My Shadow Box Layout

shamoo737 Oct 26, 2009

  1. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    My friend Ellen show me her humidor layout, and I knew I had to have one. Her's was very small, and the only engine it could run is a 0-6-0. I wanted mine a little bigger so I can run a four axle diesel and 40' cars. I saw a shadow box in Micheals, and I though it was perfect for my portable layout. I laydown the track and see if I could run a geep, and to my surprice, it did. Well, not really. I expect it to run, but I wasnt sure. Here are some early pictures of the layout.

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    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 26, 2009
  2. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Now, what scenery I should do, or what scenery I am capable of doing. I Like tunnels, but It was going to a challenge to do maintenance if I didnt make the tunnel removable. To keep it simple, I decided on a daylighted tunnel. The hill is made of foam with molded rocks. I also try to build it with multi-level in hopes of giving it a bigger look.

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  3. JoeS

    JoeS TrainBoard Member

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    The ballast looks real good John! Are you gonna paint the side walls a sky color or add some painted on trees? Very nice!
     
  4. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Joe, the rear and the sides are going to be mostly brown because it suppose to be a daylighted tunnel. In the front, I have a picture of clear skys.

    After I glue the hill to my layout, I begin adding some structures to the hill. I added a shotgun house, a MMM trailer, and Robert's section house.

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  5. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I dont usually add figures to my layout because its hard to vacuum with lots of small parts, and since the layout is fully enclosed, I dont have to worry about keeping it clean.

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  6. minzemaennchen

    minzemaennchen TrainBoard Member

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    Looks great! Actually you can put it on the wall as a picture and take it down from time to time to run a loco or two, or?
     
  7. animek

    animek TrainBoard Member

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    Nice weathering on those 3 cars, I like it!:thumbs_up:

    Ben
     
  8. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Not a bad idea Gerd. Isn't Svein-Martin that has all those neat layout ideas including a layout that look like a painting.
     
  9. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ben, I am a big fan of weathering. When I compare a weathered one with a unweathered one, the unweathered one look like a toy. Not only does weathering makes the cars and engines look realistic, but it also shows all the details.
     
  10. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    What radii curve did you use? 6"?
    Those are quite tight.
    I like the layout, very nice!
     
  11. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thanks Hemi, the radius is a little tighter then that. Its around 5.5'".
     
  12. John Bartolotto

    John Bartolotto TrainBoard Supporter

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    John,

    Fantastic work!!! Well done!

    John Bartolotto
     
  13. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thank you John.
     
  14. zmon

    zmon TrainBoard Member

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    John, great work on the shadow box!! the glass top makes it very cool..

    Tony B...
    Wasatch Z Club
     
  15. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Tony, its your humidor that inspire me to build the shadow box layout.

    I took a picture of Ellen's humidor when she was down here.

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  16. umtrr-author

    umtrr-author TrainBoard Member

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    I might have missed it in the thread, but how large is the shadow box?

    FYI, Michaels has them up to something like 24 x 30 inches, enough for a reasonably sized "empire". I believe, though, that the dimensions given are the outside, and the interior length and width is non-trivially smaller-- especially when thinking in 1:220.

    Nice work!
     
  17. shamoo737

    shamoo737 Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    George, the dimensions are 11x15x2.5. The main point of this layout is portability. Still, I will go to Micheals to check it out. Maybe it will be the base of my layout. :D
     

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