced structure, just make one exterior wall look like it had been the interior wall to another section of the same building, except now it's an exterior. You can use paint to make it a lighter color face than the other exterior walls. Maybe some rusted markings where machinery or hoists had been attached, with a bricked up former doorway into the office (again done with paint).  No need to know whatever the removed section was -- all you want to show is it was removed. If that wall is also a little higher than the office section and/or has an uneven end where the extended wall was removed it adds to the illusion.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I think the windows and wall heights of the Modulars are geared for industrial use -- i.e., tall ceilings for bulky machinery or overhead power take-offs, large tall windows to let lots of light inside. For offices there was not as much need for high ceilings (except in the South). You could photocopy the walls and slice off about 3 feet or less across the center to shorten both windows and walls and see how that looks.

That's a very good point. I was also thinking about how "wrong" the columns where the sections join seem too. That construction method seems necessary for a structure that needs to support multiple floors of heavy stuff, but a simple office, not so much.

[Philip H]

so when I think yard office I think low slung, partially sway backed wooden structures.  It's a down south thing.  If you want brick, why not the old Walthers office kit:



Besides showing up on ebay all the time (!) it was reissued as its own thing a couple of years ago - some sort of small industry as I recall.

[chicken45]

Yeah...to add my two cents about those windows.
If you look at the evolution of PRR Towers, you'll see how there were less panes over time.
I wonder of this would apply to all buildings:

[Ed Kapuscinski]

so when I think yard office I think low slung, partially sway backed wooden structures.  It's a down south thing.  If you want brick, why not the old Walthers office kit:

I don't think it'll really fit the space, plus, I don't like the idea of using off-the shelf stuff for something like this. It'll be too "central" to the theme of the layout.

I thought about something wood, but that wasn't how the PRR usually rolled.
I have one of these, that I had thought about using too, but I think brick makes the case better.
https://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/489-49990944

It's definitely a regional thing.

[chicken45]

I don't think it'll really fit the space, plus, I don't like the idea of using off-the shelf stuff for something like this. It'll be too "central" to the theme of the layout.

Would that be "New York" or "Penn" central?

 

[wazzou]

I wasn't going to say anything because it wasn't central to what you're asking, but...if there was a turntable present at some point, it would be safe to assume that the location had all of the other facilities to service locomotives, like fuel, sand, water, and lubricants.
It doesn't make sense to me that the pit was removed, filled in, and all other facilities removed as well, necessitating fuel be delivered in small trucks beside the locomotive.

As far as the building is concerned, have you looked at any of the Rix options, knowing full well they aren't brick, but a good option, nonetheless.

[chicken45]

Ed, I just sent you some stuff. The PRR did have wood yard offices.

[glakedylan]

what about reducing this kit to fit the need

http://www.walthers.com/prodimage/0933/09330000003264.gif

has a yard look and without smokestack and industrial elements
could readily be an office/crew building

respectfully
Gary

[glakedylan]

then, of course--as I am sure you know--there is the yard office kit
which would seem to have much kitbash-ability to fit your needs?

http://www.walthers.com/prodimage/0933/09330000003822.gif

respectfully
Gary

[glakedylan]

or, just the "office" bldg. part

http://www.walthers.com/prodimage/0933/09330000003834.gif

respectfully
Gary