I want to show that you don't have to be well off or a master craftsman to build a model railroad. I'm harkening back to the days when Model Railroader magazine contained photos of cardboard buildings and car sides, modified Mantua, Varney or even American Flyer locomotives, and balsa wood cars. The Trackside Photos section was full of images of regular guys and gals with average skills having a blast with model trains. Yes we do need craftsmanship to have something to aim at. Yet we also need to see that the average guy can do a fair job at building a layout. It may not be equal to the artistry of John Allen or Pelle Soeeborg, but that should not discourage your contribution to our hobby. If you like what you've done, than that's exactly what the hobby is about. If you don't like it...change it. That's another reason for this blog. I want to show techniques that are easily "re-doable". You don't have to wait until you build a whole new layout if you're dissatisfied with the one you have.
Back to the subject at hand.
Having had to send two locomotives and several cars to the RIP track (actually a box) scenery appears to be a priority. The spline, like a plate girder bridge, is barely wider than the track. It's as if two thirds of the layout was one long trestle. This allows building scenery right up to the ends of the ties. Unfortunately, the open grid benchwork also allows trains to travel vertically for great distances at very high velocities.
The trackwork is not finished yet, but with the mainlines operating I feel I can spend some time on scenery, if only the stop breaking models. The mountains will be created first. I'm roughing them in. Like the rest of my design work it will be "organic". I'll have to try various ideas until I come up with something I like.
For years now I've been collecting reference photos by the jillions. I have photos, drawings, magazines, books and anything else that illustrates railroads. Since 2008 or I've been concentrating this research on the east slope of the Alleghenies. I hope to integrate key elements from this research into my scenery. Two thirds of the visible layout revolves around the climb from Altoona to Gallitzin. All that real estate will feature mountains towering over the tracks.
Among the information I've been gathering is a complete set of topographic maps. I use maps I found in the historical section of MyTopo. The ones I refer to the most were drawn by the USGS in the 1930's. There are details on these maps that no longer exist. The right of ways of the Glen White Coal Company, the Altoona Northern and the Altoona & Logan Valley are all represented. Roads and streets appear as they did 90 years ago...
The map I use most is a compilation of several "quads" from the 1930's. Horseshoe Curve appears on the northwest corner of the Hollidaysburg quad, almost at the intersection of the four I use most. For this article I edited a section of the Allegheny Eastern's topo map by adding more elevation markings...
The mainline sits at around 1600 feet above sea level. The top of Kittanning Point sits at 2400 feet, roughly 800 feet above the tracks. In N scale that would mean the summit rises 5' above the main stem. To get an idea of what that might look like I mocked up the backdrop behind Horseshoe Curve...
It may seem totally ridiculous, but Kittanning Point, the mountain that towers above the apex of The Curve, is actually higher than this in N scale, rising about 60" above the layout. To make things easier I compromised. I decided the backdrop shouldn't be taller than 48". That way I can use a standard 4' x 8' sheet with 48" supports. This works out to about 2000 feet. Close enough.
Before I can actually build the scenery, however, I need to find a way to mount a four foot high backdrop to the benchwork. I researched a few options but with most of them the problem is cost. Many of the cheaper ones were too flimsy. So I went for something cheap and sturdy. An 1" x 2" x 8' premium furring strip costs less than a dollar. I added some screws and 2" x 4" blocks and came up with a mount that extends to the ceiling. It not only supports the backdrop, it will serve to support layout lighting. Kills two birds with one stone and saves money...
Rather than attach the support blocks to the benchwork, I made them part of the tee with pre-drilled countersunk holes. This way I can install the entire thing in one shot. I push the top of the tee hard up against the ceiling and then clamp the support block to the benchwork. After I check for plumb I run the screws home...
For years now I've been collecting reference photos by the jillions. I have photos, drawings, magazines, books and anything else that illustrates railroads. Since 2008 or I've been concentrating this research on the east slope of the Alleghenies. I hope to integrate key elements from this research into my scenery. Two thirds of the visible layout revolves around the climb from Altoona to Gallitzin. All that real estate will feature mountains towering over the tracks.
Among the information I've been gathering is a complete set of topographic maps. I use maps I found in the historical section of MyTopo. The ones I refer to the most were drawn by the USGS in the 1930's. There are details on these maps that no longer exist. The right of ways of the Glen White Coal Company, the Altoona Northern and the Altoona & Logan Valley are all represented. Roads and streets appear as they did 90 years ago...
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| Horseshoe Curve Today |
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| Horseshoe Curve 1915 |
The map I use most is a compilation of several "quads" from the 1930's. Horseshoe Curve appears on the northwest corner of the Hollidaysburg quad, almost at the intersection of the four I use most. For this article I edited a section of the Allegheny Eastern's topo map by adding more elevation markings...
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| Topology: Horseshoe Curve 1930's |
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| Mockup of Horseshoe Curve Backdrop |
It may seem totally ridiculous, but Kittanning Point, the mountain that towers above the apex of The Curve, is actually higher than this in N scale, rising about 60" above the layout. To make things easier I compromised. I decided the backdrop shouldn't be taller than 48". That way I can use a standard 4' x 8' sheet with 48" supports. This works out to about 2000 feet. Close enough.
Before I can actually build the scenery, however, I need to find a way to mount a four foot high backdrop to the benchwork. I researched a few options but with most of them the problem is cost. Many of the cheaper ones were too flimsy. So I went for something cheap and sturdy. An 1" x 2" x 8' premium furring strip costs less than a dollar. I added some screws and 2" x 4" blocks and came up with a mount that extends to the ceiling. It not only supports the backdrop, it will serve to support layout lighting. Kills two birds with one stone and saves money...
I took the furring strips and cut them to 74", the distance from the bottom of the benchwork top to the garage ceiling. I then used the remaining piece to form a tee. I countersunk some pilot holes and fastened the parts together with drywall screws...
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| Backdrop Support Tee's |
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| Clamping and Leveling the Support |
I don't fasten the top. The ceiling is textured. and rough. The tight fit and multiple screws at the base holds the tee upright....
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| Support at Ceiling |
You can see in the image above how the support might be used to mount a light fixture. The ends of the tee are long enough to locate lights over the midpoint of the scenery beneath. The light fixtures are plastic and weigh only a few ounces...
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| Backdrop Assembly |
The lights themselves will be alternating fluorescent and incandescent bulbs. Not the long straight tubes. I plan to use those newfangled bulb shaped fluorescent lights. They come with a frosted globe that diffuses the light from the curled tube inside. I have just three in the garage right now and they do a fantastic job. All of the photographs I've ever used in this blog are lit by those same three bulbs. I've a feeling that adding more will make superb indirect lighting.
That's enough for this edition. In Part 2 I install the rest of the supports around Horseshoe Curve and mount the masonite backdrop itself.
Regards,
Frank Musick
Building a dream layout on a nightmare budget...
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| The Allegheny Eastern Railroad |
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