Scenery or Operation?

Considering I have a shelf type layout and hence limited to 60cms, I am faced with a choice of having a layout based on operation (alot of track) or one based on 'scenery'. I think the two are mutually exclusive on a shelf layout.

I have found that the true joy in model railways for me personally is seeing models of trains, which entails the locomotive, the wagons, the wheels, the noises of clicks over the rails, the rocking, the beautiful curve produced by a string of wagons as they negotiate a broad prototypical looking turn, more appealing than seeing a train pull into the stage, shunt or drop off passengers and then leave the scene not to be seen again.

With this realisation, I am pretty much going to drastically down size my tracks and cull the yard I was going to build as my layout. I have also started to think about fitting a small station, e.g. Armstrong on the far end of the shelf and then make the mainline run in the foreground. To seperate the two 'scenes' I think building a 'tree scape' between the two may work. The trees will fit in well with the 'small' country station atmosphere as well is provide a somewhat convincing backdrop for the mainline in the foreground.

Well, now I have to sell all those points I am not going to use. If anyone out there is looking for any Peco Code 100 points in good condition, then let me know :)

Seize the day!

Airbrushed some Tank Cars

I decided to get the air brush to 'rust' some of my shiny silver Oil tanks that I bought and painted silver a while back. I was after a well used and rusty look. Its amazing to think that the TW wagons were actually silver (well some anyway) but due to the elements, they turn black and rusty pretty soon. So I mixed Humbrol 60 (Matt Red) with Humbrol 33 (Matt Black) about 15 to 1, and then thinned accordingly to give me the desired look.
After they were made rusty, I went through them with another spray of Matt 33 to tone them little.

I think they turned out OK.

Cold in the shed!

It was a chilly 7C in the shed yesterday morning at 07am. I had to take a photo to remember it!
Also, here are some morning shots of the layout.

L Wagons from SEM
Well I went ahead and took on the challenge on building a couple of L wagons. First thing is the etched brass is very delicate, so when trying to cut the brass from the fret, be very careful not to bend the etch bars because they are extremely difficult to straighten back.
This kit also requires painting the interior and exterior different colours as well as painting before the kit is finally completed. So little delay in building the kit. May actually get the second kit at the same stage as the first so I just have to clean the air brush once for each colour!

In the mean time here is a video from my layout which is still to be finalised.

Always wanted a bridge

I always wanted to have a bridge of some sort on my layout.  This 'feature' allows one to depart from that flat look table top scene.  So this afternoon, I put into action my thoughts.  This is a very first draft of the bridge I am looking at modeling - although I initially thought of modeling a trestle type bridge.

Well here it is - not too bad although alot more scenery work to do to make it some what convincing.

Click the picture for a larger format.

Still working on Track Planning

Well I'm still working on a track plan - now it is based on Dimboola!  This gives me an opportunity to run the Bs and S, as well as an X when I get one.  

Also, since all trains stopped there for a crew change, this could be used as yet another 'operation' point.  Moreover, according to the mid 1970s Working Time Table (WTT), a roadside goods would originate and terminate here.  Dimboola also has a loco facility so depicting some loco tracks would add to operation.  The branch line to Japarit could also use a Road Side and a DERM.  So quite some potential there.

And for a little variety, SAR rollingstock would be seen in the mix of interstate 'jets'.  Another dream layout or will this be the final one?  Let's see...

Anyway I leave you guys with a Y class on a RoadSide Goods coming into 'Dinboola'.

John Amrstrong in Track Planning for Realistic Operation makes a couple of interesting points which have stuck.

1. Try and make a portion of track laid down for more than one purpose. (Efficiency in the use of the available space)
2. Don't repeat the same thing twice.
3. Plan for more edge (accessibility)

With point 1, I think going with a longer road number 2 followed by a left hand point into the yard proper about 100cm farther down which creates a Road Number 2a (see Nhill track diagram )
- this in effect can also be used as a head shunt.

With Point 2 i touched on in my previous post - why create another town with the same core principal which is to shunt and take refugee for a cross

With point 3, try and plan to lay your tracks closer to you rather towards the back for cleaning and maintenance, depending on height, 60cms to reach could cause problems.

Here is a youtube video of a train length which seems realistic for a B Class (could even get away with a double header S and B? Not sure.)