The NScaleNotes blog
A blog about my N scale modular layouts, the real-World locations that inspire them and my efforts at 3D printing and scratch-building.
The latest posts:
My Layouts
I’m currently building two modular layouts, the first is based on an industrial siding in the UK at Runcorn and the second is an urban layout inspired by elevated urban railways such as those found in Berlin or Manchester.
Sticking with the modular theme I’m also working on a single baseboard bridge module.
Not only are these layouts being built as modules I’m also experimenting with making the track, scenery and buildings modular too. So in the case of the bridge module, I can change the track, bridge and scenery to suit UK, North American, European and Japanese operations.
Find out more here.
Why I Chose To Build Modular Layouts
I don’t have the space to have a build a permanent layout; as a modular layout is designed to be mobile it can stored and setup anywhere there is space to do so.
If you follow certain rules when designing your track and scenery you can easily change the arrangement of your layout.
After stumbling across the idea of modular scenery I realized I could use this concept to operate rolling stock from any of my areas of interest on the same modules. It’s easier to store four-types of scenery modules than four different complete modules.
Find out more here.
Scratch-building & 3D Printing
I grew up playing with both model trains and plastic kits; as my skills and knowledge improved I often found myself wanting to enhance a kit and create models that were as accurate and detailed as possible using resin or etched parts and scratchbuilding.
Container trains are a massive part of the modern freight scene everywhere in the World but I always felt there was a lack of variety in the models manufacturers were producing and when they did produce a model, they were seldom as accurate or detailed as the container flats they were meant to ride on. This lead me to designing and building prototypically correct, super-detailed models of intermodal containers using a combination of 3D printing, etching and scratchbuilding.
Find out more here.