N Scale Architect - 10003 - Structure, Building, Commercial, Industrial, Coal - Commercial Structures

Specific Item Information: The Williamstown Coal kit is based on a pair of retail coal structures that still stand in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Though the exact date of their construction is unknown, we estimate that they were originally built in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s when coal was the primary source of fuel for heating homes and powering businesses. These coal retailers were served by the Boston & Maine Railroad and remained operational through at least the 1950’s. Though they are based on specific prototypes, their design is typical of retail coal structures that once were present in just about every town along the railroads in the northern half of the United States. The coal truck, hand truck, scale, sacks and barrels shown are available separately as part of our "Making A Scene" detailing parts line. N Scale model measures approximately 5" x 3 ½" x 4".

Road Name History: Commercial structures are any buildings or other man-made structures whose principal purpose is trade. These can be high-rise officer towers, gas stations or fruit stands. Any structure where end-user customers come to buy things from sellers of that product or service are consider commercial structures.

This group will therefore include quite large as well as quite small buildings. Models of these buildings might be kits or pre-assembled. They might be painted or undecorated. They might come with a host of accessories and figures or they might be fairly Spartan.

Brand/Importer Information: The N Scale Architect was founded in 1991 by Russ Kaufman who has been active in model railroading since the early 1970s. Although many model railroaders received a Lionel Train as their first train set, Russ and his brother Bill were bitten by the model railroad bug in the form of an Aurora N-Scale set.

Russ started The N Scale Architect based on the encouragement of fellow modelers who thought that the plans he had drawn up for scratch building over the years might be enjoyed by others in kit form. The first kits featured detailed step-by-step instructions with hand drawn illustrations and plastic templates to be used for cutting the various pieces. This tradition of high quality instructions continues with the addition of "in-process" and color photos and, thanks to better computer aided programs, more detailed drawings. These templates have been replaced with laser-cut micro-plywood pieces along with the addition of many detailing castings which are now also available separately as part of their "Making A Scene" product line.