Doesn't matter if the layout is on a hollow core door, N-scale, HO,Z,G, whatever...as long as it is roughly hollow core size in any scale post those layouts so we can get ideas...please I am looking closely for scenery ideas from these photos Nice ideas and photos show far. Keep it up.
Are there any Z layouts on door panels, anyone? I would think a door would be a natural for Z, just like N scale. In2nascar, check out my Railimages acct or some of the other posters for ideas. Here is my original track plan: I ended up deleting the two spurs leading to the right. Originally I was going to connect to something else.
Are you sure you're not a professional, Steve? Very sickeningly clean, and straight trackage.. Steve, you make the rest of us look bad! More pics of GFMRRC's N layout:
campp or anyone, How wide are your streets? I am painting some in now but mine are too small but I can make them wider. Kinda weird I have the same warehouse kit but I also have the Walthers refinery on mine. I am also getting alot of ideas from the GFMRRC's N layout. Are you sure that is on a hollow core door
Street width: I would think 20-24 scale feet wide, plus shoulders... Actually, the stand on which it was designed to stand is built from hollow-core doors....
Here's an ened to end shot of my shelf layout made with 2 bi-fold closet doors. Near end is 12" wide, far end is 18" wide. They are suported by 4 closet shelf brackets and connected with a wooden cleat on the underside.
In2Nascar - I'm using Elmer's white glue to put down my Woodland Scenic's foam roadbed. I just use a thin zig-zag thread of glue (very thin) to attach the roadbed, then use a fairly light weight to hold it in place. I had read that one could use hot water to dissolve the bond, but with several track changes I find that just using a screw driver is enough to break the bond with no damage to the roadbed (thus far!).
Just got my 36" x 80" door from Lowe's for $5 - it has a hole on one side approx. 2.5" square. (Pond or underside? - I think I'll go with underside.) I'm still looking for foam in the SF bay area (thanks for tips on another thread) so no pictures yet, since it looks a lot like a door with a hole in it. Seriously, I plan to paint/seal the door. Should I plug the hole with a drywall patch or something before I paint, or can I just leave it open? Thanks, Phil
I wouldn't worry about the hole. just put it on the bottom. Or, glue your foam sheet right over it. Those doors don't warp much believe it or not.. unless you're dipping it in the pool and leaving it out in the sun Tim
Drilling holes hollow core door The thing about a hollow core door is that when you drill tiny holes for your wires to go through, say for switches etc..., because it is hollow it can be challenging for me to get the tiny wire through the hole...maybe a straw I should use, and poke through the hole for the wires to go down in? Anyone else run into this problem?
Use a small wire with a eye like a sewing needle. Push it up through the bottom, insert feeder and pull.
That's ridiculously smart! I tried the straw trick, and used brass tubing, but that is a good idea!!!
This link here is always good to trot out when someone needs inspiration. You could always squeeze or lengthen some of these to fit. The great thing about N scale door panels is that you can fit greater than 11 inch radius curves, so you could take some of these HO scale plans that feature 18" radius and convert to N scale without neccessarily compressing too much of the plan. http://www.gatewaynmra.org/project.htm My advice is to simply get a door panel and a little bit of sectional track for curves and start laying things out to see what kind of dimensions you get like so... There are actually long strips of flex track and some C55 switches under those blue lines I drew with photoshop. If you have any structures, it's good to see how they'll fit between the tracks before you lay anything in place permanently as well. People mentioned the layer of blue foam. If you plan to have any deep rivers you may want to do the blue foam on door style of layout. I chose not to and it's no worry for me as I plan to only have one shallow river area, assuming I can find space for a river with all that track.
I am laying some scenery right now. I have had the woodland scenics grass, etc... for 2-5 years and I was always afraid to go for it, fearing I might make a mistake. For some strange reason this week I figured what the heck I am sick of looking at that bare brown door wood, and I want to see some color on my layout. So far, so good. I am sure I will make mistakes but I think I can fix them, or just start another hollow core door project down the road and learn on this one. So since I live on 26 acres can I use the natural foolaige (sp?) for trees, ground brush, etc... Do you spray the items to make them keep their natural color? Or will everything just die on me? Which might not be so bad Trying to save some money and go on the cheap, cheap!
Some back-of-the envelope figuring... With a 36" wide door, 14" or greater curves in N will fit the same way 18" HO curves do on a 48" wide space. The 36" wide door will probably be 80" long, which is more than twice the width, so you'll be able to stretch a 4x8 plan.
In2Nascar - I'd go real easy with using any natural growth on a layout -all kinds of four and six legged vermin find even some treated natural growth to be tasty treats. You can end up with a real "raggedy" forests or little reminders from the four-legged variety. If you do decide otherwise, would suggest varying baths of Lysol and glycerine - then paint, to make the vegetation less tasty. Eventually I'm going to try some of the craft and floral shops for some of the vegetation I need and no one seems to make for scale modelling. But even these "pre-treated" items will get a good spray of Lysol or Pinesol.
Here are some trees made from goldenrod. Hairspray, Spray paint, Paint trunk & branches, Glue on some ground foam. Keith
