Talking T Gauge

B 67 · Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:57 pm Post subject:

Yes, it is a bit odd making roads so narrow. Reminds me of seeing small scale architectural models, or those models of tourist attractions used instead of a map.

Often in modelling one needs to compress the width of roads (especially in Horribly Oversize scale and larger. Laughing

In T that's just not necessary. In fact I might have to make my divided road sections a little wider to allow reasonable width lanes. The alleys can remain narrow as that's how they are in Japan - not that I've actually been there. But I've seen the photos. I'm also familiar with Taiwan, which has some Japanese influences.

And yes also. Great to get some green down. I'll probably finish that tomorrow and then the detailing can begin - which is one of my favourite parts. I'm itching to try those road marking transfers too. Very Happy

One of my other hobby interests revolves around traffic control - road markings, signs, traffic signals etc.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia.

B 67 · Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 1:28 pm Post subject:

I'm getting there...

The linemarking dry transfers have been a little problematic on my layout. As most of the roads are on balsa, rubbing down on the sheet has caused some depressions on the soft balsa. Also, I painted the roads matt dark grey. So the transfers have little air bubbles under them - a smooth gloss surface would've been better. However, most of the bubbles disappeared with a clear coating applied to protect the transfers. It worked its way under the film. I tried clear gloss on the sections I was yet to mark and although not perfect, this helped. I will finish them off with a clear matt finish later.

I can simply repaint the dark grey over the sections that are still "silvered" by air bubbles.

Some of the backscene can be seen here. I've used some of the Pokara paper craft buildings to make a low-relief backscene.

Google Earth has been invaluable to discovering correct usage of the many road markings on the Eishindo traffic signs and markings sheet. And besides checking out the roads, I've discovered much of interest in railways in Osaka too. There are commuter lines every which way. Both standard and narrow gauge. I've so far found one abandoned electrified line (fences over the track at each road crossing) and a former double track non-electrified line that has been singled. Ideas for the next T gauge layout????

Ahem! Rolling Eyes

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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia.

pray59 · Joined: 05 Sep 2008 Posts: 88 Location: Fremont, CA

Your progress is amazing! The layout is looking great! Cool

-Robert
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-Robert Ray

B 67 · Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:54 pm Post subject:

and here's some more pics. It's looking like a model railway layout now. Although still plenty left to do.

The foreground will be a lake. I just cut the baseboard out today for this, and again, used Polyfilla to make the base of the lake. The little pier with the pagoda is a little ornament I've had for many years now. My dad saw it in a secondhand shop and got it for me, thinking I might be able to use it for one of my layouts. It was too small for N, and possibly even for Z. In anycase, it looked decidedly Japanese, and I didn't model Japanese. So I finally have a layout to use it on. And although possibly a little large, it seems to fit in with T gauge quite well.

So far I've not stuck the buildings down to the board. I'm considering installing lighting for them first.

Tomorrow I hope to prepare the base of the lake and finish the city backscene.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia.

B 67 · Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2008 11:43 am Post subject:

On the home straight now. Yep, yet another update.

Have started pouring the lake with Woodland Scenics Realistic Water. Will take a few days to get it to the required depth.

Note the stone wall around the park. It's Woodland Scenics coarse ballast. Laughing

The backscene is almost done. Just have to find a suitable street scene to continue the road over the bridge.

barely visible here is the bicycle symbols at the pedestrian crossing. There's a bicycle lane crossing too.

And there you have it. Still much to do, so I shall try to refrain from posting any more pics until the majority of the fiddly detailing is done. I have yet to add the figures, bicycles, motorbikes (yet to arrive), many more trees, lawns, fences. And cars when they are available.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia.

Jes · Joined: 14 Nov 2008 Posts: 27 Location: The Netherlands

Looking good! I especially like the beach and the water, very realistic!

B 67 · Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 7:26 am Post subject:

Well, the drought has broken and the pond / lake water level has risen. There's even a population of Koi in there.

Admittedly they're a bit large, but my explanation is that they are overfed by visitors to the pier. Wink

Fortunately from normal viewing distance, it isn't too obvious. There are 3 layers of the fish painted on the surface of successive pours of Woodland Scenics Realistic Water.

Ah! How's the serenity? I hope to add some ripples and wake from the boats later.

An EMU whirrs by the park.

I thought it was interesting to show the Eishindo tweezers beside a figure.

Xuron sprue / etch cutters. Shocked

No, I don't have large fingers. Note the dogs on the right. Shocked

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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia.

Chris333 · Joined: 25 Sep 2008 Posts: 74

Koi are pretty big, but that just looks cool Cool

familykjp · Joined: 17 Oct 2008 Posts: 17 Location: Tokyo Japan

Koi !! Nice idea. [/img][/url]

David K Smith · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:18 am Post subject:

B 67 · Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 7:45 am Post subject:

In the first pour, I used tiny shreds of the orange foam from the Eishindo trees you see in the photos. But it was okay, but not easy to get the 'swarming' effect. On the last 3 layers, I simply painted the fish using orange paint and a very fine brush. I added some light and dark greys to add a bit of variety, but adding these patches to an already tiny amount of paint proved somewhat difficult.

I tried to paint the fish to give the effect of most of them swimming parallel to one another (as fish often do) and mostly heading toward a few points to give the impression some food had been dropped by passers by. I think it worked. The paint spread out in some cases, giving larger, wider Koi than intended.

It has given me some ideas for an improved version on my next T layout. Wink

Yes, I will build another - but will await the release of the flex track.
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Darren,
Stratford,
Australia.

Shinichiro · Joined: 07 Nov 2008 Posts: 32 Location: Kanagawa, Japan

What a wonderful view it is!

I was fascinated with the pond where the carps swam.
The overall arrangement of color is bright and splendid!

Mairimashita!