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This coaling structure started life as a Lionel Accessory. Reed weatheredit and added a few extra details.These guys who build and detail cars and brassengines, they’ve got nerves of steel.OST: Most of the work you get, is it from yourads or referrals?RA: Both. I run ads in the magazines and get callsfrom that and people who get my cards at shows andreturn customers.OST: I don’t know anybody else who is custombuilding structures, do you?RA: There were a couple guys out there, but Idon’t know if they’;re still around. Guys who do thiskind of work, a lot of it is kit-bashing and weathering.I do see ads here and there for architecturalmodels and those tend to be very, very expensive.That’s something that has to be exact and precise.The average model railroader doesn’t want it to bethat exact. Even if he wants a train station in a certaintown, he wants a reasonable facsimile. Ofcourse, the more exact he wants to be, the moredetail you have to add, the more it’s going to cost. ifsomeone says they want it exact and they don;’t carewhat it costs, then you do it exact.OST: Do you have a favorite structure? Do youhave one you’d never do again?RA: I enjoy doing weathered structures: warehouses,sheds, dilapidated buildings. I built the[Alfred Hitchcock] Psycho house. I like that kind ofstructure because you can break railings and breakwindows and peel the siding and things like that.Dislike?OST: You never met a structure you didn’t like?RA: I guess buildings I don’t enjoy doing arethose you can get in kit form. A lot of people ask mefor brick, 2 story, storefronts. There’s lots of companiesthat make those. Look through the Waltherscatalog and everyone is selling those. When I dobuild them, it’s for people who want specific lookingbuildings with names or signs on the buildings.But for a typical two story storefront for me tocharge what I need to charge, it’s not worth it. It’salmost a sin what I would have to charge.I will weather those kits. I’ve picked up a fewCornerstone series kits and I take them all apart andthen weather them and put the back together. NothingI sell do I want to look like plastic. That’s oneof my goals.OST: You mentioned signage. What do you doabout signage?RA: It depends. Some I actually paint on thebuildings. I’m not a sign painter. I’m not going topaint 1/4 scale letters, but I have some techniquesthat I use. Some people want specific signs andthey’re just not available. I don’t want it to looklike a decal. You can’t just print something off thecomputer and glue it on the side of a building. Itjust doesn’t work that way. Every sign is uniqueand I experiment.OST: Do you use a lot of different media whenyou weather buildings?RA: I use everything. Paints, chalk, inks, rustingproducts...OST: I once used oregano and dried parsley forground cover on a layout... smells goodRA: You can do that. I use various painting techniqueswhich gives a good weathering. Scribing,Yes, it’s the house from Psycho.Reed says he just couldn't resist building it.26 • O Scale Trains