No-Name Z-scale Micro Layout

[VonRyan]

Went down to the basement yesterday to christen my 1930s Clark & Gibby flat-top desk with its first modeling project now that it’s finally out of storage after having restored it in high school around 12 years ago.

Out came a package of Gatorfoam and a Rokuhan “Z Shorty” track set with a couple extra straights added, both having been acquired last year for just this sort of occasion.

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I came up with the arbitrary dimensions of 11 inches by 7 inches, cut the first piece of Gatorfoam, and set about gluing the track down with some CA.

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There’s no real rhyme or reason to this layout. No real plan or prototype. Just something fun.
I just have a little Rokuhan “Z Shorty” Japanese railcar to run on it.

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I came up with a quick tunnel from the scraps so it’s visually not just a racetrack.
I’ll probably rough in a “top” to it later today and start on some more land-forming.

Despite being just a “fun” build I want to see how much I can get done on it before I head to a micro layout meet in Ranson, WV this coming weekend.

[ednadolski]

Nice!   It doesn't get much more 'micro' than that 

Will you run from a battery or such?   Those MRC 1300s can over-drive a Z scale loco  (there is a special version that has stops added to the dial to keep from turning it up too high).

Ed

[VonRyan]

Nice!   It doesn't get much more 'micro' than that 

Will you run from a battery or such?   Those MRC 1300s can over-drive a Z scale loco  (there is a special version that has stops added to the dial to keep from turning it up too high).

Ed

The plan is either to have a bunch of AAA batteries underneath the layout, or some kind of slim rechargeable battery pack like for charging a cell phone. There won’t be any sort of throttle, just an on/off switch and probably a switch to choose between 2v to the rails for the Rokuhan “shorty” or 3v for my Nn3 Plymouth if I want the layout to do double duty as an Nn3 micro.

[Chris333]

Found this while searching for HOn30:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/316131233184

[VonRyan]

Landforms time

Started by capping off the tunnel with a 1/4” sheet of Gatorfoam.
Cut a piece of rubber rocks to fit the one area and widened the tunnel opening to accommodate folding in the rubber rocks to form a sorta “natural” tunnel entrance.

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Took a bit of fuss to get it all glued into place and trimmed up, but I think it came out nicely.

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Then I grabbed a scrap piece of pink foam and started carving some more landforms.

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I’m just getting things roughed in here. Tomorrow night will be sculptamold time to get things sorta blended on the lower level, and give me time to think about what to do on the flat area above the tunnel.

[Philip H]

Tomorrow night will be sculptamold time to get things sorta blended on the lower level, and give me time to think about what to do on the flat area above the tunnel.

Banditos.

[VonRyan]

I had about a half hour at home between work and having to pick up my girlfriend from her work, so this evening was a bit of a lightning round.

Whipped up a little batch of Sculptamold and set to work while listening to a live auction on Facebook.

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Still just roughing some things in for now. Tomorrow will be about getting some of this into a more “final” shape.

Banditos.

Duly noted!

[dem34]

You'd be surprised the lightning progress one can make if you embrace the Howard Zane method of Clump Foliage spam seasoned with a bit of supertrees.

[VonRyan]

You'd be surprised the lightning progress one can make if you embrace the Howard Zane method of Clump Foliage spam seasoned with a bit of supertrees.

Hoping to avoid just dumping on a bunch of clump foliage, but I know that it’ll happen at least to a degree to blend in some things. I don’t mind the idea of taking this layout unfinished to the meet on Saturday, but I definitely want to have something more than just track and black Gatorfoam to show for it. This is essentially an exercise in just making myself make decisions rather than pondering over the options for all eternity.

[packers#1]

You can always zip texture before going back and adding in more detailed trees. But there’s also something to be said for a (well executed) background that allows the primary details to stand out.

[VonRyan]

Another night of progress on the micro layout.

Started with adding a rock cutting in the one corner…

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Then came more landform carving and Sculptamold work to blend everything together again.

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I finished the night off with a couple coats of earth tone paint for the scenery base layer.

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I’m still not exactly sure what I’m going to do with the other tunnel opening.
I’ve got no idea what I’m going to do with it yet.

[VonRyan]

Last night’s dirty work.
Another coat of paint on the ground, followed by the first layer of scenery: dirt!
Used my usual sifted “SuperDirt” for everything. I then went back and added some larger rocks and such from some grade-2 “SuperDirt” at the base of the rock face and the rock cut. Not sure I like how it looks in the rock cut, but we’ll see how I feel when I look at it tonight since when the photos were taken the glue was still wet.

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This is as far as I’m going to get before I head to the micro layout meet on Saturday.
When I return I need to unearth the rest of my scenery supplies so I can start getting some greenery on this thing.

[wm3798]

Really cool.  Hopefully the weather holds out tomorrow and I can come down the mountain to take it all in.
Will you be exhibiting this as a work in progress?
Lee

[VonRyan]

Really cool.  Hopefully the weather holds out tomorrow and I can come down the mountain to take it all in.
Will you be exhibiting this as a work in progress?
Lee

Yup! As long as I got it to this stage the plan is to have it there as a work in progress alongside my Nn3 layout and DKS’s Trenton Transportation Co.

[wm3798]

I saw your posts on the facetoobs, along with a few others.  Sorry I didn't make it down the mountain.  I had a lot of prep to do for this snow event today.
It will definitely be on my bucket list next year, and I'll make sure I have the NRF fluffed out to exhibit.  There's also a train show at the Martinsburg Roundhouse in the fall.

Perhaps we should lobby the N Scale Weekend guys to offer up a Micro sub event during the big show.  Why should those FreeMo guys have all the fun!

Lee