Bill,
I assume that you mean when looking across the layout toward the far “edge of the world (EOTW)”. The EOTW doesn’t bother me too much, as long as there is “modeled” world or a backdrop past it. At one location on my layout I have an aisle between a wall and the layout. Although it’s not finished, I’m planning to put a backdrop across the aisle from the layout and I have a piece of tempered hardboard on the wall waiting for paint, which probably won’t happen until I’m further along in that section. I think the EOTW becomes less of an issue the closer the layout is to eye level. My nominal minimum track level is about 48”, which I picked because my old layout had some track at that level and I liked the way it look to me. This is all dependent on the viewer’s height. Tony Koester in an article on multi-deck layouts in the August 2012 issue of MR states that the ideal layout height is between H-28” to H-17”, where H is the modeler’s height in inches. In my case that works out to between 38” and 49”, so I’m close to my maximum. I also like having some trees or other partial view blocks such as structures or raised ground level between the track and EOTW; maybe not in yards and heavy switching areas, but along the mainline I think it helps. One issue with the peninsulas that does bother in the lighting. I have had all the lights installed for some time, which consists of fluorescent tubes for day and some blue incandescent lamps for night operations. Like my old layout, I will install a valance so the lamps can’t be seen from the aisle, however the lamps on the other side of the peninsula need a view block, so I’ll probably try a short intermediate valance to hide them, at least for someone my height. I should really do the valances soon, so I don’t drop something on the layout while installing it. Dave Heine Easton, PA From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of scale S only Sent: Saturday, July 07, 2012 4:35 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: MTH NS Heritage Locomotives (follow-up) Hi Dave, Rachel and all -- Re: Peninsulas -- I like having access to both sides as well without a scenic divider. The problem I have is the “edge of the world” syndrome. I will be putting up a “screen” of factory sides on one side of my two sided section of the layout, and probably some trees on the other, but has anyone got other ways of doing it short of a full backdrop? Have fun! Bill Winans Prescott Valley, AZ --------------------------- ... I have two peninsulas. One is four feet wide like yours (and about 20’ long). .... In both cases, they are really “one” scene and not the peninsula with the mainline running around the edges and a scenic divider in the middle that seems to be more typical these days. Dave Heine Easton, PA
