Finding measurements from photo(s)--possible?
- Thread starter burbri45
- Start date
jadebullet
might be back?
JRT's method only really works for a rough estimate since perspective comes into play. I do the same thing, but you have to realize that you aren't going to get exact measurements, so you may have to mess around with it a little until you get what you want.
I usually do it by using the windows and doors as a guide. If you can guess the size of the doors and windows, then you can get pretty close to the dimensions of the building. For example, on residences, you can figure on personnel doors to be about 6'-8" tall and on commercial buildings, they are generally 7 ft tall. Of course there are exceptions to every generalization. If the picture has a person standing next to it or possibly something else that you can guess a dimension from. If it's a brick building, you can count the number of courses of brick. If it's standard size brick, then 3 courses of brick would be 8 inches.
Mike
Mike
I use leefers method (doors). Windows appear to be standardized at 3 by 5 ft but there is a lot more variation then doors. Doors are a much better choice for ratio and porportion measurements. Just keep in mind your photo is almost certainly not taken directly from the side so as jadebullet mentioned perspective gets involved. With a litlte thought you can get a pretty good approximation this way.
Ben
Ben
Well, sadly, the building I am trying to find measurements for no longer exists (gone by 1978). Even though I am trying to find the measurements of a certain building now, I (and others also) could have used the information to help in discovering the measurements of other buildings
What I am trying to find is the measurements for this building:
http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/admin/tour/13645/13645depot.jpg
It is (or was) the Union Pacific depot at Delta, Utah. It was 24ft by 110ft and was based on other standard Union Pacific depots across the system. I've never yet found a photo of the other side of the depot, and I also don't know the length from the ends to the baggage door (8ft. across), bay window, etc.
The depot might have been changed since its completion in 1912, because in one old photo of Delta, you can barely make out that the depot has 2 chimneys on its roof, while in the later photo above, it has 3. Also, there are no other UP depots (that I know of) that have the same length, so it would make sense if it had been extended or slightly rebuilt.
What I am trying to find is the measurements for this building:
http://www.uen.org/utahlink/tours/admin/tour/13645/13645depot.jpg
It is (or was) the Union Pacific depot at Delta, Utah. It was 24ft by 110ft and was based on other standard Union Pacific depots across the system. I've never yet found a photo of the other side of the depot, and I also don't know the length from the ends to the baggage door (8ft. across), bay window, etc.
The depot might have been changed since its completion in 1912, because in one old photo of Delta, you can barely make out that the depot has 2 chimneys on its roof, while in the later photo above, it has 3. Also, there are no other UP depots (that I know of) that have the same length, so it would make sense if it had been extended or slightly rebuilt.
grumplstink
New member
I don't know if this site can help? They list old stations still existing and the location of some that have been moved! You might be able to find a building by the same architect? http://www.american-rails.com/surviving-utah-railroad-stations.html
The depot is very similar to standard 24' by 64' Union Pacific depots across the system, which looked like this:
http://www.hobbylinc.com/gr/amo/amo127.jpg
The door between was sometimes changed places with the window between it and the bay window, and perhaps in the photo of the Delta depot, there is a depot behind the depot, which would mean that the north end of the depot would be the same as the model.
EDIT: I found a better picture of the Common Standard depot above (LINK here), and if you flip this picture around, it matches the north half of the Delta depot exactly. Now, to find the measurements for the south end...
http://www.hobbylinc.com/gr/amo/amo127.jpg
The door between was sometimes changed places with the window between it and the bay window, and perhaps in the photo of the Delta depot, there is a depot behind the depot, which would mean that the north end of the depot would be the same as the model.
EDIT: I found a better picture of the Common Standard depot above (LINK here), and if you flip this picture around, it matches the north half of the Delta depot exactly. Now, to find the measurements for the south end...
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