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Offline Mr. Ron  
#1 Posted : 21 July 2022 18:48:27(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
The attached file is very small, but I just wanted to share it. The basic shape of the layout is defined by the trackwork. You will see an area between tracks that show buildings and that is where I want to describe what is going on. This area is originally open walkway space, but I have filled it in with portable foam panels. In order to get to the trackwork in that area, I just lift out the panels and whatever is upon them. After the trackwork is done (or a derailment had occurred), I replace the panel. I did the layout in this manor so I could deal with the surrounding structures, roads, etc separately from the track layout. This is the first time I am trying to make an attachment. I hope it goes well. Since the image showed up well, my additional comments are: The buildings scene are laid out on approximately 20"x22" panels. The scene is a representation of the town in which I live (Vancleave, Ms.). I made all my model structures after actual small businesses in Vancleave. I had to take a modelers license and modify the sizes so they would fit on the layout. Since thge trackwork is mostly complete, I can concentrate on the non-railroad aspect. img003.jpg
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Offline Toosmall  
#2 Posted : 22 July 2022 09:16:26(UTC)
Toosmall

Australia   
Joined: 26/07/2021(UTC)
Posts: 608
Location: Sydney
I have two lift out sections to get to derailed trains. One I could easily disguise along the edge of the road. Allow a bit for expansion and of movement.

https://www.marklin-user...rack-folded-dogbone-loop
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Offline JohnjeanB  
#3 Posted : 22 July 2022 22:44:58(UTC)
JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,083
Location: Paris, France
Hi
Ron I like your layout, not only its shape but the fact you studied with which buidings it will coexist. Bravo
One note: you have only one reversing loop and adding one siding track at the main station near the transfer table would allow more interesting traffic
Also unless you have access all around the layout, some man holes (in the city near the main station) may be needed
Cheers
Jean
Offline Mr. Ron  
#4 Posted : 23 July 2022 09:18:47(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
Hi
Ron I like your layout, not only its shape but the fact you studied with which buidings it will coexist. Bravo
One note: you have only one reversing loop and adding one siding track at the main station near the transfer table would allow more interesting traffic
Also unless you have access all around the layout, some man holes (in the city near the main station) may be needed
Cheers
Jean


Additional information: The reversing loop is on an elevated section. The town layout is mounted on 7 lift-out panels that provides complete access to all areas of the layout. As I am using Marklin M track, I am continually making changes to try to eliminate small sections of track. I will be placing background scenery on the walls and false front buildings where the 3 sidings are shown along the left wall. There is a removable bridge shown to the left of the transfer table.
Offline Mr. Ron  
#5 Posted : 23 July 2022 09:33:20(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
img005.jpgHere is a layout of the town scene. It is mouimg004.jpgnted on 7 panels that can be lifted out for access to the track layout. Click on the attachment to see it as oriented with the original attachment.
Offline Toosmall  
#6 Posted : 23 July 2022 22:20:00(UTC)
Toosmall

Australia   
Joined: 26/07/2021(UTC)
Posts: 608
Location: Sydney
Are you having street parking, radius on street corners and street furniture.
Offline Mr. Ron  
#7 Posted : 24 July 2022 02:51:39(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Originally Posted by: Toosmall Go to Quoted Post
Are you having street parking, radius on street corners and street furniture.


In the small town I live in, there are NO sidewalks. The town is in an unincorporated area of the county. People drive everywhere. You really can't walk on the roads; too dangerous. Gravel is used at the sides of the roads. Corners are pretty much square. As far as street furniture goes, it is mostly mailboxes, signs and fire hydrants. Don't think that we are living in a depressed area, People around these parts have money. My house for example is worth 1/4 million, and that is pretty much average. My son who is in the air force is buying a 130-acre piece of land and building a house just 5 minutes north of town, cost, $800,000. We live pretty well down here; we don't need sidewalks. The people here are blue collar workers; many work at the local shipyard. Fishing and hunting is the most popular activity here. I live on a fixed retirement income and live pretty good. I moved here from Northern California from a million-dollar area. I couldn't afford to live there so I moved down here. That was 30 years ago. I checked the real estate prices and my old house in California was on the market for 1.5 million. I bought that house in 1978 for $57,000 and sold it in 1990 for $275000. San Francisco is now #1 among U.S. cities when it comes to cost-of-living. Sorry for getting off track (pun). I just thought you might be interested in what's going on in other parts of the world. I see you are in Sydney, Australia. I was there in around the 70's when there was the world cup of racing boats there in Perth. I was there on the aircraft carrier, Midway as a civilian tech representative for a naval architecture company out of San Francisco where I was living. I loved the Sydney oysters and the fosters beer that I can drink here.

Do you have a model railroad layout or just build architectural models? It sounds interesting what you do.

The original plan of the town was a single 2-lane highway (49) going through the town. I took modelers license and added new roads and rearranged the locations of buildings so they could be seen from a vantage point. I still might revert to the original plan as I am trying to make the scene as accurate as the prototype. I am running out of room.
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Offline Toosmall  
#8 Posted : 24 July 2022 10:31:19(UTC)
Toosmall

Australia   
Joined: 26/07/2021(UTC)
Posts: 608
Location: Sydney
The second post with the lift out pieces there is the link to my layout, have done more since then. It has been about 90% complete for a long time. When I started architectural model making I stopped train models. One needs a totally different hobby.

I wouldn't touch the oysters these days, there are a multitude of issues.

We bought our Unit at the top of the interest cycle in 1989 at 17% interest. Interest rates are low now, but the whole system is broken for the next generation. Housing should be a right and not an investment. But everything is about investment. My nieces and nephews will have to wait until we kick the bucket (one way or another!) to get a deposit. Others in Germany have managed to get their own properties.

I learnt a lot for architectural model making. You can hide a multitude of sins with distractions on the layout. Trees (growies - model maker speak) are brilliant. Cars, people in "interesting" scenes, basically distractions will hide pretty ordinary building. I have seen many absolutely top quality architectural models which have been killed by poor growies.

So if you have a really dodgy part of the model that you want to hide, put a high impact interesting sub scene there. A car accident, a bit of raised eyebrow person contact to grab attention. You will get away with murder and have fun doing it.
Offline Mr. Ron  
#9 Posted : 24 July 2022 18:10:54(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Originally Posted by: Toosmall Go to Quoted Post
The second post with the lift out pieces there is the link to my layout, have done more since then. It has been about 90% complete for a long time. When I started architectural model making I stopped train models. One needs a totally different hobby.

I wouldn't touch the oysters these days, there are a multitude of issues.

We bought our Unit at the top of the interest cycle in 1989 at 17% interest. Interest rates are low now, but the whole system is broken for the next generation. Housing should be a right and not an investment. But everything is about investment. My nieces and nephews will have to wait until we kick the bucket (one way or another!) to get a deposit. Others in Germany have managed to get their own properties.

I learnt a lot for architectural model making. You can hide a multitude of sins with distractions on the layout. Trees (growies - model maker speak) are brilliant. Cars, people in "interesting" scenes, basically distractions will hide pretty ordinary building. I have seen many absolutely top quality architectural models which have been killed by poor growies.

So if you have a really dodgy part of the model that you want to hide, put a high impact interesting sub scene there. A car accident, a bit of raised eyebrow person contact to grab attention. You will get away with murder and have fun doing it.



WOW is all I can say about your Z scale layout. IT is one of the best small layouts I have seen. I have always kept away from Z because of its size as I am all thumbs these days. Srill your layout is very impressive. I notice you have catenary. Is it operational? I am installing catenary on my layout. I made all my own supports and cat wires. I will be using catenary only on one loop as I don't have enough made for all the layout. It shows that you have an industrial background by the materials you use. I viewed the post on ZAP products, very informative. I will be getting some and especially the debonder.. Do Z gauge trains run reliably?
Offline Toosmall  
#10 Posted : 25 July 2022 10:25:17(UTC)
Toosmall

Australia   
Joined: 26/07/2021(UTC)
Posts: 608
Location: Sydney
I only have the catenary on the scenery side. You need somewhere to put trains on the track otherwise it is too difficult.

If I was starting now I think I would avoid Z, just too small if one is starting out. Everything is just more difficult, need stronger glasses and brighter light when repairing things.

With Z gauge I think it is best to run long trains around a long loop. To me it suits the scale.
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Offline Mr. Ron  
#11 Posted : 13 August 2022 20:21:09(UTC)
Mr. Ron

United States   
Joined: 05/07/2020(UTC)
Posts: 311
Location: Mississippi, Vancleave
Here is a progress report on my HO layout. While I am trying to sort out the wiring harnesses on my computer, I am building structures. Right now, I have about 30 different structures including factories, small businesses and residential living. I am still trying to organize my wiring so it is accessible above the table. I think I now have the solution. Since I am using M-track, I can lay a thin layer of foam board allowing a trench for wiring and using a second layer of foam board to cover the wiring. It will run up to the thickness of the M-track base. I can solve many problems in front of my computer, but I have to generate the energy to actually make the layout changes come about.

I will probably be moving from my house to a new house my son is building. That will take place in about 2 years' time, so my layout will have to reflect portability.

P.S. Has anyone used the tortoise switch machines on M-track turnouts?
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