Two new buildings from Lunde Studios (with introductory price)

[peteski]

I just received an email from Lunde Studios announcing 2 new buildings.  They are also available at a lower introductory price until July 6th.

See http://www.lundestudios.com/nscale.htm  for photos and more details.

The email goes on the say:

Both the Ivory Tower and Century Plaza structures are corner buildings, both have the gorgeous arched front entry door, and both are based on the same Art Deco design.  But their colors, heights and particularized details create very different-looking structures that easily stand as individuals in the same city.

For instance, the Century Plaza is light brown and features a fully detailed roof-top penthouse, unlike any “top-off”we’ve created before.  Guess what color the Ivory Tower is.  Another detail adding considerable interest to both kits is the slightly recessed center panel with its higher parapet wall.  The grand number of windows makes us all glad they’re separate and pre-colored, as are the entry doors.

As always, the 45° angles are machined for fit, and tabs & slots make wall assembly that much easier.  All walls are pre-colored in matt-finish “stone”.  NO PAINTING NEEDED!

We suggest you order now so you don’t forget during the brief discount period.  It’s the best introductory discount we’ve ever offered!   www.lundestudios.com

Here’s another thought:  We’re 75 and 80 years old.  Better get ‘m before we die   .  When we end, Lunde Studios ends.

That last sentence sounds kind of ominous.

[tehachapifan]

Wish I had room for buildings that big as they're gorgeous!

[mcjaco]

A couple of them look like the old Bachmann city buildings that were available in HO.

[sirenwerks]

Is it just me, or does the Lunde collection look like variations on the same art deco-ish theme (parts)?  It all looks like it was designed by the same architect, but maybe that's the cuteness of it all.  Each building pretty much the same pattern - simply-designed cast iron atrium base level with, above, the same (limited) window tempo and design, cornices, caps, etc.  Where are the Corinthian flourishes, the decorated terra cotta work, the arched stone vaulted caverns, something that speaks to the true pitsicatto of urban architecture?

[peteski]

No, it is not just you. Those buildings all have very similar appearance. Often the same bottom tier is used for the taller models.  But if you look at other model manufacturers, they also often reuse the same parts on multiple kits.

Also, if you look at any large city in a mid XX Century, lots of buildings looked very similar.

Bob Lunde designed the DPM series of buildings so I wouldn't be surprised if he had his hand in the Bachmann ones.  Just a Rock bands have their signature sound, if an individual person is responsible for designing an architectural models, they can all have a similar flavor. So you are right saying that they look like they were designed by the same architect - they actually were!    And since these are fantasy buildings (not designed as an exact replica of anything in 1:1 scale) Bob is free to do as he pleases.

N scale in general is sorely lacking tall buildings and these all are a welcome addition to what is available.

[railnerd]

It is my understanding that Lunde also did the HO Bachmann Spectrum models that came out in 2000 or so.

[sirenwerks]

I'm familiar with Lunde.  His atsrt was with the Magnuson line, before DPM.  The Victoria Falls hotel kit was one of the first I built.  Too bad it's not around anymore, or any of the other Magnuson structure kits.

The new stuff all just makes me think of Ghost Busters for some reason...

[peteski]

The new stuff all just makes me think of Ghost Busters for some reason...

How about Superman and Batman (the original series)? Gotham City? 

[ljudice]

These look awesome,  but what I need are more 3-4 story mill type buildings...

[basementcalling]

Had a chance to meet Bob and talk with him at N Scale East last year in Chantilly. Nice guy and a terrific product.

[OldEastRR]

Wish I had room for buildings that big as they're gorgeous!

This reflects the sad reality of big office skyscrapers for model railroading: they look great, they are massive enough to be realistic, but they take up a lot of space that can't be tied into railroad trackage. And if you're building a layout for having railroad action on it, this is a big trade-off. A big factory, a large oil refinery, a steel mill done close to actual size can take up a lot of space but also have a lot of track serving them. A large passenger terminal basically is a shed over a yard. But you can't run spurs into a skyscraper or even a double mainline in front of them (an elevated main, yes, but still no spurs). Skyscraper kits are gorgeous buildings, a lot of people like them or think about using them. But they always always come in bunches, and doing several blocks of skyscrapers would take up a lot of layout space with no track usage possible with them (Yes, you can put the blocks over hidden staging or a helix if a big city fits your layout theme). I have nothing against these big skyscraper kits. I too, thought about using some to create a big city scene on a corner of my layout. But you can't just have one or two of them standing alone in a field or surrounded by DPM or Heljan buildings -- not unless you are OK with a really weird scene. As backdrops along a long narrow shelf with a passenger terminal, freight house, cold storage building or produce yard (or any combo of these), they would really give a big-city downtown look to the scene. Which makes me feel that maybe facades or shallow walls that sit against a backdrop would be better and cheaper alternatives than selling complete buildings, at least for model railroading.
What I would like are more brick commercial, residential or retail buildings in the 4-6 story range. Any moderately large city 1940's-50's downtown had several large buildings like these, and around them smaller DPM-style retail buildings. I'm thinking of Sears, Penny's and Fair department stores, which took up goodly space on Main Street but weren't massively oversized for it. I'm spending a lot of time and effort enlarging and transforming the DPM hotel into a plausible 5-story Sears store for my city downtown, and it looks really good with the smaller DPM kits nestled around it.

[ljudice]

There is a prototype for a skyscraper in an empty field with railroad tracks right near by:

https://www.google.com/search?q=michigan+central+station&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIgPuAs6K1xgIViH-SCh1gOwFx&biw=1683&bih=1743&dpr=0.7#imgrc=t9otvjX-bpfADM%3A

[basementcalling]

There is a prototype for a skyscraper in an empty field with railroad tracks right near by:

https://www.google.com/search?q=michigan+central+station&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIgPuAs6K1xgIViH-SCh1gOwFx&biw=1683&bih=1743&dpr=0.7#imgrc=t9otvjX-bpfADM%3A

Ed's law wins again.

[OldEastRR]

There is a prototype for a skyscraper in an empty field with railroad tracks right near by:

https://www.google.com/search?q=michigan+central+station&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAmoVChMIgPuAs6K1xgIViH-SCh1gOwFx&biw=1683&bih=1743&dpr=0.7#imgrc=t9otvjX-bpfADM%3A

As proves my point, that is a railroad station. The company headquarters were also located there, which explains the height. The Pennsy had a structure like this in Harrisburg, I believe.

[peteski]

As proves my point, that is a railroad station. The company headquarters were also located there, which explains the height. The Pennsy had a structure like this in Harrisburg, I believe.

We have a winner!  You get a cookie!    Station underneath it or not, it is a tall office structure.  I guess it is all in your perspective.