As I get closer to finishing up my layout building, I am pondering whether to make the center wall/backdrop full height or not. To clarify what I am talking about, here is a photo from the San Jacinto Railroad Modeler'c club website. Tom Cobb works at the LHS and this is his layout.



Here is a rough sketch of my layout showing the wall I am talking about.



Here is a photo of the inside of the building. The posts will be used to support the wall.



And a rough drawing:



I do like a tall layout, for example, my current layout is at 58 inches. If layout height was my only criteria, I would make the center wall go all the way up to the ceiling and then this whole discussion is moot. But... I am thinking it would be nice to have the upper portion of the center wall open. This would make the room seem bigger, and just more pleasing in my mind.

Does anyone have any comments to help me? How tall does a backdrop need to be? Could I get away with just 12 inches? For example, if the layout was at 56 inches, then a 12 inch backdrop would be at 68 inches, just below my eye level.

???

I would not go up to the ceiling.
You get two very narrow rooms providing a feeling like living in a box. There should also be a possible eye contact with your fellows (don't invite then if you don't like to see them:-). And finally think about the climate in the room with that blocked air ventilation. Just my two cent.

I like high benchwork too, my top level averages about 60" and I like it a lot. Regarding height of the backdrop, I like the idea of not bringing it all the way to the ceiling, to make the room less claustrophobic. That said, I have a similar situation and my backdrop goes all the way to the ceiling, somewhat like your situation, I have a row of lolly columns sandwiched by the double sided backdrop. I never thought to consider a partial height backdrop. One thing I would do before deciding is too determine layout height, then mock up a scene and put your camera on a tripod and view what you get thru the viewfinder when you attempt a "down the tracks" photo. As the layout extends away from the camera, the top edge of the backdrop will appear at some point. Perhaps just make sure it is high enough to allow the composition of photos?

I agree with the above comments about a tall backdrop in the middle of the room creating two small possibly closed in areas. I like the backdrop pictured in the club photo.
Ralph

Thanks to both of you for the comments.

Reinhard, I agree that the lower wall would be more pleasing for many reasons, just from a "human comfort" train of thought.

Now it seems that the top of the wall should be below eye level, but how do I reconcile that with my desire for a high layout height? The backdrop isn't going to be very tall.

JGL, I agree that I need to do some "mocking up" of the situation to help me make a decision. As for photos, if I made a list of "wants and druthers," that would be some ways down the list. I am planning the layout to be more of an "operational" layout than a "great scenery" layout. On that note, I am putting the "overall feel" of the layout room ahead of scenery and photos.

I wonder what the room would feel like if the center wall wasn't full height, yet was too tall to see over. Thoughts?

Thanks Ralph. The layout height in the photo looks really low to me.... but this allows for a lower center wall with vision over it. I am somehow wanting a taller layout but meshed with the advantages of the low backdrop.

My body height is alot closer to the guy on the extreme right in the photo. For him, the entire layout/backdrop could be moved up higher than what is in the photo.

So, measured up from the top of the layout, what is the minimum height of a backdrop that I could get away with?

I take images of my layout, which has a backdrop rising to within 1.5" of the corner edge where it meets the ceiling. In my case, I like shots with lots of depth of focus showing distant hills, treelines, and sky (example below, with the top right of center skyline cropped very close to the corner meeting the ceiling). I often find myself wishing my basement ceiling had been another foot higher when I learn I have to crop about the top quarter of my pictures so that I don't spoil the illusion (I don't have Photo Shop or Corel Draw, or Paint Pro, so I can't add in skies).

If imagery is going to be a minor or rare concern for you, and/or if you intend to alter your photos with software, then the advice to this point makes sense. Otherwise....

-Crandell

I think that a back drop high enough that you can't see the top without looking up is about right. If the back drop is at or just below eye level, I think looking at the top of it would spoil the illusion you are trying to create. However, I would not go all the way to the ceiling with the back drop. Go high enough to isolate the section you are operating in, but low enough to allow light and ventilation to be unhindered.

The other thing to do if you can, is to make the end of the backdrop curve to match the curve of the scene at the end of the peninsula. That way you don't look down both sides of the back drop when you go around the end of the bench work, but rather it seems to be one continuous scene from one side of the peninsula to the other.

Selector, what a beautiful photo and a great example of what I was saying. If photos are not a concern but operations are, I'd make the backdrop just above eye level as Russ said. I think it helps an operator feel he is in a distinct place.

For photos, especially if you like panoramic shots, the higher the better:


My personal preference would be right to the ceiling: if you're the sole operator, there's no need for seeing beyond what you're doing, and even if you plan on having multiple operators, I'd think that a low backdrop would destroy the illusion of distance that we all strive so hard to create. Rather than it being claustrophobic, I think it would help to focus your attention on the train which you're operating.

Wayne

Selector Wrote:I often find myself wishing my basement ceiling had been another foot higher when I learn I have to crop about the top quarter of my pictures so that I don't spoil the illusion (I don't have Photo Shop or Corel Draw, or Paint Pro, so I can't add in skies).

If imagery is going to be a minor or rare concern for you, and/or if you intend to alter your photos with software, then the advice to this point makes sense. Otherwise....

Crandell, that is one beautiful layout! And I can see, with the height of the scenery and all, that you need really tall backdrops. I'm going with a Houston, Texas industrial theme, where everything is flat, flat, and then even flatter. So I think I can get away with some things that you can't. Plus, you make a good point on the photshopping. If I wanted to take really nice photos, I could edit in the sky.

Again, beautiful layout!

Russ, JGL, Wayne, thanks for the comments. At first I was thinking it would be good to be able to see over the wall, if someone was with me, we could see each other on opposite sides. But I agree that may spoil the effect. So it is either above eye level, or full height.

Full height would definitely seperate everything. But would it make the whole building seem smaller, with the two long "hallways" as opposed to "a large room seperated by a lower backdrop"?

Hmmmm.... I need lots of cardboard to do a full size mock-up!

Thanks for the thoughts, Gentlemen. Additional thoughts and advice are certainly welcome!

What about using structures as a view block? Like a large city in the middle with tall buildings down the center? I don't know what your layout design goals are, however I've always been impressed by modelers who use this technique on large layouts.

Gary, I thought a second time and may be there is another criteria that might be useful.
What do you plan to have at the spot in question?

a. If it is scenery like on Selector's layout the backdrop should be as high as possible
b. If it is some kind of industrial area, yard, city (but no tall buildings like sky scrapers) etc. as on your very first post a much lower backdrop is fine.

Thanks for your kind comments, Gentlemen.

I am trying to understand, Gary, your concern for the 'room feeling small'. Is your aim to have folks walk into a room that feels spacious, even more spacious than it really is, or is your goal to have the layout and its backdrop not seem to take up the entire room?

I would look at it like this....if the open wall has no benchwork in front of it, and won't be seen from operating vantage points for the most part, then paint it up and see how it feels. If you get a hovering or 'close' feeling about that end of the room, paint over your backdrop.

Still, anything that would help the illusion of the world you are depicting would be useful, I feel, and it could be anywhere in the room...although I have no backdrop at all on one half of my layout, the hald that I duck under to walk into it. That side fronts on the rest of the basement, and a raised backdrop would darken the basement too much, plus block and outside view looking in.

Finally, if all the other parts of your greater backdrop(s) are yay high, then a ceiling-height backdrop on one wall might seem a bit much...come to think of it.

Hmm.....how about a mirror on that wall. It will cost a bit, but it could really make the place feel more rooomy.

-Crandell