Micro Layout - for beginners

[IST]

I remember that I wrote this sentence in a topic almost exactly one year ago:

"New year, new hopes, new idea, new planning, but the same old guy here who does nothing. :-) Sounds familiar to anyone?"

 

This year is different, as I really started to build something. I bought a Väggis noticeboard from IKEA with the size of 580*390mm and I though I will build something small but nice on it. I made some progress in the last few weeks, so I will share some pictures with you. But maximum one photo per day, so you have to wait. Not for the result, as it is far-far away to the end. Maybe I will never finish it, but who knows? :)

 

So today's picture - it won't be surprising - is the noticeboard:

 

 

 

[kvp]

I can't help but notice the traces on the board. It looks like a micro layout and a small town was there not so long ago...

(maybe i should fish out the board of my mostly unsuccessful attempt at a similar micro layout from the junk box)

[onthelam]

I'm looking to do a small layout for my B-Train Shortys so I look forward to seeing your progress!

[IST]

During the years I collected some accessories, buildings, layout materials and of course tracks, so I decided to use from these as much as it is possible, but I had to order a few more. The picture below shows the start.

 

 

[miyakoji]

IST, can you give us a rough idea of what you have there?  I think there are 11 buildings, what are the items in the foreground?

[IST]

Yes of course: flowers, utility poles, peoples, fences, cars, grey basements, roads.

[IST]

Here is my layout with tracks, nothing special, huh?

As you see it is from Kato Unitrack as I know this system and use it since years. I bought formerly the 117mm and 150mm radius curves just to try how my trams are looking and working on it and I thought it will be good for this micro layout. Due to the size I did not plan 8 cars Shinkansen sets or similar stupid things, just a one car small engine or an articulated tram or something like this. A simple oval track can be a little bit boring, so I put a turnout into the system that will be enough to have one more train, or at least other route instead of the roundy-roundy.

 

 

[The Next Station Is...]

Nice. I like how you've got one end of the loop slightly larger than the other. Looking forward to seeing the finished project!

[Densha]

What about a passing siding instead of this little track? Maybe it makes things a bit too large, I don't know, but you surely can make nice operations by changing between trains.

[Matteo_IT]

Hello dear IST...

this project sounds good...

Habe you think to add also the bus system? :)

[IST]

What about a passing siding instead of this little track? Maybe it makes things a bit too large, I don't know, but you surely can make nice operations by changing between trains.

 

I was thinking about this, but it simply does not fit in the frame.

Edited January 25, 2014 by IST

[IST]

Habe you think to add also the bus system? :)

 

Yes of course, but with small size of baseboard and such a small tracks, I did not find it good looking. It has to have a roundy route and for me it seemed a little bit silly in this space.

[IST]

After I found out what will be the trackplan, I grabbed a pencil and draw around the tracks at the turnout and at some other points. As I formerly used the original Kato PowerPack as a controller, I had to cut 2 holes on the board to make place for the track feeders and the turnout wires. It was easy, I used a modelling knife, it only took some seconds. I tried that it is working without any problem (watch the video below although it was made before the cutting), so I could glue the whole things down.

 

 

 

[IST]

As I wanted to build a small city on the baseboard I was thinking about how to place my buildings and how to connect them with a road. I thought there will be a road running through the baseboard with 2 crossings through the tracks, and a little place somewhere middle in the city. I had 2 types of self adhesive roads which I used (if I remember well these are Busch setts) and a Tomytec railroad crossing. At the crossing I had to cut half the road due to the sharp curve of the track, so my trams are able to run freely in the crossing.

 

 

[IST]

More roads, some pavement, places for two houses, another rail crossing and the first experiment with the catenary poles.

 

 

[Guest keio6000]

add a cactus and your desert scene is done!

[katoftw]

American midwest layout in current format. haha

[IST]

It seems to me I'm in a bad mood cause I do not think it is funny. I should start somewhere to build a layout and I thought it would be great to share the process in this topic, maybe for those who are on the same - very low - modeling level than I. To learn something from each other, share the thoughts and ideas.

Now I think it was a mistake.

[Martijn Meerts]

Don't get discouraged. The only reason people say it's a desert scene is because the base colour is brown, that's all.

 

Personally, I always find it hard to comment on a layout in it's early stages of building. The builder usually has a general idea of the final result, but someone commenting on it won't know, or get a completely different idea.

 

One thing I'd like to say, is that it would probably have been a good idea to paint the base board a little, for example, black beneath where the track goes (although, not important when using Kato/Tomix), dark green where grass/forests are supposed to go, and maybe something greyish where buildings and roads go. If you were to use grass for example on a (light) brown base board, the board is likely to shine through a bit. That being said, I tend to forget to do that myself as well :)

 

 

Also remember that we all have to start somewhere, and it's much better to build small layouts like this to practice your skills and experiment with new things, rather than work on a large layout and end up never finishing it, or just not being happy with it.

[kvp]

It seems to me I'm in a bad mood cause I do not think it is funny.

The main problem might be that most people don't really know where you plan to end up. Sharing a drawing (if you have one) at the beginning usually helps. In this case, i think most people just miss the terrain or at least some grass or anything else and they feel that adding the catenary poles can wait until everything is up and running. (knowing the common clearence problems with very tight curves, this is not a good idea)

 

So, imho you should just go on and let's see what you make at the end. Considering that the next step would be something like houses, your layout will look way better within just one or two steps.  :)

[Matteo_IT]

Hello IST...

dont' care about others...

In italian forums the situation is very, very, very worst!

Everybody place comments about all... only the works of people that write in a model magazine are enhanced "oh... a wonderful tree" (ok... but it's a tree!!!) or "superb diorama" (never seen abroad, like Leamington Spa?)...

All the other modelers are considerated like nothing...

I'm interested in your project and you proceed straight with your work...

Do you like what you are building? yes... so it's good!

 

I have only a question as I have not yet seen the Ikea baseboard: the cork is only in one side and in the other one there is a solid pane, or is double sided cork? In this case, the surface would be flexible... Is a good structure to build the scenery?

 

So don't worry... I start a topic with my small... very small layouts...

Cheers!

[cteno4]

Ist, sorry, I think they were just joking around, but not thinking of how it might be sounding to you. So easy to happen on forums and lists.

 

Don't loose heart, its great to watch projects like this and a great example to others getting started! Keep on going and posting if you feel like it. folks with good input will drown out the jokers.

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

Edited January 29, 2014 by cteno4

[IST]

This is in my head, how my micro layout will looks like in the future. I just put the buildings into the layout to see it once.

 

 

Here come some pictures from the past few days or weeks.

 

Tomytec railway stop with a sign and a caternary pole:

 

 

I made a Sankey bus stop from paper. Although I have some experience with paper kits (from Metcalfe) this stop was so tiny and I completely glued myself until I reached this status. The bench is missing from the inside, I could not handle it. The bus is from Kato, I quite like this short bus.

 

 

Two buildings are in their places, utility poles also and I put a road sign next to the street.

 

 

The barrier and the bench are from another kit, but I did not like the shiny plastic look of them, so I made some very amateur weathering on them.

 

 

Recycling bins are always useful:

 

 

Barriers are on their places:

 

 

and the bench at the stop as well:

 

 

Small steps, but at least I am going forward with the layout. :)

[onthelam]

Looks great!  Looking forward to your progress.

[Matteo_IT]

Hello IST, your work looks good, but, if I can say my opinion, there are too many buildings, the risk may be an overcrowded of buildings...

I think would be better if you divide the layout in two parts: one with buildings (town) and the other with nature (grass, country, mountain... what you want).

This is only my things... at the end, the layout is your and is your project that counts!