I went on vacation and wasn't around the homestead, so my hobby time was mostly back to the usual plotting and planning. This worked out well - I needed to think over some extension plans.
EXTENSION
I'm very close to letting the current design stand for the layout extension. I was toying with a few things here and there, but the overall effect is what I'm wanting.
This bridge section is the other side of Soyokaze Harbor. There will be a little water under the bridge with a road running along the coast and into the hills to the right.
The center is a complex area. I have the track running into the hills, a side track towards the front of the layout and the station area run through the center. The right spur (where the four green boxes are seen) is where the factory is going to live. I've ordered it, but it's on back-order, sadly. The set comes with a train loading area, so the track will service the factory.
The station area needs additional details and people. I'm interested in attacking the details in this section. There will also be a walkway area crossing the tracks.
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| The Devil's in the Details - Layout wide, I want to get into adding little details that really make things pop |
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| Pedestrian walkway |
I have my multi-level road systems started. This one runs under the tracks in a sunken style. It will run over to the other bridge and out and will pop up again to run over a hill and around the water up to the hillside area.
Yeah...a helicopter at the factory area. :) Why? Large footprints discovered. Muhahahahahaaaaa.
I started to pull buildings from around the other areas of my layout and dropping them onto the extension. These are buildings that didn't work 100% on the other sections of the layout, so I thought I'd move them over to the more modern, open area created by the extension space.
Removing the grey building from the center of the harbor area opened it up for my harbor action space with cars, trucks and people doing harbor tasks.
Removing a small, gray shed from this space allowed for the Sankei structure with the blue roof to be placed in the spot. It works well with the Snack Shack area with its blue roof. I'll build out walkways and the like in the near future.
The firehouse traveled over to the extension as well. I brought another large structure over from the back to fill in the space.
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| The new building works well in the spot and the front can be seen again now. (tan building in center) |
I took a few test shots and I like the overall look. I think the second image works well, but I might pick up one more of each and mix it up a bit. Once the dirt and fencing is in around these, it should pop nicely.
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I'm looking at something like this for the tunnel area.
This fits well with the greenery ideas I have spoken to in previous posts.
(( http://n-rail.blogspot.com/2015/07/hozukyo-and-sagano.html ))
So, some of the other items I've been tossing around are:
• More switches and sections?
I like what's going on with the trackand gave thought to adding more track and switches, but...I'm not sure I really NEED them. Sure, last time I wish I had more track action, but I think I have it now and don't want to get into the "TRACK, TRACK EVERYWHERE" thing.
• Oh man...I have to make a lot of trees!
Yeah, this is just a statement of fact. I need a lot of trees. :)
• That's a lot of run between the subway and "the area beyond the wall" through the tunnel - can I do something with it besides...tunnel?
There is this section that is just a long straight between sections. It seems like SOMETHING could go there other than tunnel detail, but what could it be. Granted, it could be a cool, half tunnel detail situation through there.
• Building selections - what's the look and feel of this area?
I wanted to have little work structures and working areas, but adding the other little buildings into the center jumbled it a bit. I think the current buildings will be pushed out to the edges and the center will have more of this look and feel.
I keep coming back to this image - I love this look.
I think that sort of look and feel fits into the factory town narrative as well. Seems to make sense and it's a big look and feel change from what I have currently! :)
And......Kaijū
"Kaijū (怪獣, kaijū) is a Japanese word that literally translates to "monster," and is used to refer to a genre of tokusatsu (special effects-based) entertainment."
This is the one area of madness on my layout. In the subway section, I plan to have a small section with a kaiju being investigated by the military. The classic, giant monster.
While THE HOST is a Korean film (one WELL worth checking out - it's fantastic), I'm going for more of it's design over some of the Japanese classics like Gojira (Godzilla) or the many others stomping through Japan.
The creature in THE HOST had more of a "real world" feel that I liked. (SEE: The Relic) It really looked like something that might have mutated from chemicals in the water. It's a fun design and I'd love to have something in scale like it in that section. It might be pushed back a bit depending on how things go - I don't want to scare my girls. :) ((Though...maybe it will prevent them from coming into my office and messing with the layout when I'm not here....Hmmmmm....)) :::grin:::
We'll see how it goes.
IN OTHER NEWS
I snagged this little B&O caboose when I was in Maryland as I said. :::slaps forehead::: My other O scale piece is C&O, however. What's the narrative there?
I had a spider set up residence in one of my buildings in Shizuka. The sucker had been busy since I was on vacation. Webs all around the streets and cars in front of the building with him safely tucked into the entrance...waiting. True stuff of nightmares seeing it tucked in there next to two n scale figures!
Sadly, he had to go. :)
I've also been in contact with Jim G about his card stock modeling book and he's still interested in my small section on Japanese kits. I may try to order a few more that are not made by Sankei so I can experience some other brands before writing anything up. Should be fun!
Man....that's all for now. More plotting and planning to be done for sure.
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