Is anyone else interested in layout cosmetics? I'm talking about fascias, card files, cup holders, control panels, etc. It seems MR and other mags just don't give us much on this. Would you like to see photos in layout articles of them? There are a lot of good ideas out there so why not let the layout builders share them with us?
The new How To book by MR on building multi-deck layouts touched on the subject more than most and I'm grateful. Hey, MR.............please get your photographers to snap some pics for us to see.
Roger Huber
No pictures, but I use a strip of Velcro on the back of my DCC hand-held throttles, and the other gender of Velcro on the layout legs, so I can just stick the throttle up against the legs.
I came home the other day to find my layout "decorated" with felt Christmas hangings. My wife had decided that it was OK to hang these things in front of all my control panels. Yeah, they've gotta go. I'll tell her that lifting them up every time I need to throw a turnout is going to damage them and they'll fall apart.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Well in deference to your wife you could run a Christmas train or something. Got to keep the peace in the Holiday season
Not too long ago, MR used to have at least one photo of the fascia with card slots, paperwork shelf, cupholders, town panel... in every 'big layout' spread. Then there was a change of editors and that went away. Maybe a few polite notes to the current editor might bring it back.
While it's nice to see how others do it, the final arbitor of what you will do is walking around in your boots.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
GREAT timing on this subject.
I too am in need of information and ideas about how others did thier work with photos of course.
My situation is very simple. But am wanting to evaluate others first before forming plan of attack.
My fascia is the 1*4 pine that also serves as structural members of the layout. It's of uniform size all around the room and I gave each piece a coat of shellac followed by two coats of gloss paint, an off white that matches the wood work in the train room. The uniform size and paint job pulls the layout look together.
Fascia toggle switches for block control and turnout control are mounted on individual brackets made from 2 inch lengths of aluminum angle stock, screwed to the lower edge of the fascia. Each toggle switch is labeled with the name of the turnout our block under control. Labels were printed out with MS Word and applied to the brackets with rubber cement.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
A clean facia board, organized control stations, finished lighting etc can make or break a layout. I view these items as a part of the layout plan every bit as important as track and scenery. Unfortunatly my current layout is not far enough progressed to have a finished front so a photo of it is no good, but it is planned, the materials on hand and maybe over the holiday break I will work on that aspect of it.
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
Well, I started this topic to see if I could get some different ideas on fascia and the things attached to it from you guys and to see if anyone else is interested in seeing photos in MR and the other mags.
I'm in the phase of my new layout where this step needs to be completed so I can install panels for my turnout controls and all. I decided to use 1/8" hardboard painted a pumpkin color to somewhat compliment my layout scenery. I'm doing a 1950 era steam shortline in western Maryland during the height of the Fall colors. I have New Rail throttle holders for my Digitrax throttles. I'm thinking of re-doing the Digitrax UP-5 covers to better match the fascia too as the tan just kinda clashes with it.
My turnout panels have been generated on my computer with a background color to match the fascia with a lighter, more orange color for the track diagrams and a dark brown for all the lettering. These will be covered in clear Evergreen styrene or plexiglass. I'm using Miniatronics small DPDT and SPDT switches to operate the Tortoise switch machines and other necessary electrical stuff. The tracks for the roundhouse and engine service/storage tracks will be normally un-powered but will have Radio Shack momentary contact push buttons to supply power to each individual track. I'm using Soundtraxx Tsunamis in all my engines so this will keep the noise down and save & protect the decoders when not in use.
I will be using the Micro-Mark car card system and their card boxes painted to match the fascia. My layout room is only 9x17 and the aisles are tight so I don't know if there will be room for any cup holders or work areas for the cards besides the boxes. We'll just have to see! For a skirt underneath to hide all the necessary crappy looking boxes and junk I have some dark brown burlap material that will be cut into short lengths and attached with velcro.
Eventually 1/8" hardboard will go up as am upper valance to hid the lighting.
Thanks for the help and ideas.
tangerine-jackA clean facia board, organized control stations, finished lighting etc can make or break a layout. I view these items as a part of the layout plan every bit as important as track and scenery. . .
A clean facia board, organized control stations, finished lighting etc can make or break a layout. I view these items as a part of the layout plan every bit as important as track and scenery. . .
There goes my layout down the tubes! I've been too busy placing scenery and running trains to mess with the cosmetics.
I know I should dress up my fascia and stuff, but not today.
I'm OK with most of the items you mentioned except the cup holders. I don't think I would want to encourage beverages near the front edge of the layout. A crew lounge seems a better idea for refreshments.
I think cosmetics are tremendously important but probably for most of us they are one of the last things we worry about. I have a nice fascia with recessed turnout and accessory controls. What I want to add are a lighting valance, skirting hanging from the fascia to hide all the magazines, materials and assorted junk I have stored below the layout. Eventually I'd like to get some sort of flooring material over the concrete floor and drop ceiling tiles. Unfortunately, those are things I plan to do after the layout is fairly complete and that is at least several years away.
Ah yes, the old "I'll wait for cosmetics until the layout is near complete" reason. Why not wait until you have 100% operations before doing any scenery? Or why not wait until you have a finished room before building benchwork? I say why not build your valance, finish your facia board NOW? Why not have a decent looking layout when you have visitors? Even though the scenery isn't finished, trains aren't running through certain areas etc, you will still have a "finished" product to show to guests and yourself. I build my facia and valances (or other lighting etc) during the construction of the layout, not at the end, I feel it helps me to envision the "finished" product and therefore helps keep me motivated.
Okay..............I'll give you that the cosmetics of the layout and layout room may take second place to a quality built and designed layout with smooth trackwork and reliability but waiting until last to do anything about it seems wrong to me.
Part of getting the smooth running layout has to include the electronics involved in turnout controls and block control panels. Even with DCC you still have to plug in throttles and operate turnouts. I can't see how you could attain this requirement if you don't have the fascia installed and some sort of panels attached. Having dozens of switches and buttons dangling from miles of loose wire doesn't sound very conducive to good and fun operation of a layout. Holding a fist full of car cards isn't much fun either. So I have to think that the cosmetics part has to go hand-in-hand with the construction of the rest of the layout and deserves a good deal of thought and planning too.
One problem with only having a small layout room is not having the luxury of space for a crew lounge. Some layouts I've seen and operated allow drinks and have no problems.It would be wonderful to have a huge basement or building to house the railroad in and have a lounge, restrooms, workbench and maybe a sauna too. In the mean time many of us just have to get by the best we can with small spaces.
Thanks for the ideas and suggestions and keep 'em coming!.
tangerine-jack Ah yes, the old "I'll wait for cosmetics until the layout is near complete" reason. Why not wait until you have 100% operations before doing any scenery?
Ah yes, the old "I'll wait for cosmetics until the layout is near complete" reason. Why not wait until you have 100% operations before doing any scenery?
I'd like a nickel for every modeler who's done exactly that. (I have a custom-built brass one-of-a-kind locomotive on my wish list...)
Or why not wait until you have a finished room before building benchwork?
Same comment as above, but only for a few RTR cars I need for kitbashing.
I say why not build your valance, finish your facia board NOW? Why not have a decent looking layout when you have visitors? Even though the scenery isn't finished, trains aren't running through certain areas etc, you will still have a "finished" product to show to guests and yourself. I build my facia and valances (or other lighting etc) during the construction of the layout, not at the end, I feel it helps me to envision the "finished" product and therefore helps keep me motivated.
I say that my fascia is simply a non-structural skin over the mechanicals and electricals that inhabit the aisleway edges of my layout. Since said layout is still in the raw framework state, installing fascia right now would be like clothing a skeleton - it would look even more ghastly! Not to mention that it would simply be in the way of ongoing construction.
After almost all of the trackwork is complete, and after all the mechanicals and electricals are in, tested and signed off, THEN I will install the fascia panels. Most of them will be left removeable so I can get at what's under them for maintenance and modification.
Since I have a vivid imagination, I can see the steel frame and raw roadbed, and imagine the steep slopes and cedars that will eventually clothe them. I stay motivated by running trains, slowly progressing toward the day when I can operate the entire September, 1964, schedule of a very busy mainline and a somewhat more laid back shortline connection.
Both of our approaches are valid, for each of us. Mine would make you cringe. Yours is equally a non-starter for me. So be it.
Capt. Grimek Roger, my wife's maiden name is Huber. Wonder if you're a relation? There are a LOT of Hubers though! Did you know the origin of the name? It's derived from a Swiss term-a Farmer who owned an acre (approx.) known as a "Hube". Factoid for the day! (My wife is a genealogist).
Capt,
My family came from Bavaria starting with my Grandfather.
Roger