SpaceMouse
Fun Lover
(You can think in terms of an N-scale door as well if you wish)
Okay, you all know that I think that a 4 x 8 should be the last resort for the person building a layout. It is one of the most limiting configurations you can think of, yet people insist that it is all they have room for.
It comes up so often that I have decided to make it part two of my Beginner's Design. So anyway, I'd like to get your thoughts. I'll start the ball rolling.
*********************
Even though it pretty much has to be a loop, it should be thought of as a piece of a railroad that goes from here to there.
It should have a purpose. The railroad should serve industry or in some other way, support the movement of goods.
Whether its prototypical, freelance or fantasy, it should be internally consistent in terms of era, location, etc.
If you "just want to run trains" think in terms of running through scenes as opposed to running laps like a ride in an amusement park. It's the difference between a model railroad and a toy train.
You should work from the buildings out. Find the industrial buildings you plan first, see how the address the track and make sure you can get the track to them. Make sure you can get roads in and make it look like the buildings are part of the natural scenery.
Then make sure your scenery fits.
Think about staging--if not how you can work it in, how you can add it later. The smaller the layout, the more important staging is.
What would add or disagree with?
Okay, you all know that I think that a 4 x 8 should be the last resort for the person building a layout. It is one of the most limiting configurations you can think of, yet people insist that it is all they have room for.
It comes up so often that I have decided to make it part two of my Beginner's Design. So anyway, I'd like to get your thoughts. I'll start the ball rolling.
*********************
Even though it pretty much has to be a loop, it should be thought of as a piece of a railroad that goes from here to there.
It should have a purpose. The railroad should serve industry or in some other way, support the movement of goods.
Whether its prototypical, freelance or fantasy, it should be internally consistent in terms of era, location, etc.
If you "just want to run trains" think in terms of running through scenes as opposed to running laps like a ride in an amusement park. It's the difference between a model railroad and a toy train.
You should work from the buildings out. Find the industrial buildings you plan first, see how the address the track and make sure you can get the track to them. Make sure you can get roads in and make it look like the buildings are part of the natural scenery.
Then make sure your scenery fits.
Think about staging--if not how you can work it in, how you can add it later. The smaller the layout, the more important staging is.
What would add or disagree with?