Reusable, modular layout base in N-gauge

[alan_r]

Thanks for the comments

The next task was to finish the edge of the higher concrete level. To keep it simple, this would comprise just a barrier and a balcony for now, where I could add buildings in the future, such as a station plaza and/or some shops. The card pieces were cut and scored to allow some crisp fold lines

Card for building edge

Then they were glued and weighted down until dry

Sticking in place

Mini craft pegs held both sides of the overlapping barrier wall. The balcony got around the tight space between the edge and the road and if I build a station plaza this could form the interior

Creating the barrier

Once all of the parts were dry it created a nice edge to the polystyrene

Completed edge

[Mountain]

That's quite an intricate shape there.

[alan_r]

The finished edge (unpainted of course) can be seen in this shot looking towards the station. The protruding part next to the station end is to form a foundation for the end office block

Finished edge view towards the station

The office block that surrounds the end of the backscene slots nicely into the end foundation and is no longer floating in mid-air! The gap between the office block and the station though does show fields on the horizon which looks odd since there should be railway in that part of the view so will need to be blocked

End building foundation - no longer floating

A simple low-relief building side will be just high enough to hide the backscene landscape, with only sky visible. It will sit under the station building to keep it in place.

Low relief infill

Placing it in position confirms it hides the landscape of the backscene

Infill positioned to close the gap

With the office block back, the infill has closed the gap nicely

Building in place with infill to station

[alan_r]

Now the card cutting is complete and all the elements fit the space, it is time to finally paint all the card a light grey to represent concrete

Painted card

It could probably benefit from some weathering, but for now it will do. If this turns into the interior of a station plaza then weathering would look wrong so for now I'll leave it clean

Painted grey

Sticking the window prints onto the infill building next to the station bridge and re-fitting the office block completes the scene (for now). At least the office block isn't floating in the air anymore and the fields can no longer be seen between the station and the office ...

Building back and window print fitted

Complete view

To hide the polystyrene in the middle, the cut sheet of plywood is then dropped in, and is a perfect fit.

Plywood infill dropped in place

The plywood is now ready to form the basis of some new scenic modules, with road and rail siding access

[alan_r]

Having closed the gap by the office blocks, the scene looks a lot more complete

Completed backscene looking better

Now having finished the 'backscene' (!) I decided it was time to populate the layout with some trains for a bit

Trains on the layout

The plywood board gives plenty of future options for infill scenes and alternative builds, but for now I decided to 'cheat', paint it concrete-grey and just dump some containers/cranes/trucks into the area and create a container yard. No work at all, but it means I have a configuration that can be fully finished for watching the trains gently roll by...

Grey-painted infill board and container facilities

An aerial view of the container yard shows how effective it is just by putting details into the space and makes quite an impression. The colourful variation of the containers and the yellow cranes makes a nice contrast to the grey of the concrete...

Aerial view of the container yard

Hmmm ... does that mean I've actually FINISHED my layout?!
Well, one variant at least, but I can create lots of alternative infill scenes to match my various freight wagons as somewhere for them to go, so no danger of getting bored and having to move on to another new layout for now

[alan_r]

Here is a view of the entire layout. You can't see much detail in it, but it gives a good view of the edges and overall setup. Edited to hide my clutter in the photo! Overall size 3.10m x 1.06m (10'3'' x 3'6'')

Overview of whole layout

This is a different view looking along from one end to show the front and back of the 'oval'

Long end view

... and looking from the other end

Other end view

...and finally a higher viewpoint looking down

Higher view

[alan_r]

Since railways are rarely viewed from the air (!) I took some lower angle shots which look a lot better

Low level track 1

Low level track 2

Over view - 'finished'

I have quite a lot of railfreight red wagons so thought I'd have a clear out and put them on ebay, so decided to take some final shots on the layout. I then realised why I liked them - they just look great against the green of the countryside.

Low level Railfreight red livery

Railfreight red livery and Plasmor

Although I don't really remember this livery, nor the sectorisation one that followed it, they are the ones that are the most colourful to me and where I think I will focus my liveries. Looks like I will be keeping all of my Railfreight red afterall!

[glencairn]

This layout is not one I have been following much. (Too small for me.) N Gauge in the landscape is rarely done well. Some layouts have lots of trackwork, because they have the space. Therefore imo spoiling the effect.

This is different. (Still too small ) but it is nice to see a 'right balance' of trackwork and scenery. Well done.

Glencairn

[peak]

This layout is not one I have been following much. (Too small for me.) N Gauge in the landscape is rarely done well. Some layouts have lots of trackwork, because they have the space. Therefore imo spoiling the effect.

This is different. (Still too small ) but it is nice to see a 'right balance' of trackwork and scenery. Well done.

Glencairn

I totally agree.
Loverly looking layout.

[manna]

G'Day Gents

I'll also agree, great looking railway, I've watched evolve from bare boards, but to modern for my taste's. Congratulations.

manna

[Ex-Pat]

I'll certainly join the plaudits club for this one - one thing that particularly catches my eye is the 3-track level crossing - haven't seen that before, and it really "works" for me.

[alan_r]

Thanks for all of the compliments. OO modellers enjoying an N gauge layout: What is the world coming to?! Must be Covid madness!

I get the point about n-gaugers putting 'too much track' on the board. This was deliberately kept compact to ensure it was finishable, to experiment with some ideas and to see what I liked/didn't like before embarking on the big 'proper' layout.
It is essentially just two ovals, two passing loops and four short sidings. The amount of track is doubled in that both the front and back of the oval is in view (at least in the second revision), rather than having a lot of out-of-sight fiddle yard and a single view area.
I suppose the crux is what you want from a layout - is it to be visually ultra-realistic (great for an exhibition or club), or do you want lots to do (better for home). My first version was just two parallel tracks. Yes, it was just like most of the real railway network, but it quickly got a bit boring. Even with this current expanded configuration, this is just for watching the trains go by and still doesn't lend itself to a lot of operational interest, so I can see why some opt for the philosophy of cramming as much track in as possible.
When I have travelled on trains and looked out of the window, the exciting parts are where the train passes large expanses of track, either a station throat approach, or a goods yard / loco maintenance shed, with a 'sea of tracks' stretching out with lots of parked wagons/locos. This leaves plenty of open track but also plenty of trains to look at, so I can see the appeal of cramming lots in. It just needs to be carefully considered to keep it realistic and still look in place with its surroundings. At work also, there are lots of sidings and 'seas of wagons' which I still love to look at, but equally the real world warehouses and factory buildings are by comparison huge and completely dominate, which evens the balance, but would be difficult in n-gauge and nigh-on impossible in OO

What is perhaps surprising is how long even this simple configuration has taken - the first entry to the thread is 2012, so 8+ years in the making!
I'm going to have to think carefully what my next modelling project is going to look like as at this rate I'll need to retire before I get enough time to enjoy running trains on the next layout! I need to scale back my ambitions and consider hard what I want from a layout. Maybe I do actually have too many models which may never get taken out of their boxes?

[Bufferstop]

Alan - The container park is a good idea you can even pick and choose bits of the scene to be obscured by stacking a few containers in the way. There's one puzzling feature though, how did those containers get in there without the tractors pulling them leaving tyre marks, at least in the gateway where they all have to turn? If you posses a Peco track rubber (I know some people think them the work of the Devil, especially N Gaugers). Try lightly drawing in a tyre track or two with the corner of the rubber, press harder if you want spilled diesel fuel tracks.
Great Layout!

[EDIT] PS. solved it. The same guy as took those first high angle shots, got them whilst lifting in the containers with his helicopter

[alan_r]

It has been a busy few months - though not modelling, but moving house. I am so glad I decided to reconfigure the layout to potentially fit a more 'modern' house room size as that is what I have ended up with for the train room (couldn't agree on a house that didn't have my own train space! ).
By a modern house I mean 1970s rather than 100+ years old, so no 21' basement and no attic space, but managed to secure myself a 10'9'' by 7'9'' bedroom ... and my reconfigured layout was 10'3'' long, so just fits length-wise and should fit behind the door. Very close, but with just enough margin - phew! If I'd have known what sized room it had to go in beforehand, I couldn't have designed it with a better fit, so one very fortunate situation that has saved a lot of work!
The house still needs plenty of storage, so I set about creating a frame that would give loads of storage underneath, with the layout sitting on top:

Frame

Frame

The whole frame, comprising wood, bolts and screws totals just under £50 too so much cheaper than a cabinet or any bought table. Before anyone criticises it for not having much bracing, the rear beam is quite deep and the whole structure is surprisingly stiff. I was going to add some gussets, but once assembled it seems rigid enough, so I'll leave it as-is for now.

The old support frame simply sits on top of the longitudinal beams

Old layout board supports added

Old layout board supports added

Then the various modules were assembled on top of the support frame and the layout extensively tested for smooth running of trains for several hours just to triple check everything was working correctly!

Layout placed onto new frame

[alan_r]

Just to emphasise how tight a fit the layout is in the new house, here is a closer view of the two ends, first the left end tight against the wall:

Tight to the wall

Then looking at the other end, there isn't much gap between the edge and the window sill, though it does at least give a bit of a gap by the radiator to let the warm air escape without getting trapped under the scenery:

Just fits!

No room for curtains, so only a roller blind within the window reveal .