If you are modeling Swiss trains maybe consider this second variation train station by Archistories featuring cream color stucco. All design features are similar to the Torrnstein Station, but appearance is quite different. Archistories suggests using these buildings as public buildings also, they do not have to be train stations only.

Train stations come in many shapes and sizes this three part Prussian design with connecting halls features a large passenger platform that can be expanded with accessory platforms.

Construction time is a bit on the long side you might need as much as 6-8 hours all told. The platform is made by laminating several pieces of card stock that tend to warp out of level unless even pressure is applied throughout the gluing process. Platform sort of slides into place with the station building leaving a fine gap, fill gap with similarly colored glue applied with a syringe; Elmer’s brown wood glue is a good choice. Red brick is used in this construction but stucco is available also of the exact same design. Partition walls of course allow for interior lighting that is realistic.

Here is a very interesting single track locomotive shed with exposed steel truss construction with red brick infill featuring a barrel roof. Experience building these kits is suggested, try building a few of the Archistories buildings before this one. The steel truss framework is made of very fine cardstock comprising four pieces: one per side. Very little room for error with this kit: gluing and assembling has to be quick. And re-positioning the fine lattice truss is not possible (tears easily). For alignment I lined up the bottom of each side with the bottom of the building, I then allowed the lattice framework to naturally fall into place before applying light pressure for gluing. Maybe as an alternative try placing the steel truss on the building and then apply tiny drops of glue in several discreet places. The whole range of z locomotives are easily serviced in this shed which features large windows and hinged doors.

Archistories offer several locomotive sheds this one being a single track Prussian design shed of red brick construction from the late 19th century. It is a good example of an important railroad building for repair and maintenance of steam engines featuring an attached office space. This kit is not designed for variations, but clever planning and cutting makes it possible to come up with a pretty good variation placing the office structure on the right instead of left side. The side window on the office is thrown to the back of the building, in my example I used a sandstone insert which suggests age and modification.

It is my opinion that this is the easiest building to assemble along side the Scandinavian cottages, it is on the small size but includes characteristics of other larger kits including partition walls, roof vents and hinged doors. All of the Archistories buildings are laser cut card stock and therefore absorbent of dirt or moisture that will leave permanent marks; dry brush weathering is possible but great care should be taken due to the absorbent nature of the materials. Correct assembly of this building can be seen in the following photos:

The interlocking tower by Archistories follows two formal attributes associated with the Prussian red brick architecture found in numerous other Archistories buildings + the Sanders water tower’s exposed timber structure. The interlocking tower is small and a bit of a challenge to assemble because it is small with numerous small parts. The small parts do not need a lot of glue just a drop applied with a pin will suffice with the stair risers. A cool detail of this building are the throw levers which are authentically portrayed, adding a light to the control room will highlight this detail. The Faller interlocking tower we all have known for many years is a bit clunky by comparison to Archistories which is a finer example of what was once seen beside the rails, constructed of mixed materials of ample size for the important functions of this type of railroad building. If you plan to equip this building with light you must do it when the building is under construction, you will find it impossible to insert light to the second floor at the end of the project. Here is a building that makes modeling in z today more exciting than ever!!!!

The new Marklin 89982 turntable includes two buildings: roundhouse and administration. The architectural design of these buildings follows the architectural movement in Germany called Neue Sachlichkeit (“New Objectivity”), and a movement that was ended by the Nazis in 1933. I mention the Marklin roundhouse as one option and the earlier Archistories Prussian design roundhouse as the other option. Until just a few years ago Marklin made the only roundhouse out of plastic, it was a rather generic roundhouse with remote control doors. Having two options from two different periods of railroad history in Germany gives z scalers the choice between Prussian or DRG railroading although many Prussian roundhouses continued to be in use for later DRG and DB railroads. Exposed steel cage with infill brick denotes the “New Objectivity” or “New Sobriety” in Germany. If you choose Archistories Prussian roundhouse you can incorporate a very cool loco shed also by Archistories that is of the later architecture period in Germany thus having the best of both worlds.

Save a few bucks by buying a used or dealer old stock of the 3 pole turntable or 5 pole incorporating it with the Archistories roundhouse, it has a few attributes that make it a better choice than the new Marklin set including a much more commanding structure that is expandable then opting to include the loco shed by Archistories of the New Objectivity to include two eras of German railroading in your layout. The expandable Archistories roundhouse is possible as a separate add-on, each add-on roundhouse shed includes 4 bays; I built a 12 bay comprising the original Roundhouse kit with 4 accessory bays.

12 bays is about the maximum that can be built without some trimming to the roofing material to have it cover properly, it is possible to expand further but you will need to do some modification to the roof.

For far too long we have waited for a suitable gantry train for yard work, this is it in better detail than I could have dreamed. Crane rotates and slides with stationary hook and includes bins. Almost all industry needs gantry cranes, they come in large and small sizes. A rail yard gantry crane is of course that large, you will find them offloading containers in a ship yard or picking up loads of lumber in a rail yard. Archistories gantry crane is of an older design featuring riveted plate steel and diesel powered operators’ house. You will find gantry cranes like this in use today in small steel mills that rely on rail transport, two such examples are close to my home in Pennsylvania.

Water towers are one of the most interesting architectural wonders in Germany, they are everywhere from tight city enclaves to large industrial areas. The many variations of German water towers have been well documented by the photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher. Two early water towers are offered by Archistories: Sanders-art and Bw Torrnstein.  Whether you model in American or European prototypes one or both of these water towers will find a suitable home. Supplying water to industry or home water towers are everywhere in Germany. Bw Torrnstein build tips: careful to align stepped ladder with opening in catwalk and don’t forget to install all parts of superstructure. Sanders-art includes real wood for timbers which need extra gluing time than paper, keep pressure on timbers until glue has set otherwise they may slide away from roof. Even these small buildings require similar lengths of time for assembly but a Saturday afternoon should be sufficient.

Here is a great kit to build if you are new to Archistories, it is a big essential building for any layout and easy to build. The only word of caution is to be careful lining up the trusses with the roof underlayment, you cannot press the roof underlayment slots onto the trusses or they will bend; it is best to work from the inside out pushing each truss into the slots of the roof underlayment. Or you can cut off the protrusions on the trusses and glue in place.

Building is well suited to go with the interlocking tower and train station, it is based on late 19th century Prussian architecture in red brick. A very large Prussian industrial design loco repair shed that services in the repair of steam locomotives and later diesels. Because of the large expansive roof quick work will be needed gluing roof sheathing in place; start glue in the center and work out to edges with broad even strokes of a brush and apply even pressure until cement seats the card stock. I use only PVA archival cement for roofing because it sets up fast, and it is permanent. Also don’t be afraid of the hinged doors, the filigree framework needs just a couple of tiny drops of glue applied with a pin to attach to door structure. Following construction of each door comes hinging each which is simply lining up door posts with slots inside building held together by a second piece glued in place on the interior side over the slots: careful to keep glue away from hinges!!! An interesting add-on accessory for this kit are the inspection repair pits identified by Archistories as “Working Pits.” Customizing track by cutting ties is required for installation of pits, but they add that little extra detail that fellow railroaders will notice.

One of the older Archistories z scale buildings is the “Frye” house. A northern German railway house that is based on a prototype built in 1894 in Emsland Lingen. This kit was my first introduction to regular production Archistories buildings versus the earlier commissioned design for Marklin’s two ‘Factory’ kits. Featuring partition walls this building can be realistically lit, now you can light a drawing room or an upstairs bedroom instead of the whole house. Residents of this particular structure would have been penny wise limiting the amount of lamp oil or later electricity used in the house, they would have been self sufficient: farming on a small lot behind the house where chickens and pigs would have been kept. A solid red brick house built to last and still does as the prototype exemplifies even today as reported by Archistories. The two challenges with this kit are the chimneys and sills due to their small size, chimneys are constructed of gluing together two pieces that 4 brick pieces adhere to and then a cap: 7 tiny pieces comprise one chimney. Other challenge are the sills, they are small and tweezers, goggles (you might as well leave these on whenever you z scale!), and patience. I find sewing pins to be helpful when applying glue with this kit and small pieces in general. Also do not use too much glue and too much pressure when picking up sills, they are easily damaged with tweezers and expand like a sponge if you use to much glue. Take your time and you will get perfect results. This is a kit that can be varied: window insert modified with limestone can be changed out with corrugated steel instead (common in railway houses that once adorned the Lehigh Valley Railroad in and around Easton, PA). A second variation is placing the risers/steps on the opposite side of the building. Don’t forget to install the slate on each side of the dormer in correct sequence as outlined in the instructions!!! I love this building.

I bought five to create a block of them along the tracks.