Your thoughts about elevation changes from scene to scene

I cannot visualize the amount of space you are thinking about.  I would do a little more creative thinking about how much space you would eat up to create the scene you are contemplating.  I had a similar decision to make about a particular sceen I wanted that involved rather large mountain terrane but I had a lot room to transition. In any event, you can try a quick mockup to see if it works for you.  Even the best of the best scenic folks on the forum experiment and change when they find a better solution.  Hope to see your work soon.

Could you move the backpack scene more to the right, away from the farm? Maybe some trees on the hill would create the height you want without going any wider. 

Maybe this will help. The glue jugs would be the ends of the mountain width being about 7'. I'm thinking it may need to be between 2 and 3' tall.

Kunde posted:

Could you move the backpack scene more to the right, away from the farm? Maybe some trees on the hill would create the height you want without going any wider. 

I can move it. Tomorrow I'll stick a bunch of pines in and see how it looks.  Thanks

a textured back drop will give the illusion of height, combined with color contrast in foreground (dark) and background , lighter

Why is the mountain so wide?   It will cover up your outside corner scenes, when you are in the center of the layout. 

Kunde posted:

Why is the mountain so wide?   It will cover up your outside corner scenes, when you are in the center of the layout. 

That's the problem I'm having. Trying to gain a sense of height without blocking the view. To me as it is now it just looks like a hill because the farm scene is elevated relative to the track. I plan on using a lot of pines between 6 and 9" which may make it worse by dwarfing the 'hill'

Doberman

The inside mountain looks great and when you add trees really nice. Just remember you only block the view from one angle, Its good to have the trains disappear and re-appear. One consideration on the inside of your loop dont leave the mountain as flat shape it so it looks like a mountain from all angles. LOVE to see the finished product!!

Hi Joe, If I am understanding correctly, you are primarily operating the layout from the

inside of the bench work. I f this is true, I might suggest shifting the mountain scene to the

outside of the curve and work the farm scene into the mountain for the backpacking scene.

I would think of adding a tunnel to allow you to gain the necessary height. You would be

able to incorporate the downward transition of the mountain and tunnel exit along the right hand corner. I might

evan think about lowering the bench work below track level at the tunnel exit and include

a bridge/creek scene.

I think PRR Mike is on to something. Determine where you or other viewers will be looking at the scene. You want to make the scenery highest furthest from the viewer and taper it down to the front. A good back drop can capture the scene and keep the eyes focused on it.  Add a front valence and paint it a dark color to keep the eyes in the scene as well. Black is the best. It tricks the brain and eyes by not looking at it and underlining the layout... I like the tunnel or a daylighted tunnel to ease the mountain transition down to the front of layout. You can even add rock cuts to either side of the tracks so the trains disappear from the eye and make the layout seem larger.

Good luck and keep up the good work. I like the farm scene.

Oh, now I understand what you are trying to do. I would suggest a large mountain outside of the layout. It could be a shallow rock face with tiny trees to force perspective.  A photo or painted backdrop would really give you as massive as you want. Inside of the curve you could block as much or little as you want. As mentioned before, scenery could go well below track level, maybe to the floor. 

Joe, I would envision a taller hill or mountain increasing in height from the right side of where the current hill ends in the second photo and going over to the large glue bottle on the right.  This would also help hide the fact that there is a support pole there.  Looks like that would be only about three feet where trains would be out of sight.  I would then see a tunnel for the two inner loops and the two outer loops going along a retaining wall outside the mountain .

I love watching trans run but a part of that is watching the train disappear behind buildings and trees and hills and coming back out again.

Good luck with your decision and happy railroading,

Don