Yet another new layout......

Trainiac77

Member
It's been a long time coming but finally I have started my first real N Scale layout. I didn't want to mess with flex track so the whole thing is Kato Unitrack. It's not prototypical in anyway, but will have a purpose of some sort of manufacturing and delivering of goods incase there is ever the desire of a running session.

I'm still not done with track work as I have to put in a raised level on the far right side that will be for manufacturing or mining, not sure yet.

Any suggestions are welcome.:thumb:

Thanks,
Paul
 

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S class

Member
nice looking layout, can you tell us anything about your scenery? my suggestion (if you are looking for one) would be a big city and the the track could represent a commuter line like the NY subway or such.
 

Trainiac77

Member
I'd like to do a city scene on the left side starting at the roundhouse and a mountain scene maybe with a some sort of mine scene on the far right. Perhaps a coal mine on the mountain side and a power plant on the other side where the coal gets delivered. I'll see how the money holds out.
 

Trainiac77

Member
Made some changes to the engine terminal entry way and near the bridge. I'll post some pix this weekend.
 

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Trainiac77

Member
Finally an update

I've finally had some time to work on the layout. I've been working on the mountain, waterfall and pond. Let me know what you think. Any suggestions would be great.

There is still much to do on this scene as I have to build the coal mine, add the ground foam and trees. Create the "running water" effect down the falls, and all the other miscellaneous scenery stuff. I have a limited number of n scale vehicles so I need to pick up some trucks and such appropriate for a mine scene.

I haven't thought of a name for the mine yet as well. There will be a switcher engine on the siding near the bridge for shunting around coal cars. I think I will purchase something in the SW class that is blank and give it the road name of the mine.
 

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SD90

Active Member
Your mountain looks awesome! How did you make it? The rock cuts look amazing too! I would like to see a how to on your process! I have to learn how to do scenery like that! Nice job!
 

S class

Member
that's some nice water fall scenery there, you don't often see modellers doing shale - if it were me I would be tempted to rig up a small pump and give it a "realistic" effect lol
 

Trainiac77

Member
I thought about the pump idea, but the way it worked out the track is only about 2 inches away and there might be some splashing in the track. Maybe a woroking stream somewhere else on the layout.......OK now you got me thinking.
 

Trainiac77

Member
Your mountain looks awesome! How did you make it? The rock cuts look amazing too! I would like to see a how to on your process! I have to learn how to do scenery like that! Nice job!

SD-90 - Thanks for the nice comments, but mostly my "skill" comes from trial but mostly error. :rolleyes: I used the pink and blue foam for the foundations and shaped it with a rasp and small Japanese trim saw. Then covered the whole structure with a coating of hydrocal.

I used a wire brush on the partial dried hydrocal to shape it. Just a quick note...Instead of buying the hydrocal from Woodland scenics or one of the other MRR suppliers, I went to a pottery supply house and purchased 50 lbs for $23.00!

The rock outcroppings are from molds that I cast. The bigger castings I would let partially dry, then wet the are where I want to put them and press them into place while still flexible and in the mold. As soon as it was dry I would pull the mold off. That's the first time I used that technique, and it worked really well. I read about it online.

I used plaster cloth only on the water fall and stream areas so there was a good base for poring the water and gluing the shale.

I still have so much to do, all the trees and brush and ground foam etc...but all in good time.
 

Trainiac77

Member
OK it's been a while but I'm finally making some progress. The roundhouse is going to be a very long project as I have to shape each roof piece individually as I originally changed the angle of the floor pieces. A lot of work, but I'm enjoying it! The outside and inside roof sections will be glued in place and the middle sections with the skylights will be removable. I'm using small strips of styrene to hide some the seems between roof sections. Sometimes the seems are perfect and sometimes not so perfect. Once the whole thing is painted it will look a whole lot better.

Any feedback would be much appreciated!
 

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Trainiac77

Member
More Progress

I was able to get a bit more completed on the roundhouse. One side is complete and the window glazing has been done. I used Testor's liquid window glazing which I didn't know they made. It worked very well even when I had to brush it on the vertical windows. Any comments welcome!
 

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Trainiac77

Member
Sorry to say that I've had to take the layout down. wall1 As we are renting the house we are in and they need to work in the basement right where the layout is. Figure! I did save the roundhouse portion and will work on it then I have time. Oh well on to planning the next one. I have all Kato track so it was easy taking it down and will be easy to set it up again when the time is right! Anyway I will have to be an arm chair model railroader for the time being! Pease keep posting pictures!:mrgreen:
 
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