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MUDKIP


Mudkip Orange

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Mudkip Orange

I've got one mostly-complete layout and one aborted module attempt, neither of which I feel compelled to work on. They were both designed for specific spaces in specific apartments in which I no longer live.

 

I think, then, that I need to build something which has a more regular size and alignment, even if it doesn't fit absolutely perfectly. And whatever it is, it needs to be a standalone layout, since frequent moves obsolesce any long-term modular expansion plans.

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Mudkip Orange

Well what is this? It would appear to be a 4x4 sheet of plywood, a 4x8 sheet of 2" foam, a pack of smaller sheets of 3/4" foam, and four 1x4x8s...

 

Interesting...

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I think you've taken Zen minimalism to new heights. Very Japanese.  :grin

 

A 4x8 is a bit large and awkward to move though, so is the plan to cut it up and make a modular/sectional layout, or what?

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Mudkip Orange

The foam will almost certainly be cut.

 

The 4x4 sheet of plywood suggests an ultimate layout size of 48"x48".

 

However, nothing is final until it is undertaken.

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Mudkip Orange

Here's a couple plans I'm kickin' around. The first is just a double track oval, with a switchback railway in the middle, a la Hakone Tozan.

 

The second is a once-around on the outside and a twice-around on the inside. Minimum radius on both is 12" inside / 13.25" outside.

post-161-13569928177131_thumb.png

post-161-13569928177457_thumb.png

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I like the first one.  It's less obviously roundy-round, and the switchback is a really nice feature that isn't often modeled.

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Krackel Hopper

I agree with Ken -

 

Layout #1 feels more natural, more fluid.. it has some natural dividing lines to create a couple different scenes.  Layout #2 will require a lot more creative planning to disguise the "running in a circle" feeling.  Not to say plan #2 is no good, but for me it would require a lot of extra effort trying to figure out where to put divide lines and how to break up the scenes.. whereas layout #1 pretty much does the work for you..

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As Ken and Krackel Hopper have both said, go with design Nr. 1. It will give a lot of operational and scenic interest.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

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And I'm wondering, are you sure there is enough lenght of track to allow all the changes in height? ;)

 

If not, I also agree, the switchback layout is sweet.

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What's wrong with roundy-rounds?

 

Nothing! I have a big roundy-rounds....it's a matter of tastes.

I like this last design....a lot of continuous running and makes the viewer follow the path of the train.

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What's wrong with roundy-rounds?

I like this a lot.  I find that I can't "like" posts here... have I offended an admin? :grin

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Martijn Meerts

Seems liking posts was turned of for this part of the forum, I just enabled it ;)

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Mudkip Orange

are you sure there is enough lenght of track to allow all the changes in height? ;)

 

The grades are fine - 3% is a squeeze, 4% is easy - but I haven't figured out how I'd be able to rescue derailed trains from all the tunnels. I'd have to build it as open grid with plaster hardshell to allow full access from under the table, and that's a whole lotta benchwork for a layout that you can only run trains around in a circle on :P

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Mudkip Orange

I'm kinda stuck at this point.

 

I imported the woman out from Tejas and she crashed here from mid-June to mid-July, so there was no quiet time for layout work. Now she's got her own place, but I've resolved to find a new place for myself when my lease ends on 9/30. At this point I've now started THREE layout projects that were ALL stillborn when I moved into a different apartment with different space constraints. So even a "not custom shaped" 4x4 layout, I'm wary to commit to anything.

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Maybe you should try something like Sir Madog's mini-modules. At least with them changing space shouldn't be a constraint. :)

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Mudkip....you ever thought of designing a layout that folds up to the size of a small box? I think that's how superman stored his cape.  :cheesy

Besides that.... good luck with finding a new place.

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Mudkip Orange

Yeah I dropped $30 alone on this big piece of foam. And I know if I just let it lean against the wall where it's been for the past two months, I can use it on whatever I decide to build in the new place...

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Mudkip Orange

Yep I am officially dropping this project based on living situation and exchange rate, and will instead be working on a couple of HO modules built largely with kits I already have.

 

If I make another attempt at a permanent N-scale layout it will be months, months in the future.

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