(finally) starting my first layout

[Polkadot]

After much planning and whatnot, I've decided that every layout I've planned has been impractically large & complicated for a first layout. So I've been busy getting materials together to announce that construction is starting (soon) on my first actual layout. It's going to be 2x3 and have a two-track station, two-track yard, and a single track mainline with some squiggles. It's going to be only for B-Trains and use R150 curves. I also have scenery planned out but that's for another time and subject to change.

 

Here's the basic track plan

 

And here it is with track I don't currently have hidden.

 

The last pack of r150 curves hould come in next week and then I'm probably going to start construction using a straight piece to substitute for the yard throat turnout (because those turnouts are expensive!)

 

As always feedback is very welcome.

 

--Carolyn

[Polkadot]

...And of course I forgot to upload an actual photo. I've got the main loop together with a couple substitutions on the board it's going to sit on (minus framing and a couple layers of foam)

[JR 500系]

I like it ~ It looks simple enough for a nice little B-train layout! 

[Kiha66]

Looks great, small and simple but still plenty interesting!  Be sure to share the progress as you go along.

[Polkadot]

Progress update!

 

the last curved pieces for the track came in and both trains are running. And I had the two turnout cables spliced to control both station turnouts.

The trains run fairly well around the track, the Yamatoji line 201 Series runs fine in both directions but the Keihan 2400 does not like to run counter-clockwise and sometimes derails.

(I think it's a train problem rather than a track problem because it also doesn't like to run counter-clockwise on a basic oval or my brother's American layout with much wider curves)

 I ordered some XPS foam board from a local building supply place instead of the normal Home Despot/Lowes since those stores seem to have higher prices and less selection. It should be ready for me to pick up sometime this week.

 

And lastly, here's a progress picture, I'm very happy with how it's turning out.

 

--Carolyn

[Kiha66]

Looking good!  Cant wait to see the start of scenery.

[Polkadot]

Progress! Finally!

 

I finally got my foam, so I've first traced out the track that I have onto it

 

Then I channeled my Fine Arts degree into blocking out my scenery plan

 

It's a bit of a mess since I'm an artist only in name, but this should convey the idea pretty well. (this squiggly line at the very top marks the river, my label was cut off in the picture)

 

The top part of the layout is going to be an extremely clichéd grassy riverbank, then there's going to be a small road along the top of the yard, which meets up with a big road on the left and bridges over the track and river. There's a few buildings around the intersection and above the small road, there is a drainage ditch running from a culvert under the small road, under the short straight section of track, and to the river, with the whole area to the right of it dedicated to a wooded shrine area. The big question marks I'm not quite sure what to do with yet, I'm thinking maybe some sort of parking for the station, or maybe a larger building like a small apartment building.

 

Definitely looking for feedback this time.

 

--Carolyn

[Grant_T]

Looks good to me. My advice is to just get in there and have fun building it. What kind of techniques will you use for scenery?

[valkyriepm]

Those question marks reminds me of my micro-layout when I started it. On that regard, Street view helped a lot. Just pick a city and started to wander and find a lot of detail and inspiration. Also, maybe when you start to build, it will come to you as an extension or completion of the area you're wrking on.

I'll be watching for your updates!

 

6 hours ago, Grant_T said:

My advice is to just get in there and have fun building it

And as Grant said.

 

Martin

[Sheffie]

I’d say, don’t be afraid to leave spaces. You won’t stop having ideas when you start building 

[Polkadot]

For the scenery I'm going to carve the elevation out of the foam (only the riverbank and drainage ditch in this case) then seal the whole thing with latex paint, airbrush base ground color on, and cover with regular fake grass (the stuff that comes in a bag or shaker)

 

Roads are going to be sheet styrene with the lines masked and airbrushed, buildings will be premade or kits, with papercraft buildings used as placeholders to get some height on the layout nice and quickly.

 

I think for the ?? Between the tracks I'm going to extend the station platform around the curve a little bit, and then have some bike racks next to the road with stairs leading up the end of the platform.

 

In other news, I'm debating having the shrine are elevated slightly over the rest of the ground level, what are y'all's thoughts one that idea?

 

--Carolyn

[cteno4]

Looks like a neat small layout with lots of small scenes you can do! That’s the joy of modeling japan, a lot of elements can be jammed into a small space and have a totally jumbled appearance as there are few zoning codes and restrictions compared to many rr modeling areas in other parts of the world.

 

you find shrines in all sorts of places. Elevating it may work or even hiding it some with some trees so it peaks out at various angles to be fun. Just play with it and see what works for you. Papercraft building are great to play with ideas. Even just knocked out shapes can help. If you are unsure about a small area of scenery make it on a hunks of styrene cut to shape and you can rough out a few different ideas, plop them down to see what you like best.

 

valkyriepm is spot on google street view is a really great way to get ideas.

 

Will be great to watch this come together!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Polkadot]

I have started initial shaping, the riverbank is complete in the top layer of foam, and I've marked out where it lines up on the bottom layer, as well as where I want the actual waterline to be.

 

The lower layer is going to be significantly harder to shape, since I want the bank from the top to flatten out relatively gently and then have it flat enough for a bike/footpath along the water's edge. The area of the bank to the right of the vertical line marked on it is too steep to really be a grassy riverbank so I'll have that as a retaining wall type thing.

 

--Carolyn