My fictional N scale layout

I don't think the six axles will look bad depending on their length. I can run Trainmasters on similar curves and they look fine. They are 5 inches long (about 66 feet in scale coupler to coupler). The longer more modern engines may not look as good, but I have no experience with such new-fangled equipment.

 

That makes them the same length as a pre-Dash-2 SD40/45, but shorter than the Dash-2s or 6-axle U-boats, Dash-7s or Centuries.

 

Thanks for the input. I had been thinking about Atlas' SD-60M's which according to the info I have researched is that they are 5 1/4" long. I'll have to still think about this some more.

 

Well, I found a gallon of "oops" paint at "Wally World" for about 3 bucks and got a coat on the foam base. I also got the backdrop up. I used background scenes from Sceniking and used spray adhesive to mount them on poster board. I then mounted the scenes on the wall along the layout.

Here's a sample of the backdrop:


It proved to be a challenge getting the seams lined up and it is a project you should not rush. Overall it's not too bad and I probably could have done a better job, but it is better than having nothing up.

The next step is test fitting the yard track starting this evening and I guess I probably should start a new thread in the N Scale forum since it is out of the planning phase and will actually start with track and structures etc.

 

Backdrop

Is that the Sceniking n-scale backdrop (about 7 1/2 inches high), or the ho-scale (about 13 high)?
That looks like the one I'm thinking of using, but the n-scale isn't high enough. I have a mountain about 9 inches high on the back side of my layout, so I want a backdrop about a foot high.
I was thinking about the ho-scale one, but I was worried that the scale in the picture wouldn't match.

Dave.

 

Dave: The ones I used are the N scale 8" high. In fact, this evening I'm going to measure some of the buildings in the scenes and see how they equate to the real world.

Right now with nothing else on the layout, some of them just don't look right and I'm beginning to second guess myself if I went the right route. I am not so sure that 8" is a good height. One thing to keep in mind, since they are ink jet prints (high quality) they do need to be protected somehow from moisture. Their suggestions have ranged from hair spray to fixatives you find at your art store. Well, being as cheap as I am, I went the hair spray route. Will see how it holds up. One thing I noticed is that the prints seem darker after spraying the hair spray. Be sure and let them dry thoroughly before working with them.

 

cheap paint

Another suggestion is to use oops paint for your bench work too. Not only does it give the bench work a nice finished look, if you paint both sides it can help prevent warping. Personally I just like the way it looks.

 

Matt: "Oops" paint is paint that is mis-tinted and people have returned to the store because they didn't like the color or the color is not what they had envisioned. You get it at a discounted price. Thus the "oops".

It just so happens that the gallon I picked up was a green tint and I can see why the people returned it. I accidentally got some on the wall and it was not a pretty green. For the purpose of the layout it is just fine, a bargain and will be enough to last a long time for touch ups on the foam.

 

Good one Matt.

 

NFW yard...

and the test fit. Heavy thunderstorms rolled through around 1 this morning and woke me up. Time to test fit the track for the yard.



Not enough room to get a real decent shot, but we are making progress. It's funny how you don't notice things sometimes when you shoot a picture. I didn't realize the airslide hopper I had sitting off to the side was knocked over.

Well now the task at hand is to double and triple check the fitting, mark the location, lay the roadbed, lay the track and mark the location for feeders.