Laying Asphalt

Without any kind of warning device, the local commuter train is likely to strike village traffic!

Shōgatsu has a road, or part of one. The as-of-yet unnamed village (suggestions, anyone?) needs a road connection to the outside world—trains run on only a very irregular schedule and often bypass the station.

Building the road was dead simple. I [...]

Pouring Concrete on Shōgatsu

Plastic screen retaining wall and abutment.

Not literally, of course. In addition to planting hundreds of trees (and yet, the mountains are still rather bare!) I’ve been constructing retaining walls and abutments. The process is really simple. I find an area of the layout that needs a retaining wall; I’ve left these areas bare to make [...]

Street Access to the Taxi Stand

The Streets of Akiba

I’ve very nearly completed modeling the streets surrounding the north-west corner of Akihabara Station. The photo may not look like much, but the street outline—meticulously cut from scaled satellite imagery—is fringed with scale curbs and pedestrian ramps. I have still a bit of cleanup to do, and I also have yet to [...]

AKIba station PLAza—Facade

AkiPla—now an Ishimaru

AkiPla circa 2006

Here’s my current target: A strip mall under Akihabara Station called Akiba Station Plaza, or AkiPla for short (note: Since my trip to Tokyo, it’s become an Ishimaru, a chain of electronics and home-appliance stores). You’ll need to click on the pathetically small thumbnail to see it clearly. It’s plastered in ads, and has merchandise practically spilling onto the street. Not only is the interior lit, but there are lots of little spotlights at the top illuminating…well, what they are meant to illuminate isn’t quite clear. They are directed at the corrugated metal. There’s lots of great modeling possibility in this little scene.

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Construction Techniques

Quinntopia recently asked about my construction techniques. I never really thought to say anything about that, but perhaps I should. So here are some thoughts, if not actual methods, on how I’m proceeding with the construction of Akihabara Station.

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Taxi Stand (タクシーのりば)

The unpainted taxi stand

I’ve begun cutting plastic for Akihabara Station. I love this part of modeling. I’ve got the parking loop and taxi stand (taxi noriba in Japanese) complete. I just need to paint it. I’ve also got some of the adjoining sidewalk and plaza complete. After painting, there are stop- and street-lights to [...]