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Work on my layout has passed the mid-point, with delivery and installation planned for later this year. Overall it has been a great process; the folks at CMR have used their expertise and imagination to deal with issues or add features in a way I never could have managed on my own. Most of the city has now been completed with a combination of scratch-built, Kato, Greenmax and Tomix structures. The shinkansen station, which bears an intentional resemblance to Shinagawa station, is done. The station roof is removable to reveal an interior with escalators up to the platforms - my task will be to fill the station with travellers. Street lights are now being installed and street markings added.
The countryside has also come a long way. Rice grows tall in the fields, simulating mid-summer. Farmers and their vehicles will eventually fill the paths.
Housing has also been developed in the suburbs. Space remains for detailed scenes to be added in the years to come and already I have a number of ideas. Various industries are popping up, ready to be served by rail.
Out in the rural area there is a seaside village nestled against the mountains. Here the buildings reflect a more traditional Japanese character.
A number of things remain to be done. Many trees have already been added, with more to come. Two cranes have been scratch built for the container terminal along with a container ship. An elevated highway will run through the city, and interior building lighting is being installed. Several trains have been sent to DCCTrain LLC to have decoders installed as this will be a DCC layout. I'm now anxious to get my hands on the layout as it passes the basic construction phase and moves into detailing - the part I really enjoy. I expect to spend the next several years adding signs, figures and detailed scenes to this layout.
Larger resolution version of these photos are available in Curt's Layout Photo Gallery |
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