The house I grew up in

[bparrish]

Gents.....
I was prompted to this today as Matt put up a great series of photos about his Ellicott structure using this brick material.


Some months ago, the editor of the NMRA magazine ran a series of stories about women in the hobby.  One lady in particular got my attention. She was scratch building the various houses that she had lived in.  it got me started on my thinking about this.  I then later discovered some brick sheet from Monster Model Works of Colorado.

I ordered some and it is just great. It's pretty fragile but I have found ways to resist cracking and breaking along the grain.

The first photo is a Google Earth photo of the house on the west side of Chicago.  Our family held this building from 1921 to 1969.


So here is the structure framed up. I used several sizes of styrene for the window sills and the windows will be Tichy Train Group material that I found pretty good matches for.  They had to be adjusted for masonry use rather than the wide facings that most of their castings use.

I am just now starting on the painting of the brick so that is an adventure.
I'll put up a photo in a day or two.
For now.....

[ACL1504]

Bob,

Wow, fantastic job on the house. I guess I'll need to get some of the MMW brick for a build.

Tom 

[carl b]

Very nice work Bob!

[PRR Modeler]

Very nice and with personal importance.

[restocarp]

That's awesome, Bob! I really enjoy the problem solving of scratchbuilding to a prototype. You have nailed the details and really captured the original. Just great!

Matt

[ReadingBob]

Time to get the popcorn ready.  Another great build thread to follow along.   

[Oldguy]

Looking really good. 

[tom.boyd.125]

Bob,
Nice start on your hometown project.
Tommy

[S&S RR]

Bob


Great project, I will be following along.

[postalkarl]

Hey Bob:

What can I say but WOW!!!! very nice work so far. Can't wait to see this one finished.

Karl

[EricQuebec]

Very nice
Eric

[Zephyrus52246]

Much have been rich folks to own both floors.     My mother's parents owned a three floor brownstone in South Chicago.  An interesting project you've started.  Looks great so far.

Jeff

[bparrish]

Jeff.............. thanx for looking in

Actually no about affluence.  My grandfather almost lost it twice, once in 1932 and then again when the balloon note was to come out in 1951. 


The reason he was never able to rent out the second floor is that there was always someone in the family that needed the apartment. 


First was my great grandmother, his mother-in-law, from 1923 to 1937 and then he let it out to my mom's older brother for a few years where he hardly collected anything on that deal .  For only a few years during the war he rented it out from 1943-45 for about 25 bux a month.  Again sort of a family deal. 

It's a weird thing about the Greeks....... everyone is family ! ! ! !

The apartment sat  vacant for a year and then my mom's brother came back and held it until he was called up for Korea.  We moved there in late 51 and held the apartment until we sold the place in 1969.  I was in Viet Nam at the time so I had no part in getting it sold.

While we were there we paid 60 bux a month and that was the only real money he ever held on the place.

The 50's were great years to grow up......

Again....... thanx for looking in.

see ya
Bob

[craftsmankits]

Very nice start.  Love the scratch builds that have meaning for the builder.  Looking forward to seeing the finished product.  Mark

[Jerry]

Very nice Bob.


Jerry