Freight Layout

[Spaceman Spiff]

Nicely Done Macdon

 

 

 

 

 

Spiff

Edited May 19, 2013 by Spaceman Spiff

[macdon]

Still tons of work to do on the layout, so while waiting on some things - I decided to embark on a more simpler one...........

 

I've wanted to try a shinkansen but have set it aside due to a limited layout table space. So I thought the only way I could ever run one would be using the floor. One consideration was to bring it up a few inches, so a viaduct system would be in order. An elongated V13 perhaps?

 

As a viaduct station, kato has certainly cornered the market with its 23-125 station set however I thought of possibly changing the facade a bit. Searching some google pics, I found the Hamburg Dammtor station that minitrix offered for their HO line, so I decided to make a cardboard facade that kinda resembles the station.

 

Nothing concrete at the moment, just trying out this card project to see the viability of having it molded as I would need a front and back of this facade to make the station. A detachable roof is also an option.

 

Mardon

 

[cteno4]

Mardon,

 

Wow, great job on the facad! You are a master at cardboard! All that mould making, you can scratch build what ever you want!

 

Jeff

Edited May 20, 2013 by cteno4

[macdon]

Mardon,

 

Wow, great job on the facad! You are a master at cardboard! All that mould making, you can scratch build what ever you want!

 

Jeff

 

Thanks Jeff - its really fun working on these stuff.

[macdon]

There's not much progress on the layout but just the addition of a couple of freight locomotives, some structures, rolling stock and an additional controller.

 

Just random pics.........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mardon

[macdon]

Here's a separate project - viaduct oval for a floor setup. This will be a shinkansen line that most likely be my test track as well.  Just got some parts a few days ago, so just playing around with those..........

 

 

 

 

 

Mardon

[Densha]

It looks good, but I just can't leave without saying that IMHO the two tracks right through the town looks a bit off and unrealistic. Other than that it looks awesome!

[macdon]

It looks good, but I just can't leave without saying that IMHO the two tracks right through the town looks a bit off and unrealistic. Other than that it looks awesome!

 

Originally, they were suppose to be industrial branch lines but as more structures come in it became apparent to me that whatever industry that may fit the space may not exactly warrant a freight service. Space is just too small. Im still deliberating if ill remove it actually.

Of course, the only reason for me to having an industry branch line is to provide more "activities" for play.

 

Mardon

[cteno4]

ahh but in japan you can find a prototype for just about anything. in small layouts like this you usually need to bend some rules anyway. once the buildings are all in there you wont notice that soo much! 

 

really coming along fast! you also seem to still have a lot of open space to do scenery which will really help on a small layout like this. is there going to be a hill side/ tunnel anywhere?

 

jeff

[macdon]

ahh but in japan you can find a prototype for just about anything. in small layouts like this you usually need to bend some rules anyway. once the buildings are all in there you wont notice that soo much! 

 

really coming along fast! you also seem to still have a lot of open space to do scenery which will really help on a small layout like this. is there going to be a hill side/ tunnel anywhere?

 

jeff

 

Hey bud,

 

Hillside tunnel?  You didnt see it? I have a mountain on one side of the layout that actually has 6 portals - 4 portals for the trains and 2 portals on the top of the mountain for a vehicle roadway. Both my freight line and commuter line passes thru that mountain thus the portals.

 

Yeah, im nowhere near the stage of placing trees/foliage - but there will be lots of places for those around and inside the layout. 

 

The biggest departure I had to make was to make the freight yard a bit longer just to accept an additional 1 car length. Since I had a curve right after the yard, I had to move that curve a bit further and closer to the mountain. My planned river at the foot of the mountain will now have to be just a creek........lol!

 

Mardon

[cteno4]

Doh, missed that in the photos there!

 

jeff

[macdon]

Not really the ideal environment for a shinkansen.......... but im just itching to try out the 500 Nozomi! Lol!

Its really bad how it takes an 11" radius!

 

 

Mardon

[Bernard]

macdon - As you found out Shankansen's need a large radius, when I designed my layout it was with the intention of running them. My max. radius was 22" and my min. was 17.5"....I never had a problem with running them with these radii. Here is a video.

[macdon]

macdon - As you found out Shankansen's need a large radius, when I designed my layout it was with the intention of running them. My max. radius was 22" and my min. was 17.5"....I never had a problem with running them with these radii. Here is a video.

 

Thanks Bernard and you really have a great layout there! How I wish mine were at least half as big.

 

No doubt, it was really not the right tracks for the train. It was like trying to run a F1 car on a Go Cart course....Lol! I was merely itching to try it out and just took a video for the heck of it. Once my viaduct tracks are complete I could build a floor layout for it.

 

Mardon

[Bernard]

Mardon - The good thing is that your 500 Nozomi can run on your layout.....I learned the hard way. I was given a Bachmann N scale set that included a 4-8-4 Northern Engine. Problem was the track that was included with the set was only 11" radius. The always derailed when it came to a curve, it was very frustrating. I then realized that Bachmann should have never put such a tight radius in the set. When I switched to Japanese Model RR I knew I wanted Shankansens and needed a large smooth radius for the trains to "fly" on. I do have one area in the entire layout (my yard) where there is a 16" curve, my 700 barely makes it through.

And remember, it's your layout do what you want to do and have fun doing it!

[macdon]

Mardon - The good thing is that your 500 Nozomi can run on your layout.....I learned the hard way. I was given a Bachmann N scale set that included a 4-8-4 Northern Engine. Problem was the track that was included with the set was only 11" radius. The always derailed when it came to a curve, it was very frustrating. I then realized that Bachmann should have never put such a tight radius in the set. When I switched to Japanese Model RR I knew I wanted Shankansens and needed a large smooth radius for the trains to "fly" on. I do have one area in the entire layout (my yard) where there is a 16" curve, my 700 barely makes it through.

And remember, it's your layout do what you want to do and have fun doing it!

 

Should'nt a manufacturer test out the product first before offering it to the market? That'll frustrate me as well. 

I do know Kato offers the 500 Nozomi in a starter set having a M1 oval which I think has 12.5" radius curves - still tight, I know. But Im sure they probably tested out the set 'coz I now know it runs on an 11 radius. Not ideal, but runs.

 

Bernard, do you have a video of your whole layout? Maybe even a track plan? I would love to see it.

 

Mardon

[JR 500系]

It's looking great Mardon! I could almost hear the 500 series crying when it goes through the curves... Yes while shinkansens are beautiful things the space they require is kinda large... I have a really generic and boring overhead viaduct for my shinkansens to fly on using 428mm and 502mm curves from the Tomix overhead trackset... While yes they can fly, i'm suffering from the lack of complexity and it does get kinda boring just running round and round... And a poor man like myself just doesn't have enough space for larger layouts...

[macdon]

It's looking great Mardon! I could almost hear the 500 series crying when it goes through the curves... Yes while shinkansens are beautiful things the space they require is kinda large... I have a really generic and boring overhead viaduct for my shinkansens to fly on using 428mm and 502mm curves from the Tomix overhead trackset... While yes they can fly, i'm suffering from the lack of complexity and it does get kinda boring just running round and round... And a poor man like myself just doesn't have enough space for larger layouts...

 

Hey country neighbor .........Lol!

 

Im just on the same boat as you but space limited as well. While I basically have the whole attic for myself since nobody much go up there due to heat - still, my wife would kill me if I go beyond my 3'x7' table layout. 

The attic houses the xbox setup, a small audio setup, my rc boat stuff and my 3 month old train table. Once I get rid of all my rc boat stuff, I could probably beg for either a bigger layout or 2 layouts. Well, its free to dream! Lol!

 

Mardon

[macdon]

Our attic has climate extremes and my cardboard landform doesnt seem to like it very much and any hopes of waiting for my workers to fiberglass it is starting to look dim. I revamped my 3'x7' layout and took out all the cardboard land form and worked directly on the polyfoam itself.

 

Basically, still the same track plan but relocated the freight yard and eliminated the varying up and down slopes at the back of the layout and maintained it level instead. I also added a 3 long truss bridge and now 2 mountains instead of just one.

 

Mardon

 

[cteno4]

smart, cardboard plus climate changes equals yeuch!

 

foam is the way to go (except if you own a fiberglass biz of course!).

 

jeff

[BTrain]

Wow. Very cool track plan. Lots of interest in a small layout. I like the combined freight and commuter operations.

[macdon]

Thanks Jeff and BTrain.

 

I made a custom base for 3 japanese structures. Still in styrofoam condition and will paint later.

 

Mardon

 

 

[JR 500系]

I made a custom base for 3 japanese structures. Still in styrofoam condition and will paint later.

 

Mardon

That's nice Mardon! 

 

Can i ask if they're lighted on the inside? 

 

I'm using foam as base material too, as i can hide the lighting wires under the buildings inside form.. Nice shapping of the foam to create those stairs! Even without painting, you can pass it off as a snow scene ~

[macdon]

That's nice Mardon! 

 

Can i ask if they're lighted on the inside? 

 

I'm using foam as base material too, as i can hide the lighting wires under the buildings inside form.. Nice shapping of the foam to create those stairs! Even without painting, you can pass it off as a snow scene ~

Thanks Sammy!

I havent gone the way of lights yet buddy - but will eventually do. Probably projecting near the end of completion 'coz up to now im still deciding on where structures will be located, etc.

 

As for those 3 structures, the white styrofoam gives an edge in doing snow scenes, eh? It came to me as well.

Thou I was thinking of making those structures sit on rock. Rock with poured concrete.

 

Mardon

 

[KenS]

The beads would give a good "rock" texture, and you could hide it with a thin layer of plaster or similar where you want to have earth.

 

Beadboard is hard to shape, compared to the extruded foam or the foam-in-a-can urethane stuff, though you've proved it can be used for scenery. But one problem with it is the tendency to crumble, as the beads aren't held to each other very strongly. Something that forms a shell, like plaster cloth or latex paint, is a good idea if you want it to hold together for the long term.