Finally dug my dormant collection and failed previous layout out from the garage and moved it into the house. Broke up the old Rokuhan tracks and found that I could do my new layout without having to purchase additional pieces. However, I had spray painted about 90% of the old pieces with brown paint to color the rails and had to scrape off all of the paint from the rails. Ugh. 30x48 setup, inspired by the Rasch N scale layouts with a crossover, outside loop and an inner figure 8. 1/2" foamcore base with 2" expanded foam boards on top. Rails set on 3/16" foamcore with risers to set elevation. Here's the initial layout
Got my shipment from ZScaleMonster last week (Thanks, Anthony for the quick shipment!) and took the red Rokuhan bridge, painted it black then applied some washes to weather it. Turned out pretty well, IMO. Bridge supports are just 3/16" foamcore, painted. Spent the better part of a day painted back in the ballast to cover up the brown spray paint, then cleaning track. Hallelujah, the F7 works great, but other locos are a bit touchy...maybe an extended wheel cleaning session is needed.
Wow that is seriously smart painting and weathering that Rokuhan bridge. What’s your plans with industry for your plan?
Good question! Running out of room for stuff. Was originally thinking of a small station/loading platform just down from the doublecrossover, but it's tight. Trying to figure out how a roadway crosses or goes under. Was also thinking of a gravel quarry in the middle, but space seems tight, so I'll finish up on the plasterwork and ad lib from there.
Kind of wrapped up the plasterwork yesterday, added more bridges, main railroad crossing. Did a laborious track clean and got the trains running...good except for two iffy spots. This is an old MicronArts plat girder bridge kitbashed with an N scale Walter's plate girder bridge deck piece. Retaining wall and new tunnel Just making it up as it goes... New RR road crossing made from 0.015 styrene..wood color is way too intense, so I've got to gray that down. Road is a scale 25' wide figuring out crossing bucks... that red rectangle is only 12.5mm high according to federal regulations. The cross arms should only be 5.5mm long. Man, that's small.Maybe print it out on my inkjet, stiffen with CA glue? I dunno. Time to build 2 more bridges from the N scale walters plate girder kit, then more plastering, but all the plastercloth work is now done. Then, buildings and maybe industry. Thanks for viewing!
found an old Kibiri kit in my stash! Hmmmm...fit is a bit off. Time to kitbash. That's better, because pre Homeland Security, we always place oil storage under bridges, lol. Also, toned down those crossings and added a stop bar.
Speedbuilding! I like how your road is level with the track and not like a steep on ramp. Please keep posting Matt
going with a reduced SP type 23 depot...think I can squeeze it in....far enough from the oil tanks where fire isn't an issue....printing out on cardstock...we'll see how this goes...
Nice! I need to start making some paper models. If you print some extra sides, cut out the doors and windows, you glue them over the existing ones and create a more dimensional look. Also before you glue on the second layer of doors and windows, color the edges if needed. Scott
Sorry, apparently I need to open my eyes when I read. This is the "Z" Forum. In which case, triple wow.
Got all of the bridges done; most of the trackwork is in, but I've got a short somewhere on one siding; siding bypass works ok, but the mainline gives a fault and shuts down the controller... Arrgh. Just replaced one of the switches as I had accidently glued it shut. Time to troubleshoot and do landscaping.
