I'm Stuck and confused.

Yes.  All of the stuff furthest away so you are not constantly reaching over or through completed areas - work from the back towards you.

I like MWB's answer, assuming you can reach the areas of your layout that will get backdrops.  That might be a big "if".

I did what you did - built the bench work, laid track, etc. first.  And I have been paying for it ever since.  Check out the PRR Panhandle (on the photo forum), specifically pages 9 & 10.

 

If there is a way to move your layout as one piece (glides or wheeled casters) so that you can directly place or paint backdrops on the walls, I'd consider doing that.  Even if you can only buy yourself 1' of space, that will afford you room to hang a backdrop.  Otherwise, it will be difficult.

 

George

 

First off, what is the general look you are after? City, country, urban, or a combination? What time period? I'd advise making a small start. In my case it was a 6 x 3.5 ft. Christmas raised layout to get my feet wet. Others may have started with a corner section, and concentrated just on that.

That being said, I'm not the person to give much advice. I had it easy in that my layout is only 5x8. That pretty much dictated 2 loops of track (to avoid the "spaghetti" look), and basically a city area to get a lot of scenics into a small space. I grew up during the 1950s, so the scenics reflect that period. Although my space is small, it took me 2 years to finish it.

I can stand on mine to do painting and all in those areas where I cannot reach standing or on a step stool.  Just one of the reasons to build a layout so sturdy is that inevitably you will have to get up on it for some reason......

Are you building the layout for vignette/diorama photos or visitors?  They are usually very different due to the difference in perspective.  Most photos appearing here, on the forum, are very low angle perspectives of specific "scenes" that a visitor to the layout will never see because we can't get the "ground level" view that a well-placed camera can achieve.

 

Certainly painted walls and backdrops "cure" the discordance caused by cement walls (in a basement), dry wall or paneling in a room, etc. when photographing the layout are useful, but you must decide what pleases you.

 

I'm simply saying that some "diorama" layouts are more pleasing in photos than they are to visitors' perspectives.

I join G3750 and mwb in their advice to you regarding reach-a-bility, if you will, and I agree further with mwb's caution about being able to stand on the layout.

 

When I built my layout, which accrued over a 5-year period, with ever-expanding benchwork, though I began against the walls, my eagerness had me going back-n-forth with changes for many years, right up to the present, walking atop the layout everywhere. I was glad I built all levels of the layout of 2x4's and 3/4" plywood.

 

Also, several vignettes throughout the layout are actually portable dioramas so that I can remove them from where I need to step without clipping something with my foot as I work on re-crafting an area.

 

For example, considering this smaller wing of the layout, most of it is within reach of my standing in the aisle, except for that second-level loop that requires removing some structures on Level 1 to accommodate my mounting the layout and reaching it from the aisle....

...most of the layout is like this area, which is not within reach from any aisle...

...so I am glad I built the entire shebang like this section, out of 2x4s and 3/4" plywood to allow my walking atop it....

P.S. You may also want to consider what happens if you have derailments. How will you reach them? You know they will occur (usually at the furthest places from you, especially in tunnels - a favorite place for them to happen.

 

Take your time an enjoy the creative adventure,  George. There are none quite like it, IMHO.

FrankM.

Yes, the probability of failure points occurring is directly proportional to their accessibility.

And, if there is a soldered connect that requires direct overhead positioning of a soldering iron and solder, that connection will fail.

 

Just remember that the perversity of the Universe tends towards the maximum and it doesn't like you.  If you keep that in mind, you'll do just fine.

Thanks everyone. I received some great suggestions, which I will put into use. I did put some of my track too close to the wall, so I'm going to have to modify that before I do a background. I do have three plunge-cuts to stand up in and I believe I can create some removable scenery that will make them pretty much invisible. I'll have to deal with tunnels in some way...I believe that track problems and derailments will always come in an out-of-the-way place. Onward and Upward...

 

George (G3)

I built an entire removable scene out of pink foam. It forms a plug for an access hole and also provides tunnel access:

 

 

 

 

Thanks Avanti, Some great ideas in those photos...I have some thick foam I could make a pond in one of the plunge-cuts. George (G3)

I like doing things in little areas or "vignettes" as mentioned above.  Work on it, get it done and move on to another area.  Nothing is ever really complete.  And the nice thing is I can work on whatever I feel like on any given day without getting bored or frustrated because a particular step takes too long or seems overwhelming.

 

I also like to have something running around the layout when I'm working if that is possible.  Kills two birds.

 

Have Fun!

Ron

 

 

scratch card stock buildings  Obviously you have some skills, so here goes, when I get stuck I make a couple of really simple cutouts of various hills, structures, clump of trees, etc, of cardboard and 'slide' them around and see what pops up!    Make a couple of tunnel portals and see where the 'scenery tells you' where they want to be.  Do this BEFORE painting the backdrop so that the backdrop can match what will eventually be in front of it.  Just some thoughts, cause we all get stuck sometimes!  Russ

Thanks Russ,

I'm going to buy one of those backgrounds from Walthers and see what I can come up with. There are tons of panoramas on the internet to experiment with. Your ideas are great and photos were very helpful.

 

George (G3)

I would go one step further and suggest virtually all of the major scenery components can easily be made, modular in form. 

By way of example this entire farm scene is one piece.  This does a number of things for you, including access to other parts of the layout and ease of working on this piece. As well as following prior suggestions of working on a specific area.  Another thing that might really help, find some local layouts and go see what others have done. You can start on your layout, by mocking up an area by placing building(s), playing with elevation changes and even tunnels. Usually, this starts to lead to what feels natural on the layout. I find this can have a cascade effect. 

 

As as to backrounds, depending on the level you plan to achieve(custom), if you are simply doing a generic sky/clouds you can do it anytime. However, if you really want to have the background work with the layout, I think you are better served by having most of the scenery pieces done. The backdrop in the second and third pictures was hung after the majority of scenery was complete. I prefer the layout scenery dictate the backdrop composition, if possible.

 

 

Avanti

 

That's a nice piece of work.

 

Larry