Ideas for building a simple quick backdrop for your Christmas Themed train layout!

I search google for panoramic photos. You can then have them tile printed at a print shop. We did 4 of these for our christmas layout. Yes, tile printing will result in a seem, but for a 30 day display, I can live with it. The heavy 11"x17" prints were $1 a sheet. So my 11"x96" backdrop costs about $8. 

There are all kinds of images out there in the public domain, (no copyright) as well as on the library of congress website. This is the backdrop for our industrial area.

Another illumination feature I found at Home Depot are the projecting kaleidoscope spotlights. I used them by dropping them in the bottom of the table to backlight the mountains I made out of white cotton sheeting  to create the annimated northern lights effect reflecting off the mountain snow. But if there's enough room you may be able to project them directly onto the wall. They come in multi color, blue, green and maybe red.

They are LEDs so they don't heat up enough to create combustion and cost about $20 each.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lig...ight-88579/205080892

That is a great idea kj!   And a great project to get the kids/grandkids to work on!

Elizabeth created a backdrop for our North Pole layout using felt to create a forest scene. It was the only photo that I could find quickly, so you get our dog Cody included watching the train.

I did something similar one year.  I took a thin piece of styrofoam (about 3/4"), and used blue and black spray paint to create a nightime scene.  Then I poked holes through the styrofoam to insert white led lights.  I also got the small mini led lights to add variety to the star size.  Another thing I did was add quick mountains using the brown paper sold in the painting section of hardware stores that's used to protect floors during construction, put up in windows during work, etc.  I draped that paper over boxes and then sprayed the fake snow on that to quickly create mountains.  Because I used boxes underneath, I had platforms to put in my cabin and ranger station village buildings up the mountain.  It was all very simple to do.

I will try to post pictures.

Here are some pictures of what I did a few years ago, but excuse the unfinished nature.  I took them before the layout was finalized and never got around to taking them again.  So you see exposed cords and other sloppy things.

Tks for the ideas and comments photos look great!

I am setting up for the Railway museum Polar Express event. Need about 30 feet of backdrop. Will have about 7?+ trains running and lots of lighted buildings animated stuff etc.

Trying to get it to look like twinkling stars on the backdrop.

I had thought of the projector on the wall but with the set up that will not work mountains and bridges etc. other stuff behind.

Will see how it goes as designed trying to keep it cheap.

Just spent $500 + on replacement Thomas engines with LionChief engines as the old ones used at other train displays have worn out. Kids go nuts running the trains with the LionChief sets and whistle buttons and other buttons for animated stuff.

I have a big large format printer that I can print out scenes on for a backdrop and have done this for my home layout but really expensive and time consuming and over kill for a short time set up for the museum display!

Do it theatrical style. Build sections of rectangular frames (1 x 2, 1 x 3) to equal your length. Use triangular supports for feet and screw eyes to lash them together. They can create a curve at the seams(joints) if needed.

( Search TV\Theater scenery\backdrops to see examples)

Stretch some black or dark blue fabric on the front. The theater effect folks use scrim, but that will be too expensive for this application. Visit JoAnn Fabric and find something on sale. Take a flashlight or use their holiday light displays to check the light bleed thru effect.

Find net lights like these and attach to the back. Walmart should have led's cheap now.

The spacing will be enough to keep the bulbs from being obvious.

The vertical of the feet could be long enough to match the table height.

I got a chance this afternoon to take a better photo of our North Pole layout backdrop. It is over 14 ft. long, and Elizabeth constructed it for under $ 10.00. Now that's inexpensive. Click on photo for larger view.

I've used strips of masonite, and painted a scene on it. But then again, at one time at was a painting major. Regardless, keep it simple and have fun with it.

Tim

Tks guys good ideas like the pics nice work.

Hopefully this week will be building the fencing and base for the higher level of track.

At this time thinking if I just use high enough cardboard sheets to mount the stuff to I can just sit in on the floor behind the platform for the track and simply use my piles of empty boxes from the buildings and track to hold the cardboard against the rear of the track base.

Will get some pics when some progress. 2 weeks to go before run time!

Thanks towdog, I read your comments to Elizabeth and she really appreciated them.