PRR-Style Brick Scalehouse HO Kit

The scalehouse was roiginally intended to be a one-of-a-kind custom kit for John Frantz, owner of Mount Vernon Shops. The decision to make this into a kit came while making some adjustments to the model design to make the overall appearance better. John decided that due to the size of the model, the fact that there currently aren't any prototype models of a PRR scalehouse on the market; and that the brick scalehouse has never been done as a kit before that it would be worthwhile to produce. That's how this kit came to the market. The prototype for this kit is the brick scalehouse which stil stands in the Pennsylvania Railroad's former Poorhouse Yard in York, Pennsylvania. Although no longer in service and boarded up, the cost of demolishion kept it from being reduced to rubble. Until 2004 the scale track was still in place, but was later removed and made into an addition yard relay track. Originally, it was thought by John that the brick scalehouse design at york was the only one out there, because he was more familiar with the PRR's wooden scalehouse usually seen in the PRR's standard plans book. After doing research on another project he found out that the brcik scalehouse was actually a standard design and was used across the system. Another example which still stands, and is in use by Norfolk Southern is in Altoona Yards at Juniata Scales. This kit is for the scalehouse only and can be used as a replacement for the scalehouses included with the Walthers HO Track Scales kit. Details on this kit include specially engraved brick pattern, removable roof, gutter, and double-hung windows.

The pictures below show the prototype and the model side-by-side for comparison. With windows being absent from the scalehouse in York, in-depth research was performed with assistance of others to determine the correct window arrangement. Mount Vernon Shops is indebted to their help and is thankful for their assistance.

As shown on the left and above, the kit features double-hung windows and gutter. The model was designed using the example at York as a design and can be matched brick-for-brick with the prototype.

PRR Brick Scalehouse HO Kit Release Date: 3/2008 Price: $25.00 Order!

Custom Stuctures

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