If you’ve got a model train in your house, then chances are you probably have a layout set up for your engine to hustle and bustle down the track. With the two most important pieces – the train and the track out of the way, let’s figure out how we can bring your layout to life! Scenery like trees and shrubs are great small steps, but building your own little town is  where the fun and creativity really start. I’ve seen layouts all over the country, and one of the most common products on just about any layout no matter the size or budget were some Walthers Building Kits. 

At Trainz.com we’re no strangers to the Walthers brand, with a good bit of their products filling out the shelves of our Products department. A quick tidbit about Trainz.com – we’re separated into two main divisions – Collectibles and Products. The collectibles side is where a lot of our used and new collectibles come to be inspected, graded, processed, sometimes repaired, and finally sent for online listing. Our Products department is a collector’s dream consisting of shelves lined with fresh mint-sealed products. On occasion I’ll scour these shelves just for that ‘new product’ smell. 

Ok, back to the kits. If you keyword search ‘Walthers building kits’ on our website you’ll notice the search yields a whopping 800+ products. If you scroll to the bottom of the page you’ll see it extends to page six and beyond with those little double arrows that mean there’s way more pages to go. Ok, I clicked on it, there’s 30 pages, I know we all had to know. With that being said, I figured it’s time to highlight some of these products. So without further ado, here’s my list of top 5 Walthers building kits!

Walthers 933-4041 HO Scale Merchant's Row V Building Kit

First up for our Walthers building kits is the perfect piece to round off the corner on your urban layout. I’m especially fond of the Merchant’s Row building because you’re getting the most value for your buck here. The building is heavily detailed with several different store fronts displayed for some added pizzazz. The building resembles some of the late 19th and early 20th century architecture of the United States. Like all Walthers building kits, the Merchant’s Row building is easy to assemble and ready to be a part of your layout. 

Product Info:

Manufacturer: Walthers

Model Number: 933-4041

Scale/Era: HO Scale

Model Type: Building Kits

Walthers 933-3764 HO Ashmore Hotel Cornerstone Building Kit

Walthers really knows how to capture those 20th century American buildings with great detail, and the Ashmore Hotel is no exception. This is a versatile piece capable of looking great on its own, but does have a modular design that allows you to expand the building beyond its factory dimensions. The Ashmore building blends in beautifully on urban themed layouts. I personally would pair it with steam era locomotives, but diesel works just as well too. Setting up some ladies in mink coats, or even having some businessmen chatting out front is a nice touch for the Ashmore Hotel. If you’re in need of some tall buildings, the Ashmore Hotel is one of the best offered amongst Walthers building kits. 

Product Info:

Manufacturer: Walthers

Model Number: 933-3764

Scale/Era: HO Scale

Model Type: Building Kits

Walthers 933-4042 HO Central Beverage Distributors With Office Annex Kit

Rolling right along with our Walthers building kits, we’ll stop by the Central Beverage Distributors for a drink and some much needed R&R. I love buildings that can accompany accessories and the Central Beverage shop only gets better the more you add to it. If you look at the display photo, you may notice some die-cast automobiles and large box trucks parked at the dock doors. It’s these little things that make designing layouts with Walthers building kits that much more fun, and a great way to add realistic operations to your track plan. 

It’s a great little piece that fits into just about any layout theme and can utilize accessories for an even more improved aesthetic. Plus, if you’re ever thirsty you have your own drink warehouse to go to. 

Product Info:

Manufacturer: Walthers

Model Number: 933-4042

Scale/Era: HO Scale

Model Type: Building Kits

Walthers 933-3466 HO Cornerstone Series Argosy Booksellers Structure Kit

It’s no secret that I love taller buildings on layouts, and to nobody’s surprise I’ve got another one here for you. The Argosy Booksellers building features a boatload of details from the exterior architecture to the interior trim. Walthers actually encourages adding your own creative touch with paint which is an added bonus for those of you that love to customize. Once again, you can add figures, cars, and landscape scenery to this piece for an enhanced aesthetic. I’m not the best at painting, but for those of you that are, then this is one Walthers building kit you don’t want to leave on the shelf. 

Product Info:

Manufacturer: Walthers

Model Number: 933-3466

Scale/Era: HO Scale

Model Type: Building Kits

Walthers 933-3484 HO Vintage Dairy Queen Building Kit

We’re at the end of my list, and I’ve saved one of the most delicious Walthers building kits for last. Ok, you can’t actually eat this one, but this kit is one of my favorites for a number of reasons. First off, Dairy Queen’s soft-serve ice-cream and the M&M Blizzard are both top of the line treats that this author only gets to enjoy once in a blue moon. Lately, that moon seems to appear less and less frequently, but I guess that’s part of getting older. 

Ok, enough about my getting older and battles with existentialism, and back to the goods. This Dairy Queen building is inspired by the 1950s design of the fast food chain, and is an absolute nostalgia rush at first glance. It’s a great design that fits into any great modern themed layout. The building is detailed to the brim with exterior and interior trim for added elements of realism. Out of all of the Walthers building kits discussed today, this is by far my favorite. Let’s hope there’s plans for a Chick-Fil-A building in the near future. 

Product Info:

Manufacturer: Walthers

Model Number: 933-3484

Scale/Era: HO Scale

Model Type: Building Kits

I hope I was able to help out with some layout ideas today. I know I’m definitely getting the Dairy Queen kit once I’m done writing this article. We’ve got plenty of Walthers building kits here at Trainz.com, so if you’re looking to design your first layout, or if you’re expanding on an existing one, these easy to assemble kits are the way to go. Check out our website for a full list of Walthers building kits, and don’t forget to add realistic lighting with our Dwarvin Lighting line!