Baro's ApartmeNt layout

[Baronjutter]

Hi guys, I'm new to the site so I thought I'd post the layout I'm working on!

First of all, here's some pictures of my old layout, which is now gone due to moving.






I also now do my own laser cutting!  The plan is to custom laser cut most all the buildings for the new layout!

[Baronjutter]

So!  The new layout! 

Here is the space,  a nice 12x11 bedroom in my new apartment.






So far I'm just working on the benchwork, no rush since I'm going atlas code 55 for my track and we'll be lucky to get any in january!

The layout will be a U shaped double-decker with a large urban scene and tram system and industrial area up top and a nature/mountain area and staging down below.

[Philip H]

Nice work. Do you a prototype or geographic locale you're working with?

[Baronjutter]

The prototype is that big Island between Vancouver BC and Vancouver Island that they finally built a bridge over in the early 21st century.

Wait none of that exists...  well it does in my imagination !!

http://goo.gl/maps/itNlj

Imagine a big island here in the straight allowing a bridge between the mainland and Vancouver Island/Nanaimo that's home to a large port city.  Not quite as big as Vancouver,  maybe just under a million.

[Baronjutter]

More progress!!  With my wife's help we got the lower level in.  Despite measuring everything perfectly I found the lower deck wasn't totally level,  then I put the level on the floor and realized the floor isn't level!  Oh well, it's at least consistent now!

[M.C. Fujiwara]

Level the decks!
Not the floor!

That's why I pimped the screw-on glides / levelers!
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3676349&cp=2568443.2568451.2626210.2627538.2627557

Then when you check the deck, and it's a little off, doing the twist on a leg or two takes care of everything.
(instead of have to reposition a shelf!)

Legs, joists, etc. really don't need to be 100% "perfect" as long as the track surface is fairly flat 

[Baronjutter]

Once I moved the table to the wall it levelled out!  It's all good now.  The floor just probably droops a bit in the middle of the room.  60 year old apartment!

[C855B]

After 35 years of renovating, I've learned over and over and over that the fundamental truths are: 1) nothing is level, 2) nothing is plumb, and 3) nothing is square.

Just the way it is.

[Baronjutter]

Even more progress

[John]

I like that city scene .... what kind of laser are you using?

[timwatson]

Great work Baro and welcome to the Railwire. Keep the updates coming I've got an urban railroad I'm building as well. Albeit a few years before yours.

[davefoxx]

Baro,

Welcome to the RailWire.  I recognize your ID from NScale.net.  I think you'll enjoy it here.  I tend to hang here more than I do other forums.

When you get a chance, I'd love some tips on how you finished your streets and sidewalks on your old layout.  They look great, and I sure would like to know what you did to get the weathered asphalt and concrete look, as well as how you created the striping and markings in the streets.

Thanks,
Dave

[Baronjutter]

My streets are damn simple.  I read all these complex tutorials on doing roads that involve all sorts of plasters, foam board, weathering powders, you name it.

My roads?  It's as simple as the top surface of my owens-corning pink-panther insulation painted medium-dark gray.  That's it.  I guess sometimes there's a bit of plaster near joints.  In hindsight I'd do a skin coat of plaster or something on top, just to make it a tiny bit harder for the next part.

The lines?  Yellow and white ball point pens and a straight edge.  For curves I'd just bend my ruler or awkwardly hold a strip of plastic in position. 

That's it, that's all there is to it.  You can then go back and paint darker shades over top in little lines and squares to represent patches and old roadwork.  For weathering you could just take some black charcoal on your finger and smudge and rub down the middle of the lanes.



For something like these cobbles peeping out from under the road surface, it was as simple as roughing up the foam a bit, putting down a thin coat of plaster, and then carving the bricks with a little dental tool.  Then just paint em up.



Just look at google maps or real life,  look at the shades of the road.  Look at all the weird patches and marks.  Maybe they recently dug up a trench to fix a pipe.  Maybe the work is so recent the patch is over top of the paint.  Just use many slight different shades of gray, with the lightest on the bottom and get darker as its newer.


The #1 most important thing is to do it realistically.  Copy geometry from maps,  read transport engineering guides.  We'll often put so much energy researching how to lay our rail lines that we'll then make these very silly looking roads that are too small or just don't look right.  If you're doing modern, absolutely consult your local guides to make sure all your paints and signs and geometry is right, or at least pretty close.

[Baronjutter]

A lesson in planning ahead (and owning your own pair of slippers)



Totally forgot there was a supposed to be a hole here resulting in a shameful sawing...

[Chris333]

Very stylish!