HO-Scale Lake Shore & Michigan Southern depot kit

The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway formed the Buffalo-to-Chicago segment of the New York Central’s famed Water Level Route and operated an extensive network of branch lines throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. Depots constructed by the railroad from the late 1860s through the 1880s were typically wood-framed structures clad in board-and-batten siding. Their floor plans followed a standard combination-depot design, with a passenger waiting room at one end, an agent’s office in the center featuring a bay window for trackside visibility, and a baggage or freight room at the opposite end. Architectural details included circular windows in the gabled ends and decorative roof brackets beneath the eaves on both the sides and ends of the buildings which are faithfully replicated on this model. More than 100 depots were built to this standard plan, with variations reflecting the size of the community served. Several survive today, more than 150 years after their construction. The surviving depots at Oak Harbor, Vermilion, and Olmsted Falls, Ohio, are nearly identical to this kit.

The finished kit measures 14.5x4.25 inches over the roof eves.

The depot kit includes laser-cut positional windows with glazing, doors, and roof brackets. The walls are made from wood board-and-batten siding, with door and window openings pre-cut. The roof is finished with RailScale Models’ 3-tab shingles and a 3D-printed chimney copied from by Lake Shore & Michigan Southern depot chimneys. Assembly requires a selection of common paints and adhesives.