kvp's layout ideas and attempts

[kvp]

Why don't you raise the rest of the layout and put the viaduct station at the top. The tracks would be level but the terrain won't. You also need the raised terrain for the underpass on the left...

[kvp]

Ttrak progress:

[kvp]

A bit of progress on the platforms and some houses along the tracks:

[kvp]

As i was looking for something, i found an old british layout book. Most of the designs in it involve lift out or duck under constructions with very small room all around layouts, but this one was made for a garage and i think it looks rather nice. Essentially it's a branchline terminus with a twice around return loop and another station on this loop. (the two extra turnouts allow continous running) While it was meant to be british prototype, i think it could also be used as a japanese branchline, set somewhere between the 1950ies and the 1970ies.

 

Here is the original plan: (with copyright to the original producer i can't identify, but imho Peco published it in the 1980ies)

 

 

and something similar with Tomix finetrack:

 

(the two stations have been shortened, but both can be extended with s140 and s280 pieces to get the original lengths, this one is for 3-4 car sets)

Edited February 21, 2016 by kvp

[railsquid]

Here is the original plan: (with copyright to the original producer i can't identify, but imho Peco published it in the 1980ies)

 

From one of C.J. Freezer's many books of trackplans.

[kvp]

Thanks Railsquid! I found the book (at least most of it i think) in the junk newspapers pile in my club. (along with some peco wiring howtos) The description of post tops british rail as up to date modern sounds funny but back then it was modern. Now the age of rail blue is considered something old like steam locomotives.

[railsquid]

Don't make me feel old.

 

Anyway: "The Railway Modeller Book of Track Plans for Various Locations", P19, ISBN 0 900586 10 9, First Impression 1989, Ninth Impression 2010 (edition I am citing). Probably based on a much earlier publication.

[kvp]

A few detail shots of some my work in progress t-trak modules:

(made a day before the last meeting, some of the catenary was still missing)

 

 

I think i should offically name it Kōgai station (郊外駅), located somewhere in Japan... (what do you think of this name?)

 

 

[JR 500系]

Nice! It has a good rural feel to it, fitting of the name Kōgai station  ~~

 

Are those Tomytec JNR type buses?  :)

Edited February 29, 2016 by JR 500系

[katoftw]

They all look great.  My only advice for the house street module would have been to face the front of the houses towards the track and put the street between the houses and track.  As this is the angle you or others would view the module from most of the time.

[kvp]

Nice! It has a good rural feel to it, fitting of the name Kōgai station

Thanks!

 

The buses are from Kato and can be assembled with open or closed doors. I thought that they are not tied to any region so could be a good choice for any location.

 

I turned the street away from the tracks as this gives a nice and typical trackside scenery with the backs of the houses. The schoolbuilding's single story extension is literally next to the tracks. Also 50% of the modules will face the viewers with the tracks at the back, behind the buildings if the table is placed next to a wall.

 

Two more work in progress modules:

Edited March 1, 2016 by kvp

[kvp]

Just two t-trak yard ideas that try to maximise the available space on a quadruple length module while serving both tracks:

This one has space for 4x3 and 5x1 cars long trains. Simple design with the mainline on the side and a double crossover.
 

This one has space for 4x2, 5x1 and 6x1 cars long trains and a single locomotive or railcar, but the crossover track is also part of a storage (pocket) track, so movements between up and down tracks are more restricted. 

[JR 500系]

Looking good! I like these plans! Great for displaying trains!

[kvp]

Minimal progress on the mini-t-track end modules and some testing on the still under construction traction layout.

[kvp]

The mini t-trak modules are up and running. By using R150 and R183 curves, they allow 47 cm deep t-track layouts that could fit on the smallest tables.

 

Also there was a cleanup in the club and the club's leader decided to empty his H0 bin. Besides lots of broken 3rd hand stuff, there were a few Piko cars in pretty good condition. They are ep3 east german and were made back then, so the windows have real glass in them. They were rescued by me...

 

So this left me with a few nice cars in H0 with one and a half pieces or track (from two different manufacturers) and nothing to run them.

 

This (and IST) gave me an idea to make a diorama for them. The cars are in a shoebox and the two rails fit diagonally into the box. The concept is to use only the contents of the junk bin to create it. After fishing out some scrapwood from the full trashbag nobody is willing to move i have the following:

The diorama will be named Abstellbahnhof Passgenau (Schrottgasse, Müllheim).

[kvp]

The difference between painted and off the shelf Kato bumpers:

(only the wood panels and the metal piping was painted)

[kvp]

A bit of progress on my junk only H0 diorama:

(next step: rusty junk and then some tall grass)

[kvp]

I had an idea for a small layout:

It's a double track loop with a double track stop and a single track station combined. The layout would look best with either b-train shorties, shoter (12-16m) normal cars or at most two 20 meter standard cars. The track diagram shows the deeper red/blue sections as constantly powered from two controllers, while the light pink/blue sections can be isolated with the turnouts to allow 2 or 3 trains to run on the layout. Turnout control can be manual, remote with 3 switches or using a 3 position selector switch for proper interlocking. Isolators should go between the two loops and the top left and bottom right end of the double track elevated stop with the side platforms. It's possible to add another scenic divider between the stop and the station with the stub track that would allow 3 separate scenes. (cliffside curve, elevated station between two tunnel portals with a road below and the single stub track station with the bridge over water) There is space for a small R103 bus loop below the elevated station that could go up in a tunnel to the single track station, cross over its track and go back down by running parallel to the bridge and hugging the cliff there and enter another tunnel to the elevated station. (not shown in the pictures)

[kvp]

Inspired by a layout video, i drew a very rail heavy layout that has the following features:

-platform space for at least 6-7 car trains

-double track mainline

-single track branchline

-train storage tracks and locomotive depot

-at least 4 station and 4 yard tracks

-optional connection for a hidden storage yard

-mountain scenery with bridges and tunnels

-possibility for a thrice around continous run

 

 

(i tried to keep it somewhat compact, so it ended up 220 x 80 cm with the use of many special Tomix turnouts)

[kvp]

And another one, this time a British exhibition layout with two scenes, an elevated station and a lineside depot.

 

Both sides use only 3 turnouts, although quite complex ones. It was designed for two controllers and a traffic pattern involving reversing some of the trains at the elevated station built on top of brickwork arches and stock movements between the station and the ground level depot with a manual switch tower. Both scenes are at the bottom of small hills, going up towards the scenery divider.

[kvp]

Two houses:

I think the 1970ies west german office building wouldn't look out of place on a japanese layout.

[JR 500系]

Both looked pretty nice and would fit into a Japanese layout ~  :)

[kvp]

This is a home layout idea i drew today. It has a simple 3 and two half track station on a double track mainline, with an optional place for a connection to an extension. There is a rolling stock/freight yard with a locomotive depot and some extra storage/freight tracks at the station. I tried to make it as small as possible, but still fit 7 car trains, witch is imho a good limit for home running. (and also what you have in an average single book set)

[kvp]

Some photos about the craftshop wire and round magnets i bought last week. It works great as a Tomytec bus wire. The material is steel, available in various colors.

I'll post a video once i manage to equip a whole loop.

[kvp]

Servo based turnout driver for peco code55 turnouts (only 4 more to go):

A simple pwm controller for a friend:

Some t-trak (european buildings tried on the japanese modules and some running):

Work on the Hungarian fremo modules:

And two trams, shot at the same junction: (the small one is in museum service, the other one is brand new)