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Call: 1-(904) 885-0559
9297 Ford Rd.
Bryceville, Fl 32009
Discover authentic urban realism with HO scale scenery from Downtown Deco, specializing in gritty, weathered building kits that capture the character of working-class neighborhoods and industrial districts. These exceptional hydrocal plaster castings feature incredible brick texture detail, deteriorated concrete sidewalks, vintage storefronts, and authentic urban decay that brings layouts to life with unmatched realism. The extensive collection includes complete city blocks like Addams Avenue Parts I-V, Blair Avenue, Skid Row series, and distinctive structures including Cooter's Liquor, Atomic Cafe, Taco Juan's, Patterson Hardware, Metals Bank, Trackside Tavern, and Bingo's Pool Hall, each capturing mid-century American commercial architecture with weathered facades and period-appropriate signage. Downtown Deco's casting quality delivers sharp brick mortar lines, realistic window details, crumbling concrete textures, and architectural elements that replicate actual urban buildings. Sidewalk sections include Old Brick Sidewalks, Extremely Deteriorated Concrete, and Weathered Sidewalks that add authentic street-level detail. Unpainted Detail Casting Sets and Rooftop Details provide additional urban accessories. Explore our complete Downtown Deco collection and visit Downtown Deco for building techniques.
Downtown Deco has revolutionized model railroad scenery by focusing on the gritty, weathered urban environments often overlooked by mainstream manufacturers who emphasize pristine small-town America. Their approach to HO scale scenery captures the authentic character of working-class neighborhoods, industrial districts, and commercial strips where real railroads operated. Founded by modelers passionate about urban prototype modeling, Downtown Deco specializes in hydrocal plaster castings that deliver texture and detail impossible to achieve with plastic injection molding. Each building represents careful research of actual architectural styles from the 1940s through 1970s, capturing the era when railroads remained integral to urban commerce. The weathered, lived-in appearance of these structures reflects decades of exposure to weather, pollution, and deferred maintenance that characterizes real urban buildings along railroad rights-of-way.
Downtown Deco's modular city block approach enables modelers to create extensive urban scenes with architectural continuity and realistic street layouts. The Addams Avenue series spans five parts, creating a complete commercial district with interconnected storefronts, alleyways, and architectural details that flow seamlessly together. Each section features unique businesses with distinctive signage, varied facade treatments, and authentic weathering patterns that prevent monotonous repetition. The Skid Row series captures the grittier side of urban life with deteriorated buildings, boarded windows, faded advertising, and the unmistakable character of declining neighborhoods. Blair Avenue provides additional commercial structures with mid-century architecture and period-appropriate details. These modular systems allow flexible arrangement while maintaining visual coherence, enabling modelers to create custom urban landscapes that reflect specific prototype locations or personal design visions.
The collection showcases diverse building types that populated American urban neighborhoods during the mid-twentieth century. Cooter's Liquor and Fat Lou's Liquor represent the corner package stores that served working-class communities, featuring vintage neon signage, security bars, and weathered storefronts. Atomic Cafe and Taco Juan's capture period restaurant architecture with distinctive signage and authentic facade details. Patterson Hardware and Lindsey's Grocery replicate the small independent retailers that anchored neighborhood commercial districts. Metals Bank showcases substantial commercial architecture with classical details, while Bingo's Pool Hall and Trackside Tavern add entertainment venues with character. Industrial structures like Gugisberg & Sons Machining, Horowitz Garment Company, Burgess Manufacturing, and Syzdek Manufacturing provide factory buildings with loading docks, large windows, and utilitarian architecture. Structures like Luci's Tattoo Emporium, Sisters of Mercy Thrift Store, and The Boobie Hatch Strip Club add storytelling opportunities and authentic urban diversity.
Downtown Deco's sidewalk sections provide essential street-level realism that connects buildings to create cohesive urban scenes. The Old Brick Sidewalks feature authentic herringbone and running bond patterns with individual brick texture and realistic joint lines, while Extremely Deteriorated Concrete Sidewalks and Weathered Sidewalks showcase cracking, spalling, and settlement patterns that characterize aged urban infrastructure. These sections integrate seamlessly with building foundations while providing realistic transitions between structures. The Unpainted Detail Casting Sets include essential urban accessories like fire escapes with detailed railings and ladders, window air conditioning units, exterior utility meters, downspouts and drain pipes, and street furniture. The Rooftop Details set provides 40 pieces including ventilators, chimneys, skylights, and rooftop equipment that add authenticity when viewed from elevated perspectives. These details transform basic building shells into convincing representations of actual urban environments.
Modelers building comprehensive urban scenes should explore Downtown Deco's offerings in O scale and N scale for multi-scale modeling projects. Complementary urban scenery manufacturers include Banta Modelworks, Atlas, and Bachmann, each bringing unique approaches to realistic structure modeling. Visit the official Downtown Deco website to explore their complete product range, view detailed building photos, access painting and weathering tutorials, and discover the techniques that transform hydrocal castings into convincing urban structures that capture the gritty character of prototype railroad operations.