DINERS ON YOUR LAYOUT

From around the time when Lionel moved production to China....

Peter

 I have had a number of diners on the layout over the years. The Twin Whistle is probably 20 years old. No. laser   cutting back then. Lots of cutting and fitting. It recently got moved to what I call RR Ave. . It was once on a country road and now it resides just outside the city rail yard. I had two other diners in another portion of the RR. The first one was one from my wife. It was actually a working telephone if you chose to use it as one. It was actually a fairly well detailed close to O Scale Diner. The one that replaced it was an aluminum K-Line one. That got removed as well and was replaced with a Grill and a few other structures. I did detail the interior of it. I need to get a period menu printed to place behind the counter. Both of these areas do have a modeled sidewalk that resides on the edge of the layout. The road and what is parked there is left to your imagination.

Perhaps someday, I might get around to finishing this stainless steel (actual) diner that has been collecting dust on my layout. The kit that was offered by Miller Engineering years ago.

I fiddled with my Miller Engineering Diner kit for years, but finally finished it. It's different from any other kit I've ever built.

Interior lighting is very bright.

Ken

Here's mine!

I'd like to have a model of a local joint: 29 Diner

An early layout version.

Thanks to all for posting. Interesting...

MELGAR

The Miller Engineering model sure looks great. Hadn't seen that one before. 

bigtruckpete posted:

The Miller Engineering model sure looks great. Hadn't seen that one before. 

Wish they still made it!

Miller has discontinued numerous products they once made. It's an unfortunate circumstance for many modelers. I wonder why they discontinued such superb models.

I too have the Joe's diner phone, the sounds make it a hit.  It replaced one of those K-line kits that I was trying to detail.  I added some stainless steel duct tape to the corners, hexagon floor tiles was even installing some toy details behind the counter.  Never finished that one.  Think about buying a Lionel Irene's diner so both the wife and I are represented on the layout.

Mine is scratch built....the White Tower is too...I found the plans in an old model RR mag....The Tin Plate Diner is made from a Lionel 610 passenger car.

Here's the Starlite diner on a friend's layout. There's paving work going on in the lot....I hope those cars plan on being there for awhile!

Coalyard Andy's is an all night place down near the coal yards that attracts all sorts of folks.

These folks may have been indulging at the Star Grill earlier and are in need of some strong coffee and blotting paper (Andy's home fries) as the dawn is breaking.

Several years ago forum member Frank Knautz was taken down his layout and selling the buildings he had on it.  I bought a couple of them, including this diner.  These pictures are of it while still on his layout.  Unfortunately, its still in the box he sent it in.

  Gene I liked the Bellerose Diner.  I lived behind the Bellerose Diner in Queens ,N.Y. for over 20 years.

Choo-Choo Mike....Yeah I grew-up on 240 Street and we hung out at the original Bellerose Diner and the Bellerose Bowling Alley...I live in Mass now...If you would like to chat about Bellerose contact me at    genemaag@yahoo.com

Wow!  I'm so glad that I stumbled on this topic!  Coincidentally I just ordered the Whistlestop Diner kit from Model Train Stuff minutes ago.  When I did a web search for more photos and information on the kit, I got this hit.  

In case you are unaware, I started a Forum thread for real diners that used to be trolleys and railcars a while back.  It also includes photos of "real" diner buildings and train station restaurants: Diners, Trolleys, and Railcar Topic. The photos and info might inspire some modelers.

Everyone's posts here are certainly inspiring me. But I only have a carpet layout. Thus, my options are limited to "story telling" using an odd rail car or scale figure.  Here's what I ordered along with the diner kit for some of those stories:

Woodland Scenics Farmer's Market set so that my diner will have fresh produce.  I can also use the figures and objects for accessorizing a RR commissary if I ever have room for a train station.

Preisers Railroad Personnel (with waiter and etc.) and an Arttista milkman; and unpainted cows, sheep, and goats for more Farm to Table fun at the diner and my PRR dining car.

Lastly, an Arttista Pizza Delivery Boy figure for the diner so that the PRR dining chef (Chef Chuck Wagon) can order out.

MELGAR, I liked your vertical wood slat adaptation to the sides of the Whistlestop kit in your initial post's pictures.  My plan is to do something to fix the windows.  The proportions seem incorrect and could benefit from a band of 1940's Worcester Lunch Car-style orange stained glass at the top.  This will be my first kit, so I'll have to see how successful that will be.  My web search says the prototype diner was in Malden, MA.  I'll see whether I have any photos.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

banjoflyer posted:

I have the telephone diner "Joe's diner": (this picture isn't mine)

I also have this combo from years ago:

Mark

Mark,

That K-Line looks like an update on this plastic Marx example: 

Marx Diner Model and Accessories

Tomlinson Run Railroad

TOMLINSONRUNRR,

I think the Whistlestop Diner makes for a great scene on a model railroad. But, even with the kit, it is a bit like scratch-building. Despite that, I intend to buy another for some as yet undetermined future railroad. Send me an e-mail if you run into any problems and want to talk about it. As a former resident of the Boston area, I sure would like to see any documentation to the effect that the real thing was once in Malden. There certainly were (are?) tracks through there.

MELGAR

A bit flashy for me, but my wife fell in love with it, so we got it.  I'm not sure how it is going to fit on the new West Virginia mountains layout, but we will do it.

A wise decision, Mark. 

MELGAR,

Thank you so much for your offer of help.  I appreciate it!  I'm not sure how soon I'll start work on the diner once the kit arrives as I am *supposed* to be spending my weekends on my thesis, not trains!   Ha!

The prototype for the Whistlestop Diner seems to be Judy's Diner on 906 Eastern Avenue, Malden, MA. It was built by the Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1932.  I have a small print that shows Judy's Diner when it had the two roof vents that the model includes, but the print is framed and probably won't photograph well.  After several name changes and some exterior ones, too, the diner is now known as The Lunch Box. It is located perpendicular to the street (good for small layouts) and only seems to have one entrance, on the left. The "etched" panels on the model's walls seem to mimic what were probably the original enamel panels.

Amazingly, the diner is a mere 0.6 miles from the Lionel dealer, Charles Ro, located on Cross street, which joins Eastern Avenue.  You are correct about the railroad tracks.  They ran parallel to Eastern Avenue -- in between Charles Ro and the diner.  The track is now the East Coast Greenway (or something) -- a paved rail trail that seems to get a lot of use by city folk.  The diner and train store would make for a great road trip for those living in or visiting the Boston area.

Here are links that show what the building looks like now, including the interior:

On main street, I have a Liquor Store. Found it on the Big Bay, and had it moved to Michigan.

Gary

TOMLINSONRUNRR,

Thanks for the great pictures. I'll be sure to visit the diner next time I'm in Malden. Keep us informed on the progress of your Whistlestop kit but the Thesis is more important... See photo of the interior of my Mel's Diner.

MELGAR

Mel's Diner. The jeep belonged to Elvis in the 60's

Don't need any diners on my coal patch railroad but the thought of a nice classic Silk City diner model surrounded by classic trains sure is nice. 

MELGAR,

Thanks for that photograph of the interior of your Whistlestop kit diner.  It looks great -- and surprisingly roomy.  The view suggests that any sash and stained glass window modifications might require more skill than I originally thought.  But I'm also getting an idea for simulating the actual tile patterns in the floor. 

I forgot that I had these photos.  Here's a very early lunch wagon diner -- circa 1900 -- on my layout ... er ... carpet:

This is the Tip Top.  It is in S scale. For some reason, it is impossible to get an in-focus picture with my cheapie digital camera:

Tomlinson Run RR

TOMLINSONRUNRR

I'm a fan but not a student of railroad car diners. I think they came about by removing very early passenger cars from their trucks and leaving them at the side of the tracks. The Whistlestop Diner model is two inches wide (8 feet full scale), enough to have been an early passenger car. Many older railroad-car style diners are wider than a railroad car (maximum about 10 feet), so either they were not made from railroad cars or they were widened after becoming diners. That's why I think the Whistlestop model may be prototypical as is.

The tile floor of my model was a piece of paper supplied with the kit. I have made similar floors for other models by drawing the tile pattern onto paper and filling in the areas using a fine black marking pen. See photo below of another of my models.

MELGAR

Fun thread. Great to see everyone's photos. This is my Joe's Diner. 

For Diner fans (count me among you), Rick Sebak's documentary is most enjoyable. Actually all of Rick's work is great fun.

Pete

Norton, Rick Sebak's documentary is great.  I saw it years ago (new) and even purchased a copy for my Dad.  We grew up in the Allentown & Pittsburgh areas and it was great to see these Diners and road side restaurants once again.  Thanks for posting.

Here's mine.  I love diners, O scale and 1:1.  Many great memories of diner dining with my dad searching for the perfect hamburger.

OK, here are some pictures of my "diner on my layout". Oh wait!!  Do you mean I have to build it first, then post?

Rats! But seriously, folks.  My Whistlestop kit arrived this week, along with enough O scale food, livestock, cooks, waiters, and other people to supply and fill it. 

This is my first O scale building.  What a fantastic kit.  The construction is surprisingly simple (or perhaps deceptively so?).  In spite of appearances, I want to take my time planning things like interior painting, experimenting with the correct windows and stained glass, and etc. to get it just right.  Then there's that quilted chrome back bar behind the stove to try to recreate. I also want to scan the floor pattern and signs so that I can print more and change their color or orientation on my computer.  Once/when I get started, I'll create a new thread.  For anyone inspired by the finished examples shown in this thread, I give it 2-thumbs up so far.  It was certainly reasonably priced for the quality of the materials and the interior details that are included.  Lastly, it gets bonus points because it's based on a real building, which I intend to try and recreate (except for that roof line :-). 

Tomlinson Run Railroad

P.S. -- I think I'm going to call it the "Run-ny Egg Diner" with a sign that shows a picture of a sneaker-clad egg being chased by a spatula. We'll see ...

UPDATE:  I haven't even built it yet, and already the New York Times has done a review "In Praise of a Runny Egg".  Wow, that chef's a keeper!

TomlinsonRunRR posted:

OK, here are some pictures of my "diner on my layout". Oh wait!!  Do you mean I have to build it first, then post?

P.S. -- I think I'm going to call it the "Run-ny Egg Diner" with a sign that shows a picture of a sneaker-clad egg being chased by a spatula. We'll see ...

Can't wait for the new thread, TR.

Here is mine on my Standard gauge floor layout.

Pretty good thread here. Having been raised in the Bronx I grew up in diners. Only have one on my layout it is made by Lionel I think the number may be 422. I am in the Malden area sometimes for work and may try finding that diner. Got to stay away from Charles Rho though or I'll need a bigger house.

Everyone need a place to set down for dinner.

Super Chief rock and roll!

Norton posted:

For Diner fans (count me among you), Rick Sebak's documentary is most enjoyable. Actually all of Rick's work is great fun.

 

 

Thanks for posting, watched the whole show and it was great.
Since it is lunch time, maybe I should go to a diner

Branfords. S scale but too cool not to have it on the layout.

a small tinplate style diner for a small tinplate layout...the top of the diner is half of a clam shell case for eyeglasses...go here...

https://bigindoortrains.com/pr...er/shortys_diner.htm

howard...

www.littleglitterhouses.com

The only one I have is this Leftons resin model. It seems closer to HO scale but the prototype was a diner I used to eat at in college in Providence RI. It used to be at Harris Ave and Prominade. It was called the Silver Top and was next to the Providence Cold Storage warehouse beside the New Haven RR produce building. I think the whole area is now taken up by Providence Place mall. 

I grabbed a internet pic of it in its old location. I wish the model said "vaculator coffee" and " infra-red broiling"

The model is is pretty close to how I remember it. The big sign top was removed in laters days as you see in the pic. It was never called Patriot though. 

Scott T Johnson posted:

Branfords. S scale but too cool not to have it on the layout.

Scott,

You've got a great diner there.  The "Booths for Ladies" and the "Steaks - Choos" signs are great, classic touches.   Cute dog, too :-}

Tomlinson Run Railroad

OK, it's not on my layout, but it could be someday.  I've been planning my Whistlestop kit's interior this morning and just ordered some kitchen accessories.  I stumbled on this Grandt Line Cliff's Streetcar Diner Kit in the process.

It looks neat. (For advanced builders.)

Tomlinson Run Railroad

Dave_C posted:

 I have had a number of diners on the layout over the years. The Twin Whistle is probably 20 years old. No. laser   cutting back then. Lots of cutting and fitting. It recently got moved to what I call RR Ave. . It was once on a country road and now it resides just outside the city rail yard. I had two other diners in another portion of the RR. The first one was one from my wife. It was actually a working telephone if you chose to use it as one. It was actually a fairly well detailed close to O Scale Diner. The one that replaced it was an aluminum K-Line one. That got removed as well and was replaced with a Grill and a few other structures. I did detail the interior of it. I need to get a period menu printed to place behind the counter. Both of these areas do have a modeled sidewalk that resides on the edge of the layout. The road and what is parked there is left to your imagination.

Ms. Monroe is a nice touch!

I figured I'd add a pic of my Bob's Big Boy diner.  Judging by the car parked out front, Mark from Menards is at a table looking at future rolling stock releases. Lol

Another photo of the K-Line Starlite diner.

Years ago I built this long gone now only memories. Roo.

    ....."rocking" diner downtown at Clem's......gonna rock, rock, around the clock....

Roo,

Brilliant work; right down to the blue picnic tables! Glad that you had some nice photos to go with the memories.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

Matt, Bob was a great touch.

Roo fantastic. was that a former layout or did the steel mill consume the diner?

And Joe's Diner on Clem's layout happens to be a personal favorite.

Matt Kramer posted:

I figured I'd add a pic of my Bob's Big Boy diner.  Judging by the car parked out front, Mark from Menards is at a table looking at future rolling stock releases. Lol

I also see Jake and Elwood have stopped for gas on the way back to Chicago.

Rusty

Thanks for the kind words.

It was a portable layout that I built for shows. Here is a couple more photos two with food places. There was a lot of Hot Rods in the scenes because at the time I owned a couple of real ones and worked for a drag racer now all gone.  Roo.

Here is my diner made from an junk American Flyer passenger car shell.  Has to be smallish for tight space on 027 layout.  I had fun making base, sign and window people outlines.

Charlie

Vinny's Pizza- NJ Hirailers

Paul,

The White Castle model is great! Scratchbuilt? Was there a prototype or free-lanced? I used to visit one in Woodside, Queens, NYC with my Mom - early 1950s - five cent hamburgers as I recall.

MELGAR

MELGAR posted:

Paul,

The White Castle model is great! Scratchbuilt? Was there a prototype or free-lanced? I used to visit one in Woodside, Queens, NYC with my Mom - early 1950s - five cent hamburgers as I recall.

MELGAR

We have two of them on the NJ Hirailers layout. I'll inquire if they were scratchbuilt. Both models have interiors too. I remember White Castle burgers being about twelve cents when I started eating them.    

Drhtrains posted:

Dave_C posted:

 I have had a number of diners on the layout over the years. The Twin Whistle is probably 20 years old. No. laser   cutting back then. Lots of cutting and fitting. It recently got moved to what I call RR Ave. . It was once on a country road and now it resides just outside the city rail yard. I had two other diners in another portion of the RR. The first one was one from my wife. It was actually a working telephone if you chose to use it as one. It was actually a fairly well detailed close to O Scale Diner. The one that replaced it was an aluminum K-Line one. That got removed as well and was replaced with a Grill and a few other structures. I did detail the interior of it. I need to get a period menu printed to place behind the counter. Both of these areas do have a modeled sidewalk that resides on the edge of the layout. The road and what is parked there is left to your imagination.

Ms. Monroe is a nice touch!

Love the Blue Bird diner.   There was one in Brooklyn.   Took my wife there on our first date.      Is it scratch built ?     If not where did you get it?

These were built from Whistlestop Diner kits sold by Twin Whistle Sign & Kit Company (http://twinwhistle.com/whistlestopdiner.aspx). Also see first post on this thread for Whistlestop Diner models on my layouts.

MELGAR

And for those who want to see what the prototype for the Twin Whistle Whistlestop Diner looks like as of last Saturday, see this post.  Thanks to the long holiday weekend, I just happened to make it there to take photographs.  Still trying to find time to finish my own kit so I can post it here :-}.

Tomlinson Run Railroad

PAUL ROMANO posted:

MELGAR posted:

Paul,

The White Castle model is great! Scratchbuilt? Was there a prototype or free-lanced? I used to visit one in Woodside, Queens, NYC with my Mom - early 1950s - five cent hamburgers as I recall.

MELGAR

We have two of them on the NJ Hirailers layout. I'll inquire if they were scratchbuilt. Both models have interiors too. I remember White Castle burgers being about twelve cents when I started eating them.    

Yes, please do let us know the background on that great model, Paul.  I've saved enough White Castle microwaveable hamburger boxes to cut up and glue into a cargo box for a gondola.  But a model restaurant would be so much better!

TRRR

MELGAR posted:

Paul,

The White Castle model is great! Scratchbuilt? Was there a prototype or free-lanced? I used to visit one in Woodside, Queens, NYC with my Mom - early 1950s - five cent hamburgers as I recall.

MELGAR

Both of the White Castle models on the NJ Hirailers layout were scratchbuilt. The one in the photo was built by a club member who is deceased. The other White Castle came with a bunch of scratchbuilt stuff a while ago. Still working on who built it. I'll take a photo of it soon.  

The ever popular Starlite Diner.... .

Some kind of candy or cookie tin diner on my standard gauge shop layout.

The other White Castle at NJ Hirailers

This soldier used his pass to visit his favorite diner..or in this case, dive..

...but some joker open a train store and his appitite has just changed.

(Likely headed to WC for a sack of ten by now, lol)

NJ Hirailers

NJ Hirailers

Not much to look at, the food is not good, but the coffee is free. Even Santa skis in to eat sometimes. And that crossing gate rattles the counter when it comes down!

Three weeks ago, I visited a local O Gauge layout, and there was something on that layout that I had to have.

I bought it on ebay the next day.

Here it is (turn your sound up when you play this short video):

Joe's Diner is a real telephone. With smartphones in such abundance, that phone feature does not interest me, but it's appearance and Rock Around the Clock sound track made it irresistible for me. Arnold

Maybe 20 or so years ago I visited a gift shop in Latham, NY, and saw this diner, known as Shelly's Diner by Department 56:

It's been on my layout ever since. Arnold

@MELGAR posted:

Paul,

The White Castle model is great! Scratchbuilt? Was there a prototype or free-lanced? I used to visit one in Woodside, Queens, NYC with my Mom - early 1950s - five cent hamburgers as I recall.

MELGAR

Mel, Clever models has a paper model that looks just like the ones posted.  I built one, but it's packed away as I had to dismantle my layout.. I'll see if I can find a pic of and send it to you.  If you look at the Clever web site you'll see it.  Great sub sheet/blue print for a scratch build. 

This diner had my daughter Gina's name so I had to find a place for it.

On my friends layout and just in the photo album section of CTT. May/June issue

I would like to build/have built a model of the now-demolished BEL-LOC Diner in Baltimore; the best food in town and reasonably priced. I took these photos on my last visit:

I even have a menu to put a small repop in side on some tables:

The Diner should be relatively easy to duplicate with Polystyrene sheets and strips. I used a single Photo to build these models. You can scale the size from something in the Picture. For instance the steps in your photo of the diner. Steps are usually 8"to 9" high and there are 4 steps 4x9=36. So the wall below the windows is about 3' high, You can scale the rest of the building from that measurement. The White Tower Diner was made from plans. Good Luck with your project.

@MELGAR posted:

These were built from Whistlestop Diner kits sold by Twin Whistle Sign & Kit Company (http://twinwhistle.com/whistlestopdiner.aspx). Also see first post on this thread for Whistlestop Diner models on my layouts.

MELGAR

Mel, here are the pictures of the Clever Models, White Castle'''

This diner, known as the Texas Tavern, has branches in both Lynchburg and Roanoke VA.

A River Leaf Models kit. I wish Andre's business was still open. He made some nice stuff......

Peter

Several diners on my L-shaped layout ..

1)  The iconic Mel's Diner by MTH was the first such building on my layout. After many years, it's still in business today.

2)  Stella's Diner by K-Line by Lionel with smoke and sound.  I bought coffee-scented smoke for it, but never used it for the sake of visitors who might have asthma.  I removed it and replaced it with a new diner. I don't have a photo of it..

3) The current diner is Menard's recent building - the Rocket diner. A must-have for me because I'm a Rock Island fan.  No smoke or sound features to it, but I may add a diesel horn sound chip to it.

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

Not exactly a diner, but still a place to eat, for my Times Square subway station, along with a pic of the real thing.  NOTE:  prototype photo was deleted by moderator because it did not follow OGR copyright guidelines/policy.

EDIT: My apologies. Here is the link to the prototype photo.  I hope this conforms to the policy.

N

Great thread.  Here is my diner, started out as a Lionel kit and then I went crazy on 3d print and painting figures.
Based on South Street diner in Boston (2 blocks from the railroad station)

@Putnam Division posted:

This diner, known as the Texas Tavern, has branches in both Lynchburg and Roanoke VA.

A River Leaf Models kit. I wish Andre's business was still open. He made some nice stuff......

Peter

Hi Pete, did you scratch build the Texas Diner, or is that a kit.  I have photos of it and was planning a scratch build.   I haven't seen any kits of it.  Either way, it looks very good;...

@EmpireBuilderDave posted:

Great thread.  Here is my diner, started out as a Lionel kit and then I went crazy on 3d print and painting figures.
Based on South Street diner in Boston (2 blocks from the railroad station)

Very cool', which station, Bay Back, South station, or the main?...

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Hi Pete, did you scratch build the Texas Diner, or is that a kit.  I have photos of it and was planning a scratch build.   I haven't seen any kits of it.  Either way, it looks very good;...

River Leaf Models kit

Peter

@Putnam Division posted:

River Leaf Models kit

Peter

Looks like River Leaf went out of business, Oct 2022......... Shame, he had some great kits'..👺

@West Side Joe posted:

Not exactly a diner, but still a place to eat, for my Times Square subway station, along with a pic of the real thing.

I really enjoyed following your build of this lunch counter.  The Niedicks drink machine is incredible.

@EmpireBuilderDave posted:

Great thread.  Here is my diner, started out as a Lionel kit and then I went crazy on 3d print and painting figures.
Based on South Street diner in Boston (2 blocks from the railroad station)

I love the old school construction of the banquettes.

I have 2 on my Christmas layout. Diners always look good on layouts.

Hey I passed that everyday going to college at Towson. That’s the bel loc at Joppa and loch raven.

@EmpireBuilderDave posted:

Great thread.  Here is my diner, started out as a Lionel kit and then I went crazy on 3d print and painting figures.
Based on South Street diner in Boston (2 blocks from the railroad station)

Dave, great diner scenes...those two young ladies could use some company?  I see a second dinner plate set across from the lady in the booth...?  Maybe the guy standing by the counter is with her??

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Very cool', which station, Bay Back, South station, or the main?...

Thanks!

This is near Boston South Station.  Behind South Station is Atlantic avenue and then one block back is South Street.  I'm slowly modeling South Station and the city blocks behind it.  The diner is the most detailed I've gotten so far.  There is some great prototype to model in Boston between street running of the Union Freight and passenger operations at South Station.
Some day I'll maybe put it into a thread but I tend to jump around alot as interest strikes me.

@coach joe posted:

I love the old school construction of the banquettes.

Thank you!  I spent way too much time looking at photos of the real South Street diner and found I could model tables and benches closely enough with some scrap wood and stain, and thin polystyrene for the vinyl seat covers.

@Quarter Gauger 48 posted:

Looks like River Leaf went out of business, Oct 2022......... Shame, he had some great kits'..👺

Yes....a great loss!

Peter