Well done small layout

[velotrain]

I just stumbled across this interesting small layout with very tight curves and sharp turnouts.

Some folks are always looking for ideas for small layouts, so thought I'd post it.

 

It seems to have a whole lot of operating potential given its small size - it is admittedly track intensive.

This would work well for trams and tram-hauled Showa-era freight, and/or Shorties - as implemented.

 

http://nantetsu.blog.shinobi.jp/%E6%B1%9F%E5%B3%B6%E9%9B%BB%E9%89%84%E3%83%AC%E3%82%A4%E3%82%A2%E3%82%A6%E3%83%88/

 

It's a project, so those who read Japanese can follow along.

 

Page 1 is oddly the most recent, with page 4 the oldest.  It took me a while to notice the numbers, which are below the dog and to the left of the rabbit.

 

To my eyes it projects a surprising amount of realism, when if handled differently it could easily be seen as caricature.

[Blobby]

Very nice!

[Krackel Hopper]

Thanks for the link!  That is a really interesting layout.  Dimensions are back on page one, 450mm x 920mm (18" x 36")

 

While it is track heavy (6 sidings!), it does not seem unbalanced.  There are over 20 structures built into that small scenery space.

 

One thing I find myself always nitpicking is realistic access.  The buildings and layout don't need to be realistic, but access does.  What I mean by that is, on so many layouts people just throw buildings in between multiple layers of tracks or whatnot where suddenly you have a 4 track rail crossing to gain access to a single farmhouse that is on 1 scale acre of property completely enclosed by rail.  For me, having realistic access helps solidify the idea that this could be a real place and makes the layout a lot more interesting.

 

I'd love to convert this layout into more of a tram design for my growing collection of Snow Miku trams.  Turn the 4 car yard into a tram storage yard.  Swap out the platforms for smaller tram stops.

[velotrain]

I couldn't agree with you more on the access point, although will admit to not considering roads up front when designing layouts.  Factories with unrealistic road access, or parking areas without enough space for a semi to turn around in.

 

There's still a fair amount of bare cork, so he isn't done.

[kvp]

I think this layout has rather realistic crossings. Also when i first saw the pedestrian crossings on some of the +100 km/h Tokyo commuter routes, i was really surprised. Then i realised that it's completly normal in Japan to have your front door open towards the right of way. At least it was normal until the mid 80-ies when the last cab view videos were made that showed this arrangement. Besides this, the layout looks great, but it's built completly for shorties as there are no structural gauge allowances for longer stock. (a Tomix 113 series could run on the tracks and there is enough platform length for it, but it won't fit in the curves)

[railsquid]

I think this layout has rather realistic crossings. Also when i first saw the pedestrian crossings on some of the +100 km/h Tokyo commuter routes, i was really surprised. Then i realised that it's completly normal in Japan to have your front door open towards the right of way. At least it was normal until the mid 80-ies when the last cab view videos were made that showed this arrangement.

 

There are still plenty of places where buildings back almost directly onto tracks with only a couple of metres between them and running trains. If the front door opens towards the tracks, there'll be a small road (possibly even a narrow path) between the front of the building and the railway. Becoming rarer as lines are tunnelled/raised but not something that suddenly became extinct in the mid-80's.

 

Thanks for the link!  That is a really interesting layout.  Dimensions are back on page one, 450mm x 920mm (18" x 36")

 

While it is track heavy (6 sidings!), it does not seem unbalanced.  There are over 20 structures built into that small scenery space.

 

One thing I find myself always nitpicking is realistic access.  The buildings and layout don't need to be realistic, but access does.  What I mean by that is, on so many layouts people just throw buildings in between multiple layers of tracks or whatnot where suddenly you have a 4 track rail crossing to gain access to a single farmhouse that is on 1 scale acre of property completely enclosed by rail.  For me, having realistic access helps solidify the idea that this could be a real place and makes the layout a lot more interesting.

 

Yup, one of my pet hates. I've seen some layouts with very nice detailling, but completely lacking in plausibility.

 

Another pet hate are those Tomytec level crossing sloped sections.

 

Anyway this is the kind of layout I like looking at, good for finding inspiration for detail scenes.

Edited January 28, 2016 by railsquid

[railsquid]

Here's another small-ish one I like: http://ojabu.blog.fc2.com/blog-category-9.html