By signcraft
Posted on Sunday, December 21st, 2025
If you’ve seen photos of busy US cities in the 1930s, you know that there were plenty of signs—on shopfronts, walls, vehicles and windows. With little besides newspaper advertising for marketing, most businesses—small and large—relied heavily on signs to get the job done.
If you like vintage signs, take a look at the signs of the Franklin & South Manchester Railroad. It’s an HO railroad-based layout that features a fictitious town and railroad. Some believe it is the most highly detailed model railroad layout ever.
The railroad and buildings are amazing, but the hundreds of signs are a central player in creating the authentic look of a mid-thirties town. The sign layouts are authentic and are aged to perfection. And they are everywhere: on walls and rooftops, storefronts and windows, vehicles and billboards. Take a look!
