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A new e-mag for the micro layout enthusiast


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Great idea, well executed. I shall await subsequent issues with interest and can possibly offer some content too.

The "four square feet" is an interesting definition, it does considerably favour my chosen scale, especially if it's narrow gauge.

I wonder if there ought to be a proportionality of layout size to scale?

Here's a sneak preview of a micro I'm currently working on, the Holzkastenbahn, German metre gauge 1:160.  Roughly box file size but in a solid wooden box, sourced from ebay for not a lot more than a box file costs.

Mark

20180412_161508_HDRa.jpg

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48 minutes ago, 2mmMark said:

Here's a sneak preview of a micro I'm currently working on, the Holzkastenbahn, German metre gauge 1:160.  Roughly box file size but in a solid wooden box, sourced from ebay for not a lot more than a box file costs.

 

I like the look of this. And having found it necessary to reinforce boxfiles with bits of MDF, presumably this isn’t needed for this?

 

48 minutes ago, 2mmMark said:

The "four square feet" is an interesting definition, it does considerably favour my chosen scale, especially if it's narrow gauge.

I wonder if there ought to be a proportionality of layout size to scale?

 

When Carl Arendt did his smallest layout competition, he had categories for overall smallest size as well as length-to-gauge ratio: https://lone.net/trains/carendt.morphoist.com/scrapbook/page80a/index.html

 

Though he actually disagreed with the idea that this allowance was needed for larger scales and gauges, though I can’t work out why: https://www.carendt.com/small-layout-scrapbook/page-77a-september-2008/

 

Personally, though I understand the extra difficulty of fitting (for instance) 7mm buildings onto an 09 layout rather than 4mm buildings onto an 009 one, I do tend to think that it’s the gauge that’s more relevant when trying to fit a layout into a small space. You would struggle to get equivalent Gn15, G and Gauge 3 layouts into the same space, even though they might all be around the same scale. An extreme example is my 1:12 scale, 3mm gauge layout (with T gauge equipment, representing a model railway) which uses one of the largest scales with the smallest commercial gauge.

 

 I also seem to remember Carl at one point specifying a larger size than 4 square feet (possibly 6 or even 8, though 8 seems a bit excessive to me as it encompasses 4 x 2ft boards which I would consider to be quite big). I think he did additionally suggest a maximum dimension each way (thus excluding, for instance, an 8ft long layout only 1ft wide). 4 square feet sounds about right to me but I don’t know if it will cause problems for those working in larger scales (or conversely make it a bit too easy in smaller scales).

Edited by 009 micro modeller
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4 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

I like the look of this. And having found it necessary to reinforce boxfiles with bits of MDF, presumably this isn’t needed for this?

 

 

 


That's correct, no reinforcement required, the box is very strong, neatly box-jointed at the corners.  I've modified mine so the front hinges downwards, a fairly simple bit of woodwork.

The top & bottom are 3mm ply so the track is laid on a removable sub-base of 9mm ply & Sundeala board.

Mark

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35 minutes ago, 2mmMark said:


That's correct, no reinforcement required, the box is very strong, neatly box-jointed at the corners.  I've modified mine so the front hinges downwards, a fairly simple bit of woodwork.

The top & bottom are 3mm ply so the track is laid on a removable sub-base of 9mm ply & Sundeala board.

Mark

 

Very nice. What track are you using?

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  • RMweb Gold

I disagree with the others who have said great design, sadly two columns does not work for on-screen reading of a PDF. Content and concept is very good but let down for me by the two-col text. I can live with it but it was a blemish on a really great idea.

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  • RMweb Gold

Fits my iPad better and therefore easier to enjoy than the new digital BRM - well played! Warners take note. Very much enjoyed the content, thank you for taking the time to put this together. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

To all those micro layout modellers who would be interested in a “subscription “. Please send your email address to MMRDeditor [at] gmail.com I’ll put you on a mailing list and we’ll go from there. 
As a perk of subscription, you’ll get to access the download of the issues early. 
 

Ian

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  • RMweb Premium

Just noticed this - downloaded and saved with my Carl Arendt e-books! 

 

Well done, and looking forward to further issues on a "when you can" basis.  Your design style does evoke for me something of the old Iain Rice "Rail Model Journal".

 

"Subscription" email sent...


Richard T

 

 

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A great idea. Love the content and no probs with the format on my i-pad. Micro layouts are my favourites - have built one in a box file based around a brewery theme and have started a new box file which will be coloured in a range of greys and white to try and depict a black and white photo of a run down loco shed I found on the net. Would love to sign up with a view to subscribing.

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1 hour ago, The Bandit said:

Micro layouts are my favourites - have built one in a box file based around a brewery theme and have started a new box file which will be coloured in a range of greys and white to try and depict a black and white photo of a run down loco shed I found on the net.

 

You may like to have a look at Hayfinch Treacle Mine here: https://playingtrains.wordpress.com/mylayouts/archive/

 

And Schrodinger’s Cat here: https://get.google.com/albumarchive/112461785190797901174/album/AF1QipMfjwdEh1qi9KyJYXykl7S73uEdG8o6kfoeU6yO

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4 hours ago, The Bandit said:

Sorry to be a pain Ian, but how good does a box file have to be to send you details? 

Do you like it? 

Then it's good enough. :) 

Send me a picture and a few words description, and I'll put it in the layout gallery section.

Ian

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7 hours ago, Ian Holmes said:

Do you like it? 

Then it's good enough. :) 

Send me a picture and a few words description, and I'll put it in the layout gallery section.

Ian

 

I have a few micro layouts I could write up (probably not this time as I’m very busy at the moment but for next time) but some of them are quite a few years old. Is that an issue at all? I’m also wondering if you wanted things like pizza layouts or whether you were going more for shunting puzzle type layouts.

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7 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

I have a few micro layouts I could write up (probably not this time as I’m very busy at the moment but for next time) but some of them are quite a few years old. Is that an issue at all? I’m also wondering if you wanted things like pizza layouts or whether you were going more for shunting puzzle type layouts.

It's not a problem at all. Everything micro is fair game for The Dispatch 

 

Ian

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  • 1 month later...

Really nice @Ian Holmes - thanks for sharing the link, and thanks to everyone involved in publishing, creating and submitting articles. An enjoyable read. I particularly liked that view of "Herrin" you are quite right.... who wouldn't want to take a closer look through the fence? (well, Mrs Smith for one, I suppose lol).

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