So has any of you seen or heard of anyone doing a sci-fi or fantasy-like railroad layout? I ask because I keep thinking about how much fun a Mad Max styled layout would be. Have a heavily 'modified' truck on rails, etc... Ramshackle towns made from corrugated sheet. Captain Walkers downed plane, "orphan oasis sanctuary place", Thunderdome...
I have seen a couple but not many. I've thought about doing a micro layout based on the Hyio Miazaki film Castle in the sky which features a long rail chase scene.
Thom
Quote from: clevermod01 on October 31, 2010, 01:15:03 PM
I have seen a couple but not many. I've thought about doing a micro layout based on the Hyio Miazaki film Castle in the sky which features a long rail chase scene.
Thom
Hah! I've thought about that as well. I was also thinking one with the Akuyaku #1 pigs would be fun. Whole villages of them.
There are several people who model Disneyland railroads.
http://burnsland.com/disneyrailroads/viewforum.php?f=8
My friend, Michel Foissy, who is an accomplished modeller, once exhibited a 6 foot long module in S scale that featured a very nice street in a Colorado village. It was at a narrow gauge exhibition and it perfectly fit the bill since there were no rails at all. You don't have to go to other planets or fantasy worlds to make non RR-layouts. I must say that sometimes I feel myself very attracted by this kind of modelling. Unfortunately I happen to like the look of trains.
Michael .. having seen your German/Soviet'ish mecha whatzits (and fish sub) .. makes me think you could pull off a steam-punkish .. steam rail layout! :)
I often wonder why people model railways when obviously they are happier with the environment than the rails or trains.
The railway environment is certainly an attractive one for architectural and scenic modellers. I have no interest whatever in playing trains, so my last layout was not even wired, but the fictional history and plausible landscape gave the opportunity to engineer first roads, then canals, then railways through it, both standard gauge light railway and narrow gauge industrial feeder, but one whole board was rail free, just a street with typically English rurality on it.
Those who have to have trains often neglect the real trackside scene woefully and lose any sense of plausibilty to the layout.
What I love about the American scene is the willingness to "knock up a diorama". Good on yer guys.
It's rarely done in Britain apart from the endless and rather trite military things.
If you think about it there are millions of keen landscape painters who are moved to act at their easels by what they see around them.
Why don't we do that in 3D??
Martin
I just figure if you're gonna go a RR layout, why do it like everyone else? :D
I have given a LOT of thought to making a huge 1/35 post-apocalyptic city scene. Would be perfect for my various builds and creations, but haven't the space to store or display such a thing.
Quote from: darrylhuffman on October 31, 2010, 01:50:55 PM
There are several people who model Disneyland railroads.
http://burnsland.com/disneyrailroads/viewforum.php?f=8
I gotta say, when I saw "Disney" train layouts I immediately thought "ugh"... but some of the work is very impressive. Nice link!
Scroll down to the "Pirates Cove" layout for a steampunk/fantasy thing that I think is rather cool:
http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page100/index.html
Science fact or science fiction? Scroll down to the Roswell layout:
http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page100/index.html
Neat mix of fact AND fantasy here ... some prototype scenes showing small industrial rail equipment used by archaeologists at the Acropolis ... and a layout with an Indiana Jones sort of thing going on:
http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page92a/index.html
First one on this page is a caricature of mountain railroading, but may spark some ideas:
http://www.carendt.com/scrapbook/page84a/index.html
Video clip of TRAIN escape scene from Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmlTGeKL4os
And the "TRAIN" in that scene might be right up your alley! ;D
Cheers,
Dallas
I've had an urge to construct a rather dark Edward Gorey-influenced train layout for a while. I envision crypts and mausoleums, abandoned mansions, desecrated churches, etc. The figures would be gaunt and hollow-eyed and a exhibit a distinctly cold, pallid skin tone. Pretty much any sort of archaic and picturesque locomotives and rolling stock would do, since there'd be no actual time window beyond "everybody died a long time ago," and everybody knows that ghosts from many eras can coexist in remote temporal contexts. The Bachmann old-time train sets like the Pegasus and DeWitt Clinton, redone in funereal color schemes, would be appropriate. This would allow an outlet for my urges to model dilapidation and "whimsy" (admittedly a rather morbid form of whimsy) that are not appropriate for my more serious efforts to model a certain place and time.
I remember the Model Railroader doing a couple of brief orphan articles about hypothetical railroads in a space exploration context back in the 1970s; the inspiration was probably equal parts Apollo Program and Panama Red.
Wow-whatta concept! Well, I gotta have my teakettles however. Martin mentioned that his layout was not wired, neither is mine.
Hot fun in the Summer time...
Woodie
PS -- In addition to the Mad Max theme, I think the Blade Runner style would lend itself well to adaptation ... and the sci-fi show "Firefly" had a mix of space ships and trains in it ... do an image or video search for "Firefly train" to find more ...
you might also find an image search for "space train" rather interesting or amusing ... for example, scroll down to the "earth to moon space train" here:
http://www.freewebs.com/steamnoir/rockets.htm
Cheers,
Dallas
Martin, this is THE forum for railroad modelers without layouts. I built a 1x6 foot switching diorama twelve years ago and never have operated a train on it. Heck, I don't even want a "real" layout. But I like knowing something could function if I bother to plug it in.
I'll bet half the guys here don't have a layout and are in no hurry to build one. And I like the idea that people have come up with all kinds of oddball ideas for layouts they'll probably never build.
I do, however, suspect some of us would benefit from professional care.
Russ
Russ, that's why this is now the only forum on my favourites!
Martin
Hi Russ
I can relate - I love building scale miniatures even in live steam, and without a lot of refreshments I find running them bores me after 15 minutes. I now have display cases filling up with models that are fully functional and are hardly ever run. Diversity is also a wonderful thing.
Ferd
QuoteI do, however, suspect some of us would benefit from professional care.
Nothing like a massage and spa treatment to please the modelers soul ;D
I haven't applied power to a layout to run trains on it in about 35 or 40 years.
I use the railroad only to bring a common scale to a scene and to make a "link" around the room.
We have all seen a short piece of an abandoned rail line as part of a layout, but I have always though about building an entire layout featuring only an abondoned railroad.
I don't do this however as I realized my tastes in the hobby have changed over the decades and I might get interested in operation at some point.
Although time is running out on that option.
My lovely bride of over 40 years likes me to build dioramas to display in our bookshelves in the living room.
In our last home, she wanted a layout in our living room.
Here is a link to that layout:
http://www.darrylhuffman.50megs.com/custom4.html
Darryl Huffman
Quote from: 78ths on November 01, 2010, 04:34:35 AM
Nothing like a massage and spa treatment to please the modelers soul ;D
A shot of good whisky helps too... ;)
Paul
Hey c'mon guys no extraneous talking during operating sessions or you can't come back next Tuesday night! And don't make fun of index cards that say what the the industry name is either, no time to build, gotta knock down the wall into the bedroom for the east staging yard. ;D
Of course it is all a matter of taste. But dioramas are a way to enjoy a sense of completion, set a model in context and try new ideas like scales, eras, genres, seasons, locals. Plus you can take them outside for photos and for showings. And you can build it in a small place like an apartment or even vehicle.
Layouts and whiskey aren't bad though, although the combo was tough on my little Ruby steamer outdoors last weekend. Rule G violations can be dangerous!
John
Quote from: JohnP on November 02, 2010, 09:58:38 AM
Hey c'mon guys no extraneous talking during operating sessions or you can't come back next Tuesday night! And don't make fun of index cards that say what the the industry name is either, no time to build, gotta knock down the wall into the bedroom for the east staging yard. ;D
That's right... read the rule book. This is serious business afterall, though I must admit there is something rather amusing about watching a group of adults operating trains wearing radio headsets to communicate with the person standing next to them and the dispatcher who is just around the corner in the next room. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've done this, it can be fun, especially with the proper lubrication. Unfortunately however, I was often censored as my communications, surprisingly enough, were occasionally tinged with a touch of sarcasm and irreverence... and evidently you just can't run a railroad with that sort of misbehavior... ;)
Paul
I'm without a layout and find this discussion very entertaining. My old layout was happy heading the Shay up the switchbacks hauling logs all day. A steampunk section would be thought provocating on a layout. I'm kind of old school, so just a hint of SP madness. Someone had mentioned a dock scene with the FF fish drydocked, then oddly the imagineering veered in another direction. (which is OK) I may pursue this myself.....
This is what makes this forum unique and unlike the other cut and dryed antler R/R sites.
Philip
Paul, you're obviously not a serious modeler... :P
I fell into a trap (at least for one of my slightly schizophrenic bent) to model prototypes with historical accuracy. While the research was fun at first, it became a noose around my neck. We all like to find our own balance, and while I like to play with my trains, I want to do it my way. I respect those who like operating rules and switch lists, but shoot, I just have a little sleepy copper mining railroad in the desert. Any day you can tie up your Porter after avoiding serious collisions and death, and get a cold brew at the cantina, is a good day...
I have to confess I am considering a fantasy-inspired module as an alter-ego to my semi-prototypical model railroad...to provide occasional diversion from flanged wheels, so to speak.
One of my many projects when I was heavily into logging was to build a non-working diorama of a logging railroad and it's equipment being auctioned off.
All the skidders and other equipment had been brought into the area of the machine shop/engine house.
A parking lot of cars which bidders drove to the auction. Lots of trucks to haul off purchases.
An auctioneer with his crew and the bidders of course.
A mobile snack bar had to be included along with signs announcing the sale.
My family was in the auction business for decades and my house has always been filled with furniture and junk we call "early auction".
The inspiration for the diorama was photos of the auctioning off of equipment for the San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad.
My layout is based on a RR that was planned but never built. I am following the prototype faithfully.
I suppose my steel mill layout ( not complete ) somewhat qualifies , atleast in the direction of sci-fi or Mad Max style . The mid 50's steel mills were fire and smoke belching monsters with blast furnaces , open hearth furnaces , rolling mills and other monstrous structures that dwarfed both man and trains . I have no idea how the workers existed before "silvers" ....the silver coloured protective clothing . I think life expectancy was rather short , even if you did avoid burns , due to the smoke and gas inhilation . Rolling stock within the mill was a conglomeration of different parts , wheels and trucks slapped together , welded and rewelded , just to keep going . Locos had to have "safety cars " between tham and the hot metal cars they were pushing . It must have been a whole different world within the steel mill complex and , I have no idea why , but it fascinates the hell out of me .
Terry
Chuck,
What a great line.
I trust that it is OK if I steal it as long as I give you credit.
Quote from: darrylhuffman on November 12, 2010, 10:08:41 AM
Chuck,
What a great line.
I trust that it is OK if I steal it as long as I give you credit.
;D priceless chuck!