Small B-Train Layout - Building it

[kami_illy]

I could get a bit further with the detailing of the station building. 

I'm super happy with the improvement in print and paper quality In this photo you can see it compared to the "mock-up" side...

 

 

And while I was on it, i also tried laying some tiles for the walkway / sidewalk. Once it will sit in its hole in the layout the gaps will be camouflaged enough i hope. 

 

 

Next up are some posters, the canopy roof and station signs. Still not sure what to write there. Since the town / layout has no name I wanted it to be a bit generic. Something like "Main Station, North entrance"...

[cteno4]

Nice kami, what did you make the picture from?

 

jeff

[kami_illy]

Hi Jeff, 

 

I used a stock photo of some ticket machines at Ueno and used it as a template for a CAD / vector drawing. Added my "track plan" and some dark grey frame to be used as some kind of mask for cutting and adjusting to the building. Then it was printed on photo paper. 

 

This is the image (here is the jpeg, print file was a pdf) 

 

ilja a.k.a. kami

 

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by kami_illy

[cteno4]

Nice, mind if I borrow it sometime here?

 

jeff

[kami_illy]

On 4/11/2021 at 1:06 AM, cteno4 said:

Nice, mind if I borrow it sometime here?

 

jeff

Sure. No problem. Just let me know when you sell it to become a millionaire 😉 

Seriously though, would be nice to see a photo of how you used it. Happy to share the design. 

[cteno4]

Thanks, will do, it’s a nice little station entrance bit that could be for big station area or a micro one! With touch screens and flat panel displays, things like this are going very 2 dimensional!
 

jeff

[kami_illy]

Progress comes in baby steps... got the station roof done. And a Suica promotion poster! Next is the sign, just need a good name now. 

 

 

[kami_illy]

Had some time and did another trail setup including the new buildings.. have to go through the pics now and prepare them for publishing... 

 

Here is a little teaser: 

Sunset in the old town square of Kami-town. 

[kami_illy]

So, like I said, I got some new buildings and started to put them together. Couldn't resist to have a test fit. Happy with the result. For me it starts to have this typical feeling. Just needs one or two more houses and of course a lot more small clutter (vending machines, light poles...) 

And of course putting it together. Let's see if I can get some of the materials. Lockdown and stuff isn't helping with that....

 

Edited April 26, 2021 by kami_illy

[kami_illy]

[disturbman]

Very, very nice. Looks wonderful. I wish I could come see it in flesh/paperboard.
 

On 4/27/2021 at 1:06 AM, kami_illy said:

And of course putting it together. Let's see if I can get some of the materials. Lockdown and stuff isn't helping with that....

 

Indeed, I had to wait quite a well to make a bulk order from Modulor when my partner and I needed specific supplies. Took a while to get delivered to. Also not easy to get time to go places when the Kitas are closed and you don't qualify for Notbetreuung.

[roadstar_na6]

That indeed looks very nice. I'll hire you to make my layout's streets one day 😛

[kami_illy]

On 4/29/2021 at 1:15 PM, disturbman said:

Also not easy to get time to go places when the Kitas are closed and you don't qualify for Notbetreuung.

 

Very true. But luckily I can get 1 or 2 "creative hours" in the night when kids are asleep, things are in shape and I am still awake once in awhile...

 

On 4/29/2021 at 4:24 PM, roadstar_na6 said:

I'll hire you to make my layout's streets

 

Yay...💰!! Haha. But seriously, let me know when I can help you with things.

[kami_illy]

When having the last test fit or "building placement trials" I noticed that I was pretty unhappy with the street facing wall of the little shrine. So I took it off and replaced it with a lower fence. It is so much better now, just missing the stairs in front and then I can print and build it with the thick papers and put it together neatly this time...! 

 

Before

 

 

After

 

Edited April 30, 2021 by kami_illy
typos

[kami_illy]

And I was also trying out station signs. I think it's obvious which version I will continue with 😉 

Now I'll try with smaller letters and having them properly installed on some kind of carrier board. Maybe even raised a little bit above the roof. 

 

 

Looks reasonably prototypical to you guys? Open for improvement. 

[kami_illy]

Since I couldn't find the Tomytec Variety Shop anywhere, I tried something else... 

 

 

Looked good so far, though just being simple paper mock ups. Seemed a bit small, but I found some photo/video that confirmed the size. Also it was missing the base. 

I wasn't too happy with the little roof and changed it. Version Two looks already better.

 

 

 

Might start to build a stronger card board model soon. Or does anybody have the Tomytec version for me? 😉

Edited May 28, 2021 by kami_illy

[gavino200]

That's amazing! You did this just for a mock-up? You copied the Tomytec structure using a computer program and then color printed it? What software program did you use? 

[kami_illy]

On 5/11/2021 at 11:50 PM, gavino200 said:

That's amazing! You did this just for a mock-up?

 

Thanks. Well, yeah, kind of. The paper model printed on cheap 80g paper is for mock-up. It helps a lot with optimising the design and for checking the spatial conditions. I'll use the design to then do a scratch-build house. Not too sure yet, which method i'll use. Maybe a cardboard one like the Sankei kits. Maybe 3D print. 

 

On 5/11/2021 at 11:50 PM, gavino200 said:

You copied the Tomytec structure using a computer program and then color printed it? What software program did you use?

 

Found some photos and videos of the Tomytec kit. Luckily one of them was done on a cutting board, so I had pretty accurate measurements. Then I used a CAD-program to draw it. I used ArchiCAD but any drawing program will work (like Adobe Illustrator or even SketchUp). In the end its just a bunch of coloured shapes and lines put next to each other... 😉

Edited May 13, 2021 by kami_illy
typo

[kami_illy]

I decided to give some more paper craft stuff a try and for some reason I thought it would be good to do it with the little street clutter stuff. So there will be some vending mashines, photo booths, mailboxes and things coming... 

 

Found some free downloads for paper models in another thread and gave them a try. Printed on basic 80g paper and glued to foam board. 

 

 

They look good. Only the folding lines are super thick and visible. So I changed that and also considered different sizes for version 2.0. 

Next will be with a glossy hi-res print of the display /glas parts. 

 

[cteno4]

Nice! When you use a core piece like foamcore or styrene you can print on lighter weight paper that can then cut edges tighter and fold easier/sharper. Also ink and toner don’t tend to crack as much on folding thinner papers.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Tom C]

Wow, good job. They stand up well to the cruel test of the close up photo 👍

 

I want to know what's in the can second row down three across from the left in the therd machine from the right ? 😉

[kami_illy]

3 hours ago, Tom C said:

I want to know what's in the can second row down three across from the left in the therd machine from the right

 

Well, it seems to be some juice box nestled in-between two Fantas. 😁

 

Lets see, how detailed the hi-res print will be. Usually on glossy paper you'll be able to see a lot of details.  

[Tom C]

8 hours ago, kami_illy said:

Well, it seems to be some juice box nestled in-between two Fantas

Ah, my eyes are not what they were, I thaught it was a can 🙂

[chickendrop]

On 1/12/2021 at 3:06 PM, kami_illy said:

Had another test fitting and found out two things. I need to "squeeze" more buildings in the block that i planned to give it a typical feel. Also the angled corner building and the station tower didn't fit. So i had to replan the roads a little bit.

 

 

 

 

seems to work now

 

 

Incredible! This is what I need to do with my small city.

[cteno4]

Play is the best thing you can do with planning like this.

 

jeff