Photos and Video of 2.5 x 5 Japanese Layout

[ospen]

This was my first layout ever and I'm really happy with how it came out. Due to space constraints, a variety of design decisions were made to fully utilize the 2.5 x 5 layout--using the smallest radius curves available and using compressed Bandai shorty train cars.

Curve radii - The inner spur uses 216mm curves. The inner loop uses 249mm curves. And the viaduct loop uses 249mm curves. To add visual interest, the viaduct crosses the ground tracks at 4 locations. All Kato Unitrack.

Landscape - All Woodland Scenic foliage/brush products on a ReadyGrass mat with several formed hills.

Trains - The compressed Bandai Shorty trains allowed me to preserve realism in the tight layout. In the first segment, it's a 500 series Nozomi Shinkansen. In the second segment, that's a Kato ES44 hauling a combination of Kato and Tomix rolling stock. Was pleasantly surprised that the ES44 ran fine on the 216mm curves.

Buildings - These are all Tomytec structures. I like that they come with mild weathering effects so they look less plasticky.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/2Xa8i6eN3g0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/2Xa8i6eN3g0</a>

[disturbman]

Great! Now the B-Trains are hitching me again...    

Edit: Forgot to ask for the dimensions in the metric system.

[ospen]

Edit: Forgot to ask for the dimensions in the metric system.

76 cm x 153 cm

[keitaro]

wow thats really good. job well done !!!

[KenS]

Hmm, a CSX freight pulling a Japanese container train on a Shinkansen line.  Now that's something you don't see every day. 

Nice layout, and beautiful video which really captures the feel of it.  Well done.

The building lighting is good, but with at least one building it makes the lack of an interior too obvious.  Is the bridge lit intentionally, or was that splash from one of the buildings?  It's a nice effect, and you see that kind of lighting in the real world sometimes, although more commonly with automobile bridges than train bridges.

[ospen]

Hmm, a CSX freight pulling a Japanese container train on a Shinkansen line.  Now that's something you don't see every day. 

Ha! Just don't like the look of the Japanese locomotives as much. But some of the Bandai Shorty versions of the EF locomotives are really cute.

Is the bridge lit intentionally, or was that splash from one of the buildings?

Yup. Intentional, using a spotlight from under the bridge.

[Bernard]

Really nice layout! Very nice planning for a small layout.

[inobu]

Did a good job all around...... Video too!

Inobu

[JRF-1935]

WOW !  Very Nice layout - "loved" the music ;-)
Rich C

[Mr Frosty]

Excellent layout. What are the little red tramcars?

[ospen]

Excellent layout. What are the little red tramcars?

They're these Bandai Shorty cars: http://www.hlj.com/product/BAN956502

They've been on sale for 420 yen at HLJ for a while. They've got a lot of character and charm.

[Mr Frosty]

Thank you, I have some on order.

[ospen]

Been adding more details: catenary poles, cars, trucks, cherry blossoms, plaster rocks. Here's more pics.

[ospen]

And I'm constantly surprised by how expressive n-scale figures can be. Here are some macro shots:

[KenS]

I really like what you've done creating small scenes with the figures.  That adds so much life to the buildings and scenery (the scenery is quite good-looking too).

[Bernard]

I really like what you've done creating small scenes with the figures.  That adds so much life to the buildings and scenery (the scenery is quite good-looking too).

Ken said it all, nice use of your figures to set up scenes.

[to2leo]

Wow it just goes to show nice layout doesn't have to be big.  I really like your video!

[cteno4]

Ospen,

great stuff. amazing what you can pack into a small space, especially with the shorties! makes quite a fun little scene with them! the little scenes are great, this really shows you what can be done in tiny spaces, if the eye is attracted into little detail scenes the mind will tend to forget the layout is tiny and the mind's eye remembers something much more grand than a larger layout with fewer details.

love the video, felt like a commercial for btrain shorties on tv! nice production values.

cheers

jeff

[Mudkip Orange]

How... did I miss this?

Awesome.

Also, would love to see a track plan.

[Dani]

I love it!! It's really cute and charming, full of details. Those woodland scenic material raises the layout to other level.

Just trying to find a suggestion to have an excellence, I miss a more real ballast. May be you can improve it.

Congratulations!

[ospen]

@Mudkip Orange: Here's the track plan along with some bird's eye views.

Note that the top siding tracks can be better closed with that adjustable-length Unitrack piece. And the right end of that top passing siding uses a custom-beveled R216-45 to make it all fit. I just used a dremel to bevel that piece of R216.

[cteno4]

just a note that ospen just posted a great article on his shorty layout on the jrm site. actually its two articles, one on getting started with btrain shorties and the second on his layout. bang up job by another jns member! thanks again ospen!

http://japanrailmodelers.org/pages/modelingjapan/btrainshorty-pt1.html

http://japanrailmodelers.org/pages/modelingjapan/btrainshorty-pt2.html

cheers

jeff