The Empire

[Zephyrus52246]

I considered a visible tunnel, but having both tracks (and try to forget about the track from Bailey's Produce on the left that needs to parallel these) into a tunnel didn't seem too prototypical.  I'd still like to hide them behind the buildings.  So I thought about using a taller building.  I had a CCK building I started, but the front wasn't cut correctly (Jeff Grove is sending a replacement).  I then remembered I had a Downtown Deco building that might work, which was actually taller.

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Better.  But then I had another thought while I was resizing the photos, move both buildings forward.  I can then increase the curve behind them (no trains are running here, only a couple of cars need to fit on the interchange track).  Works even better. 


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I will have to find a narrow tall building to fit betwixt the other structures, or, heaven forbid, scratch build something.  I'll leave it like this a few days and see how I like it. 

Jeff

[PRR Modeler]

Nice planning.

[Zephyrus52246]

Well, it's been over six months since I did any work on the layout.  Did participate in the build challenge, though.  Haven't really done any train stuff for over two months, for several reasons, but got back to it yesterday.  It's time to layout out the town again.  I'm building it on a piece of thin gatorfoam.  Remember back a few  pages there's a "hatch" in the scenery here in case I need to get at the back.  The gatorfoam will cover this, and I can paint the streets directly on it, then place the sidewalks and buildings.  Had to place the buildings on the styrofoam again to remember how they were laid out (even though I had pictures).  I then removed them and cut a piece of gatorfoam to fit the area.  It's a little wide, but I can adjust that later.  Cut some strathmore board for street widths.  Now I have to make sure everything is at 90 degrees.  then mark everything and paint the streets. 


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

I wanted the front street to have two lanes and space for parallel parking.  This pushed the back buildings almost to the backdrop.  The rear street can be slightly narrower, as it's barely visible from the extreme sides.  No need to at LPs/details/sidewalks where they won't be seen.  The pink area between the streets and the track has no structure, but will probably end up with one of my many gas stations.

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

When replacing the buildings, I had an extra Downtown Deco structure that was supposed to go on the left edge where the Burlesk is, but didn't hide the curving tracks.  It fits behind the front row of buildings well, which had a "hole" in it before.  Also the hotel/bar two story structure wouldn't go back far enough in front of the protruding rock, so it got moved left and now there's space for a small parking lot.  I'll leave it this way today to see how I like it later and tomorrow and stop for today as the Red Sox game starts in about a half hour.  The first pic is a high pic to show the layout of the structures, the second is from my eye level.


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

OR...that configuration puts the two same structures closer to each other.  As different as they are painted, I don't think it makes much difference, but I swapped the Downtown Deco Row with the FOS bars to come up with this.  The tall structure can't go any further to the right than this due to the protruding rock.  Don't need to decide today, the roads still have to go where they go.


Jeff

[GPdemayo]

That is one tough part of town Jeff.....not sure I would want to wandering it in the wee hours.....looks great. 

[postalkarl]

Hey Jeff:

Great looking model. I does look like the seedy part of town.

Karl

[S&S RR]

Jeff


Great to see you back at it - I like to arrange the buildings, let them sit a few days, and then take another run at it to see what I like best. I always take lots of pictures to review before deciding on the final arrangement plan. It looks like you are getting close. Great looking structures.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking good, Jeff.

Have you thought about some alleyways between the structures?  From the overhead shot it looks like some of the structures facing backwards on the street behind line up with the ones in front,  so you could even open up an alleyway up going right through to the street behind.

Cheers, Mark.

[Zephyrus52246]

Greg and Karl, my daughter calls it the "Town of Questionable Moral Values". Thanks for looking in.


Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

John, about five minutes after I posted, I looked again, moved some of the structures around.  Found Saulena's Tavern on the orphan shelf and came up with this.  It eliminates the street looking right onto the bluff.  I'm liking this even more.  I moved "Rosa's Place to the end of the other street as well.  This left a big gap behind the front structures, but I'll just build the back of a building and roof for this. 

Jeff

[Zephyrus52246]

Mark, the front structures from the theater to the hotel have no sides.  Fitting things, there is a small passageway next to the theatre, which could include some details, or LPs "making a deal" out of sight of the street. 

Jeff