HO Baseball Field

[DSchmitt]

I've seen one (representing a Little League or soft ball field) on an NTRAK module several years ago. It was undersize but still looked good. It worked because we really don't realize how much space a to scale model woud take.

[DSchmitt]

I've seen one (representing a Little League or soft ball field) on an NTRAK module several years ago. It was undersize but still looked good. It worked because we really don't realize how much space a to scale model woud take.

[douginut]

The right field stands (wall) in a flat and a painted backdrop with the rest. Wrigley field (as near to heaven as can be imagined) with the Milwaukee road tracks along the Clark street side, Streetcars on Addison and Clark street. "L". Electric signs at box offices and hoards of fellows in straw hats and baseball caps clamoring to get in.

Doug, in Utah
(formerly walking distance from Wrigley Field)

[douginut]

The right field stands (wall) in a flat and a painted backdrop with the rest. Wrigley field (as near to heaven as can be imagined) with the Milwaukee road tracks along the Clark street side, Streetcars on Addison and Clark street. "L". Electric signs at box offices and hoards of fellows in straw hats and baseball caps clamoring to get in.

Doug, in Utah
(formerly walking distance from Wrigley Field)

[Anonymous]

I've seen youth sport centers and decided to put one up on my N Scale layout. It has two "little league diamonds and three soccer fields. I "compressed the fields to a size that looks "about right". That is the bases are 30 scale feet apart, and the outfield fence is 90 scale feet down each line. I used a compass to mark the fence line so the fence is a circular segment. This compromise looks proportional (major and minor league has 90 feet between bases and 300 foot fences (avg), so the proportion is roughly 3 to 1), and takes up less space. The soccer fields are 100 scale feet long and 40 scale feet wide. This is compressed, too, but looks proprtional. I used some old building walls in my spare parts bin to build a "clubhouse" for rest rooms, equipment rental, etc.. All I need to do now is build little N Scale bleachers. This compression should also work for HO Scale.

[Anonymous]

I've seen youth sport centers and decided to put one up on my N Scale layout. It has two "little league diamonds and three soccer fields. I "compressed the fields to a size that looks "about right". That is the bases are 30 scale feet apart, and the outfield fence is 90 scale feet down each line. I used a compass to mark the fence line so the fence is a circular segment. This compromise looks proportional (major and minor league has 90 feet between bases and 300 foot fences (avg), so the proportion is roughly 3 to 1), and takes up less space. The soccer fields are 100 scale feet long and 40 scale feet wide. This is compressed, too, but looks proprtional. I used some old building walls in my spare parts bin to build a "clubhouse" for rest rooms, equipment rental, etc.. All I need to do now is build little N Scale bleachers. This compression should also work for HO Scale.

[Anonymous]

I saw several baseball fields on layouts at the ML2003 convention in Toronto.
So yes, they have been modeled by others. I have not seen a football (american) field on a layout though.

One layout I visited even had an 18 hole golf course.

VIP sells an HO scale baseball player holding a bat.

Dale B.

[Anonymous]

I saw several baseball fields on layouts at the ML2003 convention in Toronto.
So yes, they have been modeled by others. I have not seen a football (american) field on a layout though.

One layout I visited even had an 18 hole golf course.

VIP sells an HO scale baseball player holding a bat.

Dale B.

[scotttmason]

An avid baseball fan friend of mine built Borchardt Field, original Brewers venue in the 50's, on his N scale layout to scale. It took a lot of real estate, but when placed within a turn around loop, it fit quite nicely. Lots of details and interest to a ballpark. One thing he elected to leave off - seats - bleachers would have been a bear to model.

[scotttmason]

An avid baseball fan friend of mine built Borchardt Field, original Brewers venue in the 50's, on his N scale layout to scale. It took a lot of real estate, but when placed within a turn around loop, it fit quite nicely. Lots of details and interest to a ballpark. One thing he elected to leave off - seats - bleachers would have been a bear to model.

[Anonymous]

It would be cool if you could add a little 2" or 3" LCD screen out there on the scoreboard to represent the large video screens at a lot of parks. You could hook up a DVD under the layout and play scenes of replays, stats, commentary, etc. Would be a little challenging technically but very cool I think. You could also try this with a football stadium. Some day if I ever get to build my dream layout, I want to have both a nice modern baseball park and football stadium.

[Anonymous]

It would be cool if you could add a little 2" or 3" LCD screen out there on the scoreboard to represent the large video screens at a lot of parks. You could hook up a DVD under the layout and play scenes of replays, stats, commentary, etc. Would be a little challenging technically but very cool I think. You could also try this with a football stadium. Some day if I ever get to build my dream layout, I want to have both a nice modern baseball park and football stadium.

[n2mopac]

I built a little leage baseball diamond on an odd shaped bank spot on my N scale layout and I am quit happy with it. Here is how ai went about it. First, I had to selecively compress the field. I shortened everything, but in proportion to actual dimentions. Little league base lines are 60 feet, but mine are 45'. The outfield fence is scale 75 feet out. The outfiled fence, dugouts, and high backstop are all chail link fence. I made mine from cloth type window screen, but there are chail link products on the market as well. I made posts from small (I don't remember the exact dinension) styrene rod and painted the whole fence ATSF silver. I made a template of the infield (inside baselines) and outfield (outside base lines) out of heavy paper. I used diluted gule and covered the whole field heavily with gree grass colored ground foam. After that dried I place the templates in place leaving only the baselines exposed and I applied more glue and soil colored ground foam to the baselines. When that was all dry i glued tin styreme bases in place and used a straight edge to paint white baselines on the soil with a tin brush. I but the fences in place and added yellow fowl poles on the outfield fence. I put players in the dugouts and on the field. No commercial baseball players are available that I am aware of, so I had to paint uniforms on my own players and even heated and remolded some to get a batter, catcher, and other positions. I then added little lines of uneven soil colored foam around both sides of the fences and aroud the grand stand area to simulate trampled grass from players and crowds. Finally I scratch build three sets of bleechers and put fans on them, placing them around the back stop. This was certainly a fun and challenging project, and I am very pleased with the way mine turned out. Good luck.
Ron

[n2mopac]

I built a little leage baseball diamond on an odd shaped bank spot on my N scale layout and I am quit happy with it. Here is how ai went about it. First, I had to selecively compress the field. I shortened everything, but in proportion to actual dimentions. Little league base lines are 60 feet, but mine are 45'. The outfield fence is scale 75 feet out. The outfiled fence, dugouts, and high backstop are all chail link fence. I made mine from cloth type window screen, but there are chail link products on the market as well. I made posts from small (I don't remember the exact dinension) styrene rod and painted the whole fence ATSF silver. I made a template of the infield (inside baselines) and outfield (outside base lines) out of heavy paper. I used diluted gule and covered the whole field heavily with gree grass colored ground foam. After that dried I place the templates in place leaving only the baselines exposed and I applied more glue and soil colored ground foam to the baselines. When that was all dry i glued tin styreme bases in place and used a straight edge to paint white baselines on the soil with a tin brush. I but the fences in place and added yellow fowl poles on the outfield fence. I put players in the dugouts and on the field. No commercial baseball players are available that I am aware of, so I had to paint uniforms on my own players and even heated and remolded some to get a batter, catcher, and other positions. I then added little lines of uneven soil colored foam around both sides of the fences and aroud the grand stand area to simulate trampled grass from players and crowds. Finally I scratch build three sets of bleechers and put fans on them, placing them around the back stop. This was certainly a fun and challenging project, and I am very pleased with the way mine turned out. Good luck.
Ron