Tip Of The Day – 94
Modelling Tip Of The Day – 94
This Modelling Tip Of The Day is an ongoing series, in which we’ll be posting a modelling tip that may be of use to the newbie right up to the seasoned modeller. Today’s tip is:
View blockers / Scenic Dividers
On a layout that has different scenic sections use scenic dividers or view blockers. That way you can model different areas on a layout for example:
One side or part of the layout could be modelled in summer & another part in winter, or one area is a mainline station with another part being another mainline station.
Using scenic breaks/dividers or view blockers separates the two or more areas on a layout. So in the case of the two mainline station areas you can model the station approach & station area, but using a scenic divider means you don’t have to model the run between the two stations.
In the case of a view blocker, for example where you would have the railway line running off the main scenic area into a hidden fiddle yard this is where the view blocker can come into play. Instead of having a hole in the scenic break or backscene with a tunnel mouth, carefully placed items such as trees, billboards, buildings, or road overbridge can hide how the railway line appears on to the layout. Other methods to look at is say an industrial layout, run the line into a goods shed or industrial warehouse which will hide how the line departs into a fiddle yard. A bit of careful planning with how the scenic items are placed will pay off giving a great end result.
A visit to the many model shows & you’ll see plenty of examples on this style of modelling. Well worth replicating on your layout.
Example one
This road over bridge will billboards on it, is acting as a scenic view blocker divider. On one side is a snowy winter scene whilst the other is set in summer time. The added height of the billboards & the truck on the bridge help block the view between the two scenic sections. The trees to the left of the bridge also helps block & divide the the two scenic sections on the two backscenes behind the layout.
Example two
A more traditional Scenic divider is this hill, backscene & tunnel section. Viewed from the snowy tunnel side gives the impression that the railway line runs straight on to else where. However in the second photo viewed from the back of the this hill & backscene shows the line actually curves round to give a continuous run. The bare baseboard area is to become a station with the board acting as a divider between the two scenes.
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