FFISKIV Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 2 years ago I got sick of work and having a home office, so with great prejudice I threw out all my office stuff and used my desk as a base for this layout. My goal is to have a modular layout that can be redesigned when ever I get bored and as I have little time for serious and permanent layout construction I am content with the "kato catalog" look of the layout. This is (4) V50 kits assembled so all the streets go in the same direction. I've never been to Japan (I'm an american indian living in New Mexico) so I've used Google Earth and the forum for placement of street signs and details. The black GatorFoam base needs ground cover besides green grass. Keeping with the modular theme, cutting and covering squares (same size as the road plates) with various textures should make for a quick fix. Comment or suggestions appreciated. Check my gallery for Unitram disassembly and Unitrak to Unitram track mod. picks. 10 Link to comment
Bernard Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 What a great idea converting the train viaduct track into a viaduct for cars! (I put this in the catagory of "why didn't I think of that!" It would have saved me a lot of time building bridges from scratch.) I like the track plan, a very busy city scene with a tram running thought out the layout. Link to comment
FFISKIV Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Thanks, Ebay is a good place to find cheap viaduct track for cutting up. I just got my 1st Tomtec portram, It's not the same caliber as the Kato Portram but it sure is fun to see just how fast it will tear around the tram track without flying off. Link to comment
Mudkip Orange Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Agreed, work sucks, but it's a neccessary evil to have money for trains. Kato should use your layout in a catalog. Link to comment
Hobby Dreamer Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Kato should use your layout in a catalog. Agreed! Great layout!!! Best tram layout with Kato unitrack I have seen!! ...and a lot better than work.. Rick Link to comment
KenS Posted February 12, 2011 Share Posted February 12, 2011 That's a very nice layout. I like the mix of green space and paved space, and the layered look of ground, train viaduct, and highway. Link to comment
lordwinslow2 Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I love this layout. I am thinking about doing the same now because of this. Keep it up and keep posting photos. Winslow Link to comment
quinntopia Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 FFISKIV - I love this layout! This is a great example of why and how to make this hobby FUN! Just looking at it makes me smile! This - to me - is what its all about....making your own little world where you can create and change things and then share a really exciting, individual, and fun expression of that! Great job! Link to comment
FFISKIV Posted February 13, 2011 Author Share Posted February 13, 2011 Actually I should thank all of you because without this forum and all of your efforts I would still be stuck with a boring all american railroad. Information found here have saved me much time, money, headache and pointed me in directions I would have never thought of on my own. I hope this layout inspires those thinking beyond the basic V50 oval. I've recently negotiated another square meter for layout space in our shared office so this layout will live in its present form for another month before I add a yard and some switching action. LONG LIVE THE FORUM!! Link to comment
boiselfish Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 Your layout has delivered me some new found inspiration (and a source for more expenditure)! Thank you so much. Very well done. :) Link to comment
CaptOblivious Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 This looks quite nice! Shows what you can do with only Kato's ready-to-use models! But, FWIW, the banners hanging from balloons? Photo no. 7 from the top? The labels are on upside down ;) Link to comment
to2leo Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I am glad, I think a lot of us are in the same shoes without this forum. Wig Wag Trains in New Mexico have generally a better deal with Unitrack product then on eBay. Feel free to visit their site for comparison! Link to comment
quinntopia Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 FFISKIV - What did you use for the base for figures? I like those little round things you have, they blend in nicely (I only noticed them because I was looking for how you did it as I didn't see the usual pile of glue/sludge that these little people typically stand in!) Link to comment
FFISKIV Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 I glued the figures to clear plastic disc's cut from the plastic packing material they came in using a 3 ring paper hole punch. The discs seem to disappear on the streets but unfortunately stick out on the grass. I like to move things around so this seemed the logical solution for quick and easy placement while avoiding globs of glue. Link to comment
FFISKIV Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 This looks quite nice! Shows what you can do with only Kato's ready-to-use models! But, FWIW, the banners hanging from balloons? Photo no. 7 from the top? The labels are on upside down ;) are they all up side down? thanks. Link to comment
Kamiyacho Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The three banners are upside down, as is a sign on the building behind them (the sign under the bicycles). Link to comment
Tecchan Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The light green one on the 102 building is also upside down. Link to comment
Tosaden Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Hey, this looks really great !!! Link to comment
Guest Closed Account 1 Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Glad to see that Unitram is catching on. Lots of fun to work with. Link to comment
nightshade Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 thats looks intresting Q: the unitram paltes conect to normal kato track? (not to hijack ur tread) but might have another use for that........ (just want to confirm before i go and get it ..... ) Link to comment
cteno4 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 Nightshade, yes you can hook regular unitrak to unitram track. the spacing is 33mm on the perpendicular sections (its 25mm in the center of the curves) so you can even attach double unitrak sections to it. height is pretty much the same. check out what some of the forum folks have done with it like this http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,2301.0.html http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,4172.0.html cheers jeff Link to comment
nightshade Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 wondering is it possible to run superlines (passing by on straight section... all i need is straight sections) Link to comment
cteno4 Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 wondering is it possible to run superlines (passing by on straight section... all i need is straight sections) not quite sure what you mean by superlines. do you mean the double track unitrak plate sections? those can connect to the straight unitram sections or the ends of the unitram curves (not in the center of the unitram 90 degree curves as the track spacing there goes down to 25mm from the standard 33mm). or you can just use 2 single pieces of straight unitrak as IST did below. http://www.jnsforum.com/index.php/topic,2301.0.html jeff Link to comment
nightshade Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 mean Kato Amtrack superliners or Athearn bi-level Metrolink cars... this is just in idea stages but wana use the few tram sections to run the train thtought the city like in california (middle of the street LOL) just wondering if the spacing between the tracks are good enough for them to pass by one more Q: that wont conect to a double track straight up right? Link to comment
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