Burlington Northern's Scenic Subdivision

[Scottl]

Maybe give some of the trees a bit of highlighting to give some color variety?  I find a bit of flat spray paint like the cammo olive or a hint of yellow give the trees some variation that is natural.  I also experimented with giving trees a black and brown wash to try and get some depth in the foliage and it was promising.  It is very subtle, but I think you want it to be.

I keep planning to build a static grass applicator, the results are impressive.

[Kevin C]

It is unreal to think of how time flies.

The last post to my Layout Engineering Report was in 2016 and much has happened since then. From the time that I took those photographs I did not spend much time adding to the layout. Extremely long hours were spent at work so my motivation to spend time working on the layout or running trains was very low at the time.

I also started to dislike some of the design features that I had incorporated into the layout. The major problem for me was the excessively long helices that I had built to connect all of the levels. I found that the trains would spend too much time in the helices compared to out on the layout.

However in 2018 a decision was made to move out of the house so the layout was slowly dismantled and parts of it were either sold or donated to friends so that they could incorporate them into their layouts.

The photograph below is the last one I took of the layout showing the top level with the light box and LED lighting in place. I had not taken the time back then to test different LED colors so the result is not what I was trying to achieve.

[Kevin C]

Fast forward to 2021 and I am now lucky enough to have a new space in which to build my new layout. The property that my wife and I have bought has a home and a barn situated close together. The upstairs section of the barn is where I have decided to build the layout.

The space available measures 29 feet x 14 feet with a support structure in the center for the roof.  The ceiling is very low and is pitched to a height of only 5.5 feet on the sides. This has forced the decision for me to build a single level layout which I am happy with.

I have therefore designed an “around the wall” layout with a large center peninsular down the center. I have managed to include many of the design elements on the layout that I have always wanted, namely a ship to shore container facility, a grain facility, and an industrial park with a varied selection of industries that require all of the different types of freight cars.

My original intention has remained unchanged with the layout being freelanced and set in the Washington State in the year 1995.

Further details and progress about the layout build will be shared as work on the layout continues.
I have attached images that show the space before any work has commenced.




Below is the intended track plan for my new layout.



The progress that I have made so far.

[nkalanaga]

It's probably too late now, but I think I would have "coved" the wall-ceiling joint, to eliminate the sharp corner.  With an even curve, the lighting would also have changed gradually, and the "sky" would look more natural.

On the other hand, if you plan the low "light box" lighting you had on the old layout, it won't matter, as no one will see the ceiling anyway.