I recently completed this diorama of an Amoco Station in Baltimore. The structure is scratchbuilt using cardboard for the station itself and modified Magnuson brick castings for the rowhouses. The prototype that inspired this model still stands in West Baltimore and is pictured at the end. That photo is from https://www.kilduffs.com/GAS.html (https://www.kilduffs.com/GAS.html)
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Matt
Matt - WOW! What else can I say? You captured the age, deterioration, and hopelessness of the row house as well as the junkiness that goes with old service stations. The backside of the row house is particularly well done. Cardboard? Really? The scene would fit nicely into the Summit level of the Atlantic & Southern Railroad near the red light district. Of course, we would have to add a few palm trees and maybe add a vegetable/citrus market next door. So let us know when you will be shipping the whole thing to Tahope.
Terrific! I think the Judge summed it up best but I have to add that I really love the 'feel' that you captured of the area.
Very nice work!
Beautiful structure and details.
Jeff
Mind Blown! Nicely detailed, I chucked at the guy in the white shirt petting the cat. Thank you for sharing, I added them to my reference pictures.
Question: What did you use for the wires on the hanging Amoco sign coming from the building?
-Steven
Steven,
My go to wire for modeling is green floral wire. It is cheap, the size is nice and it takes paint better than most wires(although still not great). If the paint does become an issue here and there, the dark green color of the wire does not shine like other wires and tends to blend in with the weathering. The sign is very vulnerable and it got whacked a couple of times during the build. The floral wire had to be straightened coming off of the spool and had to be straightened again after some of the whacks. Ultimately, brass rod would have been a better solution to keep it straight, but the wire worked out.
Also: the large support on the sign is baling wire or rebar wire, available at your local big box hardware store.
Thanks, for your compliments,
Matt
Quote from: Judge on July 23, 2020, 05:42:37 AM
So let us know when you will be shipping the whole thing to Tahope.
;D
I think this one will be staying here in Charm City for the time being.
Thanks for the compliments,
Matt
Baltimore's own, The Swallows:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_OnXE3LUJA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_OnXE3LUJA)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLmbQ0KMNLw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLmbQ0KMNLw)
Matt
After further evaluation, the comment posted on another site about scrubbed steps every week seems to have passed by this block. Hope it returns.
Spectacular efforts recreating a small slice of a once great city. Guess I'd best put the coffee down and go get started on my own projects.
Stay healthy everyone.
Wonderful job , well done.
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A. Aubrey Bodine photo
Yes, the famous Baltimore marble stoops are due for a good scrubbing.
Matt
Excellent modeling Matt.
Quote from: restocarp on July 23, 2020, 07:48:11 AM
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A. Aubrey Bodine photo
Yes, the famous Baltimore marble stoops are due for a good scrubbing.
Matt
Saturday morning ritual in those times. Doubt it happens now.
That is a very nice model.
Jerry
Wonderful build Matt..... 8)
I remember a car trip to New Jersey with the family when I was a kid and we accidentally went thru downtown Baltimore after my Dad missed a turn on the highway that would have taken us around the city. It was the first time I had seen this many row houses and they seemed to go on for miles and miles. It was such an amazing sight for a little kid, it kept me quiet for quite a spell.....much to the relief of my parents. :)
Matt,
Nice modeling !
Tommy
Very, very well done. I too remember going through Baltimore in the late 60's looking for Fort McHenry. But then a lot of those row house we past were still burnt down shells. It amazed me how could people live so close together.
Quote from: Oldguy on July 23, 2020, 11:44:11 AM
Very, very well done. I too remember going through Baltimore in the late 60's looking for Fort McHenry. But then a lot of those row house we past were still burnt down shells. It amazed me how could people live so close together.
Haha, here in the Netherlands probably 40-50% of housing is row houses even nowadays.
Modern rowhouses
(https://yaarchitecten.nl/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/rijtjeshuizen.jpg)
60's rowhousing like I live in. Most families want to live in houses like these , they are bundled into blocks of streets full of them , where speed limits are 20 miles an hour , lots of green parks and playgrounds . Myself I would rather live outside the city , but alas I can't afford to.
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Matt....
What a great diorama.....
You have sooooo much going on there.
The dilapidated lean to roof is just great.
Thanx
Bob
Oops , sorry I got carried away Matt, I'll remove my post if you want me to.
Quote from: Janbouli on July 24, 2020, 03:30:21 AM
Oops , sorry I got carried away Matt, I'll remove my post if you want me to.
No, no! I am an architecture and urban planning buff, so thanks for posting!
Matt
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Matt
Matt,
This is a wonderful diorama. You nailed the row houses as well. It all is just perfect.
My wife grew up in Baltimore and lived in a row house. It had been her Great-Grandmother's home as well. The family generations just kept living there. I said all that to tell you this. I was in the basement and found an old deed to the house. It was built in 1880. Just 16 years after the Civil War.
Finding the deed was amazing in that the house was built when there were no cars, electricity, paved roads and the old kitchen was on the back porch to keep the heat out of the house. And, the back yards were very small as you modeled.
Again, fantastic build sir.
Tom ;D
Hey Janbouli:
Thanks for the great pictures. Very nice there.
Karl
Yw Karl .
Matt I absolutely love the rubbish , looks very natural.
Superb modelling, Matt!
Love all the timber work in the sign. Great stucco and attention to detail, and its great to have a prototype photo to see how well you achieved the atmosphere.
Cheers, Mark.
Matt
Great modeling - you captured the scene.
Quote from: Janbouli on July 24, 2020, 05:31:49 PM
Yw Karl .
Matt I absolutely love the rubbish , looks very natural.
What a hobby! You even get compliments on your trash!
dave
The stucco is brilliant. The brickwork, Coke sign.....the definition of everything holds up to scrutiny even in close-ups. Gorgeous work!