Kit Manufacturers

These are not all the manufacturers, of course.  These are the manufacturers that generally make great products in HO scale that would fit in New England in mid-twentieth century.  There are a lot of other great manufacturers out there, but if your modeling interest is similar to mine, you might want to start with these!

Craftsman Kits

South River Modelworks             Best manufacturer of NE mills, all limited run.  Bob is a great guy.

Fine Scale Miniatures                    George was the pioneer in craftsman kits.  Still producing them, every one a gem.

Micro-Scale Models                       First wood craftman kit I built came from them.  Now: a website! Love the kits

Rail Scale Miniatures                     New Guys on the Block, wonderful diorama kits.

SierraWest                                          Another legendary artist

LaserModeling3                        Fastidious, detailed prototype models: for your front layout wow factor

More Great Kits

Banta Modelworks                    Great straightforward kits

Bar Mills                                        Wide variety of wood kits, dioramas, videos, audio tracks

Campbell Scale Models           The ever elusive home page for the first great wood kits

GCLaser                                          Details, kits

CHR Structures                            Only a few kits, but very nice

CMR                                                 Custom Model Railroads: with kits for the BIG city

Crystal River Products             Structure kits that have not been “overbuilt”

BEST                                               Prototype buildings of New England, amazing line of detail castings

Creative Laser Design              Again, not many kits, but some great farmhouses, barns, so forth

Downtown Deco                          Hydrocal kits from the wrong side of the track

Ed Fulasz                                        Wonderful hydrocal kits, now distributed by Railroad Kits

Fos Scale Models                        Lots of wood kits for all situations, also detail parts and DVDs

Imagine That                                 Impressive laser cut urban buildings and overhead rail systems

KanaModel Products                 Prototype CN structures, but wear your sunglasses when you surf there

Kingmill                                           When you are up against the wall, buy a flat!

JL Innovative Design                More wood kits, as well as signs, details and vehicles

JV Models                                      Their own buildings, plus John Rendall and Suncoast lines

Main Street Heritage                  Marvelous resin small town buildings

Nick and Nora                               Nice wood structures, mid-twentieth century

Paw of a Bear                                Wood kits and details

Railroad Kits                                 Wooden buildings, Ed Fulasz hydrocal, detail castings

Rusty Stumps                              Kits as well as details, good stuff

Things that Float (and Things that Go OVER Things that Float)

 Frenchman River                       Boats, details, awnings, boat details

Hunter Line                                  Bridge and Trestle Kits, Mt. Albert Lumber, Weathering Mixes

Paper Kit Models

Model Trains Software           Sign design software, building design software, etc

Scale Scenes (00)                     English site with textures and other materials suitable for HO

Clever Models                            Top US site for paper models, textures, etc.

Bill Jones                                     Odd collection of paper models