HarryHotspur wrote:I strongly prefer MisterBeasley's approach. If you use the center board method, be prepared for an endless stream of questions from kids asking, "Why is that board sticking up in the middle of the trains?"
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
I believe hiding the appearance of an oval track can be done by using scenery or a tunnel to conceal 1/4 of the track. In addition changing the track elevation can confuse the eye when viewing an oval track.
I have 4 high-speed passenger tracks, one freight track side by side in a station with a commuter track above. All are separate ovals (some bends and turns). The passenger tracks and the freight track upon leaving the station disappear into a tunnel which is covered partially with a mountain. It also serves as a staging area. The tracks come out of different tunnels (not same location) on the other side of the layout and at different levels.
By alternating the time each train stays hidden, it gives the appearance that train A leaves on its journey and disappears into the tunnel while train B is now coming out of the tunnel into the station. Train C and D are also doing the same in both directions. To complicate matters a freight train passes through at another time. Above at street level the commuter car is stopping at various stations on the loop.
Even though I know what is happening I am find myself losing track of which train is showing up next. Visitors never believe the tracks are ovals and ask where do the trains go when they disappear into the tunnels.
Each separate oval track is a separate block controlled by a toggle switch on the control board. To stop a train in a tunnel I just switch it off and on when needed. I would like to eventually automate the train delays and station stops so the layout could operate by its self. I could then concentrate on the locomotive facility and freight yard moves manually at the same time. The layout is HO/DCC and is 50% complete at this time. Hope this gives you some ideas.
Doc
Mister B,
Your layout is quite nice. Thanks for posting pictures! It is the first time I've seen your work and you are a respectable modeler!
Interestingly, last week at a garage sale a few blocks from my house I obtained a dozen or so HO sized automobiles, some hot wheels, you know the typical bunch. In the lot was an 'MG' exactly like the one in your picture! I say MG, because it kinda looks like what I remember them to be. (Mine says Lesney England underneath.)
Again, thanks for the pictures, nothing builds a man's credibity with me better than unphotoshoped pictures of his or her work!
Warmest regards,
Joe Daddy
Capt. Grimek wrote:I'm having trouble figuring out how to scenic the inside edges of a doughnut hole (operator's pit).
I would think that if you were on the inside of a dunut then you would want your backdrop on the outside.. so it would be the same as scenicing any front edge,Is it your intention to have observers on the outside?
You could have a low backdrop, enough to provide a less jarring transition to the center while still allowing easy observation in the middle, depending on the height of your benchwork. You could also have staging tracks on the inside edge of the donut behind said backdrop.
Chris
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Interesting you should ask that. I was just looking at the video on Dave Vollmer's site. As Dave hasn't responded in this thread, I'll post his link for him:
http://thevollmerfamily.com/Pennsy/index.html
Watch the video. It's hard to believe this is a 36" x 80" door layout.
Best!
Without using any of the other suggestions - putting the layout at close to eye level will very effectively disguise the oval. Put a set of 56" legs on a 4x8 and see what a difference it makes -especially in conjunction with the other suggestions. Now there are drawbacks - the higher the layout, the more difficult the construction. Frequently a step must be used. Also, trains on the front tracks can actually block your view of track, trains, and other things further back. Sight lines for checking turnout alignment and spotting for uncoupling become a lot more critical.
just some thoughts
Fred W
Some subtle things you can do is add a gentle curve to the long end of your oval to break the alignment from being perfectly parallel to the edge of the table. If you're modeling a town, set the street grid at 30 degrees to the track instead dead parallel.
You can also put 2" of foam between the track and the table top, affording you the opportunity to carve out scenery contours below grade, as well as stacking up hills above.
A view block, as has been noted, can be anything from a slight hill covered with trees...
A row of tall buildings...
A mountain...
Or a sky board...
There's always a lot of ways to skin a cat!
Lee
Route of the Alpha Jets www.wmrywesternlines.net
By the way, any scenic divider is more effective if the layout sits up high. Mine are never lower than 48" high.
This is an overview of my layout from one end. In the foreground, there's some high ground, and the roundhouse is nestled down behind it. This hill hides the train as it runs around behind the roundhouse. (The nominal "front" side of the layout is to the right.)
The next shot is from a different angle. (I think I was replacing the battery in the smoke detector this day. Anyway, I had a big ladder in the room, so that's where I shot the picture from.) In the foreground here is the "downtown" area, with 3 and 4 story brick buildings.
Finally, here's a shot from a more normal viewing angle. The tracks are barely visible behind the buildings, and the trains only show up when they cross the street.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
- Harry
As Dave said, use scenic dividers. In an oval you put it in the middle, in a donut across one end. You can use that divider to hide some staging too.
You can see a fantastic example of a donut divided that includes staging here:
http://www.ovar.ca/MemberLayouts/Mike%20Hamer/Hamer.htm
A backdrop higher than you can see over running through the middle of the layout (doesn't have to be the center or straight, it can be curved, angled, off center, etc).
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com