Sun 18 Mar 2007
Planning how you’re going to build and clean those far corners is a challenge that I think you will always have with a diorama-style layout. The payback is deep immersive scenes that photograph well. I seriously considered fitting a shelf style layout into this space (see The Shelf layout plan – not for me) but decided it was not the kind of model building I was interested in.
John Applegate asks “how do you reach the corners?” in a comment on my post
Roughing up the town of Tiburbon
I was wondering if you have any “reach” issues with this layout. Are the right-hand & left-hand corners within 36″ reach limit? I noticed you placed the layout against the two walls thus disabling you ability to reach from behind. Any access hatches needed?
Reason I ask is that I am planning to do the SJC in Sn3. And in Sn3 I will have reach issues.
-John
Since my Northwestern Pacific layout is a walk-in style layout and not a shelf layout it is really hard to avoid having places that you can’t reach.
The quick answer is that from above, both corners are out of reach but I’m making them accessible from below or beside the layout.
Here’s my track plan and room arrangement (from My Track Plan):
For the “left” corner I’m following Malcolm’s lead and leaving the back of the hillside open. From below I can almost stand up under the hill and service the loop of track in the back corner.
Note that the illustration above was made by mirror flipping and marking up a photo of the original San Juan Central layout so it matches the orientation of my layout.
For the right side I’m going to leave the side open (or have a removable fascia board) so I can reach in.
Note again that the illustration above was made by mirror flipping and marking up a photo of the original San Juan Central layout so it matches the orientation of my layout.
On a larger version like the Sn3 layout John is thinking of (or On30, On3, etc.) it would probably be a good idea to allow some access from beneath this area as well.