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.

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 Online^TM Craft Wrapping Paper page has several vintage-toned striped and star patterns you may find useful.

Legalese

• 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.

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Roof Textures

Tile Roof

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
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
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

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 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 Trains^TM page.

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.

• New 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.

  • 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 Cottage - 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. This 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!

  • Building 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!

  • 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!

  • New 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.

  • New 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.

  • New 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.

  • Tinplate 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? - 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.
  • 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.
  • 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!