Woodbury NJ Train Station kit coming from Right on Track Models

[VonRyan]

Still hoping he does some of the Penns Grove Branch stations. Woodbury is cool, but outside the scope of my interests really.

[PRSL66]

After running across his beautiful model kit of the Tuckahoe station, I contacted Richard at Right on Tracks Models about the feasibility of adding a Woodbury, NJ station kit to his lineup. For the last 8 months I have been running down contacts from the Woodbury Historical Society and the group that led the historical restoration of the station. I have also been taking/collecting pictures and measuring the building.

I am absolutely thrilled that Richard has agreed to get this project on his drawing board for this winter. His previous kits can be found at: https://www.rightontrackmodels.com/

Woodbury is the county seat of Gloucester County and was founded in 1683 by Henry Wood, a Quaker, from England. Its short-lived (8 years) first railroad, the Woodbury and Camden Railroad, came to town in 1838.

George Green brought his patent medicine and glass manufacturing to Woodbury in the 1870s and the town flourished. (I’m sure the opium content of his medicines spurred its reputation as a world class medical cure-all.)

In 1917, 139 daily trains passed the triple-tracked Woodbury train station. At one time 40+ passenger trains a day stopped at Woodbury but alas, the automobile triumphed and the last passenger train through town ran in 1971. In 1996 the station was restored and since then has been a popular historic restaurant.

The model will be available in multiple scales.

More pictures of the station can be found on my blog: http://rickb773-prsl.blogspot.com/




R. Long photo from W Coxley collection

:)Great photos Rick!

[rickb773]

Just a reminder, the pre-order prices end April 25th.
If you plan to order one get it in your cart now before the prices go up 15%.
On Monday Mr. Segal has promised to publish the price for assembled models.
Shipping begins May 15th.

https://www.rightontrackmodels.com/store.html?store-page=PRR-PRSL-CONRAIL-WOODBURY-NJ-STATION-N-SCALE-PRE-ORDER-15-OFF-p324880039

[rickb773]

I received my craftsman quality built-up Woodbury Station from Right on Track Models and was amazed at the workmanship. It will now become the centerpiece of my PRSL layout.








It did, however have several issues which did not show up on any of the other kits delivered in the larger scales. These issues have been forwarded to the manufacturer for possible corrections in the future but many are characteristics that are difficult to control in N scale.

Color Selection
Although I model Woodbury and Westville around 1950, instead of traditional PRR Station colors (which visitors to my layout may not notice), I wanted a cream to match the current station/restaurant color. I was presented with a selection palette that did not include anything close so I asked for antique white. Instead, I got a brown which neither highlighted the beautiful craftmanship done by Right on Track Models nor created the ability to recognize that the station was a special representation of the one currently in Woodbury.



I am basically color blind so leaning on the eyes of the AAA Hobbies worker to match a photo, we chose Model Color’s Pale Sand. I basically dry brush painted the base model and weathered it. (Since I was over painting a brown model, I probably should have gone with the “Iced Yellow”.

Platform Roof Issues
I initially thought the base was warped into a mild U shape but the station platform roofs were so warped that they pulled up the station platform ends also pulling the center of the base away from the structure allowing light to show throw the center bottom. I separated the model from the base and attempted to fix the roof center support structure to straighten the roof which was pulling away from its supports. All platform roofs were warping and needed to be AC’d in multiple places along to the center roof structure.



I assume these problems were due to the thin wood materials being painted on only one side,

Base
The “concrete” base was made out of thin wood and warped (probably from the warped platform roofs or painting one side only). I replaced it with an Evergreen styrene plastic sheet for stability.



Unpainted corner trim
Several station corners were installed unpainted so I needed to paint them in Hunter Green.



Missing end inserts to secondary passenger shelter.
Right on Track Models supplied some spare pieces which I painted and installed (a real nightmare). (See next photo)

Woodbury Station Signs
Inconsistent sign trim stood out like a sore thumb. Right on Track Models graciously provided a sheet of consistently printed replacement signs



Corner side separation.
Did not attempt to correct. (See the Unpainted Corner Trim photo)

Uneven side platform roof
I was going to trim the connecting roof but thought it was the other side and had already glued the offending side in place so there it stays. (See the Unpainted Corner Trim photo)

Misplaced station support post holes on rear.
When I replaced the base, I predrilled the holes from the existing floor. I later noticed that the initial positions had caused the support posts to significantly bow inward so I had to redrill a second set of holes further from the station to allow the posts to be straight.



Secondary Passenger Shelter
This should have been twice as long as the one produced but does include the proper unique support post arraignment.

Bottom Line:
Richard Segal at Right on Track Models produced a beautiful craftsman like replica of the Woodbury Station which will serve as the centerpiece of my Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines layout and I am grateful for his work. It would never have been accomplished without him.

The build did leave a little to be desired. I think the main problem is the material for an N scale model is so thin that it warps significantly when painted on only one side. Hopefully Richard will find a way to correct these issues on future N scale structures. Richard also does outstanding custom builds.