Very early in the planning stages of the next layout, a steam era CPR theme set in the Rocky Mountain sections (think Spiral Tunnels, Roger's Pass, etc.). I like the idea of having guests enter to be immediately greeted by a walkunder Stoney Creek bridge scene. I want this one to get a 'whoa!' as soon as people walk through the door; with a bridge that's nearly eight feet long and four feet high, this should do the trick. It'll be a planning and building challenge, but there's plenty of time to work out the bugs.
Does anyone else consider a visitor's first look at your layout? Any first impressions that stuck with you?
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
I try to make the whole front along the aisle above-average. This is what the visitors to my layout see first. So I like finished wood benchwork and interesting scenes all along the "front range" of the layout.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
No..I could careless since I am building the layout for my pleasure.When they eyeball the layout they will see a industrial area and where rail meets industrialized America and local economy.
In short the working side of railroads.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
My first aim is to have a closed loop with lots of track that works flawlessly. It turns out that it means an around the room folded loop with a single overpass, and that turns out to be a Petit-Pratt through truss. It is along one of the long sides on a slight grade. The grade rises away from the people entering the layout via a swing-up module. On the far wall will be a local unmistakable scene of the Comox Glacier hand-painted (no, I'm not that good, so it will be recognizable, but not remarkable). As one gets closer to that far scene, they'll notice a logging camp with a Heisler marked "Comox Logging Company".
So, while I might want an immediate gee-whiz factor to grab visitors, I want to sustain it with multiple layers that draw them in and invite them to take closer looks here and there. They will be rewarded when they do.
Stu:
Your bridge should look pretty spectacular!
Two weeks ago Dianne and I did a layout tour. One of the layouts had a motorized bascule bridge instead of a duck under or swing gate. It was scratch built to allow the aisle to be wide enough to pass through comfortably. The bridge was impressive to say the least. In fact, it caused a bottleneck because everybody stopped to admire it. Hopefully you will have the same problem!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Thanks, Dave. First I have to build it...and the doorway...and the rest of the building around it...
I have a friend who once turned his door into a pretty neat entrance to his layout room. It's been so long ago that I can't remember it exactly, but as I recall, he painted the door to look like a sliding door of an old wooden box car. The door may have actually been a sliding door, but regardless, it made a neat impression even before you entered the room.
Depending your situation, you might want to think about incorporating the doorway into part of the experience.
Jim
There is a guy in the Dubuque, Iowa area that has something like a sliding box car door separating the family room from his narrow gauge layout - Cool!
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Nothing wrong with wowing visitors, you put a lot into the layout, and it's natural to want to show it off to best advantage. Walking under a bridge with trains running over head ought to get anyone's attention. Of course you will need a LONG climb up to that bridge to keep the grade below 3%. Down at the club, we found that nice scenery, nice structures, running trains, and ballasted track attracted plenty of attention.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I did not build my layout to impress anybody but me. I do hope all who see it like it but but that is not the reason I built it.
I think it is wrong to build a layout to impress others.
dstarr Nothing wrong with wowing visitors, you put a lot into the layout, and it's natural to want to show it off to best advantage. Walking under a bridge with trains running over head ought to get anyone's attention. Of course you will need a LONG climb up to that bridge to keep the grade below 3%. Down at the club, we found that nice scenery, nice structures, running trains, and ballasted track attracted plenty of attention.
True, but there's an interesting approach to this one. One of the major features of the layout will be the Spiral Tunnels, modeled after those near Field, BC (go look them up if you don't know; it's two Tehachapi loops within a few miles of each other, both underground!). The main level at 40" will lead into the lower loop, and i can use some concealed helix-type sleight of hand to get the track to 76" by the time it exits the top loop. This'll lead shortly into the Stoney Creek bridge and from there into the top section of concealed helix staging.
DAVID FORTNEY I did not build my layout to impress anybody but me. I do hope all who see it like it but but that is not the reason I built it. I think it is wrong to build a layout to impress others.
Several times in the past my own flagging interest in my current layout has been revived by witnessing someone else's enthusiasm when first seeing it. If wowing visitors keeps my fickle eye from wandering, i'm not above taking advantage of that.