A Modular Wall System Mystery: just what did I buy?

[ncbqguy]

Leo did not (as far as I understand) work at Bachmann.   He did tooling work for Model Die Casting / Roundhouse and was also responsible for the excellent tooling done after Con-Cor moved to Arizona.   (TOFC deck for 50' Flat Car, new TOFC Car, Smoothside Baggage Car, and likely others that I don't recall at the moment).
The line was just ahead of its time and needed better marketing, packaging and instructions.   Being clear plastic it was very difficult to visualize how to combine the many wall sections into a full building.   The brick and rendering of windows and doors are still ahead of later modular systems.
Sorry to hear of his passing, RIP Leo....
Charlie Vlk

[peteski]

These were excellent idea and the molds were very well made.  One gripe I had was that the window didn't protrude from the "glass" enough to make painting them easy.  But if they were Tampo (or now ink-jet) printed at the factory, they woudl have been superb!  I'm convinced that actually having the pieces factory-decorated would have made this modular system very popular.

These were standard injection-molded styrene. I guess Leo, being in the industry, had had his contacts in injection-molding companies to get the parts produced. As he apparently was a skilled tool/die maker (thanks for that info Charlie), that he probably made his own mold.  I wonder what ever happen with those molds?  Like I said, if some company were to start making and decorating them at the factory, that would make many modelers very happy.

[jugtown modeler]

Someone must have the molds. Tooling is too expensive to just dispose of.
One of a few reasons I have been trying to identify the original intent of assembly was to try to find the manufacturer may have been.
Once Leo created the molds, I'd assume some factory had to produce the pieces. All trails I have discovered so far have lead to him and no further.

Perhaps the N-Scale Magazine article will shed some light.

[PJPickard]

I too have a bag of these and always thought the quality was great...never tried painting them though. I'd buy more if I could find some.

[peteski]

Someone must have the molds. Tooling is too expensive to just dispose of.
One of a few reasons I have been trying to identify the original intent of assembly was to try to find the manufacturer may have been.
Once Leo created the molds, I'd assume some factory had to produce the pieces. All trails I have discovered so far have lead to him and no further.

Perhaps the N-Scale Magazine article will shed some light.

Sounds like that issue of N-Scale is no the way to you.  I have hard (and computer) copies of every issue. If I have some time I'll see if I can look it up on the CD.

[RRRover]

Decoration of the mullions is fairly straightforward. A flat rubber eraser block and an ink pad. Just make sure to lay the rubber eraser across the mullions exactly parallel to the surface of the wall.

Rrrover

[peteski]

Decoration of the mullions is fairly straightforward. A flat rubber eraser block and an ink pad. Just make sure to lay the rubber eraser across the mullions exactly parallel to the surface of the wall.

Rrrover

I've used that method (actually a rubber roller for inking printing plates on windows of some Walthers factory building).  But the muntins (not mullions - look it up) protrude so little that even with that method is almost impossible not to get paint on the "glass" panes.

[nkalanaga]

Fine-point Sharpie?

[jugtown modeler]

Not to belabor the subject as it is clear the N-2-It system is out of production and likely not coming back.
But for anyone who might stumble onto a supply of N-2-It pieces, figured I'd add a bit more info to this thread.

The May/June 1998 issue of N Scale nice article by Gregg Ausserer about creating a 4-story warehouse using these modular pieces in which he was very enthusiastic about this modular system.

In a nutshell:
Paint everything, then assemble.
The vertical concrete columns were meant to be filled with styrene. Author used .156 wide x .125 deep.
Horizontal concrete pieces were in development at time, so author used styrene, trimmed to fit between columns.
He painted (by hand to avoid masking) the modular brick first.
Then the window frames and used a chiseled fine point marker for muntins.
Painted all the styrene column stock concrete color.
Then created a jig for assembly to hold everything square. Essentially a straight edge double face taped down to guide a triangle/square.
Working one vertical section at a time.
He used styrene angle pieces for corners and styrene for wall and column caps.

Overall, author felt it took longer than a kit but was worth it to create a model of the prototype warehouse he was looking for.

I have a slew of these pieces I picked up at auction. All mixed and loose. I may try to organize and offer some up for sale some time down the road.

Glad I found this thread which helped me discover more info about these. Thanks.
Would be kind of cool if someone found the tooling used to create these. Quite possibly lost overseas though.
With a bit more development, this could have been more of a success and helpful to customized structure modeling.

[DKS]

Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but this is just more proof that a modular building system is simply not commercially viable. Just about every one that's been introduced so far has ultimately failed (and I'd place bets that, had the developer of this one not met an unfortunate fate, it still would have failed). When I was in model production, I had modelers begging me to develop a modular building system, but I never went down that road, because I knew what's down there.

[dem34]

Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but this is just more proof that a modular building system is simply not commercially viable. Just about every one that's been introduced so far has ultimately failed (and I'd place bets that, had the developer of this one not met an unfortunate fate, it still would have failed). When I was in model production, I had modelers begging me to develop a modular building system, but I never went down that road, because I knew what's down there.

Sort of has the echoes of Walthers employees groaning about the fact that when presented with their generic factories in the cornerstone line.
 
If it was marketed as a type of building (ex: Furniture,Printing,Widgets) nobody would buy them because they had no need for a widget factory when they had a spur earmarked for Furniture, which is a shame because the widget factory is the perfect look and size for the space but the sign said widgets and not furniture. And of course when they marketed this generic factory as well, a generic factory. The casual crowd would pass on it because converting it to their preferred industry was too much work.

Unfortunately people see modular and get gun shy with the fear of how much work they'll need to put in to get what they want. Which is why I think ITLA has a good angle by presenting its Modular buildings as full building kits with optional expansions.

[peteski]

Didn't Walthers eventually start packaging their modular wall kits as complete buildings? Wasn't one of them a creamery?

[Chris333]

The Walthers modulars sucked because there was no directions on the box showing exactly what you got in the box and what would be needed to build what you wanted.

[PJPickard]

Jugtown,

If you decide to sell I am interested. I know what is down that road and I like it.

Thanks,
Paul

ps thanks for those references in the magazine!

[jugtown modeler]

The Walthers modulars sucked because there was no directions on the box showing exactly what you got in the box and what would be needed to build what you wanted.

That and price point. As with these N-2-It pieces, Walthers and DPM, there needed to be some more direction/inspiration and ALL the parts available to get there. @DKS is correct in that these attempts fell way short for the average consumer. I am just naïve enough to believe that with some more thought, they could have offered the right combination of parts and inspiration to guide the average modeler along instead of making a modeler feel like they needed to be an architectural-designer-kitbashing-model-pro.
With improvements in 3D printing, it is more likely someone will come up with modular digital pieces that we could render a mock up and order directly or print a completed structure ourselves, before modulars would ever be refined enough to market as sets again.

If you decide to sell I am interested. I know what is down that road and I like it.
Thanks,
Paul
ps thanks for those references in the magazine!

You're welcome. The authors warehouse in article was well done and does show off the capacity of these pieces.
I will definitely post something if/when I get these organized a bit. I am behind on many projects... don't hold your breathe...

(I also have a crap load of Walthers modulars from when they were being clearanced at MB Klein and a shoebox full of DPM from an auction lot, crying out for projects...)