[Genma Saotome]

The Brooks building was built in 1910 and typical of better buildings of that date made use of a lot of terra cotta to add visual interest. Terra cotta is damn near impossible to reproduce in textures much less 3d but in this case it was fairly simple as far is it went at that time.

The building is located cheek by jowl of a terminal station of the elevated railway in Chicago and so being so close I thought it would be worthwhile to see if I could "elevate" the fidelity of the model be a bit more like the original.

All images of in portrait model, so they're 1920 pixels tall, click on an image to enlarge it to full size.


from Google street view, W. Jackson at Franklin.



The model (incomplete but enough is here to show it off).



detail.



The view from track side.


I'm having a LOT of fun doing this one.

[P Escue]

It looks like fun alright and nicely done too.

What 3d tool are you using?

Phil

[Genma Saotome]

Sketchup Make 2016,

[timmuir]

Awesome model you've created there, Dave! The detail, is it Memorex? Very lifelike!

[Gman347]

I walk by this building every morning on my way from the Metra station to the office and then a second time in the evening on my way back to the station. Very nice work Dave. I typically walk westbound to Wacker Drive and then walk north up Wacker to Madison, where the Lyric Opera Building is located, and cross the river there. You already shared shots of your model of that building. I am especially enjoying your work on this project since the area is so familiar to me.

Great Stuff!

Paul http://www.elvastower.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[Genma Saotome]

Hi Paul, I'll be saving you some steps. On Monday, when you next walk past the Brooks building, take a peek at the low, dark brick building one door south on Franklin. That was (and may still be) a CTA substation. Above it's roof, and filling the whole space between the Brooks building and the parking garages to the south and east was an L station -- a terminal station that pre-dated the CTA. There was another one on Wacker in front of the Opera house. The CTA didn't like them and closed them as soon as they could -- the Opera House station fell in 1948, the one of Franklin in the early 50's

As I plan to add the L loop (and some stub staging track) you won't have as far to walk in my Goose Island rte. Won't get you from home to work and back but the ride around the loop will be free. :lol2:

My track template produces this:

[Genma Saotome]

The Brooks building is located right above the red, three track terminal near the bottom center.


The red is hte L tracks around the Loop, the purple are the CSL streetcar tracks. My aim is to add all. FWIW the yellow highlight is my means of tracking which models I have made so far.

[Genma Saotome]

Almost done.


I need to add some street level stores, fiddle a bit more w/ interior view blocks, and fix a problem on the rear wall.

Next up for this city block model is right next door -- 209 W Jackson building which is right next to both streetcar and elevated tracks on Wells Ave.
:

[Genma Saotome]

:sign_sorry: Oh Damn, Tim, I hit delete instead of reply!!! :sign_sorry:

WRT the wheel guards... already noted:


and in the street (next to a in-street island for passengers to board or leave the car.

[timmuir]

OOps...I'll let it slide this time, Dave! ;)

In Los Angeles, safety islands were usually just painted on the pavement. Nice to have an actual island! Neat street track, Dave, ( but flangeways should be on the inside. ;) )