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The Backdrop Blues
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<P>IMHO, backdrops are the least worried about part of scenery that can actually make the biggest difference in our scenery. I respect all model railroaders but I can't help notice that many completed layouts are sorely lacking in quaility backdrops. I never understood this considering the amount of time and effort and money that we all put into our layouts. Sometimes it's just blue sky, or some clouds, and the latest fad I've heard about is overcast gray. Then, once in a while I will see a layout with a photo mural type backdrop and it takes my breath away.</P> <P>When I started building the NY&P a few months ago, I promised myself that I would get the best photorealistic backdrops I could buy. I checked on the internet about a week ago and went to this site: <A href="http://allscalebackdrops.com/Start.htm">http://allscalebackdrops.com/Start.htm</A> and was absolutely blown away by the great backdrops. I said to myself this is it! Then I noticed that there were no prices. Uh oh, that's never a good sign, right? Sure enough, I did their demo in order to price some backdrops for me and when I was done and saw the price, my heart sank. Hundreds of dollars for an 8'x24" backdrop. And I needed at least three more, whoa boy!</P> <P>To add insult to injury, one of the backdrops I found is actually the real background that you would see on part of my prototype railroad! I couldn't believe it - a picture of northern Manhattan which is exactly what you would see from the Highbridge Station on the NY&P (the Bronx overlooking Manhattan). Its as if it was custom made for me.</P> <P>Now I am going to try and be real tactful here. I know that there are backdrops offered by Walthers and other very low priced options which I'm sure do a great job for most model RR's. The problem for the NY&P is that I have spots where the track gets real close to the backdrop and nothing less than photorealistc is going to look good (IMHO).</P> <P>What I'm trying to get at is a discussion on backdrops. If you were me, would you drop a few hundred dollars on an awesome backdrop that matched your layout? I'm considering it. What do you use for a backdrop and why?</P> <P>I guess when you consider all the details that some of us worry about like proper brake rigging, prototype wheels, etc. I really feel that overall as modelers we totally drop the ball on backdrops and I'm determined to make my backdrop as detailed as the rest of my layout. Is cost the issue? If so, don't we spend hundreds of dollars on other perhaps less important aspects of the layout?</P> <P>Let the discussion begin!</P>
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