O Scale Trains Magazine Product Reviews

O Scale Old Weathered Barn from Woodland Scenics

O Scale Old Weathered Barn from Woodland Scenics

Jan/Feb 2019Review by Kurt Thompson

Woodland Scenics has just released a new item in its line of O Scale structures: an Old Weathered Barn. The physical scale footprint dimensions of the barn with silo are: 41’ x 31-¼’ x 31-½’ high (over the weathervane). The footprint dimensions don’t include the roof overhang or the hayloft pulley overhang.

The barn is gambrel-roofed and typical of many barns in the United States, particularly in the Midwest. The roof style is what some call a Dutch roof or a barn roof. A gambrel roof has two advantages over a gabled roof. Gambrel roofs are easy to build and they offer more storage space under them than the familiar triangular pitched roof. They also require less material to build than roofs with extra support beams and columns. Because the gambrel provides more space, it is often seen on storage sheds, barns, and other similar structures. With the upper level of a barn often used to store hay and straw bales, the roof design allows more bales to be stacked and stored per square foot than a gable roof barn.

The model includes the main barn structure, an attached open lean-to shed, an enclosed feed room, a worn silo, and a weathervane on the roof. The barn has two interior lighting features using cool white LEDs. The system is compatible with the Just Plug™ Lighting System. The lighting fills the feeding and milking pens area, and the interior of the enclosed feed room. The barn has an electrical box on the side opposite the silo. A few of the lower level windows have simulated cracked panes of glass. The foundation is simulated fieldstone. Even when you look under or into the enclosed feed shed, the foundation is on the four walls of the shed. Several of the vertical boards are molded in a position indicating the nails have pulled away and the boards need some attention.

The roof is shingled, and the color on the roof shows signs of wear and fading. There is a small cupola and a weathervane on the roof. Be careful of the weathervane; it is small and can snap off easily. (Yes, I know exactly how easy, too!) On one end of the barn, the hayloft has a double door with ropes indicating the lifting hooks are inside. None of the doors on the barn operate. The door on the silo end of the barn is molded in a partially open position. The silo has rough texture and stress cracks molded into it.. The enclosed ladder is on the barn side of the silo with a covered single story shed running between the silo and the barn proper, all the better for moving silage from the silo to animals during winter and other periods of nasty weather.

There is a paper box with images printed on it that represents the cow pens. The box is held in place with transparent tape. It is the second area with LED lighting. When viewed through the windows, the printed scene is rather convincing. You can also look through the windows diagonally through the box as the end and side window areas are cut away for that purpose.

If you have a farm scene in mind, this barn will fit any time frame from the late 1800s to present day. The older your barn, the more you may wish to weather/tone down this model. As it is, it has all the makings of a barn that is still structurally sound and fulfilling the basic needs of your O scale farmer. Woodland has additional structures to complete your farm scene.

BR5865 – Old Weathered Barn
$169.95 MSRP

Woodland Scenics
P.O. Box 98
Linn Creek, MO 65052
573-346-5555


Jan/Feb 2019This review appeared in the January/February 2019 issue of O Scale Trains. Subscribe Today!

This article was posted on: February 19, 2019