Jump to content
 

Alpha Packaging - a freemo module...


Glorious NSE

Recommended Posts

Thanks Jack, lots of interest there, liking the "track in the dirt" look, something I think I definately want to replicate, i'm thinking a bit muddy, the occasional puddle?

 

Don't worry about the baler, I don't think i'll need much in the way of specialist kit as i'll be trying to give the impression that i've modelled just the rail served end of a larger site.

 

Will be collecting old bits of foil to start making junk with! :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

One suggestion is foil lids from cofee tins chopped fine - I also like the idea of the balled up sweet wrappers then you need a pair of those wrench-type pliers to squeeze them into bale cubes. Also look at the freezer shops and Ready-meal tins for Foil trays

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Jack - i'd already saved some quite heavy foil (ex Chocolate money for my birthday :D ) although one side is gold coloured which i'll need to change.

 

I'll start collecting other bits, hopefully when I get round to the scenic stuff i'll have plenty of raw material in stock!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I like the design, looks good. my guess you will have a tray or fiddle yard at both ends, if not the single track could do with a bit more extra, enough to bring a loco of the end of a cut of cars, and to run around to the back for switching. if the fiddle yard is off the single track, then on the end of the double weather it be off scene or on scene, recommend a cross over so a loco could run around.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks guys

 

It's really not intended for it to get much use "standalone" as opposed to with other modules, so the track layout probably works better if you think of it in use as a piece of main line with a local running in each direction serving the industries rather than a switching layout.

 

Having said that with a couple of other existing modules used in conjunction it could work as a switching layout (albeit a rather "lightweight" one for it's size in terms of industry, although that's not neccesarily a bad thing in some ways!) - for example if I borrowed http://rstowerfreemo...les/curves-5-6/ and one of http://rstowerfreemo...ules/endscenes/ from Neil I could build something like this:

post-6762-128289650411_thumb.jpg

 

That would take it well beyond the challenge size though, so for the purposes of the challenge I think it could be worked with just a simple cassette on the single track end provided I used two loco's (or accepted that arriving/departing cars are sometimes shoved to/from an offscene runround?)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, time for an update, unfortunately my home PC is being very tempremental at the moment and it seems that almost every time I try and edit an image I overload the video card and cause a "whiteout", a new video card is on the cards for next months paycheck along with the track! Until then here's the few images i've managed to tweak enough to upload.

 

I've been persuaded to build a double track "endscene" that can work with Alpha if it's in use on it's own, or with any other modular setup where we have a double track "end of board"

 

Here's Alpha plus the endscene board (plain at this point) set up for the first time together

 

post-6762-012112100 1286741587_thumb.jpg

 

The endscene is 20" wide x 18" although it's been built tapered which both reduces the chance of folk walking into the corner and implies a visual end of scene

 

It'll be fairly simple scenically, the two tracks just end, that adds about a foot of "headshunt" for switching the scrap yard when used with Alpha. It's being sceniced as if the double track used to continue on across a grade crossing but it's been closed beyond that point - i'm experimenting with Scalescenes and other photo textures to cover most of the surface, keeping with the urban/suburban theme of Alpha both sides of the track are just parking lot. I need to think of a name for it, i've got a rough idea in mind but I need to do a little background research to get something that sounds okay to me.

 

post-6762-083520400 1286741907_thumb.jpg

 

Back to the main layout, trackbeds for the main lines (balsa) are in, so is the first under track electro-magnet - the exact location of the second depends on the two switches in front of it, which depends on their length and the positioning of the switch machine to miss the bracing underneath - I can't really start making a hole until I know where it needs to be!

 

post-6762-002102900 1286742210_thumb.jpg

 

So there we are, I can't see either part will get lots done to it this month as I don't have the cash to buy any more track until payday at the end of the month, so I think this is it in terms of it being a "challenge layout" with the deadline for that being in less than 10 days IIRC - still, the challenge was never the main point of it anyhow just a means to an end.

Link to post
Share on other sites

This is really coming together - it helps to see all the pieces put together in 3D. The long building is suitably huge and industrial - in fact the whole thing reminds me of driving the wrong way in Emeryville and finding the (I think) UP main line.

 

Will

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Will, it should hopefully end up looking quite believable, the Emeryville comment is interesting, these kinds of "industrial park" type structures seem to look similar coast to coast (even country to country at times!) - while mine is still Illinois based it could function anywhere, I maybe need to add a bit of local colour in terms of naming the other things like the non-rail served business and the scrapyard - or possibly go the other way and have the ability for it to be anywhere, food for thought.

 

That's a biggish warehouse in model terms but when you start sizing up some of the prototype ones it gets a little shocking just how vast they can get, I found this image a couple of weeks ago and I reckon this would work out well over 10' long in HO scale, and would probably look too big to be believable if you built it to scale!

http://www.flickr.co...N07/4931644450/

 

:blink:

Link to post
Share on other sites

We were talking scrapyard "furniture" a while back, and interestingly Walthers has some new kits coming out! I haven't seen a proper announcement yet but they are there on the website.

 

In plastic:

 

Ferrous Shear http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3630

Baler http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3631

Corrugated fencing http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3632

Conveyor http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3645

 

In resin, assorted "junk piles" - most of which I don't think are that usable for what i'm doing

933-3633/3634/3639 are all lines/piles of scrap vehicles

933-3636 is general junk

933-3638 is railroad themed junk

 

The two that might be worth a look are a pile of baled scrap http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3635 and a pile of old tyres http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3637

 

I'm musing on how big the shear, baler and conveyor are as to whether they will fit in the space I have as well as leaving proper room for the rail loading side of things - I think it might be tight!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Updated construction images: http://modelrailpics.fotopic.net/c1913106.html

(Sorry, 'orrible flash photo's but i'm hurrying!)

 

Have all the track and so it's all been spaced, the plan works, I need to finish the roadbed now with suitable holes for wiring and the second electric uncoupler, then the track can start to go down

 

The endscene module (now named S.Kedzie Ave) has had much of it's surface installed using a mix of Scalescenes textures, it just needs track, a couple of wires, static grass and a few details and it's done!

 

Lots more to do on the main one but it is moving forwards

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...