Freelance Scene Creation Logic

[Anonymous]

Just wondering what thought process that people go through in creating a scene on a freelance layout. I have a lot of flat space that I'm determining what to create. Assuming you have an era, etc. do most people start with a building and then determine what to place around it ? or do people prefer to start with the envirionment then add buildings, etc.
Do you generally create your own scenes or replicate ideas or portions of ideas from Railroad magazine photos ? or real life photo ? or ? What do you normally think of first ? last ? or fill in with ? when you're planning a scene. I have my own thought process but am always looking for ideas from the rest of the world out there ! Thanks

[cwclark]

Most layouts are freelance because of the space (or lack of) involved..if you have a 70'X 30' room then an exact replica of whatever you are modeling can be achieved...but if you're like the unfortunate many with little room..(my layout is 25' x 23' and i consider that a good size layout and fortunate to have it but i wish it was bigger so that I could do exact prototype) then there is no choice but to freelance ...I like prototype but not "big scenes"...I may build a building or a small scene from a photograph taken on a railfan adventure but trying to do an exact broad area to model is out of the question...scenes can change drastically if you want..i use fences to divide one scene from another...allow yourself at least a foot of space to model a scene before the railroad tracks get in the way..another good thing to do is build your city scenes above the layout or have the trains run through buildings if space is limited...there are a few kalmbach publications that will explain how to do scenery so you can utilize every inch of space possible for a good looking layout...one that comes to mind is "How to build City Scenery for your Model Railroad"...there are a lot of techniques you can use like "forced perspective" or using "fences" like I mentioned to divide your scenes up...the skies the limit on all the techniques to create scenes but I'd educate myself first before jumping into it through the reading and study of the publications from the guys that have been there and done that...Chuck

[orsonroy]

Even though I'm a "mostly prototype" modeler, freelancing plays a HUGE role in my layout designing. The realities of a prototype scene can't be shrunk down to fit the realities of an operating model railroad, when the core design feature is a long mainline and a sense of "going someplace".

When I lay out a town on my layout, I first reference my research material. I'm fortunate to have found LOTS of this for my chosen line, and I live fairly close. So out come the railroad track charts, Sanborn maps, USGA topo maps and aerial photos, as well as my own photos of the area and field notes. My main layout objective is to squeeze in the overall feel of the town's trackage, without sacrificing key components (depots, water towers, primary industry, etc). I also think that most layouts have too much track, so I try to keep as much scenery space as possible.

Once the mainline, passing siding, spurs, and depot footprints are all pencilled in, everything else is up for grabs. Most of my grain elevators are set against the backdrop, so a flat is the only thing necessary. If I have a photo of the elevator, I'll scratchbuild it (they're all pre-1940 and tin sheathed, so are easy to build). Otherwise, I'll look at photos of the elevators I do have photos of, and freelance the elevator based on common themes. The same logic applies for my depots: scratchbuild when possible, freelance (and usually with a stock kit) when no info is available.

Towns are another topic entirely. While I enjoy scratchbuilding brick factories and wood homes, I won't scratchbuild a Victorian storefront. I'll look at photos of the real towns and find something close. I do the same thing with industries. Where possible, I use DPM modular components or heavily kitbashed kits to come close to reality. Otherwise, I'll scratchbuild out of .060 plastic sheet and Plastruct .010 brick sheet.

All this means is that you as a freelancer should look to reality as a guide. Railfanning doesn't mean taking picture of nothing but engines or boxcars. I burn more film these days on the scenery around the tracks, especially interesting old buildings and alleys. Take ideas and situations from the real world and figure out how to shrink them down into your own little world. So long as you don't use the outlandish as a guide, you'll end up with a much more convincing layout.

[Anonymous]

I lay all my mainline track first, then a lot of the long sidings next. Then I start all my mountain & hill scenery. That's doing all of the foliage & rough tree's. Then I start building structures that I'm going to use in a certain area. Then I figure the space I need
for that building & then add the sidings w/magnets for uncoupling, switches & blocks.
Then I install the buildings temporarily. I figure where it's going to be & drill a hole under building for lighting. Then I fill in all around each building w/ground cover, roads,
fenceing, etc. Right now I'm working on 4 different area's of my layout for structures.
I never finish a layout. It's always in the building stage. My layout is 18 by 36 ft. You can walk all the way around the outside & the inside of all the tables. I still have a table that is 2ft. wide & 36 ft. long that is going to be my train yards. But, that's a few years down the road(rails). I kit bash a lot of my structures to fit the location. If I could put photo's on here it would be easy to show you. Send me your email & I'll email some pics.

[jkeaton]

I begin with what the purpose of the scene is - an industry? What sort? A street corner? Urban, small town, period? then I look at the space I have and figure out what elements are essential to the 'feel' of the scene, and place those first.

I find inspiration from places I've been and scenes I've seen - I too spend a lot of film on "non-railroad" scenes for later modelling. Sometimes I have a particular building in mind, and start with that, but usually it's the overall scene that I begin with. I think 'theme' is important. You don't have to duplicate everything to reproduce the look and feel of a place or time. Just look at stage sets for plays - very often they're reduced to a minimum of items, yet the 'feel' comes across. If you can, then fill in the additional details.

Jim