I recently wrote an article for ZTrack Magazine whose purpose was to introduce  Archistories of Hannover, Germany to Z enthusiasts in the United States.

This article appears in the July/August 2015 issue of ZTrack Magazine:

Several years ago Marklin released 89796 and 89797: two building construction kits of the theme “The Plant.” Anyone who purchased these sets including myself may have longed for more of these high quality buildings for their layout. Nearly five years later more are available for collectors in the United States at Zscale Monster Trains. Archistories of Hannover, Germany produced the 5 industrial manufacturing buildings for Marklin’s two sets comprising “The Plant” which also included two heavy duty flat cars with cast truck loads. Archistories worked with Marklin’s budget to produce these high quality detail rich buildings, which contrast nicely with the architecture of those now available from this company in the United States. Most Archistories buildings are modeled on late 19th and early 20th century Prussian architecture including two versions of a train station, train sheds, water towers, expandable roundhouse, railway house, gantry crane and 4 Swedish design cottages. Plus an exciting newly released operating windmill complete with drive mechanism. Archistories kits feature excellent step by step instructions which should be carefully examined before assembly, superb quality laser cut card stock yielding the very best available surface texture and detail using professional architect software ArchiCad. The tools required to build these kits are more than likely already in the tool kit of most z scalers: headband magnifier, tweezers, hobby knife, scissors, glue applicators: brushes and toothpicks, nail file, and glue. Having experience with these kits, I have become increasingly impressed with the consistent personality of them: each kit basically follows the same procedure of building out from a heavy cardboard superstructure whose pieces snap together precisely, the outer layer of stucco, brick, and roofing are glued onto this superstructure, and finally details are applied including sills and architectural ornaments. Another highlight of these kits is the attention to detail including interior partition walls and trusses installed realistically in the locomotive sheds, the Torrnstein signal tower even includes hand throw levers on the 2nd floor. The partition walls allow for realistic placement of interior lights thereby lighting specific rooms in a house for example. Plus some of the kits allow for variation in construction thereby allowing multiple versions of buildings. Intelligently designed architecture for z scale, Archistories offers another choice for the z scale modeler.

-Gary Graves