Toyama Portram LRV Layout

[Concept Model Trains]

A video of my Toyama Portam depot.

 

[westfalen]

You're giving me some ideas here. I've got one of those sheds gathering dust somewhere.

[DarkStar]

Wow, for a 32" x 40" layout, this is pretty nice! I wanted to get started in N-scale with some Portram LRVs and definitely have room for a layout that size!

[CaptOblivious]

This layout shares a lot in common with St Louis MetroLink's Ewing Yard and Shops:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=4229+Botanical+Ave,+St+Louis,+Missouri+63110&ll=38.625747,-90.220821&spn=0.002217,0.006673&t=h&z=18

 

(MetroLink is our local light rail, and uses consisted pairs of articulated LRVs, albeit ones considerably longer than the Portram)

[David]

This layout shares a lot in common with St Louis MetroLink's Ewing Yard and Shops:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=4229+Botanical+Ave,+St+Louis,+Missouri+63110&ll=38.625747,-90.220821&spn=0.002217,0.006673&t=h&z=18

 

(MetroLink is our local light rail, and uses consisted pairs of articulated LRVs, albeit ones considerably longer than the Portram)

 

It looks like you need to drive through two unguarded level crossings to get in or out of the parking lot. I hope those tracks match American convention for which side to drive on, otherwise that first crossing would have about a 2 second warning time for a train that decides to switch off the main line.

[CaptOblivious]

This layout shares a lot in common with St Louis MetroLink's Ewing Yard and Shops:

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=4229+Botanical+Ave,+St+Louis,+Missouri+63110&ll=38.625747,-90.220821&spn=0.002217,0.006673&t=h&z=18

 

(MetroLink is our local light rail, and uses consisted pairs of articulated LRVs, albeit ones considerably longer than the Portram)

 

It looks like you need to drive through two unguarded level crossings to get in or out of the parking lot. I hope those tracks match American convention for which side to drive on, otherwise that first crossing would have about a 2 second warning time for a train that decides to switch off the main line.

 

They do match; they drive on the right side. Just barely visible in the photo, though, is the security fence which keeps non-employees out of the yard. Also, as I recall, the yard limits are something like 10MPH.

[Concept Model Trains]

The car access is difficult with this size layout. I'm thinking of moving the depot and incorprating it with the other two layouts (city and surburban).  I've put a couple of ideas together using my track design software.  I would appreciate your thoughts.

[David]

The car access is difficult with this size layout. I'm thinking of moving the depot and incorprating it with the other two layouts (city and surburban).  I've put a couple of ideas together using my track design software.  I would appreciate your thoughts.

 

I like the first, as it has a less symmetrically "loop of track" appearance, though with scenary that could be avoided. I do notice that one layout has 3 seperate tracks while the other has 2.

 

Offhand, that looks like AnyRail you are using. Is there now a Finetrack/Minicurve template for that or are you using something else?

[Concept Model Trains]

I've been using AnyRail for about 10 months.  It has been useful for creating Unitrack layouts and has  really saved me a lot time.  AnyRail had an update last month to include a Tomix FineTrack library.  Even though I'm working with small layouts, AnyRail is still good for trying different things out.  I find AnyRail is easy to use and fast to get ideas together. 

 

For anyone that hasn't tried AnyRail you can download the trial version (Windows).  http://www.anyrail.com/

 

It's limited to 50 pieces of track but that is enough to create a small Tomix layout.  I would be interested to know if anyone else uses AnyRail.  I've included one of on Unitrack layouts that was created for the Toyama Portrams.

[Jeff925]

So, I was wondering, what is the track sitting on? Is that a grass mat, or did you scenic the area? Thanks!

[bill937ca]

That's an old post from 15 years ago. This layout is similar.

 

 

Edited May 16 by bill937ca

[katoftw]

That's a typical grass matt

[James-SNMB]

Grass mats are kind of awesome. It's such a speedy way to make a layout look finished. My daughter and I built her 2x3 layout in an afternoon, and I was pretty impressed at how alive it look with almost no effort. Then I stared up at my big unfinished city and got a bit jealous!

[cteno4]

@James-SNMB, even a table cloth can do wonders. Like a dark brown one. If it’s not your SO’s prize table cloth you can also poke holes I  it and run the wiring under the cloth to hide it. Then you can put down chunks of colored construction paper for green areas, parking lots, streets, etc along with grass mats and little scenery islands that are just small chunks of card board or styrene with some scenery materials on them. Great way to start to learn how to create scenery and practice. Also add little bits of scenery around your structures. our local Japanese train club here in DC did this sort of temporary layouts like rhis at shows with scenery islands and such for our first 5 years.
 

Great article here on the temporary layout scenery.

 

cheers,

 

jeff

[bill937ca]

Actually art paper which is much larger sheets than construction paper makes a great low cost background. I have also used art paper as a backdrop on a table with an edge and attached it with A-clips from the dollar store.

 

Where to find art paper. Locally there is art paper at a art supply store and also sometimes in the larger dollar stores.

 

Edited May 21 by bill937ca

[brill27mcb]

I use art paper sheets for my layouts, and plan to never "grow up" to "real" scenery. Look for an art supply store that sells Canson "Mi-Tientes" sheets. They come in a wide variety of colors, in both 19" x 25" (to cover bigger areas - 10 will cover a whole 4' x 8' sheet of plywood with overlaps) and 8 1/2" x 11" sizes (for smaller areas, or you can cut to odd shapes as needed). This heavy art paper comes from France and is meant for use with pastels. This paper is 50% cotton, acid free, fade resistant, and has a slightly heavier texture on one side than the other.

 

 

Colors I find useful on my layouts are #448 Ivy (grass areas), #336 Sand (light soil, in yards, etc.), #345 Dark Grey (under city blocks - I'm a trolley/tram modeler) and #429 Felt Grey (a lighter grey). Cost in the U.S. is only about $3 to $4 for a 19" x 25" sheet, and I have been using and reusing my sheets, including on train show and club setups, for over 15 years now. Due to the size of the larger sheets, it may be best to find a local store rather than having it shipped. If you overlap the pieces starting from either side to wherever you will operate your layout and from back to front, that will help to minimize the shadows along the overlaps.

 

Rich K.

[cteno4]

Rich,

 

we used the identical sheets for the first 5 years of JRM layouts as well!

 

jeff

[brill27mcb]

You probably gave me the idea, Jeff!

 

Rich K.

[cteno4]

I think we started doing those setups on the fly at about the same time!

 

jeff