-Gerry's Mixed Layout

[gerryo]

This plan will include all modes of track and vehicles used in Japanese model railroading.  Well, the ones I am interested in anyway.  

Unitram.  This is where I got interested in Japan models.  I ordered a V50 set from them 4 years ago, they put it on back order, and I never heard from them again.  That was when I found out that I could order from Japan, and even though the shipping is expensive, I at least get what I order.

Unitrack.  I later got interested in Japan trains when I saw my first Shinkansen.  Found out how easy it is to use Unitrack, and all the variety there is to use.  I tried then to combine both on the same layout with some disastrous results.  Thanks to the people on this forum for straightening me out.  Mind you they also have some expensive ideas.

Moving Buses.  Then along came Tomytec with their moving bus system, which opened up other possibilities, and other problems.  These were designed so that you could combine them with their Wide Track Tram system and ideas took off.

 

So this will be my real serious layout to try to combine all these systems into the same layout.  I have some of it laid out on a plan that I have been playing with.  I got 3 aluminum frame tables from Noch in Germany and will try to cram as much as possible into this plan.  Now I have to try to remember how to copy a plan into here.  

Let me give it a try and I will be back with further details.

 

Gerry 

 

 

[gerryo]

OK.  That was easier than expected.

 

 

As you can see it is fairly crowded and needs additional work.  Not much room for Industrial stuff, which is disappointing, and no I will not be making it larger.  

 

The 560mm bridge at the top is one I have had for about 3 years and have not had a use for it.  I just love bridges.  The castle has not been decided yet, but obviously needs to be big.  The track around the outside is a single track viaduct which rises and falls to ground level at the ends, to arrive at the station which will be at the front.  The back side of the viaduct will be a double track station to help give reason for the bridge.  That green spot at the left end of the bus line is the BRT loop, and the bus loop at the right end will have a stop at the castle as well as at the park sites.  

 

I am going to have a lot of N scale track and accessories left over at the end of all this planning.  Maybe I'll have a yard sale and invite all you guys and gals to attend.

 

Gerry

[gerryo]

I have made a few changes, well OK more than a few, but I think it's better.  Got some industrial stuff. moved the Unitram closer to the front, and added a freight line all around.

 

 

OK, it's crowded but it is big and I have provided vehicle and people spaces.  Still have some fiddles to do when I ger the Gas works and the car wash.

Comments would be appreciated.  And does anyone know of a neat N scale Helicopter, prebuilt?

 

Gerry

 

Edited January 31, 2018 by gerryo
Forgot the helicopter.

[gerryo]

I have now completed my plan for the Mixed Layout.

 

The layout will be 3400mm long and 48.0 inches wide.  The main reason for the 48 inches is that all building materials sold in north America are based on the 48 inch width.  This move on my part prevents having to make a seam in the Styrofoam for the sake of 1 and 3/16 inch.  I've started to cut the tables to fit.

 

 

Yes, it's crowded but that's the way I like it.  But don't forget that this is a big layout.  The castle will be big also.  I'm thinking of the Woody Joe Matsumoto Castle, but I already have the small version of Matsumoto on my Z scale.

 

So, that's it for this plan, and with the cutting of the tables, and the receipt of the new Unitram V50, I move to the construction stage.

 

Gerry

 

 

[cteno4]

Gerry,

 

you can get in behind this, correct? At 4’ wide and that long it will be a must to have access all the way around (except a short end could be against a wall). Sorry to always bring this up but after working on a lot of very deep models and playing on 4.5’ x 7’ table in the basement for temp stuff it’s a pain when you have to reach much past a couple of feet to work on things and im tall with long arms.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[gerryo]

I'm short, with short arms, and have been dealing with this problem now for 76 years.  

 

Yes, even though I have a large gut, and no hips, I have always needed to have space behind my layouts.  That was a continuous problem with going to shows with even my Z scale layouts at 5 feet square.  They always wanted to know why.  Even though they could not reach across 5 feet they wanted me to be able.

 

Yes, I have 18 inches of space to move the layout in and out when I need to.

 

Thanx , again, Jeff.

Gerry

[cteno4]

cool! i know the issues well! Being tall and long armed i was the one usually tasked with doing the hardest reaching... i had one 3/4" scale exhibit model that ended up about 20;x24' in size! getting access was a trip. thus its now a thing that first jumps at me on layout plans as folks tend to grow layouts to fit all available space and track plans grow and reaching stuff can be very low on the list.

 

glad the project is moving for you. I again urge as soon as you have table tops play with any plan ideas you can before cementing things in place with the plan if you can. it really helps.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[gerryo]

Thanx Jeff.

 

gerry

[Tuga]

There's a lot going on in there.  

[gerryo]

In all of my past plans I have tried to incorporate a lot of city scene as well as railroading.  This one has less railroading which makes it seem more crowded as I put in a large segment of Unitram.  I have also tried to use most of the things which I have collected in N scale.  May be too much, but we shall see.

 

The large castle will be a centerpiece which also uses other facilities.  Being rather isolated, castles need bus or tram services to and from.  I guess, most castles are on high hills,but we are stuck with starting from FLAT tabletops.

 

Gerry 

[cteno4]

Yeah the big issue with modeling castle scenes are the grounds. Most all (especially the ones in the flatlands) have spacious grounds around them with built in concentric defenses like open areas,, zig zag roads, walls, dense plantings, and moats that take up al lot of space. Tour buildings, parking lots, etc tend to be a fair distance from the castle itself, so you have to some selective compression of the scene to fit it into the usual model rr space.

 

See what ones you can include squished in a but to help isolate the castle some. Having the tram and bus stops a bit away with a small lot and then some space to the entrance with a few features and longer winding trail (approaches to Japanese castles are usually not straight on but at angles and zig and zag to make attackers have a long path and give defenders a lot of places to ambush) of folks going up and back will help set both the traditional castle layout as well as the modern tourism scene. Add walls, moats, and dense foliage around other sides to split off the castle from the tracks and such and compress those areas the most to save space. By concentrating your ground scene to one area and minimizing it in others you will maximize the space you can do the “scene setter” and that will help hide you don’t have the space to do all of the scene. The minds eye then focuses on the scene setter and with details it is happy and sort of paints that level into the more non descript places you have heavily compressed in the viewers mind. Better than having mimimal scene all around without something good for the minds eye to be fed with.

 

cheers

 

jeff