California Packing Corporation, Santa Ana, CA. (aka Del Monte Quality Foods)

With my valance and fascia work almost done, I finally found some time to work on a couple of new structures for my layout. Between my staging yard (LA/San Bernardino) and San Juan Capistrano I had squeezed in 2 more industries representing the town of Santa Ana. Since Walthers released a kit that is based on the California Packing Corporation aka Del Monte Packing House, I absolutely wanted to include this significant structure on my layout.

On the picture above is the First Title Insurance Company Photo showing the prototype packing house

and here is the Walthers representation of it as the Valley Citrus Packers. At least four of these kits will be necessary to come close to the real thing. My limited real estate nevertheless allows for a two kit long structure. This will be the right side of the prototype picture.

The wall segments of the kit are beveled to form a rectangular structure with one wall piece for every side. For my packing house I had to join three sections with the stepped wall in the center.
I sanded the beveled edges away except for the left edge of the straight section and the right edge of the other straight section.

I trimmed the alignment tabs away using a pair of Xuron cutters.

Then I sanded the edges smooth.

I reinforced the wall sections with .040" plain styrene pieces from my scrap box glued to the back of the wall sections. I clamped everything together until the glue dried.

I searched the internet for the Del Monte logo found on the prototype picture. This logo was in use from 1909 until the 1960's. I will print it on clear decal paper and apply it to the structure after painting.

Next step will be painting and assembling the packing house.

Stay tuned for the next installment.