General Discussion (Model Railroader)

I vote for a somewhat dark shade of brown/tan simply to represent dirt/rock supporting the landscape above (in mountain or other areas with,say granite underlayment, use dark grey - make sure to feather in colors between areas) - no root details or underground creeks or whatever (unless you're really into that), just plain brown/grey/tan etc.

(and if you have a curtain/skirt that reaches the floor, dye the bottom a neon red/orage to represent hot molten magma - OK, so that's the ultimate vertical selective compression, but it's still a fun idea)

I haven't done my facia yet but I think I'm going to go with a dark green.  I model the southeastern U.S. and it fits best imho.

JaRRell

Interesting topic, 

My choice is a flat, darker green, not quite OD, but close and I am using black plastic sheeting as the curtain.  I've read and thought about this quite abit and rather like the shadow box effect that darker colors create. My original thinking did not include a valence, as I use track lights, but I'm certainly going to put up a temporary valence probably the same color as the facia to see if I get the shadow box effect others talk about.

Joe 

I went with the museum look myself. My valence and facia are painted satin black as is the drywalled ceiling above the aisle-way. Everything below the bench-work is painted a dark hunter green. The ceiling above the layout itself (behind the valence) is painted the same sky blue as the back-drop, as is the back of the valence ....

Mark.

Mark R. wrote:

I went with the museum look myself. My valence and facia are painted satin black as is the drywalled ceiling above the aisle-way. Everything below the bench-work is painted a dark hunter green. The ceiling above the layout itself (behind the valence) is painted the same sky blue as the back-drop, as is the back of the valence .... Mark.

Likewise on my HO Siskiyou Line.

(Click image to enlarge)

I use a dark hunter green for the fascia, black for the valance and skirting. I leave the ceiling white, but the aisles don't have any lighting -- only the layout, so the emphasis is on the layout, and you can see in the above photo.

I like the museum-shadowbox look. I think it's very attractive and it focuses attention on the layout, as it should. 

I like the museum look too but I don't care for the stark black so I go with a nuetral color ,dark beige.

I use a medium to dark green fascia, with charcoal gray/black skirting.

Nick

I personally favor unpainted Masonite(r) for my fascia panels, for several reasons:

• My fascia is made up of small panels which will be removed frequently for construction, maintenance and troubleshooting.  I would expect any painted finish to start looking pretty sad in fairly short order.
• I am terminally lazy.
• Solid color painted surfaces will show grubby paw prints a lot more than will unfinished Masonite.

Valence panels, which will only be installed once and then left alone, will look best if flat black.

My , other opinions may differ.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in Septembeer, 1964)

My club decided to use a green. Of the 60 members, there were various reasons for the choice with blending with our NE scenery and the look with the layout in such a well lighted large space. I imagine that if we modeled Southwestern or desert a tan to brown would have been the pick.

I really like that shadow box / museum look. Nice work.

Try this:

Get three 4' strips of scrap fascia. Paint each strip a separate color. Temporarily "tack" a different fascia up and leave it up for a couple days.  The one that looks best to you, go with.

BTW, I went with left-over sheets of white ice paneling...but then again, I model snow...

Hmmm, I wonder where I got the idea I wanted shadow box?  Mr. Fugate, your DVDs are wonderful!

another Joe,

 Joe Daddy

jfugate wrote:

Likewise on my HO Siskiyou Line. (Click image to enlarge) I use a dark hunter green for the fascia, black for the valance and skirting. I leave the ceiling white, but the aisles don't have any lighting -- only the layout, so the emphasis is on the layout, and you can see in the above photo. I like the museum-shadowbox look. I think it's very attractive and it focuses attention on the layout, as it should.

Flat Black: