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Mountain Layout Project


macdon

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Honestly, it all started with just wanting a simple one track, point to point tram line. I wasnt even considering getting a $100 auto-reverse system for hands free enjoyment. But.........one thing led to another...........and another......... and.....

 

post-1282-0-77577100-1390560244_thumb.jpg

 

I really should not trust myself when it comes to simple projects......  :icon_scratch:

Its more like a challenge now - seeing how much tracks I could get in a limited area of 19" x 55". Less than 2' x 5' with still having a continuos run. 

The only way to go is up...........having steep slopes and tight curves.

 

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More construction pics..........

 

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Mardon

 

 

 

 

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Martijn Meerts

Looks nice, and steep =)

 

It makes me wonder though, if you start a complicated project, will it end up becoming a new Miniatur Wunderland? :D

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Looks nice, and steep =)

 

It makes me wonder though, if you start a complicated project, will it end up becoming a new Miniatur Wunderland? :D

 

I hope thats not a dare .........hahahaha! 

I have one business now that just started off as a dare ................. we never could have guessed where it took us now :) 

 

Hmmm.........wasnt there an n scale cable car system coming out soon? Hmmm......or maybe I should stop all this madness while im still ahead  :grin 

 

Mardon 

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That looks awesome! Looking at the steepness and spaghetti-like track, the scenery should also be fitting I think. Loads of little scenes and buildings. Make up good excuses for the steep grades. ;)

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That looks awesome! Looking at the steepness and spaghetti-like track, the scenery should also be fitting I think. Loads of little scenes and buildings. Make up good excuses for the steep grades. ;)

 

Hey, Im liking that idea Toni!

 

If the trains suddenly stop because of the steep slope.......... we could always say, "it stopped 'coz they're looking at that nice scenery there"  :toothy12:

 

 

 

 

 

Mardon

Edited by macdon
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I can already smell the fiberglass resin.  :icon_biggrin:

 

Yeah! I have been thinking of that everyday! But nahh, my workers are far too busy nowadays as we're a bit behind on some orders.  It would've been great thou!

 

Mardon

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At least you don't need an autoreverse circuit for this version. Looks nice, both the drawing and the irl frame. Are you still planning on adding sidings too?

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looks nice, how big it is?

 

You can add moving bus too :) will be great

 

Its currently at 19" width by 55" long and about 12" high. I said "currently" as you never know what strikes me when I wake up tomorrow! hahaha!

 

Moving bus would be great, eh! Would a Tomix Railbus work instead?   :) I thought not.

 

Mardon

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At least you don't need an autoreverse circuit for this version. Looks nice, both the drawing and the irl frame. Are you still planning on adding sidings too?

 

The drawing isnt mine - just found it on the web:

 

http://www.carendt.com/contest/vote/V30.html

 

Someone from Portugal was replicating the Douro railway I think. I was just searching the carendt.com small/ micro layouts for some point-to-point ideas when I happened to stumble on the above drawing. Yup, lets blame that drawing for this madness! Lol!

 

Yes, siding on ground level just like in the drawing. Though, I accidentally created one above as well. Its the path going down, but since I added an extension - that path going down could be closed for a siding while another train could navigate the longer scenic route going down.

 

Below is the track plan I made from RailModeller. Blue is the original plan and the yellow is the extension. Tracks overlap so I hope you could still understand it.

 

post-1282-0-34309000-1390573900_thumb.jpg

 

Mardon

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I made a short video of the layout. From below, the first turn leads to the steepest slope of all. If the trains could make that, everything else would be easy.

At the moment, I only have 3 trains that could handle a 6" radius curve - Tomytec centram, kato hanover-hiroshima tram and my new Modemo hakone tozan train which I only got today from the post.

 

 

Mardon

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At the moment, I only have 3 trains that could handle a 6" radius curve

Most tomytec train collection trains can handle 140 mm curves, so with your 150 mm they won't have any problems, even the longer (20 m) cars will work as long as you use rapido couplers when you assemble them.

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Most tomytec train collection trains can handle 140 mm curves, so with your 150 mm they won't have any problems, even the longer (20 m) cars will work as long as you use rapido couplers when you assemble them.

Thats good info - thanks! 

I cant really run the trams in this layout, so im looking for what other trains I could run here.

 

Mardon

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mardon,

 

i think you have been wiffing the resin fumes! another layout! you keep on going and going! 

 

Carl Arendt was an amazing modeler/designer. His site is an inspiration for so many.

 

this is going to be fun to watch develop!

 

cheers

 

jeff

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I'm running Tomytec Collection trains with body mounted TN couplers, combined with bogie mounted TN couplers on 16m carriages. They are heavily modified, but manage 140mm S-curves somehow. I think this is pushing the limits very much, but it's possible.

 

For a layout like this, I think older type trains with a nondescript livery (just something simple with cream and red, or full green or brown) works best. Focusing on realistic and specific liveries distract too much from the layout and leave too much room for speculation. Think your average Ghibli movies in that sense, recognisable trains, but no true connection to reality. Make your layout your canvas, since the trackwork is already surrealistic enough ;)

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mardon,

 

i think you have been wiffing the resin fumes! another layout! you keep on going and going! 

 

Carl Arendt was an amazing modeler/designer. His site is an inspiration for so many.

 

this is going to be fun to watch develop!

 

cheers

 

jeff

 

Yeah, those fumes are murder! Stuff is working overtime too.  :laughing6:

 

Carl's website is a gem. Easy to spend hours looking at the gallery pics alone. Lots of talent out there from contributors and you're right - very inspiring indeed!

 

Mardon

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the old Hiroshima Type 200 went up the tracks like a rocket.

 

i've been thinking of something similar (with less inclines) for the kids.  thank you for the inspiration.

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I'm running Tomytec Collection trains with body mounted TN couplers, combined with bogie mounted TN couplers on 16m carriages. They are heavily modified, but manage 140mm S-curves somehow. I think this is pushing the limits very much, but it's possible.

 

For a layout like this, I think older type trains with a nondescript livery (just something simple with cream and red, or full green or brown) works best. Focusing on realistic and specific liveries distract too much from the layout and leave too much room for speculation. Think your average Ghibli movies in that sense, recognisable trains, but no true connection to reality. Make your layout your canvas, since the trackwork is already surrealistic enough ;)

 

Thank you for your post Toni.

 

Could you kindly give some specific Tomytec collection trains?

 

I havent really gone into those body shells + power units except for the Tomytec Centram + TM-LRT01 - are they all as simple as that?  I am eager to try some out as I havent experienced that aspect of our hobby before.

Tomytec does have a lot of chassis lengths fitting their various body shells - any specific length you can recommend that will do 150mm curves?

 

Im purely speculating here but im eyeing perhaps 15m - 16m long body chassis?  I dont have much to go on since the only long chassis I've ever tried on 150mm curves is the Modemo that I got yesterday. Truck centers on that is 56mm.

Basing that on this website:     http://www.trainweb.org/tomix/ChassisDim.htm       results to TM-04 (15m). 

 

Im sure Modemo has the corner market on those chassis lengths, but I do find them a bit pricey so I would like to try other options.

 

Mardon

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the old Hiroshima Type 200 went up the tracks like a rocket.

 

i've been thinking of something similar (with less inclines) for the kids.  thank you for the inspiration.

 

At first that tram wouldnt even climb up. I had a slight abrupt incline right after the first curve so the low body of that tram bound with the tracks.

A thin cardboard placed underneath the tracks was a quick fix - but not exactly the train to use in this crazy layout of mine.

 

Thou that tram has an iconic look to it that will blend nicely on a diorama layout. It actually inspired me to do a point-to-point layout for it ......... until I got swayed elsewhere  :grin

 

Mardon

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Thank you for your post Toni.

 

Could you kindly give some specific Tomytec collection trains?

 

I havent really gone into those body shells + power units except for the Tomytec Centram + TM-LRT01 - are they all as simple as that?  I am eager to try some out as I havent experienced that aspect of our hobby before.

Tomytec does have a lot of chassis lengths fitting their various body shells - any specific length you can recommend that will do 150mm curves?

 

I think this website with this blog entry I posted somewhere on the forums might help a bit: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/manabunn2009/e/9f62a8687e4e29002b85e06f7ea3f54e I'm running the same trains (Kotoden 600/700 types) with the same coupler setup and it works pretty well as far as I'm concerned. The body mounted couplers do need some cutting to make it through the curves though.

 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Tomytec and Greenmax' motor units, since the Tomytec ones run too fast and Greenmax ones are too loud. I'm slowly switching to Kato motor units (it will be hard to get the correct bogies built) or trying to get my hands on the newer Greenmax units with lower motors. I hate to see the motor units directly through the windows... xD

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