12-12-2010, 02:43 AM
Galen, I appreciate the comments and thoughts. 
Here's my thinking:
I've decided that since I have so much room, and since I am doing the proto bridges, I may as well expand my goals to include the stuff around the bridges where I can. I could modify the backs of those buildings to make them more interesting, or even use different and more exciting buildings and arrangements all together, but then they would distract the viewer from the bridges. Also, these are non-railroad related buildings, so I want the focus to be on the trains at this spot. Another thought is that with all the detailing I want to do on the industry buildings, these plain brick structures will be easy to build in comparison.
Since it makes sense that the "interesting" fronts of these buildings would be facing away from the tracks, that leaves the "uninteresting" backs toward the track. The two buildings on the aisle side of the track are a donut shop and a fish market, and the fronts will be toward the aisle, so those should be interesting in their own right.
I think modeling it close to the prototype will also be interesting for visitors, especially when I show them a few photos of the area. It may be quite unique to have large areas of the layout modeled after a real place. And, with all the space I have to populate, I probably do need some "mundane" stuff to balance the "exciting" stuff!
I may take some liberties at the backdrop, maybe adding an extra tree here or there, a planter box in the parking lot, something to hide the backdrop-layout junction.
Of course, I'm always open to considering suggestions, so fire away!
Here's my thinking:
I've decided that since I have so much room, and since I am doing the proto bridges, I may as well expand my goals to include the stuff around the bridges where I can. I could modify the backs of those buildings to make them more interesting, or even use different and more exciting buildings and arrangements all together, but then they would distract the viewer from the bridges. Also, these are non-railroad related buildings, so I want the focus to be on the trains at this spot. Another thought is that with all the detailing I want to do on the industry buildings, these plain brick structures will be easy to build in comparison.
Since it makes sense that the "interesting" fronts of these buildings would be facing away from the tracks, that leaves the "uninteresting" backs toward the track. The two buildings on the aisle side of the track are a donut shop and a fish market, and the fronts will be toward the aisle, so those should be interesting in their own right.
I think modeling it close to the prototype will also be interesting for visitors, especially when I show them a few photos of the area. It may be quite unique to have large areas of the layout modeled after a real place. And, with all the space I have to populate, I probably do need some "mundane" stuff to balance the "exciting" stuff!
I may take some liberties at the backdrop, maybe adding an extra tree here or there, a planter box in the parking lot, something to hide the backdrop-layout junction.
Of course, I'm always open to considering suggestions, so fire away!
Three Foot Rule In Effect At All Times