My Tokuyama station layout

[beakaboy]

Thank you Velotrain I was just reading that exact webpage

Like you say it seems the American limited products seem to be the best bet. I found one webpage talking about using a sponge and attaching a styrene template to the front. I guess its trying to find that alternate material than spending the money on the quality product vi just can think of anything that resembles the flexible material. In N scale it's probably best just to buy the commercial product!

Eurostar.  I seem to recall that The "Train Depot" in Tauranga  had some Diaphragms available at some stage in N scale and HO scale. Maybe email him for price, availability, etc. He should be able to post cheaply!

[velotrain]

After I sent my post I thought that perhaps the 25% difference in scale (or 33% - depending on how you look at it ;-) might be a problem with the American limited products options.

 

I didn't read that entire forum page, but there was some discussion of folding your own.

 

I don't see a sponge working at all, as they only flex when wet.  You wouldn't want to have to spritz all your passenger cars just before a running session ;-)

If you want to go that route, I think some thin - and very soft - foam sheet, such as found in some train cases, would be a better bet, in terms of compressing and springing back without derailing your train.

 

 

I admire your styrene work - and ambition to undertake such a project ;-)

Edited December 28, 2016 by velotrain

[velotrain]

I just had another idea. 

 

Since you're using 1:120 scale, are there possibly any available TT products that might work?

 

Perhaps some of our Euro members might know.

[Eurostar25]

Thanks velotrain, I'll see if I can buy just 1 set of the diaphragms from American limited and see what they look like.

I think the gap between the cars is a lot smaller than I imagine it to be once you put one of these things on the end of the car, especially in N scale.

[cteno4]

One of those frustrating forum searches I could not find those folded paper diaphragms that were discussed earlier this year here!

 

Jeff

[velotrain]

Jeff - found it

 

http://www.jnsforum.com/community/topic/6720-diaphragm-between-railway-cars-in-model/?hl=diaphragm

[cteno4]

Thanks Charles, that's it!

 

Jeff

[Eurostar25]

Been doing a bit more lately with the NZ rolling stock more so than the layout.

The carriages got their sides, tanks, battery boxes and truss rods.

The loco and vans were undercoated today after a break with some fine weather, hopefully some more progress tomorrow.

 

[Pauljag900]

Look spot on mate

[Eurostar25]

I had a bit of a bad day with the Shapeways loco, I managed to spray the loco 2 days ago having first given it a bath in nail polish remover and soapy water to remove the oil residue. Checked it many times for tackyness and it felt ok, so I gave it a spray with enamel primer and it took well and dried, no tacky primer on the surface. I thought I was in business having come into trouble in the past with tacky primer as a result of poor preparation with shapeways products.

 

Unfortunately though after a coat of humbrol yellow on the front and rear I checked this morning and the whole surface was tacky, even after 12hours drying time. I checked the primer bottle and it was definitely enamel primer so my only guess is that the humbrol yellow must have been old or I hadn't shaken it enough prior to use.

 

The loco then went back in a bath with nail polish remover and the process of stripping the paint begins...

[Pauljag900]

Hi mate,oh no what a bummer! I fortunately I can t offer an opinion here as I ve never done anything like that,tho you obviously have it under control.

[Eurostar25]

The local builders at the Hitachi plant in Kudamatsu have come to have a look at what their cross town workers have been up to on a cold but clear winter's day.

What they found was a baggage and observation car and 8 passenger cars in various states of completion for their NZ railways TranzAlpine train set that's scheduled to run on the local Sanyo line between Tokuyama and Fukuoka starting in April.

On the main line they saw a Dc locomotive going for a test run behind an out of town EH500 providing the necessary resistance. The second locomotive, a Dx is due in February to begin running in.

 

They walked away knowing their jobs were definitely still safe working at Hitachi.

 

[velotrain]

That last image is quite nice.  Now you need that software to stitch together multiple shots taken at varying focus points. ;-)

[cteno4]

Focal stacking software is great to get more realistic looking closeup photos. Great to get the depth of field you would she shooting something at the same distance in real life! One of our club members use helicon focus and found it pretty good and easy, but not cheap.

 

http://www.heliconsoft.com/helicon-focus-licenses-swreg/

 

There are some free options out there as well. But you do need a camera with manual focus override!

 

Jeff

[Eurostar25]

Thanks for the comments, I agree needing to find better software and a camera, all my photos are taken with my iPhone camera ...

[Eurostar25]

I got some excellent decals made locally and have come to a bit of a problem, has anyone used Tamiya clear coat TS-13 over Tamiya acrylic paint? The local store was a bit vague wether it would be ok or not as the spray is lacquer based, let alone what effect it might have on the decals. I have couple of spare decals so I was thinking to have a practice before attacking the 10 cars all at once but haven't bought the can yet as I thought I'd try to see if anyone has had any experience using it.

 

There are clear Tamiya acrylic bottles but this would require brushing - which I was hoping to avoid given the amount of time it'll take for all the cars. Reading other forums online reveal a bit of a hit and miss experience.

 

As all paint on the cars are Tamiya acrylics are there any alternatives to the Tamiya clear spray can?

 

Thanks in advance

[velotrain]

Jeff -

 

> But you do need a camera with manual focus override!

 

Most (real) cameras allow you to press the shutter halfway and that will lock focus while you reframe.

 

I realize that ideally you'd do the stacking with a tripod, but I was thinking that the software will do auto alignment, similar to panorama software.

[cteno4]

Charles,

 

From what I remember these software works best if you keep them well framed. While many autofocus cameras will let you try to focus on a center point, it works best with a manual focus where you can step thru the scene systematically and keep things framed up the same.

 

Many cameras will also change exposure on you when you autofocus on different bits of the scene that you don't want. Not all have a lock exposure or manual exposure settings.

 

I did a few shots with the dslr and it was easy. Another clubmember did it with a sophisticated point and shoot and it was some work to get it to override properly. Of course easy to step thru focus on a dslr lens on manual as well.

 

Jeff

[Kiha66]

Beautiful layout as always eurostar!  Also, if you can get the pictures taken with the different focuses, I may be able to do the software side of the image stacking for you.  I have photoshop which is supposed to to a fairly fine job.

[Eurostar25]

A few decals applied and testing on curves sees a portion of the train coming together, there will be another loco added to the roster eventually but at this stage I'm happy with the effect the train creates.

 

[Pauljag900]

Looking good there mate,well done! Enhanced by the fact it s on my favourite part of the layout!

Edited February 4, 2017 by Pauljag900

[JR 500系]

Beautiful layout as always! That ramp up to the onsen with the carpark is perfectly captured!

[Eurostar25]

Been a bit quiet of late, life has been particularly busy, one aspect being a house move at reasonably short notice, so after the furniture was out of the lounge I had to pull the modules apart from the spare room and it gave me a chance to lay them all together. It struck me how big this has become! What I'm thinking is make the front modules temporary track so they can be dismantled as it's been a mission to move it I must say! The front modules currently have the track removed but are not yet stripped down.

Another option I thought was to make it 8 modules by using the straights from the edges (the river and engine shed modules) as the back straights... They'd need modifying to connect them realistically but it would mean a smaller and perhaps more manageable layout although at the expense of some running miles.

 

[lighthouse]

Hi, it looks very good :-D

[Eurostar25]

Finally got around to 'finishing' the corner module. I ended up trying to use what scenic materials I had leftover, and that meant 1/3 of a bottle of realistic water. I have to admit the base baller were shipped over as I couldn't for the life of me think of what to put in the odd shaped corner that the field is in.

Tempted later on to put another convenience store under the viaduct on the rear side as the empty space is a bit obvious but it'll do at the moment. Minor weathering to go and it'll be complete... Maybe

The cherry blossoms were a bit late this year, and an overcast day made for some dull lighting but there were plenty of activity on all lines when I went to take some photos this afternoon - even some baseball practice was going on