My Japanese style layout

[VJM]

Some of you may have seen glimpses of my layout.  Now that it is largely finished, I'll post a few progressive pictures. 

 

The trackplan is a modified version of the one found in Vol 61 (Dec 2011) of Japan Nine Scale World Magazine.  The layout measures 4m x 1.2m.  I was also lucky enough to have a brilliant artist as a friend who did the scenery.

 

 

Track part check and layout sanity testing

Edited April 23 by VJM

[VJM]

Here we go...

 

Edited April 23 by VJM

[VJM]

Edited April 23 by VJM

[VJM]

 

Yep, lights work

Edited April 23 by VJM

[VJM]

The finished layout

 

 

And the night view...

 

Edited April 23 by VJM

[enodenlover]

Absolutely gorgeous. I'm eight different shades of green with envy.

[JR 500系]

Beautiful! I liked the mountain a lot! I see 4 tracks and 4 controllers, that's nice! The lighted up city sure looks like a real city, very nice effect!

 

Just one humble suggestion, Perhaps some lighting between the city region and the mountain region will be nice, like along a vehicular road or something. Right now it looks detached without the lights in the middle ~  :) 

[stevenh]

I.. can't... the photos are beautiful, let alone the layout.

Well done and amazing work!

[Bernard]

Beautiful layout! and you have one talented friend!

[cteno4]

Vjm

 

Great work! Really lovely layout! Kudos!

 

Jeff

[Matteo_IT]

Very good job... :icon_bounce:

[VJM]

A Kato Taisetsu cruising up the mainline 

 

Edited April 23 by VJM

[kvp]

Great layout! If i couldn't view the first picture, i would have a very hard time guessing which track is going where. Nice idea to combine a double track 8 with a single track loop and something like a single track branchline, that actually looks part of a quad track mainline at some points. This is very unique.

[zartan]

Spectacular!  Congratulations.  Could you post dimensions and a track plan?

[zartan]

never mind, I see the dimensions now - but would like to see a track plan if you have one.

[katoftw]

I love the track plan.  2 inner tracks are figure of 8s, and the outside tracks are one big giant loop around with a link/block under the mountain to allow direction change.

[kvp]

 

 2 inner tracks are figure of 8s, and the outside tracks are one big giant loop around with a link/block under the mountain to allow direction change.

Not quite. The two middle tracks are the figure 8, while the outer single track loop has a branch, that optically reverses direction, then joins the outer loop in the same direction. It works as a very tricky long siding, so no polarity reversal is required. It looks to run in the opposing direction since it runs parallel with the other side of the same loop like a folded dogbone stuffed into a figure 8. The effect is that a train can be sent around the outside loop only or half way on the outside, then on the the inside loop and back to the outside loop. It would pass the quad track section in both directions on the outer tracks without changing direction or running through the same track twice. This is a really good idea!

[JR 500系]

Not quite. The two middle tracks are the figure 8, while the outer single track loop has a branch, that optically reverses direction, then joins the outer loop in the same direction. It works as a very tricky long siding, so no polarity reversal is required. It looks to run in the opposing direction since it runs parallel with the other side of the same loop like a folded dogbone stuffed into a figure 8. The effect is that a train can be sent around the outside loop only or half way on the outside, then on the the inside loop and back to the outside loop. It would pass the quad track section in both directions on the outer tracks without changing direction or running through the same track twice. This is a really good idea!

 

That sounds confusing... Sorry i'm lost. A video would be a very nice illustration.  :)

 

But I do agree it's a really nice track plan!

[stevenh]

Can you please take closer photos of the two derelict carriages?

One seems to be abandoned in the cut off track... the other you've added lights to? Restaurant?

[Mudkip Orange]

Figure 8 

[Mudkip Orange]

Figure 8 inside of a folded dogbone with an "idiot running" oval bypass. I like it.

[tossedman]

Yeah! What he said! Great layout. Nice use of space.

[westfalen]

What else can I say, that's a very nice layout.

[VJM]

Not quite. The two middle tracks are the figure 8, while the outer single track loop has a branch, that optically reverses direction, then joins the outer loop in the same direction. It works as a very tricky long siding, so no polarity reversal is required. It looks to run in the opposing direction since it runs parallel with the other side of the same loop like a folded dogbone stuffed into a figure 8. The effect is that a train can be sent around the outside loop only or half way on the outside, then on the the inside loop and back to the outside loop. It would pass the quad track section in both directions on the outer tracks without changing direction or running through the same track twice. This is a really good idea!

 

kvp has correctly identified and described the track plan.  The effect is the appearance of 4 tracks, when there are in fact only 3, which is why I have only 3 speed controllers.  The 4th is the turntable controller.  I have one more speed controller coming, as we have isolated the tracks coming off the turntable to allow for some shunting type movements.  There is a reason why I wrote "sanity testing" in the first post for the layout.  Basically what happens is that the outside track runs either as a plain oval, or is sent via the inside by the points near the overhead bridge.  As this track leaves the mountain it follows the inside of the high-speed pair, goes through the station and then joins back up to the original outer oval near the level crossing.

 

The only other bit of trackwork not present in the first photo, but added as a bit of greedy megalomania, is a very steep spur line that runs to the onsen resort station at the top of the mountain.  You can just make out this track leaving the outer mainline over the red girder bridge at the back. 

[JohnD]

What a beautiful layout!  The landscape definitly looks japanese, and the track plan seems to be very clever, though simple. I am deeply impressed! Thanks for sharing!