New Shelf Scene

I've started a new shelf layout and I'm using it to both practice various things I wanted to try before doing them on my future layout in the converted garage and to get some hobby time in while said layout is still just thoughts, drawings and dreams. :) There's going to be a LOT of work to do before coming close to being able to actually do the stuff I love doing for the layout, so the shelf will provide the outlet while I get the rest of it together.
An OK from "Management" was all that I needed to go ahead with the shelf. The only requirement was to "Make it something...cool." I'll give it a shot. heh

The scene is going to be a trolly on a track rolling past a small section of the village of Soyokaze. The small street will be filled with tourists and small bikes and the like. Lots of small details will keep me busy. I want to light the buildings and some other areas using my tried and true TomyTec LED light kit and fiber optic filament for some smaller light details. I thought that this would be a good solution to keep things clean on this wall mounted shelf.

Dan Pickard's fantastic handcrafted stone street

I'm also going to look at doing something like Dan Pickard did with his awesome brick street. It's a fantastic look and I'd love to take a crack at it.  Having a stone street like this would really set the piece off nicely. He used a small tool to get the stone look in the clay and took the time to space and remove some of the bricks to get a more realistic look to it. So good.

I started out with a simple HOME DEPOT purchased wall shelf with some nice brackets to go on it once I'm done. This will set the piece off nicely and make it more than just something stuck to the wall. I'm going for "art" here. :)  I set out the track and got the track showpiece of the little bridge about where I wanted it. The track was going to be the showpiece of the whole scene, but after setting it in and playing around with spacing, i saw that the buildings, people and other details were going to be more interesting. So, I moved them up and the track back. The trolly will be free to position somewhere where it can still be seen.

Tomytec Sanyo Electric Tram (Sanden)

I started working with the pink insulation foam and, while I like it's weight and strength so far, it's a bit of a painful learning curve working with it so far. I remembered conversations on Model Rail Radio about how to work with it, but hearing it and DOING it are different things. :) There's a static that builds up when you cut away at it with an XACTO and it's a royal pain. Bits of pink foam sticking to fingers, tables and anything close. However, I do like the results. Once painted and scenic elements are applied, I think it will have a great look.

The overall scene needed to have a lot of interest points for me as well as some additional challenges and things that I wanted to execute on on the main layout, so I had to pack a lot of items into this shelf section. Lighting was covered (even though the use of the Tomytec kit is a bit of a cheat overall ::grin::) as were people and overall composition, but I also wanted to get water in there somewhere.

The original idea was to use the foam as a river bottom, but after working with it, I scrapped the idea. I'm going to use the shelf itself as the bottom and paint it up, then I plan on fixing styrene to the front and back of the shelf and using the Woodland Scenics water and water effects to add the water to the scene like I did for my harbor project. People fishing will add another nice detail element.

Yes, a nice finger of single malt whiskey is usually present when I work  :)

And, since I used many of my classic style, wooden Japanese buildings for this project, I had to order more for my main layout. :)

I can't wait to light this stuff up! :) I think this light pole will be replaced with a custom pole and lit with the filament.

The view from the left side rear of the shelf. The viewer will be able to see things from the front, right and left.

Stone street area down the center

More progress shots will follow.
~M~