What is the best way to make an abrupt scene change.

How about 2 mirrors back to back.

Doug

Scenic divider and /or  Mountian with a tunnel.

Tunnel is the way I'd do it.

Well, there is no really seamless way to do it. I'm working on a area on the new layout right now. It goes from a rail/light industrial area to mountains. Don't think of giant peaks next to your factories. What I'm doing is dropping the layout level but keeping the main line lever with the rest of the layout. In other words I'm making a valley below the lever of the rail line. Small hills at first above the track but a drop of about a foot and a half at first with retaining walls and bridges to keep the line level. Then the mountain area will lower again, almost to the floor with higher mountains above the rail. Hope this helps. Don

So, construct a scene divider (wall) with a mountain tunnel on one side, easy enough. But what would one use to disguise the industrial side?

Rick.

Scale Rail,

I had that thougt as well...but I am working with an 18' by 16" deep switching layout idea. Would still work though...hummm.

Rick.

I have places on my layout where trains will exit behind buildings, and vanish under bridges. To go between industry and mountain, I would use a scenic divider / backdrop. Just have them go behind a building and pop out a tunnel.

Rick, the thing I don't like about a tunnel suddenly appearing is you need a mountain tall enough for a tunnel. To me that just wouldn't look right. The other thing I've done is a small hill with a cut for the track. They you don't have this giant mountain appearing out of no where. The cut can work it's way into a larger hill or mountain area. I really like dropping the layout lever though. It's very dramatic as you can see in my old layout. Don

Here's how it can work on a shelf/around the walls layout. A highway overpass can disguise where tracks enter the scenic divider beyond.

Jim

A tunnel through some type of view-block. The view-block can be a cluster of buildings or a stand of trees in front of the backdrop.

JD McKee built a layout as a series of connected dioramas. I thought the technique was a great idea.

The old O scale exhibit in the California Museum of Science and Industry in Los Angeles (now California Science Center) did something similar with half of the layout being out in the Southwest Desert and the other half being more industrial. The dioramas were less than 36" deep, but the use of S Scale backgrounds, selective compression and "trapezoidal" construction of buildings and streets added a lot of depth. The layout has been gone for over 20 years, but was an impressive piece of work.

Matt,

Your series of pics does wonders. Thanks a mint. Jim P, you are spot on with this. I can see (in me head) many many idea's. Scale Rail, yes to changing levels, adds a lot of... depth! (bad).

Thanks Guys,

Rick.