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I am going to end the old year appropriately with a visit to the local White Castle for a healthy, nutritious lunch. While I am thinking about it, has anyone ever made an O scale kit? Does anyone have plans for either a modern or 1921-era White Castle? I've searched the Forum and have seen some marvelous scratch-built versions. If necessary, I'll get some pictures off the net, and scratch-build one myself. I think that 2012 will be the year in which the citizens of Plasticville get a White Castle. They are tired of the "same-old, same-old" at the Frosty Bar. Wink
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quote:
Originally posted by Joe Hohmann:
quote:
Originally posted by Texas Pete:
O scale Twin Whistle kit version:

http://twinwhistle.com/whitetowerorwhitecastle.aspx

Pete


This kit is a White Tower which also includes White Castle signage. I built it as a WT, then scratchbuilt a White Castle and used those signs.


That's a neat kit, Texas Pete and Joe. Here is a picture of a White Tower that I used to frequent in Dayton, Ohio, when the railroad in the background was a PRR (or B&O?) mainline, if I recall correctly. A White Tower building is probably an easier scratch-build than an early White Castle building. because you don't need to deal with the architectural crenellations that give it the "castle battlement" look. Of course, White Castle architecture became simplified over the years, so a model of a later version would be less labor-intensive.

There is another image of the Dayton White Tower on this page.
Last edited by jay jay
quote:
Originally posted by jay jay:

A White Tower building is probably an easier scratch-build than an early White Castle building. because you don't need to deal with the architectural crenellations that give it the "castle battlement" look.
]


This was not as big a problem as I thought. I used Plastruct hollow tubing and a Exacto flat file (about 1/8" wide) to make the "battlements" on the turrets. The battlements elsewhere were just small square pieces glued-on. I found a plastic mesh for the window tops to suggest the stained-glass panels. Before I started, I got a reference book (used from Amazon for less than $6. total) called "By The Sackfull". It also has small signs and logos you can cut out and use.
Never set foot in a White Castle, though I know what they are.

My part of the country has a chain called Krystal Hamburgers, or just "the Krystal". Open all night. Little
square hamburgers, onion, pickle, mustard. Get a bag of 'em. The munchies. I think that both chains overlap
in the upper South, but here in the Deep, no W. Castle.

"When ya gotta have a Krystal, ya gotta have a Krystal", as their ads used to say. Now I'm hungry.
Originally Posted by jay jay:
Here is a closer shot. Its made by "My Little Town".

train show WGH January 2012 036


I ordered this from a guy on eBay and recieved it today. I LOVE IT!!! It is to-scale (4" high not counting base), and the people inside are very close to scale (not as big as Lemax/Dept56 figures, which are close to "G"). The seller has 7 left...$45.99+$13. shipping. Search "White Castle" under "collectables". I'm very fussy about scenic items, and this AC illuminated structure is a winner.

Around here we have just white castles...never seen a white tower, but I guess that's a regional thing-

Jayjay, depending on your given footprint needs, you could easily grab some evergreen styrene sheets and make your own building using the TLR method. You can simply scan a burger box or bag for the sign{s}. Going by the above white tower pic, you could use small brass or plastic tubing to run thin wires thru for LEDs to light the outside of the building- try your hand at some thick foil from a wine bottle{better grade ones with a cork- not what I usually drink-hehehe} for the lamp shades. 

The web sight for the White Castle ceramic building posted above is www.mylittletown.com They make other buildings too. Go to SHOP, PORCELAIN LIGHTED VILLAGE where you can see a DENNY'S CLASSIC DINER @ $39.99, ECLIPSE COFFEE MILK bottle building @ $24.99, WHITE CASTLE @ $44.99, and several other historic  and classic buildings. They also have a College Gate & Sign line of items.

 

They are located in I believe Rode Island and model local familiar items.

 

Paul Goodness

Originally Posted by Popsrr:
Originally Posted by jay jay:
Very nice! Is that scratch-built or a kit?

John it's one of those new type's called "a scratch n sniff"

 

 

I guess, Mega Steam will have to come out with a new onion scent for our steam locos!

 

Pete

 

 

Oh oh,  see this idea, already posted....thats what you get for posting late at night!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last edited by BFI66

FWIW... I posted over on the Scenery/Structures forum a heads-up about the latest issue of Garden Railways (Kalmbach).  Their February 2014 issue has articles on constructing two 'ptomaine taverns'...a DQ (Dairy Queen), and a White Tower.  The white tower article is very reminiscent of Mike Tylick's HO version.

 

As much as we're called upon from time-to-time to scale-up an HO plan, this is an article that challenges one to scale-down!  The GR website apparently has a neat downloadable page of signage for both buildings, too...at least that's what the article sez.

 

Like Dennis, I also built the Twin Whistle model of White Towers + added details.  In fact, I just bought a couple of folks for the eatery from 'the other Dennis' ()(Arttista) to put some life into the joint.  Gotta move that up on the list today.

 

I believe Twin Whistle also sells a classic A&W eatery model, too.  Branchline Laser Art makes a nice generic O scale Burger Stand model...nice build.

 

Have a nice Sunday.  Be blessed.

 

KD

 

 

Originally Posted by Burlington Route:

Around here we have just white castles...never seen a white tower, but I guess that's a regional thing-

Jayjay, depending on your given footprint needs, you could easily grab some evergreen styrene sheets and make your own building using the TLR method. You can simply scan a burger box or bag for the sign{s}. Going by the above white tower pic, you could use small brass or plastic tubing to run thin wires thru for LEDs to light the outside of the building- try your hand at some thick foil from a wine bottle{better grade ones with a cork- not what I usually drink-hehehe} for the lamp shades. 

Great ideas, Bob. I need to try those. As for White Tower, I never saw them around Chicago, but I was well acquainted with the two in Dayton, where I went to school many years ago.  Here is the one on Fifth Street in June, 2001, when I was back in town. It figures in a couple of well known railroad photographs (that I now will have to find). ** (One is by David P. Oroszi, and appears on p. 18 in Greg McDonnell's excellent railroad photography book, "Heartland". It shows Amtrak's Capitol Limited on the viaduct, led by E-9s, on a snowy January 29, 1978.).

Scan 11 Ohio June 2001 019

Scan 11 Ohio June 2001 020

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Last edited by jay jay
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