Killashandra - Irish Nn3

[packers#1]

 
And now I see why you had the road the way you had it; that way the river scene is just there, and the road is over on the other side.
But then that begs the question why cut through the middle of the hill? You could just leave the road on one side of the hill; I'll draw a paint thing up in a bit to see if what I'm saying works
.........
Going back, your first road idea was pretty good and wouldn't link the scenes at all; how about this where the road stays closer to the siding and then has a grade crossing?

my red scribbles are where you originally had the road going

[VonRyan]

And now I see why you had the road the way you had it; that way the river scene is just there, and the road is over on the other side.
But then that begs the question why cut through the middle of the hill? You could just leave the road on one side of the hill; I'll draw a paint thing up in a bit to see if what I'm saying works
.........
Going back, your first road idea was pretty good and wouldn't link the scenes at all; how about this where the road stays closer to the siding and then has a grade crossing?

my red scribbles are where you originally had the road going

Then I loose the third scene. The third scene is where the road is supposed to parallel the tracks for a short time before crossing the tracks at grade.

[packers#1]

Ah yes, I see version 4; On the version I have drawn, the road does parallel the spur for a bit. I guess it just really depends on what you want out of the layout

[DKS]

Back a few pages...

[delamaize]

Back a few pages...

still like this one.

[OldEastRR]

In version 4 I don't see how when looking at the river scene from eye-level you can't notice the road on the opposite bank. No matter what, the human eye is going to follow that line of road into the next scene because that's just how our eyes are programmed.
The road is going to coalesce the layout into one piece, no matter your intentions. If you want 3 or four separate scenes on this, I suggest putting up backdrop dividers. It worked on that little Z scale "four scenes" layout MR did years ago. It works on big layouts. If you use curved backdrops then they would flow easily into the foreground scene.

[Chris333]

This layout used to have a backdrop, but I like it better now without it. I may or may be working on it's replacement 

[VonRyan]

This layout used to have a backdrop, but I like it better now without it. I may or may be working on it's replacement 

I've never been one for backdrops in the middle of small layout. Only seen it pulled off nicely on one layout, also narrow gauge, in an issue of RMC.
However, had I chosen to do a US-style layout, I would have reconstructed your backdrop and kept the landforms you had already made.

In version 4 I don't see how when looking at the river scene from eye-level you can't notice the road on the opposite bank. No matter what, the human eye is going to follow that line of road into the next scene because that's just how our eyes are programmed.
The road is going to coalesce the layout into one piece, no matter your intentions. If you want 3 or four separate scenes on this, I suggest putting up backdrop dividers. It worked on that little Z scale "four scenes" layout MR did years ago. It works on big layouts. If you use curved backdrops then they would flow easily into the foreground scene.

I have a few distinct viewing angles in mind and I'm working on getting photographs from each one to better explain my unconventional thought process.

[VonRyan]

Ok, so it's been awhile since my last update. Some might say I'm beginning to loose some steam.

On the contrary it can be said that I've gained some steam because I recently acquired a Märklin 0-6-0. As luck would have it, the engine is one of the newer runs that has a 5-pole motor. I got it with three coaches for $85. The coaches aren't of any use to me, so they'll probably be sold off.
Once I return from the UK (I leave tomorrow!!!  ) I will begin the process of turning the little bugger into something resembling an engine of Hunslet manufacture.

I also came up with a Version 5 of the roads. Really it's just a tweak of Version 4.


I also tried to take some shots of the major intended viewing angles. Since I was only working with my iPhone 5, the quality isn't the best and the angles aren't 100% spot-on.

#1 - I probably should have re-taken this image. I'll probably shoot it again when I return from the UK.


#2 - This one is probably the best in terms of being at the intended angle. This specific spot has some room for some play when I start to take photographs with my Canon T3.


#3 - This angle is supposed to be looking more to the left. It also warrants a re-take.


#4 - Not the greatest of shots from this angle, but it gets the point across. It's one of my favourite angles so when I start doing scenery, I'll be paying a lot of attention to this view.


#5 - This angle is becoming my most favourite. Mostly because it is the most prototype-influenced.




Of course, once the layout has scenery, it is inevitable that more viewing angles will arise, but these will only be for photographs. For physical viewing, I'm already thinking of an interesting way to make viewers focus on certain scenes.


That all being said, after visiting the Talyllyn Railway on Friday and driving Dolgoch up the Fathew Valley and back, my desire to model Welsh 2' gauge in N will more than likely come back to haunt me.


-Cody Fisher

[DKS]

Version 5 looks vaguely familiar...





Glad to see you're solidifying the design.

[VonRyan]

  It does indeed.

I'm better off messing around with tape rather than foam. Makes less of a mess this way.

I'm going to stick with this version. That is, unless I take a fall off the White Cliffs of Dover and hit my head.

[packers#1]

I'm digging it; looks like it will work well with the viewing angles

[delamaize]

Pictures of the coaches? I might be interested.....

[VonRyan]

Fear not ye faithful followers, progress is soon to come!
Being that I'm still here in the UK (till sometime tomorrow morning) I had to take the opportunity to visit at least one model shop, so I went to "The Engine Shed" in Ford, along the Southern Railway. I picked up some Peco rolling stock to supliment my other UK stock, and I also picked up some Peco brand styrene "stone" sheets for making the stone abutments and support column for the larger of the two bridges on the layout. I also picked up some Gaugemaster brand granite ballast which will have dust from a large lump of Welsh coal added to it to make it more appropriate for my layout.

The lump of Welsh coal came from the large coal bin at the Talyllyn Railway. Speaking of which, Wales is positively beautiful, and Dolgoch is more amazing in person (and smaller). Although my love for the Talyllyn Railway is now absolute, I've come to fully realize that modeling it in N/2mm is borderline impossible. Although someone has indeed scratchbuilt the TR locos in 2mm, made to run on 4.5mm track (2'3" in 2mm Finescale), The feasibility of anything beyond the engines is pushing the limits of the scale.

So it's still going to be Irish 3' gauge for me.

Although, the 7mm (O gauge) GWR 5-plank wagon I bought today looks mighty nice.
If 7mm were any cheaper I'd be doing some dabbling, but for now the wagon is just meant to be a display piece.


The next time I update, I'll be back on US soil.

-Cody F.

[VonRyan]

Time for some progress photos.
I really wanted to try out the "granite" ballast I got at The Engine Shed.
It's real rock, made by Noch, but sold in Gaugemaster packaging.





Of course, in that last shot you can see that I have indeed started carving out the roads.


-Cody Fisher