HO Scale Berkshire Knitting Factory Receiving Warehouse Build Begins
Sometimes a project comes along that pushes you completely out of your comfort zone. This is one of those builds.
In this episode of Jack on Tracks, I start what might be one of the most ambitious structures I’ve ever attempted: a full cutaway factory building for the legendary West Island Model Railroad Club on Long Island — a club that has been around for almost 80 years. Being able to contribute something to a layout with that kind of history is both exciting and a little intimidating.
And of course… I decided not to take the easy route.
The Idea: A Full Cutaway Factory
The building we’re constructing is the Berkshire Knitting Factory Receiving Warehouse. Instead of building it as a standard structure that you simply place on the layout, I wanted to do something a little more dramatic.
So I did something that probably made a few modelers cringe:
I cut the building open.
The goal is to create a cutaway structure that exposes the interior so viewers can see everything happening inside the factory. That means this build isn’t just about exterior walls — it’s about making the inside of the building look just as convincing.
That includes:
The Starting Point: A DPM Modular Kit
The base of this project is a DPM Landmark modular structure kit, which gives us a solid starting point for an industrial building. DPM kits are great because they’re modular and easy to modify — which is exactly what we need for a custom build like this.
But right out of the box, the kit parts are a little… chunky.
That means there’s a lot of work ahead to refine the details and make the structure look more realistic.
Upgrading the Walls
To improve the look of the building, I’m using Plastruct brick sheets to add texture and realism.
By laminating these brick sheets onto the inside surfaces, the interior will look like an actual brick factory instead of bare plastic.
This step alone adds a huge amount of visual realism — especially once lighting is added later in the build.
Precision Cutting Time
One of the biggest challenges in this build is modifying the walls to create the cutaway view.
That means carefully slicing into the structure using a fresh #11 hobby blade and taking my time with each cut. Clean edges are absolutely critical here — if the cuts aren’t straight, the whole illusion of the building falls apart.
It’s one of those moments where patience really matters.
Measure twice.
Cut once.
Fixing the Problems
Like many structure kits, the project already threw a few curveballs.
The pieces of plywood for the floor turned out to be warped, which meant it had to be corrected before continuing. If the foundation of the structure isn’t straight, nothing else will line up properly.
This is the kind of issue that happens all the time in modeling — and solving these little problems is part of the process.
Custom Details
To really elevate the structure, I’m incorporating laser-cut doors and window details from Rail Scale Models. These parts are far finer than the original kit pieces and instantly improve the scale appearance of the building.
The combination of:
A First for Me
Here’s the truth:
I’ve never built a cutaway structure before.
This is completely new territory for me.
There are definitely moments where I’m wondering:
The Vision
If everything goes according to plan, this building will become a centerpiece industry on the club layout.
Instead of just seeing a building sitting on the layout, operators and visitors will be able to look inside and see:
What’s Next
This is only the beginning of the build.
Coming up next we’ll be working on:
And honestly…
It’s starting to look like this crazy idea might actually work.
If you enjoy model railroading, structure kitbashing, and detailed HO scale builds, this project is going to be a fun ride.
Stay tuned — because we’re just getting started.
— Jack on Tracks
Sometimes a project comes along that pushes you completely out of your comfort zone. This is one of those builds.
In this episode of Jack on Tracks, I start what might be one of the most ambitious structures I’ve ever attempted: a full cutaway factory building for the legendary West Island Model Railroad Club on Long Island — a club that has been around for almost 80 years. Being able to contribute something to a layout with that kind of history is both exciting and a little intimidating.
And of course… I decided not to take the easy route.
The Idea: A Full Cutaway Factory
The building we’re constructing is the Berkshire Knitting Factory Receiving Warehouse. Instead of building it as a standard structure that you simply place on the layout, I wanted to do something a little more dramatic.
So I did something that probably made a few modelers cringe:
I cut the building open.
The goal is to create a cutaway structure that exposes the interior so viewers can see everything happening inside the factory. That means this build isn’t just about exterior walls — it’s about making the inside of the building look just as convincing.
That includes:
- Interior brick walls
- Custom doors and windows
- Interior lighting
- Structural roof trusses
- Detailed warehouse spaces
The Starting Point: A DPM Modular Kit
The base of this project is a DPM Landmark modular structure kit, which gives us a solid starting point for an industrial building. DPM kits are great because they’re modular and easy to modify — which is exactly what we need for a custom build like this.
But right out of the box, the kit parts are a little… chunky.
That means there’s a lot of work ahead to refine the details and make the structure look more realistic.
Upgrading the Walls
To improve the look of the building, I’m using Plastruct brick sheets to add texture and realism.
By laminating these brick sheets onto the inside surfaces, the interior will look like an actual brick factory instead of bare plastic.
This step alone adds a huge amount of visual realism — especially once lighting is added later in the build.
Precision Cutting Time
One of the biggest challenges in this build is modifying the walls to create the cutaway view.
That means carefully slicing into the structure using a fresh #11 hobby blade and taking my time with each cut. Clean edges are absolutely critical here — if the cuts aren’t straight, the whole illusion of the building falls apart.
It’s one of those moments where patience really matters.
Measure twice.
Cut once.
Fixing the Problems
Like many structure kits, the project already threw a few curveballs.
The pieces of plywood for the floor turned out to be warped, which meant it had to be corrected before continuing. If the foundation of the structure isn’t straight, nothing else will line up properly.
This is the kind of issue that happens all the time in modeling — and solving these little problems is part of the process.
Custom Details
To really elevate the structure, I’m incorporating laser-cut doors and window details from Rail Scale Models. These parts are far finer than the original kit pieces and instantly improve the scale appearance of the building.
The combination of:
- upgraded brickwork
- laser-cut details
- interior lighting
- visible structural elements
A First for Me
Here’s the truth:
I’ve never built a cutaway structure before.
This is completely new territory for me.
There are definitely moments where I’m wondering:
- Will the wall laminations stay flat?
- Will the interior brick actually look convincing?
- Did I just make this project way harder than it needed to be?
The Vision
If everything goes according to plan, this building will become a centerpiece industry on the club layout.
Instead of just seeing a building sitting on the layout, operators and visitors will be able to look inside and see:
- the warehouse interior
- the brick walls
- the roof structure
- the lighting bringing everything to life
What’s Next
This is only the beginning of the build.
Coming up next we’ll be working on:
- installing the interior brickwork
- fitting the laser-cut windows and doors
- designing the interior layout
- adding roof trusses and structural supports
- planning the lighting system
And honestly…
It’s starting to look like this crazy idea might actually work.
If you enjoy model railroading, structure kitbashing, and detailed HO scale builds, this project is going to be a fun ride.
Stay tuned — because we’re just getting started.
— Jack on Tracks
