Building a modular home layout
#46
Those modules look great! A few guys at my local modular club have been experimenting with non-standard plans, but standard interfaces. A couple of interesting things have emerged, like end-of-line modules, and lots of bridges.

Andrew
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#47
Thanks, Andrew. Finished laying roadbed on the first section today. I have some leftover cork roadbed with beveled egdes and I'm using this first, then I'm going to cut strips from cork sheets like the one sitting on top of the section. Much cheaper than the pre made cork roadbed, and the ballast can form a natural slope on the sides:

[Image: 4013_w1200.jpg]

[Image: 4016_w1200.jpg]

The hard plywood made it a challenge to hold the cork in place while the caulk sets. First I tried regular pins, but I couldn't push them far enough into the plywood. The solution was to use a staple gun with 6mm (1/4") staples; these are just long enough to hold everything in place, and easy to remove later using a small screwdriver. Guess I'll find out tomorrow if this was really a good solution, or if the cork comes loose along with the staples...

The lower pic also shows maybe the biggest advantage in building a layout in modules/sections; the possibility to lift out a single module/section and shift it around for easy access from all sides.
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#48
Svein Wrote:That looks like a very interesting and lightweight construction method! How ever, I'm curious as to how the scenery is done, especially for rivers and other terrain below track level. Also, how are the modules bolted together? I really like the idea, but would probably have to make some adjustments to make it fit our modular standards.

hasn't Using foam board for scenery has been discussed on this forum & others more than a few times? Google has some website to see using "model railrod Strofoam scenery techniques".
Andy Jackson
Santa Fe Springs CA
ATSF/LAJ Ry Fan & Modeler
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#49
lajry Wrote:
Svein Wrote:That looks like a very interesting and lightweight construction method! How ever, I'm curious as to how the scenery is done, especially for rivers and other terrain below track level. Also, how are the modules bolted together? I really like the idea, but would probably have to make some adjustments to make it fit our modular standards.

hasn't Using foam board for scenery has been discussed on this forum & others more than a few times? Google has some website to see using "model railrod Strofoam scenery techniques".

I'm familiar with the use of styrofoam for building layouts, and have also used it myself on several occasions. I was just curious as to how it was done using the specific construction method in the pics you posted on the previous page, and you already answered that back in November. Not quite sure why you are bringing this up again now..?

I have no doubt that styrofoam is an excellent material for building lightweight modules and layout sections. As I said, I have used it before, and I will most likely use it again, but for my current sections/modules I'm using plywood.
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#50
Finished the cork roadbed, now it's time to lay some track! Smile

Here is the staging yard along one long wall, the sections are just wide enough to fit six tracks with a track distance of 52mm (just over 2"). In the far end there is a pinwheel ladder of curved turnouts. Five of the tracks are double ended staging tracks, while the sixth (closest to camera) will be a branch line. Each of the staging tracks can hold a train of 180-200cm (6' - 6'8") length, not too bad for a layout this size I think:
[Image: 4020_w1200.jpg]

Here is the other end of the staging yard, with the main line curving around the corner and passing below the window on the short wall. The branch line will make a 180 degree curve on the inside of the main and connect to my old sections, which will form a peninsula in the middle of the room, but the exact placement of the curve can't be defined without the old sections in place, so that will have to wait until later:
[Image: 4021_w1200.jpg]

Along the entire other long wall I have planned a station and a small town with some industries. The passing tracks are just under 200cm (6'8") long, but with only two through tracks, I'm thinking of having an extra crossover between them, in front of the depot (about center in the first pic below), to make switching the industrial track along the wall a little easier:
[Image: 4023_w1200.jpg]

[Image: 4024_w1200.jpg]
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#51
Finally the movie from our FREMO meeting back in october is finished, and released on both Vimeo and Youtube. You can use the button in the lower right corner for English captions.

BTW, that's me and my module in a short clip starting at 32:17.
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#52
Sven, that movie is outstanding. It is much more than the usual clips but a complete movie covering many aspects of our hobby. Beside the excellent layout my congratulations to the "movie makers" Thumbsup

ps. I got the subtitles in German language. Did you prepare them in several languages and YouTube selects the right one depending on my browser/country settings?
Reinhard
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#53
Oops, guess I should have mentioned that I had nothing to do with the making of the film, sorry if that was misleading.

I know that Geir (the filmmaker) asked around for assistance in translating the dialogue and creating subtitles in different languages, I guess the different subtitles are all embedded into the film and selected based on the browser/Youtube country settings.
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#54
Svein!
Thumbsup Thumbsup Thumbsup
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#55
After two years, it is finally time to get rid of that yellow spray-foam finish on the FREMO module!

As this is my first time doing scenery, I've had quite a lot of trial-and-error time getting the rock cuts and outcroppings somewhat acceptable, before moving on to the next step. In the pic below, the cut at the upper left is still untreated, as it was done all over again after a failed attempt of yellow ocher wash. The other cut and the outcroppings have a light wash of raw and burnt umber, but there's still more washes and highlighting to do before they are finished:
[Image: 4392_w1200.jpg]

Today the weather is great, so I decided to move the messy work and the module out on the back terrace. But first I wanted to drive around a little to search for any good local spots to collect dirt and sand for the scenery, and I've made a little "kit" that is easy to just pick up and throw in the car, consisting of some gardening tools, a tea strainer, some small plastic boxes and empty milk cartons, all put together in a handy container with a clip-on lid
[Image: 20150926001_w1200.jpg]

I found a great spot just a couple of kilometers away, with a cut alongside a narrow gravel road where the sand and finer particles had been washed out by the rain and laying at the bottom of the cut, all ready to be picked up! With all 6 milk cartons filled to the rim, I returned back home to get the dirt baked in the kitchen stove. With four baking trays of dirt in the oven (and two more on the way), I used some of my old clay dirt to get the first layer done, and this is how the module looks now:[Image: 20150926002_w1200.jpg]

The other half of the module will get its first layer by the afternoon. I know, there's still a lot of work before the module is finished, but at least it's not yellow spray foam anymore! 2285_ Icon_lol
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#56
A little more progress today. The basic ground cover is done, and the only foam still visible is the fill alongside the track. This will be covered tomorrow, when the glue from todays work has set and any stuff still loose is vacuumed up.
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#57
Getting ready for a FREMO meeting this weekend, I'm leaving tomorrow to help set up the layout. The trees are just placed temporarily, there will probably be some adjustments before they are permanently fixed in place. Shrubs and deciduous trees will be added later:

[Image: 20151007001_w1200.jpg]
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#58
Very nice!
Mike

Sent from my pocket calculator using two tin cans and a string
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