Brick effect steel siding

[5050]

I will soon be starting to scratchbuild a model of MY Tower at Maryland Junction for my Western Maryland HO layout.  For some time I thought it was brick built but when I really studied photos I realised that the 'bricks' were much to neat and tidy to be actual bricks.  Someone then informed me that it was in fact a steel siding product which WMR tended to use in several locations.  I would like to replicate this somehow so does anyone know of a product etc. I could use?  I suppose a brick styrene sheet could be pressed into service but even these aren't as neat and regular as the siding.

 

Here's a link to some photos of the actual tower which hopefully will show you what I mean.

 

http://www.wmwestsub.com/marylandjct.htm

 

[JWB]

The material isn't metal, it's something generically called insulbrick https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=insulbrick&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLS_enUS516US516&q=insulbrick+siding&gs_l=hp..1.0l5.0.0.0.7290...........0.TKxbhxa1qIU For all intents and purposes, it looks like plain brick on a model, although some people have gone to the effort of reproducing the exact color patterns and sheet effect.

[5050]

The material isn't metal, it's something generically called insulbrick https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=&oq=insulbrick&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLS_enUS516US516&q=insulbrick+siding&gs_l=hp..1.0l5.0.0.0.7290...........0.TKxbhxa1qIU For all intents and purposes, it looks like plain brick on a model, although some people have gone to the effort of reproducing the exact color patterns and sheet effect.

Thanks for that.  The real MY tower did burn down eventually which seems to vindicate the insurance reluctance to cover insulbrick buildings!

 

How did people replicate it then?

[JWB]

There was an article by Don Spiro in the January 2006 Railroad Model Craftsman, in which he cut apart pieces of plastic brick sheet and colored them with a marker. I think the thickness of the plastic sheet exaggerated the effect, which at 1:87 is very hard to see in scale. Apparently the US company Clever Models at one time offered paper insulbrick pattern sheet, which would be a much better approach, but this may be discontinued. You might try contacting them. Yet another approach might be to cut rectangles of ordinary brick paper and color the edges with a black felt-tip.

[5050]

I've started cutting out the sides using Slater's brick plasticard.  I reckon it will have to do.  Not many people will know it isn't actually brick anyway!  I may start a construction thread once it's really underway.

 

Thanks for your help JWB!

[The Bigbee Line]

In 1994 I was in Moneta Virginia, it's on the fallen flag 'Virginian' mainline.  Opposite the siding was Moneta Produce.  On close examination it was seen to be a timber structure covered in galvanised sheet impressed with simulated bricks.  It had been painted red, but was very weathered and some of the sheets on the side were almost bare of paint.

If you look at the attached image you can see the separate sheets on the side of the structure.

The finish is quite different to insulbrick.

[5050]

The model is now finished.  You can see it here -

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70071-the-western-maryland-rr-gordon-sub-division/page-2&do=findComment&comment=1243377