Recommended backdrop height?

[alfadawg01]

For a backdrop that is not up against a wall but on a peninsula or free-standing benchwork you should keep the top of the backdrop at least 12"-18" below the ceiling to allow proper air circulation in the room.

[ham99]

My N-scale layout has a 16" backdrop.  That allowed me to rip three panels from a 4x8 sheet of Masonite.  It's tall enough for N-scale, and it's easier to reach over for work on the layout.

[camaro]

Hi Ryan,

That article is the basis for my layout.  It was Lance Mindheim's "Voodoo & Palmetto's layout. The palms are from Harts of the South.  Lance is working on an larger Miami based layout centering on the produce and food distribution in Miami.  Lance has some excellent pictures on his website.

 

Larry

www.lancemindheim.com

 

http://www.hartofthesouth.com/

[SilverSpike]

Hey Larry,

Seems I remember an article in MR a few months ago about a South Florida layout with Palmetto Palms and such vegetation. I love that stuff. What will you be using for modeling the Palmettos?

[camaro]

Silver,

 

Thank you.  The fence is not complete.  It will actually go in front of door and attach to the corner of the left warehouse. The two warehouses are Archive Americas (left) and Seaboard Terminal Warehousing  (right) both in Miami, FL and owned by the same consortium.  There will eventually be a few Palmentto palms in the open area behind the fence along with other vegetation.

 

Larry

[SilverSpike]

Mine is approx 14" high on most sections because the lower deck is only about 16" below the upper deck. When the upper deck nears construction phase it will range from 14" to 24" depending on the section of the layout.

Larry, I like your background structures, that chain link fence creates a great visual block for the transition from ground to backdrop.

Cheers,

Ryan

[mobilman44]

Hi!

Seems this question has come up a few times before!  In my case, I have a 30 inch backdrop and find it OK - MOST of the time.  If I were to do it over, it would be 36 inches or higher. 

The thing is, if you are starting from scratch and can easily get to the walls or whatever the backdrop is supported on, then take a little extra time and make it as tall as practical.  You will probably never regret that, but you could regret making it "too short".

Mobilman44

[selector]

If you intend to take images at some point, do trial ones now.  Set your camera according to your imagined layout's desired images, and trip the shutter.  What do you see?  Try different heights and angles, plus some close-ups of something and see what else shows up in the background that will be a spoiler.  Then you can measure and decide what to do.  It may be that you can get away with a lesser height at one spot and that it won't look bad at all.  In other places, you may need something closer to 36-48" unless you want to see wallboard, pipes, bookcases, etc.

[loathar]

I went 24" because it made efficient use of two 4x8' sheets of 1/8" masonite. When installed it gives me 20" above layout level. I would have preferred a little shorter but I have a tall mountain that wouldn't allow it.

[camaro]

Chris NH,

 

Thank you.  Here are additional photos with almost finished warehouse structures.  Even with the camera setting on the foam you can't get away from the seeing the sidewalls unless you shoot straight into the subject.

 

Larry

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ChrisNH]

Thats some nice benchwork!

I think you make a pretty good case for having a taller backdrop if there is no valence.. 

Chris 

[camaro]

 

Chris NH,

 This is at about 52" if I remember correctly with a 16" backdrop. I really could have used a 24" backdrop.  This layout is only 24" deep.

 

Larry

[ChrisNH]

I have been shooting for a height that would prevent the top of the backdrop from being seen when viewing the layout. You have to take into account your height relative to the layout and how far down your valence extends. If you have no valence then this will all be moot.

Some experimenting (and crossed fingers) has led me to believe that 24" with a 6" valence on my 54" high layout would make the 18" deep (from facia to backdrop) backdrop be continous for most viewers. 

Pragmatically, that also works out well from the point of view of purchasing 2'x4' sheets of masonite. These can be 24" tall backdrops, and ripped into 18" facia and 6" valence strips.

 

Chris 

[camaro]

I think that 24" is sufficient.  I went 16" and that was too short.  Most photos that I have taken are with the digital camera setting on the layout.  I never really shoot from above because it is more realistic from ground level. However, at 16", I am still getting a portion of side wall. I believe Lance Mindheim who has had several articles in Model Railroader suggests at least 24".

 

www.lancemindheim.com

 

 

[BigG]

  Hi, have you given any thought to scenic-ing the wall on the other side of the hallway to complement the scenery of the backdrop/viewblock? That will give you fantastic depth-of-field to work with in pictures, and the viewblock can be even lower. Think of a hillside that crests at the top of the v'block and "decends" toward a far-off mountain range. Using the mtns will make the horizon variable and be good looking to viewers of varied heights. Something like this occurs  in 12" scale at Rogers Pass in BC, where helper-locos sit in waiting. They are invisible from the highway.

   Have fun,   George 

[Anonymous]

Since all you are needing is a view block and not a to-the-ceiling backdrop you might even consider a height of 17 or 18 inches.

Model Mart has 17" high background scenes made by Backdrop Warehouse at good prices:

http://modelmart.us/mall/mallR/aspfiles/shopsinmallframeref.asp?shopcode=07032301

Or you could go directly to Backdrop Warehouse and get one of their 18" high backdrops.

http://backdropwarehouse.com/siteindex.htm

(It takes some time to learn to navigate through this web site but it is worth it) 

The Backdrop Warehouse prices are not cheap but their photo murals are first rate.  My layout is about the same height as your father's.  I purchased 36 running feet of the 18" high backdrop as the best compromise between cost and height.  The top of my backdrop is at 72 inches and you never notice it when viewing the layout.

Good Luck,
-John

[jktrains]

What you're really talking about is a backdrop that also serves as a view block for the staging yard.  You want it to be tall enough so that operators can not see over it.  With a layout height of 50" + 24" = 74" or 6'2" which should be tall enough to block the view of most people.  Another foot makes it 7' 2" which is more than what you need.  24" should be enough, and it maximize the yield for either a 4x8 piece of masonite or foam.  36" leaves 12" as scrap or waste.

[jrbernier]

  Mybackdrop is 24" high.  The bottem edge of the backdrop is 45", and the layout trackage starts at 48".  That works out quite nice.  I have a 'border' of wood trim molding seperating the top of the backdrop from the wall, and the remaining 12-15" has burlap material.  I mounted various railroad logo/heralds on the backdrop - Finished it off nice.  Is does not seem to distract from the layout. 

Jim

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I would suggest at least 3 feet.

[Occams Razor]

Question isn't for me this time but for my father.  He's planning a 20' x20' HO layout.  And being smarter than his son, the staging won't be hidden below, but will be behind a backdrop (accessible by a 2' or 3' walkway I wasn't clear) that's neither here nor there.  What would the recommended height for this backdrop be?  I was thinking around the lines of 2', but if you try and take a "trackside" photo down the line, that might not be tall enough and maybe needs to be 3'?  Do you find that 2' is tall enough when operating to keep from being distracted?  Layout height is slated at roughly 50"