It’s been a busy few weeks at work so not a lot of progress but I did spend an enjoyable afternoon thinking about my layout. My Dad came round and helped think about the geology of one bit that was really stumping me.
I’ve mocked in with some plastic models which I may replace later with something more “craftsman”. This is the elevated section with the city behind. The plastic City Classics’ buildings are end on streets with the cut to the lower level beneath them. There will be railings at the end of the roads with narrow alleys between the backs of the buildings. The bit of plywood going under the elevated section and across the cut will be a road. Behind all of the roads will be some paper buildings to add depth, as if the roads meet T-junctions. The elevated section to the right will be a stone building underneath like the prototype photo:
I ummed and ahhed about putting the building across the whole mainline but decided it would be too much of a view block and cut the layout corner off. I used Heritage Furniture – a background Walthers model – across the siding instead. I might add a triangular top like the building above.
This is the step up from the road level of the elevated section to the upper city level. The road has to go somewhere so I’ve cut down a Woodland Scenics tunnel mouth to become a road tunnel instead. The proportions look better an the height is right. I’ll put a concrete ballustrade on it to stop the little people wondering off.
This corner is awkward because of the slope but there will be a paper mill behind the NEBISCO complex to the left based on the ones along the mill canal trip we did in Lowell. I might try and use Mum’s RoboCraft cutter to cut the detailed windows out of the paper buildings. I’m trying to fit in my buildings into the slope, including my SRMW kits. I think Delabarre and Robinsons may fit in here along with Jimmy Deignan’s Reaghan’s feedmill, Bar Mill’s Schmidchten’s and JL Innovatives’ DC Cochran’s Confectionary. I might squeeze in a few bits from SRMW Blackstone and Currier kits.
Looking the other way, I seem to have lost my canyon effect that I wanted from the New York High Line. I’m not sure what to do about that:
I did a few rocks around the river on the Martin Machine diorama. I’ve a few bits of waterfall done from before with the silicon over clingfilm to put on the drop.
I kept my Dad busy countersinking the upper fascia screws. The gaps need filling but I’ll wait until the scenery is in behind them to give some rigidity.
This corner Tortoise motor is a pain as under the turnout is a fluorescent tube. I wound up putting it on its side with a lovely bit of cable tie holding the wire in place. It seems to be working for now which is what counts!
The other turnout was much easier once I hacked several inches of foam out the way from underneath. There’s not a lot of space behind for the hills… This turnout will lead into one of the diorama spots with 3 options of mills to go there.
The peninsuala may have a warehouse on the far side – not sure about this one – it’s a couple of pieces of Atlas’s Middlesex Manufacturing. I may have to scratchbuild something.
The upper level still has a way to go before it joins up. This Walthers’ built up is standing in for either SRMW Streeters or Wrisley Papers. All the different levels on the kits are a nightmare to fit in to a layout but at least I have them available to try out.
The entrance to the upper level is through a tunnel and this is where it will come out. The prototype photo is in a rock cut. I’m trying to work out how to do the light at the end of the tunnel!
