What did you do on your layout today? (N scale)

[cteno4]

Thanks toni, I want to make the sky tree look better!

 

Is there any replacement for the drawbar coupler between the two pair sets?

 

Jeff

[ToniBabelony]

Is there any replacement for the drawbar coupler between the two pair sets?

 

I've used the suggestion made by Greenmax: Tomix JC25 couplers.

[railsquid]

Talking of destruction, I've decided the largely complete shelf-based part of my layout must go, as it's in the way of what I want to do on the main layout. Fortunately I should be able to recycle some of the scenic bits to other parts of the layout, and it occurred to me what's left might be a good basis for a T-trak module or two.

[kvp]

Talking of destruction, I've decided the largely complete shelf-based part of my layout must go, as it's in the way of what I want to do on the main layout. Fortunately I should be able to recycle some of the scenic bits to other parts of the layout, and it occurred to me what's left might be a good basis for a T-trak module or two.

It's a shelf. Couldn't you just move it one shelf up or down, keeping it while you build a new one at the same level?

[kvp]

Sanded, sanded, sanded. sanded all the sides of the modules with the oscillating belt sander. does such a nice job on sides like this and got the tops all smooth and square with the sides. 

Still no public trackplan for the new club layout or i just managed miss them?

[ToniBabelony]

(...) it occurred to me what's left might be a good basis for a T-trak module or two.

 

I presume we should keep a seat warm for you on the T-Trak Tokyo board? ;)

Edited April 5, 2017 by Kabutoni

[railsquid]

It's a shelf. Couldn't you just move it one shelf up or down, keeping it while you build a new one at the same level?

 

Not really as I need the space on the shelves above/below, also part of it would become even more inaccessible than it is now (that's another reason why it's not making me happy as it is) and to be operated usefully it needs attaching to another layout or fiddle yard.

[Alemino]

I love the sound. What station music is that?

shimbashi and Yurachuo 

 

;)

[cteno4]

Still no public trackplan for the new club layout or i just managed miss them?

I have been meaning to start a new thead on the layout and get some of the track plan out. I don't have many of them output as they are in xtrakcad and my Mac is not happy with last installation, I need to spend some time fixing that. Matthew is on the road currently moving and did all the track cad planning work so I'll need to wait a bit to get more stuff spit out or get the install working. I may rebuild it in railmodeller as I use that much more these days.

 

Jeff

[yakumo381]

Realised that the level of dust, fluff and dog hair (Shelties like to spread it around) on Niihama has got to the point where I can't ignore it anymore so decided that next week is going to be time for a spring clean: everything that can be lifted to come off and then a thorough clean up with a vaccum. Also as well as a good track clean, need to undertake some track repairs as minor warpage in the baseboards over the past few years has caused some raised track ends that need fixing. However will probably leave the cracks in the scenery as that's reasonably prototypical for earthquake prone Japan.

 

Also will undertake a check and clean of all rolling stock and may be decide which stays and which goes to ebay...especially as I have just outstripped the available space in the sidings and display cabinets.

[gavino200]

shimbashi and Yurachuo 

 

 

;)

 

Thanks so much for posting that! Brings back fun memories :)

Edited April 5, 2017 by gavino200

[Drunkenclam]

Realised that the level of dust, fluff and dog hair (Shelties like to spread it around) on Niihama has got to the point where I can't ignore it anymore so decided that next week is going to be time for a spring clean: everything that can be lifted to come off and then a thorough clean up with a vaccum.

Oooh. Mrs Clam and I want to get a sheltie. We had a full sized rough collie before. He used to love his walks to the pub. Sit under the table and eat mini cheddars. We had a special vacuum installed in the house that extracts all the sucked up air to the outside. Helps to reduce the smell of dog after vacuuming the floor. Now with children, we would like something a little smaller

[ToniBabelony]

The sessions for this module are over. Time to move onwards to a more ambitious project.

 

[Das Steinkopf]

The sessions for this module are over. Time to move onwards to a more ambitious project.

Sad to see your module pulled apart, I quite liked it especially after seeing it in the flesh, the nice dose of weathering that you had applied gave it that urban grunge look.

Edited April 9, 2017 by Das Steinkopf

[ToniBabelony]

Sad to see your module pulled apart, I quite liked it especially after seeing it in the flesh, the nice dose of weathering that you had applied gave it that urban grunge look.

 

It's a constant battle with storage space, so now I'm working on a concept that can hold four single length modules, easy to transport, etc. This module doesn't fit in the whole idea, so it has to go. I also feel I can do much better than this!

[gavino200]

It's a constant battle with storage space, so now I'm working on a concept that can hold four single length modules, easy to transport, etc. This module doesn't fit in the whole idea, so it has to go. I also feel I can do much better than this!

 

Your level of perfectionism is inspiring. :)

[ToniBabelony]

Your level of perfectionism is inspiring. :)

 

It's the level of modelling that surrounds me that probably push me to continue to improve. Both professional and -quite a few- amateur friends have quite high standards for their detailing which have inspired me to change my personal approach to the hobby bit by bit. Not so much in a competitive way, but more in an innovative and self-satisfactory manner that bring smiles on people's faces and gets a conversation going. This most recent module has invoked this already, but I think it can be better.

[cteno4]

It's the level of modelling that surrounds me that probably push me to continue to improve. Both professional and -quite a few- amateur friends have quite high standards for their detailing which have inspired me to change my personal approach to the hobby bit by bit. Not so much in a competitive way, but more in an innovative and self-satisfactory manner that bring smiles on people's faces and gets a conversation going. This most recent module has invoked this already, but I think it can be better.

Kudos toni!

 

Jeff

[grumbeast]

It's the level of modelling that surrounds me that probably push me to continue to improve. Both professional and -quite a few- amateur friends have quite high standards for their detailing which have inspired me to change my personal approach to the hobby bit by bit. Not so much in a competitive way, but more in an innovative and self-satisfactory manner that bring smiles on people's faces and gets a conversation going. This most recent module has invoked this already, but I think it can be better.

 

Well, I think you've passed that on to others, certainly myself.  Watching the thread of your module construction and its completion really inspired me and I have my first t-track single module constructed ready for scenics as a result.  I found that I've been doing things much more slowly and carefully and aspire to such lovely module.  I also found that I felt far more satisfied as a result so thanks!

 

Graham

[ToniBabelony]

Well, I think you've passed that on to others, certainly myself.  Watching the thread of your module construction and its completion really inspired me and I have my first t-track single module constructed ready for scenics as a result.  I found that I've been doing things much more slowly and carefully and aspire to such lovely module.  I also found that I felt far more satisfied as a result so thanks!

 

I'm glad to hear that. T-Trak is an excellent means to improve on your skills on a limited space. For me it worked like my more professional pursues in art/comics. The more you get to know others in the field, the more you want to get on level yourself as well. Just to be able to create something you can be proud of yourself. In modelling I feel I'm from that still. In art/comics I can now work to a certain degree where I can commercially market my stuff without feeling too bad about it, so I know where to aim towards at least. I hope to follow your progress as well with the same interest! :)

[cteno4]

Ttrak is so good at learning how to do scenery and detail as you have a nice small scene to focus on and not have to tackle a huge project. Can all be done on a small table and packed into a small box when not working on it. And like toni demonstrated its easy to tear it up and reuse if you want to better it later! This cycle is perfect for starting, learning and then honing the craft!

 

This was Lee Monaco's goal with the Ttrak concept as her experience with Ntrak (she and her husband were part of the original group moving ntrak forward) she realized that many folks starting out ntrak represented a good sized chunk of real estate to work on (8-12x of a Ttrak module) and daunting to beginners. Also the little scene concept she felt was very important for folks to develop an eye for a scene and detail. I talked with her a lot in the early days of Ttrak and all these ideas were so central to what she wanted Ttrak to do for the hobby. She was an excellent dioramist and so it fit her fine scene eye so well and she did some spectacular modules and small multi module scenes. It was perfect meeting at jam with a talk on doing dioramas on an A4 sized board and her mixing in the ntrak modular idea to mix diorama, small size, unitrak ease and features and modular layouts.

 

It's great to see a resurgence in Japan of all she was trying to push with Ttrak as it all started with the convergence of all the Japanese influences and ideas and lee.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[railsquid]

Scenes of destruction earlier this week:

destruction by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

But fear not, after much thought and experimentation I've decided to rearrange things more to my satisfaction, and this area will be ceded to the UK.

Japan is moving along thee baseboard:

new-arrangement by Rail Squid, on Flickr

It will occupy one end of the baseboard from front to back (rather than be spread out along the entire back of the baseboard) and the elevated station will have 4 tracks/2 platforms

main-road by Rail Squid, on Flickr

Scenery is easy to move :D

scenery by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[IST]

Not too much, but 2 T-trak moduls got the base of the scenery (sand and leaves), plus I added some ballast between the 2 tracks on the modul with the signals.

[Rmsinsd]

Rice paddies...

 

Working on my 18" x 36" Bandai layout; rice paddies, farmers, train shed, yard fences.

[IST]

Rice paddies...

 

May I ask how did you do the rice paddies?