Weekend Update 11/14/10

[DKS]

Here’s an overall shot of the layout (I'm not sure why this is showing up smaller than the actual size of the photo).

Erik, good to know things are looking up. Divorce isn't fun (I know, been there twice). Also good to know your interest in your extraordinary layout is renewed. The reason this image is sized oddly is because it's the panorama I stitched together from two other shots.

My current project is building a building that will be on the very edge of the layout and is cut off at the layout edge.  I decided to do this because visually I believe it’s a good way to convey that the city extends beyond the edge of the layout.

I think this works well as a device to visually extend the settings on a layout. Since scenery and (sometimes) track are lopped off by the edge of a layout, why not structures? On my WR&N IV I even had an underground river and surrounding caverns bisected by the layout facia. I've also built structures such that the interior of the building was visible, as if sliced in half. None of my ideas are original, but I try not to do them in a gimmicky style.

On my current Z scale layout, I have a factory building that gets lopped off on a diagonal by the back edge of the layout:

[atsf_arizona]

SNFF 2011 11 14

Hi, all,

I was fortunate to drop on while on a business trip, to the San Diego Society of N Scale (SDSONS)
at the San Diego Model RR Museum.   It's been 5 years since I was there and prez Jim Bence and the guys
still remembered me:



The layout itself, of course, is spectacular.




 
It's even better now that it was 5 years ago.  It's handlaid code 40 rail on printed
circuit board ties, depicts what might have been in the San Diego and very southern California
area, including the famed Carrizo Gorge.  Today it is all DCC.

You can see more about the Pacific Desert Lines N scale layout here:

/>
You can see more about SDSONS at:  http://www.sdsons.org/

If you are ever near or around San Diego, of course you owe it to yourself to see the
San Diego Model RR Museum, SDSONS is right next to the famed La Mesa HO Tehachachi club.

To me, that's the great thing about this hobby... the great people you get to meet
and make lifelong friends with, in the process of enjoying our wonderful hobby.

[atsf_arizona]

While not N, as I know we have many Southern Pacific fans here, I trust you all won't mind
that I let you know that there is a 25 photo 'behind the scenes' look at the SP Shasta Division
John Armstrong layout that's in the just released Great Model Railroads 2011.   You can see those
25 photos at the X2011 West NMRA Nationals 2011 Facebook page:

http://facebook.com/x2011west

Here's one sample shot:



Brought to you as a model railroading public service, hope you enjoy the behind the scenes photos.  

Speaking for myself, all of us N scalers in the San Francisco Bay area want to do as much as we can
N scale specific for next year's 2011 NMRA Nationals out in our neighborhood.  I've no idea what that
might look like yet, but there is significant good N scale in Sacramento / San Francisco and I'll do what
I can to keep all of you abreast of what those possibilities and happenings are.

Now, back to N scale weekly Foto Fun!

[James Costello]

Erik - there is no way we'll ever forget you or your awesome layout. Keep up the great work!

[Hyperion]

On my current Z scale layout, I have a factory building that gets lopped off on a diagonal by the back edge of the layout:

When you put the rear railing across the back edge of the building, it doesn't look as much "lopped off" as it does just a really short building.  Not that a hard-edge fools the eye from that perspective regardless.  Chopped off buildings are always exceptionally difficult to really pull off from much of any angle aside from scale-person height.

[eric220]

River City got a (very) little bit bigger this week.  I built up another DPM kit.  One of these days, I'll actually get around to painting these things.



I think my next big project is going to be to go back and redo my JMRI panel.  I'm close to finalizing the design for my layout, and I want to begin experimenting with a different panel design.  The fact that the latest update to JMRI completely destroys my current panel is no small motivation to tackle this next.

[DKS]

When you put the rear railing across the back edge of the building, it doesn't look as much "lopped off" as it does just a really short building.  Not that a hard-edge fools the eye from that perspective regardless.  Chopped off buildings are always exceptionally difficult to really pull off from much of any angle aside from scale-person height.

Yes, I know. I was undecided about the railing. I tried it both ways, and I still don't know which works better.

[Erik W]

Erik, good to know things are looking up. Divorce isn't fun (I know, been there twice). Also good to know your interest in your extraordinary layout is renewed. The reason this image is sized oddly is because it's the panorama I stitched together from two other shots.

I think this works well as a device to visually extend the settings on a layout. Since scenery and (sometimes) track are lopped off by the edge of a layout, why not structures? On my WR&N IV I even had an underground river and surrounding caverns bisected by the layout facia. I've also built structures such that the interior of the building was visible, as if sliced in half. None of my ideas are original, but I try not to do them in a gimmicky style.

On my current Z scale layout, I have a factory building that gets lopped off on a diagonal by the back edge of the layout:

David,

The panoramic shot you did for me is probably my most forwarded photo of my layout.  It gives a great overview for my non railroad oriented friends and family.



I think the cut off building should work fine in this case.  When you look at the panoramic layout shot, you can see that most of the time the operator(s) are in front of the yard or the mountain section, rather than viewing from the layout end.  From this view the new structure will be convincing.  Also, when looking at the panoramic shot, you can see what I was trying to achieve with the transition from forest covered mountains, to less forested foothills, to the edge of the city (fewer, lower buildings), to the nitty gritty part of the city.

Erik

[Dave V]

Eric, I have to say, you really have captured that abrupt transition from Denver to the mountains.  Back East, the transition from the flat coast to the "mountains" is very gradual, beginning with rolling hills and then ridges and valleys, followed by the Alleghenies.  I've always been struck by the dramatic way the Front Range rises above the flat High Plains like a wall.  Looking at your layout, you've really captured that.

[delamaize]

I actually got something to share this week! I got some decoders installed, one in the "poloshed turd" B-mann 2-6-2 project, another in a old minitrix 0-6-0, and one in a LL SW9. Also, a little shop built logging locomotive that resembles a class A climax arose from the parts bin.

picutres tomorrow!

[eja]

Mark,

Your CP layout is beautiful ....

   ... but, please put a Z scale coupler on your lead unit.  I cannot believe how big that N coupler looks. 

Excuse me, I have too look at some of my leaders.   

[esa123]

Erik,

It's great to hear from you again. Your layout was an inspiration to me when I was stationed overseas and could only dream about what I would model once I returned home so thanks for posting the original and now current pics/update!

Sincerely,
Erik

[davefoxx]

Finally, I've got something worth showing off in the Weekend Update.  For those of you following along with my thread on the Aberdeen & Rockfish Ry., you know that David K. Smith helped put together a track plan for my next hollow-core door layout.

Well, here's its humble beginnings.  Since it's my second HCD layout, it could be called Hollow-Core Door- The Next Generation, although Lee Weldon's suggestion, Parallelodoor, is quickly catching on, because to make certain elements fit, we tacked on the angles at the ends (see the track plan above).


You can get a better idea of the angle in this shot.  Both ends are the same.



On my last HCD layout, I used folding table legs extended with electrical conduit to raise the height.  Unfortunately, those type of legs made for a shaky table.  I think Dave Vollmer has the same complaint on the Juniata Division, So, as you can see in the first photo above, I used lumber to build the legs, which makes for a much more solid table.  Admittedly, it's not pretty under there, but I may consider taking the layout legs outside on a nice day and spray-bomb them black.  You can just make out the shelf I built (near the legs on the left) to hold the DCC command station.  Not visible are the tee nuts and 1/4" bolts I installed under the legs to allow me to level the table.

Now, I need to order track and cork roadbed.

Have a great week,
Dave Foxx

[chuck geiger]

Dave: Great track plan, I want to steal it. Don't know
when I get out of the armchair, if I'm doing a door
or 2x4.

[davefoxx]

Dave: Great track plan, I want to steal it. Don't know
when I get out of the armchair, if I'm doing a door
or 2x4.

Chuck,

My 2' x 3' layout just wasn't cutting it for me, and I just couldn't take armchair modeling anymore.  Hope you can break out soon, too.  Feel free to steal away.   It's not right to call it my plan.  The inspiration for Aberdeen (other than the prototype) came from a 45-year-old track plan by MR's Gordon Odegard.  Then, I roughed out the rest, which David K. Smith cleaned up and provided some great ideas.  Voila!  I love the end result and cannot wait to get some track down.

DFF