Best Of Vandelay Industries - An Inglenook Micro Layout

[cbroughton67]

I actually completed this layout a few months ago, but it didn't occur to me to post its construction here until now. Better late than never...


I've been enamored with European-style micro-layouts for a while. I love the detail, creativity, and operational focus of these layouts. I've toyed with building an N-scale Inglenook layout for a while, but once I saw FB friend Rob Chant's single-industry themed "Vandelay Industries," I was sold. Yes, THAT Vandelay Industries... 


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While the track plan is HO, I adapted it to N-scale and used Atlas code 55 track and turnouts. The layout measures a scant 48" x 6"!

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I used a pair of 24" x 6" CMR T-trak modules for the base. I originally thought I'd allow them to be detachable, but quickly gave up on that idea and permanently joined the two together.


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I added styrene between the track to act as a base for the hardstand.
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[cbroughton67]

I cut a patch out of the right-hand module top and glued a piece of 2" styrofoam underneath to create the water feature.


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Hardstand (0.020" styrene) was cut and painted before getting glued into place.
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Next was scratch-building the main industrial structure. I used thick styrene (0.060" I think) as the base, then later laminated N Scale Architect brick sheet over that.


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[cbroughton67]

More progress on the structure...


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I used styrene channel for the "cap" atop the brick walls. These were assembled and painted separately before gluing in place.


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[cbroughton67]

So there'd be a hint of something going on inside the structure, I found some warehouse interior photos online that I photo-edited and used for an "interior" for the large factory windows. For the loading dock doors, I found some old, painted brick wall textures and concrete floor textures on textures.com, then photo edited those for loading dock interiors. The rusty overhead doors also came from textures.com. I glued them all to styrene, added some people and freight, then glued them into their respective openings after that.


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[cbroughton67]

Scenery progress... Roads are 0.020" styrene that's painted and striped before gluing in place, then weathered. I added small bits of styrofoam to create some contours and make planting trees easier. I used "leaf litter" from Scenic Express in the wooded areas, and sifted dirt, static grass, buffalo grass, and ground foam elsewhere.


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I painted the creek bed with earth-toned craft paints. Dark in the middle to convey depth, fading to lighter colors at the stream's edge. The "rock" was made by pouring a very thin layer of plaster onto some wax paper, then crumpling it up after it was set. I glued the resulting debris in place and painted them using the same craft paints. The water is Woodland Scenics, and the ripples were made using their "water effects" and dry-brushing white after it cured.


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[cbroughton67]

I used Blue Point manual turnout controls, and made recessed pockets for the knobs using a 2" desk cable pass-though gizmo I found on Amazon. I cut circles from black styrene for "backs", and drilled a hole in each for the control rod to pass through. I used a hole saw to cut the openings in the fascia, and the cable pass-through was a press-fit. The "knobs" themselves are just little pieces I found at the craft store that I plugged with a dowel rod, re-drilled to fit the control rod, painted, and glued onto the control rod.


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[cbroughton67]

A general store across from the factory entrance, trucks, details, letter, and people helped to complete the layout. It's fun to operate - so far I operate it as a true Inglenook switching puzzle, but will eventually come up with something more prototypical.


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[cbroughton67]

The backdrop is really what drives the scenery home. It's from tracksidescenery.com - I've used his backdrops on at least four layouts, now and love them. That included my basement-size home layout. I built a "box" around the back and ends of the layout that supports the backdrop and a valance at the top that hides a LED light strip.


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[cbroughton67]

One thing I wish I had done from the start was include a means of attaching some sort of "fiddle stick" or detachable cassette staging. That doesn't me I can't go back and add it, though! And I will. After operating this a few times, I can definitely see the necessity for a detachable staging track. I think that'll add some dimension to operations, and visually allow trains to roll into the scene rather than originate there. For such a small layout, it really is enjoyable to operate.

[amato1969]

Hell yea! Really nice work!  The N Scale Arch sheets are great products.

George Costanza would 100% approve of the name LOL.

  Frank

[MK]

Just wow on the background!!!!   

[Bob]

Really nice job!  Good point that with a micro-layout you can really work on scenery details.  What did you use for the brick walls?  I may have missed this in the thread.  Bob

[cbroughton67]

Really nice job!  Good point that with a micro-layout you can really work on scenery details.  What did you use for the brick walls?  I may have missed this in the thread.  Bob

Thanks, Bob. The brick is N Scale Architect brick sheet laminated over the styrene walls. I've used that and their cinder block and random stone sheets before, and really like them.


Chris

[dandopinski]

Fantastic modelling. If it's one thing I like is a well executed switching module.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm assuming this is a latex manufacturer?