On my hollow core door layout (very much in progress) I have some Woodland Scenics risers starting on either end, raising the track on the back side of the layout. Now that they are there, I kind of forgotten why I put them there So what is the point of this? I guess trying to decide whether to remove them or not. I guess I am having a "why did I put that there?" moment. Thoughts?
Visual effect? A little variation? Without going back and looking at your trackplan that would be my only guess.
Does the OP mean, why did he add an elevation change? After 1 minute watching a train go around a flat loop I would be fighting boredom.. but that's just my take. I say build and keep as many hills, bridges, obstacles, and exciting changes as you can stuff into a scene!
My layout is a small 2x4 with an extnsion out the front right another foot+ to make a L shaped. If I did not have elevation changes to make things more interesting i would also go mad. Plus my favorite part, landscaping, is allot more interesting when it involves bridges. I say leave it in and have fun at it.
Sometimes a track is raised on fill to go over another track. However, it does not look like there is room for another track to go anywhere under the elevated section. Maybe it was elevated to go over a highway that is at ground level. Highway can run off the layout or into background or mirror, etc. Could it be elevated to go over a waterway? Railroads usually try to keep their tracks as level as possible. You want to have some difference of elevation between track and river surface-- bridge set on top of painted river doesn't look too good. But it would usually be easier to keep track level and build layout with watercourse dropped lower-- especially with foamboard-surface layout. It looks like you have possibly already cut a lower area. However, if the waterway is navigated, it may be necessary to raise track above clearance level of boats and ships OR provide a movable drawbridge, liftbridge etc. The extreme examples of raising the track are the Huey P. Long bridge over the Mississippi River just upstream of New Orleans, and some of the bridges across the Mississippi at St. Louis. Looks you have a place for a good looooooong bridge with good clearance below at the back of your layout. You have created most of the approach on fill and the bridge itself should have little or no support in the middle, to keep the clearance clear.
Looks like you intended to have a bridge over a lake or other large body of water. I'd keep it. It will be a nice scenic element.
Good points by all. I think the end product will be much better with the risers left in place. Guess I just needed help reminding myself.
