Garage Unit Tram Layout

[bill937ca]

Work on Layout B continues.  I've added a .030 styrene base under some key buildings with the block bordered by Greenmax sidewalks (paved  roads in Greenmax speak). Waiting for Greenmax street lights, Kato tram bracket arms and Tomytec street trees  to add more detail to the scene.   The street will have a parking lane with on street trees and two lanes of traffic .  The bus and truck are to measure the width of the street.

Edited January 23, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

I've come across an old Greenmax 33 building and I am trying to remember what the yellow sign is.  Any translations?

[Beaver]

It's a 'Lunch Delica'; basically a slightly fancy/pretentious lunch counter/takeaway I think. (Delica seems to be a contraction of delicatessen.)

Edited January 24, 2023 by Beaver

[bill937ca]

1 hour ago, Beaver said:

It's a 'Lunch Delica'; basically a slightly fancy/pretentious lunch counter/takeaway I think. (Delica seems to be a contraction of delicatessen.)

Thanks very much.

 

Edited January 24, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Work progresses on the second Garage Unit layout. Most of my time has been spent assembling existing Tomytec and Greenmax structures. Still waiting for soem key scenic materials to arrive. Then street lights, road fences, roadside trees (in the parking lane) will be added. Still additional holes to be drilled in  sidewalks. After all that I can add figures and vehicles.

 

 

[bill937ca]

For a while I have been mulling over signs for my 3F Greenmax buildings.  These are from the 2611 version of these buildings and at this time there are about four versions of these buildings available. Last night I was reading about Nova Group, a chain of English language schools that used to be very prominent in Japan.  They had a practice of locating schools near train stations. This all fell apart in a scandal  in 2007. A big pay in advance cash grab ending with the founder in prison and foreigner workers scrambling to cover rent no longer covered by the company. The bankrupt company was sold and portions of it appear to still be in business with a different logo. Aeon is another English language school company with a red and white logo.

 

I had two sets of stickers from an old Greenmax 46-7 kit bought second-hand from Japan.  Cutting the first Nova or maybe Wova sticker didn't go well. So I scanned the second sticker and printed it on thin cardstock.  What you see on the building is the cardstock sticker.

 

Most of my current Greenmax business buildings have awnings because I like them and they add some color to the scene. I don't fasten down the roofs on my buildings until I am sure its complete and then with a reversible glue.

 

Many of my buildings will have signs for One Coin Lunches, stuff like Soba, Ramen and Gyudon shops.

 

Some Wikipedia  background on Nova Group and Eikaiwa schools. This may be a sign of the times as I suspect much of this is now done by live streaming.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nova_(eikaiwa)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eikaiwa_school

[bill937ca]

With the extreme cold yesterday I stayed inside and did a lot of work on the second tram layout. I started by putting down a strip of styrene in front of the sidewalk and buildings to hold them back. Next the sidewalks were glued to a base of .030 sheet styrene.  The sidewalks form a long U shape and hold the twelve or so buildings in line. I had laid it out with a side street about mid-way along, but I like the long block with perhaps an alley way leading to a yokocho.

 

Holes are drilled for road fences and street lights.  Yet to come are more signs for the buildings, more vertical signs, parked cars, street trees and figures.

 

I also did a re-arrangement of the Euro tram layout center. I moved the park to the far end and put the church back up front at the other end. In between I have three Euro style buildings as a backdrop to the tram stop.  Photos later.

[bill937ca]

I adjusted the Euro layout moving the church back to the front and shifting the park to the far end of the layout.  The center building block is now three European buildngs. The tram stop area was cut in half and will probably be replaced as time goes on. It looks a little rough to me.

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Yes, I need a backdrop otherwise the shades of lamps on the dining room table will be in the back of every photo.  I pulled the row of shops close to the tram tracks leaving about just two lanes and added some trees at the end.

Edited February 10, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Latest addition to the collection. Nagasaki Electric Tramway 3001 Aluna Little Dancer tram.

[bill937ca]

Just to give equal billing, here is my new Tomytec tram on the Euro layout. As I type this it is running on the Unitram layout.

[bill937ca]

More work on the Japanese tram layout. I completed a Soba shop along with One Coin 500 Yen window signs. As it will have side walls on a laneway leading back to a Yokocho alley there are vending machines on one side wall.

 

The building is a Greenmax 2611 kit with pre-painted building fronts and all other pieces molded in a darker grey.

 

 

[bill937ca]

Ugh, summer is here and I'm back from a trip to Prague. I've revised the European tram layout for running solo T3s just like on lines 2 and 23 that passed my hotel in Prague. This layout incorporates R103, R140 and R177 curves along short pieces so it is not entirely stone track as the small miscellaneous pieces re not available in stone finish.

 

The Kato Unitram layout is still there. Haven't done anything lately and probably not until the days get shorter.

Edited June 25, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Day two of this layout and the foamboard is purchased, outlines traced and cut.  

[bill937ca]

Right now this is a daily report.  I tested the track yesterday. Cut all the Metcalfe Tarmac pieces last night and next step is to lightly glue them down with down with either Tamiya Craft Bond or Elmer's Glue All.

Edited June 28, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

The European layout is now reconfigured to the point where I can run trams, the base is in place and buildings are arranged. Still some work to do on a pedestrian walk way, figures and maybe some store signs.

[bill937ca]

Summer is usually not layout time, but I got the bug to work on the Euro layout again. Track plan is modified and takes out the sharp curves and instead uses a diagonal corner. Curves are R140 and R177. I am working on adding a couple of squares to add grass, trees and benches. Some of the buildings will receive some work (new signs, new window illustrations) and most need a good dusting--particularly the roofs.   No trams on the layout as yet.

 

Replacement stone track pieces for the asphalt sections are on order from Japan,

Edited August 19, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

I've got the bug these days. Fiddling day and night.  Still fiddling with the little square trying to get it just right. It looks better with the naked eye than with the camera.

 

This makes a great place to run my Prague trams. While the buildings are considered German will find buildings like these in Prague and most of Central Europe from the days of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Hungarian Empire.

 

First photo is the small square with just the Greenmax 2138 sidewalk pieces.

 

With the square insert in the block created by the sidewalks. Benches are Faller, don't remember the source of the trees.   The dark gray stone base is from a local architectural supply company. Pricey$$.  😁 But it was  only one sheet!   That corner showing is one of the flaws the camera finds. But it should look better with the trams in the scene. The people will come back when summer cools down and European summer vacations are over.  😀

 

The buildings make a great backdrop but create a a barrier in case of a stall at the back. I may remove one of the hidden buildings For now the green track is at the back.  The white cardstock piece is a pattern for a second square which helps with the scenery transition on the curve.

Edited August 20, 2023 by bill937ca

[brill27mcb]

Looking good, Bill! The beauty of basic tabletop layouts is that they are not permanent, with glued-down scenery, so you can change them whenever a better idea pops into your head, or you simply want a change when things seem to have grown stale for you.

 

Rich K.

[bill937ca]

After yesterday's shipment, I revised the track arrangement. Its now all stone track except for a couple of green track sections and one very short asphalt section.  There are fewer buildings at back out of sight. My third Prague T3 is also included in the photos. Next, preparations prior to running.

Edited August 24, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

7250 is now on the layout with its power unit.

 

[brill27mcb]

Bill, you may want to think about making a narrow park/bush/flower bed piece that could hide the forward-facing vertical edge of the street and the particle board, both from you and the camera lens. Just a thought...

 

Rich K.

[bill937ca]

At this point its not finished.  There is a scrap of foamboard that needs more cutting.

Edited August 26, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

Working last night on creating 90 degree turnouts for my European Tomix tram track layout.

This is  the intended track plan.  The turnout and siding are new. The rest is same as now.

This is the intended configuration for the turnout covers  in Tomix 3079. A siding not a 90 degree turn.  Which means I have to do some cutting.

 

Parts C14 and C15 are good for the outer edges of the turnouts.

 

The track covers have only C103-60, C140-60 and C177-60 sections for the inside curve, the outside curve and the track center.  But the pieces are scribed in the middle for creating xxx-30 sections.

This is the top turnout back onto the main line. The three pieces from left to right are1796 C140-30 wide tram track, 1112A c140-30 stock rail, and N-PL140-30 turnout.  The side covers have yet to be applied to any of the turnouts. The connecting pieces at the top past the turnout will be 3 18.5mm stock rail pieces without the side panels. This will be at the back of the layout and hopefully not that notice able.

 

The turn into the siding. This will be a little bit more involved cut than the previous cut.  The S70-WT section at left is left over from another project. If materials allow I may attempt a closer cut.

 

The same section as above but with the track cover piece that has to be cut down to fit the project.

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by bill937ca

[bill937ca]

I've got the turnouts completed enough to put them on the layout.  There are still some holes which is combination of what Tomytec doesn't provide pieces for and my cutting and fitting skills.  On to testing the points tomorrow. It's late and photos aren't the best, but it is done. To the left will be a square and to the right will be the town. Time for more foamboard! (The square base is already cut from a scrap piece of foamboard.