# Blue Prints for Buildings



## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Ok I will ask the question. I am at the point where I want to start making my own buildings. Is there anyone out there that has drawings, Blue Prints or anything with actual 1:24 scale dimensions to go by. It would be nice have a collection of these to save us time scaling down every time. I plan on making a train station first and would like to get some measurements of different types. I want to have a fairly big station with indoor and out door seating ant will be adding lights and sound to it.

Could anyone post what they can here or please email me at 

[email protected]


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## studeclunker (Mar 15, 2009)

Any building schematics will work in the construction of a scale building. Most small buildings are done in ¼” = 1’ 0”, or one quarter inch equals one foot. That’s exactly one half of the size you’re modeling in. To build from any schematics (blueprints) would be simple. Just use a scale (ruler) set to what you’re working in. One twenty-fourth is easy, as it’s two feet to the inch.

Now, if you’re looking for templates to use, I can’t help you. Using regular schematics however, opens a very wide world of structures to you.

By the by; blueprints are no longer used. Architects and builders just use a computer (Computer Assisted Drafting) and/or a copy machine nowdays.

Hey! That’s something to consider! We have another thread going on ratios to enlarge for templates and plans! A drafting shop is perfectly set up for such enlargements! Also, if you want those quarter inch scale drawings to the exact size of your model, just have a drafting shop enlarge them 200%.


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I draw all my plans in 3D Sketchup program, that gives you the ability to see what your building will look like, (free at Google) before you cut one piece of material. I use no plans, sometimes I may refer to a picture, or I may just come up with the entire building on my own. 
You are wanting to work with plans in 1/2" scale, that is the easiest ratio, 1/2" equals a foot, A building 30 feet wide in real life is 15" wide in your model world. If you buy your windows and doors, either get them first or get their measurements, before you draw up your plans, I build all my own windows and doors, so I build to my plans, thats another story. Most single story structures walls are 9-10 feet tall, depending on your era, old buildings with 10 foot ceilings have usually a 1 foot flooring, a 1-2 foot foundation, then the roof, Seven foot doors makes modeling simple, 3-1/2" tall doors, four foot windows are 2'' tall. 
You can use a 1/2 scale ruler to make life simple if drawing all your measurements out on your building products, wood or plastics, ect. A 1/2" scale ruler helps to prevent mistakes, check out therailscale.com . 1/2" is simple to figure, it is a common and simple scale to use. You know most of the buildings built will look fine if they are perportioned out close to the original building, you don't have to be exact, If your friends are critical, change friends.
Dennis


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Thanks for the great description of scale. The big question is where do I get these drawings of buildings. Making a house is not to bad but trying to figure out how long a train station is by looking at a picture is not that easy. I can always guess but then getting some of the widow sizes right is not easy either. 

I am looking for track side structure buildings like coal and water towers depot, stations etc...


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## studeclunker (Mar 15, 2009)

There is a book, that is still in production (I think) and would be available at your local hobby shop or possibly book store (such as Barnes and Noble). This will give you rather historically accurate measurements for stations, platforms and etc… 
As to modern platforms, Amtrack requires, someone correct me if I’m wrong here, at least two hundred feet of paved platform for their stations. This is because they need a safe place to disembark at least two cars. It might be less or more, I just can’t remember at the moment. Another thing you might try is just going to the local depot and taking measurements. Almost any large town in the U.S. has a depot, either in use or abandoned.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

NT

While you specified 1:24 scale drawings, and I don't have any to share with you. I would think that the greatest variety of drawings you'll find would be from H0 scale (i.e. 1:87) for any era that you desire, however you'll have to enlarge the drawing by 365% (i.e. 87/24=3.625x100=365.2(rounded to 365%)). While you might be able to accomplish this in steps on a copy machine, it might be better to see if you can find an architectural drawing service or maybe a copy business service and pay to have it done.

On the off chance you are looking for the turn of the century era buildings (i.e. 1900 c), although this references America style railroad buildings and the dimensions provided are 1:1, the following may be of some help. It's available through Google books (i.e. Google home page >> More menu >> Books option, then enter your search value in the search text box.) and you can download a PDF format copy for future reference.

*Google - Books*
*Buildings and Structures of American Railroads*
*Pub.1893*
*File size: 26.5MB*


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

NT
Check out a previous posting last year, this is a Depot I built last year, it won the Peoples Choice award at the National Convention in Phoenix. It has seating also outside under the end. 
This is design I drew up , I model the early to mid 1900's 
Do you have any pictures of the building or buildings you like, that is the first way you need to go, Do you have the windows or the window type you want to use? Or do you have the
ability to build your windows and doors, Do you want to leave your building outside, or bring it in when not running. A what type of material do you want to build with. 
Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/7/postid/25876/view/topic/Default.aspx

Sorry I forgot to paste the address for above comment


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## cephius (Jan 10, 2008)

NavyTech,

I picked up a book that has the Cheif Engineer's drawings for all track side structures for B&O from 1906. It was reprinted by a railroad museum in the '80s.


It has actual inches and feet, not scale ready like you requested, but a valuable resource none the less. As posted before, such books can still be found at sites like Amazon.com. 

Here's an example drawing:










Dave


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## RimfireJim (Mar 25, 2009)

Unless you're dead-set on having plans that are 1:1 for the scale you are building on, so that you can overlay your work on the plans, a much more versatile way is to use a scale rule for your chosen scale and another one for the scale that the plans are in. Real-world architectural plans are going to be in a common fractional scale and you can use a triangular scale that contains 11 different scales, available at most office supply stores, to take off dimensions from the plans. Modeling magazine plans will usually be in one of the common model scales, such as HO or N, but sometimes they are in half-model scale, in which case the expectation is to photo enlarge them. Usually the plans are such, with exterior trim, roof overhangs, etc., that you can't use them directly as patterns anyway.


Scale rules are available from www.thescalecard.com

Jim McKim


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

converting things to 1:24 scale is not a real issue it is just trying to determine size with regards to looking at a picture is difficult. For example If I look at a picture of a structure and do not know how long it is then it is hard to determine the size of everything else. The only way I have been able to get anywhere is sizing it up with a door which I know should be 6 to 7 feet.


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## GnTRailroad (Apr 3, 2009)

I really like the plans that I get from Garden Texture there site is http://web.mac.com/gardentexture/Site/Home.html I have now built three buildings using plans from them!


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## GnTRailroad (Apr 3, 2009)

You can see some of the buildings I built from "Garden Texture" at http://s709.photobucket.com/albums/ww95/Alan412/Garden%20Railroad/ Some I have drawn my own plans for!


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## sftalc (Jan 7, 2008)

Another good source for plans is the Narrow Gauge and Shortline Gazette. They have plans for buildings, rolling stock, locos, and much more. You can either have them enlarged or use a scale ruler to build from them.


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## dltrains (Jan 2, 2008)

Navytech, 
I've had success with the B&O historical societys' web page,and Pennsylvania railroad modelers. These both provide drawings of some of their buildings and lineside structures with measurements.Although these are not 1/24th drawings they do have the measurements on them.I'm sure there are other historical sites that will have the same without having to join each. 
If interested send me an e-mail and I'll look through my saved sites and send you some links.One of the PRR sites has a list which includes specs on how switches were laid in different instances,round house specs including substructure,same for turntable pits of varying sizes,etc. It will take a bit of your time to sort through. 
Hope this helps and others are free to do the same. 
Dave


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

would this one help? it's full sized details and drawings of houses from the 20's http://www.nbbooks.com/index.cfm?get=item&id=2085 If not browse around, Tony has a lot more books like this one. He is also a great guy to deal with.


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Navy Tech, 

I am a professional draftsman, and if you would be interested I can convert any scale drawing to real world dimensions for 1:24 scale. 

Bob


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