Changing Perspectives

[Anonymous]

I am drawing up plans for a fictional railroad running north from Fort Wayne, IN. A large part of it will be based on prototype. My problem is that some features I want to recreate are on the east side of the tracks, while other features are on the west side of the tracks. Facing “east” works in Fort Wayne because the station and freight house are across the tracks. A background of downtown buildings could also be used. But, further up the line I would have to look through features to see the tracks.

I am curious to see how other modelers deal with this. I am tempted to “mirror” the scene- move the prototype facilities to the east side of the bench so my mainline is in the foreground. Not exactly true to prototype, but ducking back and forth under the bench can’t be a good solution, either.

[camarokid]

Topeka:
This is what is known as "Modelers License". Since you say it's fictional the scenes you want or need can be anywhere you want them. Build it and they will come to see and enjoy your creation. Have fun.
Archie

[foxtrackin]

I had the same sort of problem. I am doing a prototype rr. The NKP in central Indiana in my basement. I wanted to do a layout that was point to point but also could be ran as a cont. loop. The Nickle Plate crossed the Monon in Linden In. So I thought this would be a good place to do the cont. loop section. I ran the NKP west from Frankfort and when I got to Linden I used the interchange track with the Monon to turn the train north down the Monon ran it behind my backdrop and then brought it out again from behind the back drop and was on the eastern end of Frankfort heading west again. The interchange track in Linden with the NKP was actually on the NW corner of the diamond, not on the NE corner like on my layout. So I put a mirror there on the west side of the diamond. So when you look in the mirror it looks like the interchange track is on the NW corner and it looks like the NKP main track cont. west.

[howmus]

I am modeling several cities, towns and villages in the Finger Lakes region of NY on the fictional "Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western". Only little bits and pieces of those places will and can be modeled on the layout. Even the order of the locations will be mixed up as there is no feasible way to have it be exactly like the actual places. Realism can be acheived without being exact in the model. You say it is fictional.... Do it any way that will fit your needs. And... Have fun doing it! [:)]

[Anonymous]

Thank You for your help. I guess the lesson here is to be realistic without being exact. I saw the word "essence" used in another forum. As long as I capture the "essence" of Northern Indiana and Southern/Central Michigan I should be okay.

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TopekaRailfan

Thank You for your help. I guess the lesson here is to be realistic without being exact. I saw the word "essence" used in another forum. As long as I capture the "essence" of Northern Indiana and Southern/Central Michigan I should be okay.

Another good word to learn, which was put forward by Tony Koester, is "plausible".

[dwRavenstar]

On the subject of plausible essence of reality in a fictional setting........

During the designing stages of my current layout experience I mulled over the idea of modelling a landmark from my old home area in precise HO scale. Until three years ago I'd lived within 30 minutes of the Horse Shoe Curve near Altoona, Pennsylvania. The idea was finally scotched when the next door neighbor refused to grant land rights for the central extent of the Curve. (The neighbor on the other side of her property was excited by the idea that the Juniata Shops would be right outside his bedroom window.)
I'll freely admit that even before the land grab was knocked there were financial considerations in that I'd have to build a warehouse across the neighborhood to house the pike. Despite the salivations and frequent conversations between my LHS and the local building supply outlet as to which medical school their children could now attend I scaled back and settled for a dual level fictional railroad with a helix. First level is coming along nicely and I'm looking forward to tackling the spiral.

Like an inch worm moving along a javelin I'm finally nearing the point. On the east side, west side issue there is no issue at all until a train rolls through the scene. If you consider your position as that of "Railfan" and ignore the origin and destination of the drag, you are viewing a prototypical representation of the location.

I still thing the Curve woulda been a helluva project though.

Dave (dwRavenstar)

[Jetrock]

Put it this way: If someone who lives where your layout is set visits your layout and suddenly goes "Oh, I know where that is!" because they recognize a scene or building you modeled, they aren't going to care if it happens to be on the incorrect side of the tracks.