Norm's layout

Without question his well thought out scenes are incredibly realistic.  He should be offering master classes on scenery building.

It's what you call Train Porn.  

The power of underpopulation - both people and vehicles.

One or two figures can create a powerful scene drawing the viewer into it. The people have a purpose - two figures are talking - a figure is looking up at another figure on a second floor porch - one figure is wandering out of town. A pretty girl has walked past a man and he is watching her walk by. If you clutter that scene, you never get that appreciation for the subtle reasons for scenes. 

Place large masses of population in one scene and you don't know where to look.

One or two well thought out figures draws you right to them.

The thing I always have enjoyed is the overall color and feel of the layout....dirty but not too dirty.  It looks lived in and used but not over done....he has a great eye indeed.

Yeah, and he tore it all down right after it was photographed for the article!

Norm and his wife moved and he plans on a better layout?

How can he top that one?

We all have to wait and see!

I never have understood this mind set.  You are so lucky to have been able to see the real thing.

Reminds me of the players on guitar forums that say stuff like, "I went to see Pat Metheny the other night and now I want to cast all my guitars into the sea."  Makes no sense.  I find the work of guys like Charbonneau and Metheny to be inspirational, not discouraging.

I'm not into realism with my three-rail trains, but I believe the most important ingredient in realistic modeling is keen observation closely followed by a light touch.

Pete

Absolutely 100% correct! 

I will never be able to attain the modeling excellence I see displayed by many here, but that sure doesn't discourage me in the least.  I don't aspire to be someone else or to duplicate what they do.  I'm quite content to simply enjoy the hobby in the way I want to enjoy it--it's MY hobby, after all--and to continue to be inspired by the work of others so I'll at least make a continuing effort to learn and do a bit better myself.

And, of course, I really enjoy sharing the work of others in the pages of the magazine.

Well, technically, I can't rip anything up, as I'm just now putting plywood and homasote on top of the open grid benchwork. 

But in all seriousness, I think you mean that after seeing Norm's layout, a hobbyist would almost want to start over - inspired to greater heights, knowing what is possible.  To being "inspired," I say - amen!

Peter 

Wow, He's in a class by himself!!!!!!! I feel inadequate suddenly

This is absolutely true   We have a number of people working on scenery at the club  Its hard to control them sometimes but I believe none of them ever heard your advice.  They put a million people all over the place with no rhyme or reason.  It drives me crazy.  One guy that really doen't do scenery rearranged a few and made it look like the police were openeing the back of a trailer to find it full of ilegal immigrants.  I thought it looked great  Our scenery experts dismissed it as stupid and just put 100 people in its place.  The scene was great

People like Norm are part of the reason I dont plan on a permanent layout.  I am in my second non carpet layout other than what I did as a kid with HO.  I will soon be finished with this layout and will tear it down shortly after it is completed.  Why?  Because I want to go bigger and against the walls in the garage for layout #3.  I learned a bunch of stuff in 2011,  learning way more in 2012-2013.  I have been collecting and amassing lots of scenery items mainly and now command control.  So essentially I see this as practice.  Guys like Norm push me to try and get better and I appreciate that.

I have the trains, the scenery items; Some fast set drywall compound, Pink Foam, 1x4s, plywood and paint to start a new is not that big a deal.  The wiring is a different story, but I am getting better at that.

Agreed great layout. Someone correct me if I am wrong but I believe from what I have read and seen that Norms layout is very simple in terms of wiring, 2 wires If I remeber correctly and I dont know how correct that is. Never any mention complex switching or feeder bus lines etc.

Hard to compete with Storm-in Norman, one of the best, great mag this month.

Sculpt-A-Mold is your friend . . . 

Trust me

This is smart. I mentioned this in another thread about a fellow just getting started and encouraged him to take his time - look and see and learn a lot and run trains on plywood for six or so months.

It was followed by twenty responses about "dive right in."

When you get cranking on that next layout, you're going to be very glad you took your time.

Indeed, indeed!  One of the finest scenery materials ever made, and it has been around a long time.  I recall buying my first bag back on the late 1970s, and have gone through a great many bags of it since then.