Since I've been around here. My youngest son is now 3.5 years old and he's finally to an age that I can tell him to keep his hands to himself and he actually listens! yahoo! Anyrate, My whole idea of this layout would be something that my sons and I work on together. So here it is. It's a 24"x48" layout on top of 2" white foam, glued to 1/2 plywood. It's wrapped in 1x4 pine flush to the top. My thoughts were, (and please tell me if they are bad ideas) a passenger station on the top leg of the inside spur to the right side. A warehouse building on the bottom leg. At the bottom left spurs I was thinking of a farm/barn and something else, I haven't decided on the other leg of the bottom spur. I think a mountain in the top left corner with a small tunnel would break it up well too, but those spurs down there might interfere with that as well? Something I'd really love to have is a bridge somewhere in the layout, but don't think it's possible. Can you find a place for one? So, that's my plan anyway. Thoughts, opinions, critisism?
There's no reason you couldn't have a tunnel in the upper left corner. One of the spurs could be a mine. Since you've built it on a foam base, you can always cut a small stream or river bed on your layout. My layout is going to based on the area just south of you (Modesto/Turlock). It's 30"x80" and is going to use Unitrack. Plans right now are for a feed mill, cement plant, produce packer and some kind of lumber mill/yard.
I sort of want to model my local area. My next door neighbor is the farm with a couple silos. There's a small market along side an existing UP mainline for a short train running for limestone, I might consider modeling that... (both the market and the limestone mine)
My kids live in Newman, and being a WP lover, I found out the Tidewater Southern ran not too far from there. Since I'm down that way a lot to go see them, I figured I'd use those trips for insperation. I've noticed that there are a lot of gravel pits out that way. They all seem to be in or near a riverbed. Is limestone done the same way?
I don't see a really good site for a bridge. If any place, possibly somewhere to the left end? Boxcab E50
That's what I thought as well. I'm not too concerned about that though. I love how bridges look, but meh...
I was thinking maybe the lower left corner. Maybe a small bridge like the one Mystere built. That's a nice little starter scratch building prodject.
This limestone mine is sort of an old riverbed I suppose. It's surrounded by tons of oak trees and hills too, hey I'm getting an idea! Do you have a link to that bridge?
Mystere is a forum member that did a thread on a photography module he built. I think he called it a "showcase module". I'll have to find it.
Post #27 of Building a Showcase Module is where my little bridge made its first appearance. Something similar was also my first idea when considering your plan. I would suggest adding a center backdrop, yet maybe only from the top left corner, to just before the lower left. The edge of the backdrop could be disguised by scenery or structures, making the layout a U shape. You can then put your mountain/tunnel right into the backdrop to create a better illusion of that scene. Then as WPZephyrFan suggested, perhaps a small timber trestle squeezed in somewhere to cross a creek.
I don't exactly see a place for ONE bridge...but I am kind of nervy, and I see a place for 2 or 3 bridges. You could place a bridge almost in the middle of the front of the layout, on the through route just to the left of the crossover switches. But then you need some kind of bridges over the two spurs that are just behind the through route. They could go under the curved portion of the two spurs, just to the left of the switch. You are probably not going to want to spot cars right on that curved section anyway. The bridge on the through route can be something simple, like an Atlas through plate girder. The bridges on the spurs need to be curved. A timber trestle would be appropriate for this lightly traveled trackage, would make an interesting contrast, and not terribly hard to build. However it WOULD have to be custom built for the location, not a "drop in." In this case, the bridge that would be a cost-cutting lightweight for the prototype-- the short timber trestles-- will probably take a little more work and thought. On the other hand, the steel girder bridge for the mainline would be a more expensive piece of construction on the prototype but an easy drop-in for the layout.
Did we say Mark's name three times? lol You could also have the backdrop blend into a grove of trees if a building doesn't work.
Here's sort of the idea I just came up with after starting this thread. I REALLY like the idea of that diagonal backdrop though Mystere! Terrific idea! I don't like the idea of a curved bridge though, so I would probably move the creek more to the right like you did Mystere, regardless. Little discussion and ideas really start flowing!
Sheldon, Mark's idea about a longer diagonal central backdrop will help you divide the layout into two different scenic areas, the farm and mine (more rural); and the industrial/town. It can be as simple as a thick row of tall trees, but will do wonders for "enlarging" the feel of the layout.
That's what I'm planning for my layout, a simple grove of trees for a view block. I've thought about an actual backdrop, but I like the idea of being able to see the train behind the trees.
