I started creating the terrain on my layout this weekend. I have attached photos and would like your honest opinion on its believability. I did my best to make the layout make sense for the required tunnels and the climb up to the second level in the front. What do you guys think?
Hutch: What you've done so far looks great to me. As Pete said, start workingon the mountains. They might be a bit too high, but re-evaluate that as you start to carve. Stay cool and run steam....
Darn- Another neatfreak with perfect benchwork. Hutch- So far, so good. I only have one suggestion and it may be the angle of the photos- Are you sure you have absolutely NO kinks in the trackwork and NO spaces where they are joined. If you do, it will rear its ugly head and bite you on the butt. I speak from repeated experience. Run your most derailment prone diesel like a Kato PA or a steamer in both directions, with and without pulling several cars and at various speed. If there is a problem, fix it now, it will be much easier sooner than later.
My thoughts are that I would not carve at all. Or round it slightly, but cover it with plaster scenery cloth. The fact that your mountain is so huge is very cool. HO scalers would have go to about six feet to accomplish that look you have. The small ridge with the ramp up to the second level track. I would coinsider putting a small ridge in front of it so that your trains sort of pop behind tress and rocks and then come out up top. I think right now it seems too intentional and lucky to have a perfect ramp there. Hope this makes sense.
got to be one of the cleanest layouts in construction I have ever seen !! looks outstanding so far.. MORE PICS !!!!!
