# "Photo Real" scale buildings



## tasman (Feb 17, 2007)

I have discovered some very reasonably priced 1:64 scale buildings for sale. They are called "Photo Real". I have seen them on the Jag hobbies site and on Innovative Hobby Supply site.

These are made from a special card stock and if I read correctly you cut them out and assemble them using a hot glue gun.

Has anyone used or seen any of these assembled?

If so,
How do they look?
How difficult are they to assemble?


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## HO2GO (Feb 21, 2015)

tasman said:


> I have discovered some very reasonably priced 1:64 scale buildings for sale. They are called "Photo Real". I have seen them on the Jag hobbies site and on Innovative Hobby Supply site.
> 
> These are made from a special card stock and if I read correctly you cut them out and assemble them using a hot glue gun.
> 
> ...


Photo real maybe; any good... highly unlikely. Cheap cardboard buildings sold at premium prices. Why is it that plastic prefinished race track buildings are not available at reasonable prices ?  Tetsuo. They look just like what they are cheap cardboard junk !


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## urnuts (Jul 3, 2012)

*The pics look amazing....*

But I just don't see it.
I actually have two but as soon as I looked at them.... started reading the instructions..... not for me.
And, yes..... why is there not a 1/64 pit, scoring tower, etc.....?
If you want them, tasman, let me know and I'll send them to you- I won't build them.
As long as I can find them! (but I think I know where they are)


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## hojoe (Dec 1, 2004)

I bought a ticket gate and bleachers from them. The ticket gate looks pretty good, but the bleachers where big enough for 1/24 scale. I think they sent me the wrong size. I emailed them to complain and got no response. If I remember right the instructions where confusing (or just plain wrong). So buyer beware.
hojoe

I used an old plastic kit for the ticket building, but the sign and retaining walls are theirs.


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## GT40 (Jan 18, 2014)

Guys
I'm not a big fan of the new stuff, maybe I'll buy the bridge if the money not to bad.
I have seen the 9" Corner Bleachers go for a good price, someone maybe redoing them
I'd love to have the Pit Garage and the Grandstand reproduced there got to be money to be made.
I just pick up a used Grandstand for 40 Bucks and I'm going to redo it, I wish I could find a few of them for the right money, but guys think there made of gold
Even the new building are good for the hobby, the younger generation probably don't care about the old Aurora buildings, I grew up with some of the original buildings.
What is your opinion on the old building, tell all of us what you think it can hurt. :thumbsup:

gt40:wave:


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## Rich Dumas (Sep 3, 2008)

I have seen some paper buildings that looked decent if a skilled builder put them together. The best paper buildings are the laser cut type. I am surprised that nobody does resin pops of some of the old HO buildings, maybe the moulds would have to be too big or the cost of all that resin would make the price too high.


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## hojoe (Dec 1, 2004)

You can get curved repro bleachers on eBay for under $11. Seller is ratherboring. I got three for my layout.


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## Bubba 123 (Sep 10, 2010)

Rich Dumas said:


> I have seen some paper buildings that looked decent if a skilled builder put them together. The best paper buildings are the laser cut type. I am surprised that nobody does resin pops of some of the old HO buildings, maybe the moulds would have to be too big or the cost of all that resin would make the price too high.


I like the "Plasticville" buildings...
got/and finished a '50's - '60's version Shell/Texaco (w/with Texaco..)
my thoughts are on a GOOD Quality photo, pre-cut, buildings are of
interest to me..
had a Plasticville Diner that I traded-off, due to my arthritis/nerve-degeneration.. making it impossible 2 do a GOOD-Detailing job anymore..
so, fold, glue & done is of great interest 2 me, never seen any photo real buildings except on internet.. :freak::drunk:

Bubba 123 :wave:


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## urnuts (Jul 3, 2012)

*Lego!*


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## vansmack2 (Feb 9, 2012)

I like the Lego idea.


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

Wanna see how it's done with Lego? Research member "76 Cordoba". Doba was the undisputed king of Lego. The track was "Deckert Ring".

His freestyle race structures were scale architectural marvels .


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## RjAFX (Oct 26, 2014)

I bought some of the photo real building's for my Grandsons. Three building's for each house (track's) and they are not bad at all, and I'll buy more for them.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

I like printed paper buildings. I enjoy designing, printing, and making my own.

Traditional card or paper buildings need to be solidly backed with something flat and rigid - foamcore, mat board, styrene sheet or wood. Otherwise their walls won't be flat, straight and square, and humidity will warp them even more over time, and everyone will say, "Oh, ick. Paper buildings." The Photoreal buildings claim to be made from plasticized card, so that may not be as important with them (but I'll bet it is).

Many of my buildings are flats or reduced-depth structures for the space between the track and the edge of the table. 
Here's a set of 3-story pits from the 1972 film *Le Mans* that are only an inch or so deep. They're made with 3/16" and 1/8" foamcore. 








This was a temporary test setup. You can see the back of a third unit on the near side of the tracks.

Here's a closeup of the Ford pit.








There's room for 3D figures in the pit. That's Carrol Shelby watching the Cobras run, and an unpainted figure, possibly the ghost of Ken Miles thumbing his spectral nose as the J-car goes by.

This is a pedestrian bridge.








I got bored with bridges advertising tires, and figured, why not steering wheels?

Here is a covered spectator stand








It looks deeper than it is - the front seats and people are 3-D, but the rearmost spectators and risers are printed on the back wall. Notice that the roof was backed only with thin cardboard, and has warped at one point, but the rest of the building, backed with foamcore, is straight and square.

In these photos from some guardrail tests, you can see the building from the side.









On the Matchbox Motorway Christmas layout, all the background buildings are either flats or reduced-depth.









Cheers,
-- D


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## swingerguy340 (Jul 17, 2007)

I plan to leave my table unsculpted so I can change the layout when ever I want.. I'm not a fan of buildings


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## TomH (Jan 17, 2006)

that's some good looking scenery pictures you guys and thanks for the tips on making your own Dslot.


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## scooke123 (Apr 11, 2008)

I wish the original Aurora buildings could be redone. I have all but the Grandstand in built-ups to restore and they cost me an arm and a leg. Boxed examples are outrageously priced - I've watched a bunch on eBay, they all start out low and then skyrocket out of reach. Even resin repops would work. I am no good at casting or Id try it with mine. Maybe someone with casting and molding talents could step up? I would be willing to lend my buildings to cast off of.


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## tasman (Feb 17, 2007)

Dslot said:


> I like printed paper buildings. I enjoy designing, printing, and making my own.
> 
> Traditional card or paper buildings need to be solidly backed with something flat and rigid - foamcore, mat board, styrene sheet or wood. Otherwise their walls won't be flat, straight and square, and humidity will warp them even more over time, and everyone will say, "Oh, ick. Paper buildings." The Photoreal buildings claim to be made from plasticized card, so that may not be as important with them (but I'll bet it is).
> 
> ...


Those are excellent! I'm very impressed. I have made an observation tower and scoring towers out of paper/cardboard. I never thought of doing reduced depth. I think buildings out of cardboard can be done well. Unforntuately it doesn't seem as if many have tried the product in question.


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## RiderZ (Feb 19, 2007)

*!!!*

I prefer the plastic buildings.Although the card stock buildings can be made to look good also.Got all mine off eBay.Few years back an eBay user had a lot of nice track buildings he assembled & painted.Wish I had bought more!!!







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## TUFFONE (Dec 21, 2004)

The cardboard buildings are probably O.K. It's all about the nostalgia of the old plastic buildings to me. I have lots of them on my layouts...all the vintage plastic type. I like to detail them a bit to make them look a little more realistic, but what I wan't to see is again nostalgia. I want the things that I looked at years ago in the Christmas catalogs, the AHC catalogs, and all the different slot car and model magazines or dealer catalogs. The cardboard buildings will never achieve that look or feel. Some of the older buildings have much higher price tags,especially the rebuilt and detailed structures. Try and find old ones that aren't broken,yellowed,or glue bombs. That can be a tough thing.


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## Dslot (Sep 2, 2007)

TUFFONE said:


> ... It's all about the nostalgia of the old plastic buildings to me. ... I want the things that I looked at years ago in the Christmas catalogs, the AHC catalogs, and all the different slot car and model magazines or dealer catalogs.


I agree - the nostalgia appeal of the old designs is tremendous, but in ten years of looking on e-Bay and at train shows, I've only been able to find one or two at what I thought were reasonable prices. 

Designing custom printed buildings is cheap (as long as you have the computer and the graphics software already), and it's fun. 



> The cardboard buildings will never achieve that look or feel.


 Hmmm, that sounds like a challenge. I've often wondered how close I could come if I set out to duplicate one of the classic buildings with printed paper. The catch is, to get the measurements right, I'd have to work from a building I already have; but if I have it, there's no incentive to build it. There's also the insoluble problem of the small 3D accessories, such as the figures, tires, tools and machines, TV cameras, loudspeakers, furniture, fixtures, etc., that are such a big part of the nostalgic coolness of the buildings. 



> Try and find old ones that aren't broken,yellowed,or glue bombs.


Yeah, but ... those are the only ones that are affordable.:freak:

-- D


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## foxkilo (Mar 27, 2008)

For cardboard buildings just have a look here, they are under the header "Gebäude & Deko":
http://www.carrera4fun.de/
I know the side is in german but the buildings are grand. The only spoiler is you have to down scale them during printing because they are mainly 1/32 scale. Some are cut out versions of Carrera, Faller or Herpa buildings. Some are made after the real stuff. Anyway it is a really unexpensive way to create scenery. For the detailing rest you have to go through the offerings for the railroad afficionados or the military modelling. For example you get for fairly small change an airfield tower in 1/72 from Airfix which will make great jury and time keeper stand. Or the RAF rescue set of the same make. Airforce ground crews one can turn into mechanics and so on. One has to look around.


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## slotcardan (Jun 9, 2012)

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