Suburban Station And Train Depot

[Sir Madog]

For quite some time now, I have been unsuccessfully trying to get rid of that model railroading bug, which has infested me for over 60 years. After quite a few years of trying various cures, I have to finally admit that the only way of getting rid the bugger is to build a new layout. Now I don´t have the room I would like to dedicate a layout to - the only space I have available is on top of a cabinet, measuring about 1800mm by 600mm. 

We moved recently to a new home far away from our former Hamburg domicile. While we have enough room for the two of us, there is not much of an extra space to store "things", so I gave away most of the tools and "things" one needs for building a layout, so it has to be a simple, but cheerful construction, using as much ready-made components as possible. 

My take is a station somewhere in suburban Japan, with an attached train depot. This idea I got from a video I saw on Youtube.

 

 

 

The track plan is quite simple, based on Tomix track.

 

 

Edited March 23 by Sir Madog

[bill937ca]

So sad we have to settle for models. Our own personal full size layout would be so much more fun.     😀 😁

[cteno4]

Ulrich,

 

it’s a hard bug to get rid of!

 

maybe look at wooden canvases for the layout. Similar to the Tomix layout modules. Two 24”x36” work out just about right for you and I’m sure there are probably comparable metric sized ones in Europe. Not super cheap but lumber and tools these days are not cheap and these are ready to go. Could do a couple of bolts to bind them together well but even come apart to store separately but maybe tough with some of those hard points but maybe don’t glue/nail them down so it could come apart.

 

jeff

[katoftw]

Sorry to be a downer. But 600 deep means maximum curve radi of 250mm. Can you make that work?

[Sir Madog]

8 hours ago, katoftw said:

Sorry to be a downer. But 600 deep means maximum curve radi of 250mm. Can you make that work?

No!

So the project is off!

[disturbman]

@Sir Madog I will reference one of your old threads: 

R249 is not a problem for most Japanese models (except perhaps Shinkansen). And Tomix has plenty of models that are rated for smaller radii. There is no reason to shelf the project.

[Sir Madog]

4 hours ago, disturbman said:

@Sir Madog I will reference one of your old threads: 

R249 is not a problem for most Japanese models (except perhaps Shinkansen). And Tomix has plenty of models that are rated for smaller radii. There is no reason to shelf the project.

If I am not wrong the smallest radius for a double track line using Tomix Fine Track is 243/280mm.

[Sir Madog]

14 hours ago, cteno4 said:

Ulrich,

 

it’s a hard bug to get rid of!

 

maybe look at wooden canvases for the layout. Similar to the Tomix layout modules. Two 24”x36” work out just about right for you and I’m sure there are probably comparable metric sized ones in Europe. Not super cheap but lumber and tools these days are not cheap and these are ready to go. Could do a couple of bolts to bind them together well but even come apart to store separately but maybe tough with some of those hard points but maybe don’t glue/nail them down so it could come apart.

 

jeff

Jeff - they are pretty expensive.

[cteno4]

Yes, sadly as they get big they get expensive. Only thing I’ve seen around your size prebuilt. Wood prices have really gone crazy. Simple ttrak single bases are like $25-30 each now. If you can get a piece of ply cut down to your size at the lumber yard then it would be pretty easy to add a frame. But a 2’x4’’ sheet of ok 5mm ply here is like $15 and you would need 2 of those to make a 2x6 layout. You would need about 24’ of some small precut moulding material for the frame and that will run you $1-2 per foot these days. So you are $50-60 in materials.
 

might look at ikea to see if they have some odd table or something that could be your layout base and put a layer of like 10mm foam on top to do scenery into and route paths for wires. Then trim with some thin moulding or veneer.
 

jeff

[Sir Madog]

Building a lightweight baseboard is not a huge problem, as our local DIY store cuts lumber to size.  The bigger issue is to find a track plan and a corresponding theme which could find a place in my home. 

I remember seeing some interesting ideas based on Tomix track and developed with VRM, but I have not been able to find the page.

[MeTheSwede]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:19 PM, Sir Madog said:

If I am not wrong the smallest radius for a double track line using Tomix Fine Track is 243/280mm.

 

Yeah, that's exactly what you see in the video you linked.

[katoftw]

If you can stretch to 660 minimum depth. Then C280 will be okay.

[cteno4]

280 will work on 600mm depth, just will put track a half a cm from the edge. Kind of what he had laid out there with track right up on the edge.

 

jeff

[MeTheSwede]

I know I'm still very much a newbee to most people here (by a margin of over 56 years to you Sir Madog) and I value your superior experience in the hobby, but with all respect, I can't help to think that many long time experienced modelers have a tendency to overcomplicate and overenginer things.

 

If a simple and cheerful layout is to (semi)permanently rest on a 1800x600mm cabinet, I would just get a couple of the thickest type of XPS foamboard (which handily comes in a 1200x600mm size), and then cut one of them and glue pieces together to form a 1800x600 board and then be done with it as far as "baseboard" goes.

 

I think the woodwork is already done in the form of the cabinet.

 

 

Here's another idea:

If you build a simular layout to the one in the video and in the future ever get tired of watching trains go round and round so close to the edge of the layout, make some scenic extension pices, say four 450x100mm pieces with house rows or whatever and store them in the cabinet. Then when you run the layout, you can pull it out from the wall by 100mm and insert the small extension pieces at the back to make a layout with more scenic dept.

[cteno4]

Very good idea Swede! Sometimes simple is the best. On that size even 25mm xps would be stiff enough. Sheets glue together well with bamboo bbq skewers stuck between sheets ant angles from both size. Glue some thin moulding boards around edge to pretty it up and be done.

 

jeff

[Sir Madog]

s thinking of a sandwich type of layout base, consisting of two 3mm tempered hardboard boards with a 30mm core of XPs in-between. It´s a surprisingly sturdy construction and easy to handle by one person. 

 

I agree to adding some visual interest to the layout. I am not sure an extension will work, but a backdrop sure will.

[inobu]

Someone made a really nice Coffee table layout. If you can make a layout look like furniture you will have a 

good change of getting it into the common space.

 

You have to make it where the wife likes it. Once she likes it you are good to go.

 

Inobu

[cteno4]

@Sir Madog sounds good. I’ve had two 2’x8’ interlocking pieces of like 36mm xps sitting on top of a banquet table with a few 2x4 on top of the table. It was a makeshift 4x8 tempolayout space for a few years then became storage space. Xps has stayed amazingly flat with all sorts of stuff heaped on it.

 

one of our members did a small layout (like 248”x40” that he left to another member when he moved. I added some corner posts and legs and he got glass to go on top for a coffee table layout. Quite nice but it took up a lot of his small apartments living room!

 

jeff

[brill27mcb]

4 hours ago, cteno4 said:

 [...] one of our members did a small layout (like 248”x40” [...]

 

248" is not small!  - RK

[cteno4]

Sorry 28”, clumsy thumbs on the iPad tapping too fast!

 

jeff

[MeTheSwede]

On 3/23/2024 at 10:44 PM, Sir Madog said:

This idea I got from a video I saw on Youtube.

 

 

 

 

I realised today that this layout is built on two Tomix 8031 layout boards bolted together. (They come with holes and bolts for this purpose.)

[katoftw]

Probably makes it a 600x1800 size then. Since the boards come as 600x900.

 

He has got the straight track very close to the edges. I guess if you are playing on the floor, that would be better.

[Sir Madog]

Well, the layout plan is back on the table again. Now I have to find a source for the Tomix 8031 baseboards.

[Darklighter]

Not the Tomix baseboards you're looking for, but maybe an alternative: https://www.boesner.com/ulmer-holzmalgrund-23967 (60 cm x 60 cm x 3.5 cm, they have many stores in Germany)

 

[Sir Madog]

3 hours ago, Darklighter said:

Not the Tomix baseboards you're looking for, but maybe an alternative: https://www.boesner.com/ulmer-holzmalgrund-23967 (60 cm x 60 cm x 3.5 cm, they have many stores in Germany)

 

Why did I think of this myself? I have used Casani canvasses for a layout years ago! Thanks for pointing me in this direction!