Frank Ellison Tribute Series #1

The Ob Long Box Co. is first kit in my Frank Ellison Tribute Series. Frank was a model railroad pioneer back in the 1930s, 40s & 50s. He was considered a top name in the field and his beautifully built Delta Lines was perhaps the most widely known model railroad in the world according to John Page, the editor of Model Railroader Magazine in the early 1950s. 

Frank authored a series of articles on all aspects of model railroading. Of particular note were his “How-to” pieces on scratch building the structures he created for his railroad. Back then, there were no building kits and detail parts like we have today. He made everything out of cardboard with the features like corrugations drawn in with ink and colored with oil base artist colors.

So, I am bringing these structures back to life with my spin on them. The idea is that if Frank were alive today, this is how he would do it --using modern methods and materials.

The footprint is 8 ¼  x  11 x 7 5/8 at the peak. The foundation is basswood. The factory walls are 1/16” mounting board with 3M peel and stick backing for attaching the separate corrugated cardboard overlay. The interior mounting board floors, center internal wall and exterior walls feature slot and tab joints which make an extremely sturdy and warp free structure. This eliminates the need for any additional internal wood bracing. The office addition features Northeastern Scale Lumber clapboard siding and Grandt Line windows. The 8 pane factory windows are Korber. The pre cut window glazing is 1/16” acrylic.

The complete photographically illustrated instructions are a primer on kit construction geared to the beginner.  This is a Limited Edition kit.  

Also included is a reprint of Frank Ellison's original article as it appeared in the December 1952 issue of Toy Trains magazine.