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Christmas Building Textures.  Christmas themed roof  and wall patterns to use when you're building your own holiday-themed structures. This railroad and photo are by Howard Lamey. The 'Village Express' is no longer made, but Bachmann and Hawthorne Village make many On30 Christmas trains using the same engine.Return to Big Indoor Trains(tm) primer pageOn30 Display Trains
O Scale Accessories
O Gauge Christmas TrainsOn30 Christmas Trains

Written by Paul D. Race for Big Indoor TrainsTM



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This page, new for 2009, contains free, downloadable patterns that were initially inspired by the lithographed printing used on classic tinplate train accessories in the early 1900s. I started creating these patterns in early 2009 for our Tribute to Tinplate(tm) projects, helping readers build vintage tinplate-style buildings and accessories to go with O, S, and Standard Gauge tinplate railroads. We've collected many useful patterns in our Tinplate Textures page. But while we were working on seasonal railroads, it made sense to publish Autumn- and Christmas-themed versions of those patterns as well. If any patterns here get you inspired, you can find doors and windows in several colors on the Tinplate Textures page.

We hope that these patterns will help you design your own vintage-style Christmas structures or supplement our free downloadable Christmas village projects on our Glitterhouse and Tribute to Tinplate pages.

Note about Scales - Most tinplate buildings made to go with tinplate trains were not built exactly to scale. Like the trains themselves, most of them were a bit undersized. The doorways, on the other hand, which were often large enough to admit scale or oversized figures. Brick and siding patterns were also often oversized, to make them easier to see from across the railroad. When you are planning a project, print sample sheets to decide which doorways and patterns will look the best with your trains and with any buildings you already have.

Click to see more Christmas craft paper resources.Please let us know if there's some particular texture you need. We may have a preliminary version available that we could "move up in the queue" for your benefit. In addition the Family Christmas OnlineTM Craft Wrapping Paper page has several vintage-toned striped and star patterns you may find useful.

Legalese

Note: All of these images are the copyrighted property of Family Garden Trains(tm). By downloading a graphic resource from this web site, you accept the following conditions:
  • You are allowed to download it for your own use and to make gifts for your friends.
  • If you are teacher, you are allowed to print these off for your students to use in class class projects.
  • You may not alter these image except for resizing them for own use. You may not load them on any web page or resell products made with this artwork without previous written permission.
  • If you wish to share this resource on a web page, please link to this page, rather than copying these images to your site, which will be an infringement of copyright, and not a very nice way of rewarding our hard work.


Roof Textures

Tile Roof

Blue and Black 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
Black and Green 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
Green and Black 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
S Scale (1:64)
O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
S Scale
O Scale
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
S Scale (1:64)
O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
Green and Red 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
Red and Green 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
White and Red 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
S Scale
O Scale
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
S Scale (1:64)
O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
S Scale
O Scale
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
White and Green 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
White and Blue 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
Red and Black Tile 'Fish-Scale' pattern. Choose a scale from the list below.
S Scale (1:64)
O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
S Scale
O Scale
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge
S Scale (1:64)
O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/
Standard Gauge

Note: Additional tile roof patterns are available on the Tinplate Textures page and on the Halloween and Fall Textures page.

Walls

For a more toylike look, try using one size "up" from the actual scale of your structures, especially on the bricks and siding.
Select the appropriate scale below.
Brick Wall. Choose a scale from the list below.
Dark Red Bricks. Choose a scale from the list below.
Blue Bricks
S Scale - O Scale -
Large Scale/Standard Gauge
Bricks
S Scale (1:64) - O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/Standard Gauge
Dark Red Bricks
S Scale (1:64) - O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/Standard Gauge

Note: Additional brick patterns are available on the Tinplate Textures page and on the Halloween and Fall Textures page.

Green Dutch Lap Siding. Select the appropriate scale below.
White Dutch Lap Siding. Choose a scale from the list below.
Red Dutch Lap Siding. Choose a scale from the list below.
Green Dutch Lap Siding
S Scale - O Scale -
Large Scale/Standard Gauge
White Dutch Lap Siding
S Scale (1:64) - O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/Standard Gauge
Red Dutch Lap Siding
S Scale (1:64) - O Scale (1:48)
Large Scale/Standard Gauge

Note: Additional siding patterns are available on the Tinplate Textures page and on the Halloween and Fall Textures page.

Please stop by every once in a while - we have several other textures to upload when we get a chance. Again, please contact us if you would like to see a particular texture.


Return to the Tinplate Textures page.

Return to the Resources for BIG Indoor TrainsTM page.


Click to go to article.Other Christmas Trains and Towns Pages

  • New Feature! - Department 56® Village Trains - Learn about train sculptures and real electric trains that Dept. 56® has issued over the years to go with its collections, as well as current products that look good with Dept. 56® villages.

  • Click to go to articleNew Feature! - "Tribute to Tinplate" Articles Here's our summer, 2009 "Blockbuster," a series of projects that pay "Tribute to Tinplate," based on the tinplated-steel trains and towns of a century ago. Free downloadable commercial-grade graphics and instructions will help you inexpensively add an authentic vintage look to any indoor railroad. Most projects have multiple pre-scaled plans and graphics, plus scalable graphics for the smaller scales, so you can easily add a vintage look to ANY railroad or holiday village, no matter what size your trains and towns are. We have more on the drawing board, so be sure and check back.

    • Click to go to article Building the Tin City Bridge - Add an eye-popping feature based on the classic Lionel Standard Gauge bridges. Works great with collectible villages, vintage O and S-gauge trains, On30 trains and more! Free downloadable plans, graphic files, and step-by-step instructions are provided. New, October, 2009!

    • Building a Vintage Tin-Style CottageClick to go to article - This project is inspired by a popular pre-war tinplate house that was made to go with standard gauge trains, like the early 1900s-era Ives and Lionel. Our own commercial-quality graphics and instructions, as well as Howard Lamey's plans and assembly details are all free, to give your railroad a vintage tinplate look with a few cents' worth of materials. Many options are available, and most graphics and plans can be downloaded directly from the article. New, July, 2009!

    • Building a Vintage "Lithograph" Station Our first "Tribute to Tinplate" article pays tribute to the lithographed stations of seventy-to-ninety years ago. Click to go to articleThis particular project was inspired by an American Flyer station that was made to go with O gauge trains during the "golden age of toy trains." Free downloadable commercial-grade graphics and plans are available in several scales. Instructions for building this project inexpensively from scrap cardboard are also included (although you could build it from tin if you really wanted to).New, June, 2009!

    • Click to go to articleBuilding TinPlate-Syle Store Fronts - Not one, but three buildings! The West Brothers' tinpated candy boxes saved money by using one plan with multiple sets of graphics to get maximum use out of their pattern expense. We've followed their example with projects inspired by three of their most popular buildings. Use our free downloadable patterns and plans to add a vintage-style business district on your railroad or display village. New, July, 2009!

    • Click to go to Article Building a Lithograph-Style Switch Tower Every big railroad "yard" had one of these "control towers" that let railroad men watch and operate the switches so trains could be built up, cars could be sorted out, and everyone went where they were supposed to. This "Tribute To Tinplate" with graphics by Paul and assembly tips by Howard Lamey is easy, inexpensive, and impressive. Includes free plans, instructions, and vintage-inspired graphics in three different sizes you can choose from to match your existing trains and towns. New, December, 2009!

    • Click to go to articleNew Feature - Building a Tinplate-Inspired Lamp Post The ideal accessory for the Lewis Park Station, or any station or city hall on your railroad or holiday village. No, they don't actually light, but they are cheap and easy to build and add a great deal of vintage interest to any setting. Free downloadable plans are available in several scales.

    • Click to go to articleNew Feature - Building a Tinplate-Inspired Watchman's Shanty Back in the day before automated crossings, these were common sites alongside busy rail crossings. Howard's exclusive design pays tribute to a series of tinplate structures that go back a hundred years and include three different scales. His free plans and instructions will help you dress up any indoor railroad or holiday village.

    • Click to go to articleNew Feature - Building a Tinplate-Inspired Railroad Crossing Sign This is the ideal accessory for the Watchman's Shanty project. Based on a series of products that are now available only as expensive collector's items, this easy and almost-free project will add texture, interest, and period to any model railroad or holiday village.

    • click to go to Building Textures pageTinplate Textures - This section includes brick, shingle, siding, door and window patterns inspired by the tinplate buildings that Lionel and other companies made to go with their toy trains a century ago.

      The Tinplate Textures page provides most patterns in three different scales to help you find the best sizes for your existing railroad or holiday village.

  • What is a Glitterhouse? - Click to learn how to build vintage-style glittered pasteboard buildings.Click to learn how to build vintage-style glittered pasteboard buildings.Remember when Christmas Villages were made of cardboard instead of china and resin? Get a head start on celebrating the original Christmas village tradition! Articles on collecting and building authentic, vintage-style pasteboard houses, just like the ones we had growing up. Sure, they're not scale, but they are lots of fun! Updated, September, 2008.

    This section includes several articles on building glitterhouses and typical accessories, including:

    • Building a Glitterhouse - A detailed primer on building your own vintage-style cardboard Christmas house, includes bonus "church conversion" plans for making the same core structure into a small church. Includes free downloadable plans and directions. Updated, September, 2008.
    • Click to see detailed directions for building this vintage-style pasteboard house.Click to see detailed directions for building this vintage-style pasteboard house.Building the Little Charmer - A new glitterhouse project that is a step up from our beginning glitterhouse. Includes free downloadable plans and directions! - August, 2008.
    • Building a Picture Window House - Another new glitterhouse project. This one includes unique features such as a sand finish and picture window that reveals a "Christmas scene" Includes free downloadable plans and directions. September, 2008. Click to see free downloadable plans,  directions, and graphics for this vintage-style Christmas house.
    • Winter Trees from Floral Picks - A quick and inexpensive way to add interesting textures to your winter railroad or Christmas village. December, 2007.
    • Building the Union Station - This original project by designer Howard Lamey is inspired by two traditions - the cardboard Christmas houses that were popular in US homes between 1928 and 1965 and the Lionel station that was popular for most of the 20th century. October, 2008!


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Return to Big Indoor Trains Home page Return to Family Garden Trains Home page Big Indoor Trains Primer Articles: All about setting up and displaying indoor display trains and towns. Garden Railroading Primer Articles: All about getting a Garden Railroad up and running well Garden Train Store: Index to train, track, and other products for Garden RailroadingBig Christmas Trains: Directory of Large Scale and O Scale trains with holiday themes
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Note: Big Indoor Trains(tm), Big Train Store(tm)m Family Garden Trains(tm), Big Christmas Trains(tm), and Garden Train Store(tm) are trademarks of Breakthrough Communications(tm) (www.btcomm.com). All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 by Paul D. Race. Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically forbidden.
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