Ragg's Aladdin General Store

ALADDIN GENERAL STORE

S-Scale Aladdin's

I first discovered the Aladdin General Store when Doug Jolley, a talented Sn3 modeler, posted photos of his scratchbuilt model for members of the Yahoo!! Sn3 Discussion Group to enjoy. The building’s character captivated me. Doug was very generous in providing additional photos of both his model and the prototype, as well as line drawings for the structure. The kit was developed from this information as well as what little else I could gather, which was scant. THANK YOU, Doug, for your generosity!!

The Aladdin General Store is the largest of about 15 structures that make up the town of Aladdin, located in the northeast corner of Wyoming. The structure was originally built as the Wyoming Mercantile by Amos Robinson in 1896. In addition to being a store, it has served as a Post Office, barber shop, bar, telephone office, and gasoline station. Particularly interesting is that it also served as depot and freight station for the Wyoming and Missouri Valley Railroad, an 18-mile shortline that hauled coal and mining supplies. As it happens, the railroad was owned by the Wyoming Mercantile and operated until 1927. The structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and remains the center of activity for the small community.

If the building looks somewhat familiar, don’t be surprised. Many structures of similar architecture and style were built during the same period in every part of the country. An interesting observation is that many of these, if not all, sported various additions such as the Aladdin’s. To lend even more character to the structure, the roofing materials varied with the time they were added, and, more than likely, the financial situation of the owner. The main structure, porch, and one rear addition use shake shingles, while the two side additions have corrugated metal. The rear stairway uses rolled roofing (a heavy, mineral coated tar paper) to cover both the walls and roof.

The two outhouses shown above are included in all kits (complete with toilet paper), as well as the prototypic bench on the front porch. Black-and-white signs (decals) help patrons locate the store, gas station or bar, and Post Office. Period advertising posters (also decals) add realism (one's a hanging sign!).

As with all our kits, the door knobs and lock plates are in the box, along with a highly detailed, spiral bound instruction manual containing dozens of photos illustrating the assembly. To match the prototype, all kits include corrugated roofing, textured peel-and-stick shake shingles, and peel-and-stick "rolled roofing" (tar paper). The roof and 2nd floor are removable after assembly for adding interior details.

The footprints of the completed structures are:

HO-scale:	7¼ x 7¾-inches deep (18 x 20 cm)
S-scale:	10 x 10½-inches deep (25 cm x 27 cm)
O-scale:	13 x 13½-inches deep (33 x 34 cm)

Roof removed, 2nd floor exposed

AGS 1st floor

Roof and 2nd floor removed, 1st floor exposed

The above photos show the S-scale model as built using the optional detail set provided by Pat Turner of Turner Model Works. The optional set includes more than 30 various castings: 1 vintage gas pump, 2 55-gal. oil drums, 2 garbage cans, 2 chairs, 3 milk cans, 1 water pump, 1 wash tub, 1 open wooden barrel with top, 1 electric meter with disconnect box, 1 electric weather head, 3 tires, 1 ladder, 1 broom, 1 pail, 2 moonshine jugs, 2 small boxes, 1 medium crate, 1 larger crate, 2 covered pails, 1 5-gal pail, and 5-light shade reflectors. This optional set can be ordered from us or from Pat at Turner Model Works (www.turnermodelworks.com), part number AGS-SD, and sells for $30.00. The castings are included in the HO Limited Run kit and are optional for the O-scale kit -- see below for more information.

Click the text below to purchase the S-scale Aladdin General Store kit
($155):

Purchase Aladdin General Store, S-Scale

Click the text below to purchase the optional S-scale Aladdin Detail Castings Set
($30):

Purchase the optional AGS-SD Detail Casting Set (S-Scale)

HO LIMITED RUN ALADDIN GENERAL STORE:

With the success of our S-scale Aladdin's kit came many requests for an HO version. We decided to make the HO version more detailed and a bit special. It is our first truly Limited Run product. The HO kit has all the features of the S-scale kit, and more. Yes, ALL the details (less the shrubs and ground cover!) you see in the photos below are included -- the outhouses, power pole and lines, picnic table, window curtains, screen doors, hinges, clothesline/poles, plus all the detail castings. More than 50 details in all. The instruction manual was re-written specifically for the HO kit and includes 51 photos, suggestions for painting/finishing, tools that will be handy, adhesives to use, and two pages of Parts Layout Diagrams. The footprint of the finished structure measures 7¼-inches wide x 7¾-inches deep (18 x 20-cm).

Because of the large number of bits and pieces needed to put one of these kits together, we will only produce 150 kits. The details are not available as a separate hardware kit.

HO Limited Run Aladdin General Store

HO Aladdin side

HO Limited Run Aladdin General Store -- notice that battered screen door?

HO Aladdin rear

HO Limited Run Aladdin General Store: Power pole/picnic table/clothesline/outhouses

Click the text below to purchase the HO-scale Aladdin General Store kit ($175)
(which includes all the details seen above):

Purchase Aladdin General Store, HO-Scale

O-SCALE ALADDIN GENERAL STORE:

AGS-O Main

O-Scale Aladdin's General Store

Last, but far from least, is the O-scale Aladdin General Store kit. This kit has so many components, it's a puzzle just to get it to fit into the box. The final kit, when packaged, weighs more than 3-pounds! This is an awesome building in O-scale, one that will complement any layout, and generate compliments for the builder. The five additions are plainly visible and invite closer looks from all directions. As with the two earlier kits, the roof on the main building is removable as well as the second floor, making it easy to add an interior to the first floor at any time. And the large front windows will really show it off. Although this building may appear large, it isn't as wide as our F.D. WORK building. It packs a lot of interest in a relatively small space.

O-scale Aladdin's, rear view

AGS O Rear 2

O-scale Aladdin's, rear view

AGS O Bar

O-scale Aladdin's addition: BAR, BAIT, or GAS

AGS O Outhouses

Need to sit a spell?

The basic kit includes the two smoke jacks, two outhouses (the prototype has two!), picnic table, screen doors, window curtains, clothesline poles, door knobs and pulls/lock plates/hinges, signs and posters (all decals), and even the antlers. The optional detail package (also available separately) contains 36 castings by 7 manufacturers:

1 vintage gas pump with special assembly jig
3 milk cans
1 wooden bucket w/wire bail
1 pail
1 step ladder
1 water pump
2 garbage cans
2 5-gal gas cans
1 mailbox
1 spitoon
1 100-lb feed sack
1 soda case
1 broom
1 vintage gas can
3 tires
2 chairs
2 open fruit crates w/ fruit
1 wash tub
2 55-gal drums
1 trash barrel w/trash
2 large crates
2 smaller crates
1 wooden barrel
1 electric meter w/disconnect box
1 electric weather head

The optional detail set, AGS-OD, sells for $42 (also available separately).

Click the text below to purchase the O-scale Aladdin General Store kit:
($230)

Purchase Aladdin General Store, O-Scale

Click the text below to purchase the optional O-Scale Detail Castings Set:
($42)

Purchase AGS-OD Detail Casting Set (O-Scale)

RETURN TO Ragg's MAIN PAGE

For more information on the prototype, you might want to start by visiting http://www.aladdinwy.com/default.htm