Good things come in narrow packages

[Sumpter250]

As for the backdrop - I think getting the perspective right (vanishing point, horizon line, etc.) is the trickiest part. How realistic you want it to look is semantics by comparison.
Galen

Steve, you have an interesting problem there. Even with the 24" depth of the my modules, the viewer, at "altitude" can't be fooled by visual trickery. He only has to move just a bit and the perspective is all wrong for what had looked good just inches to the left or right.
In your case, it looks like you have even less "foreground depth", and forced perspective becomes plausible, only from very specific viewing points.
Perhaps, in this case, "nothing", is actually a better way to go, or at the most, a very subtle matte painting to fill the emptiness, that has very little sharp detail in it. ( clouds at "height", and " green puffiness " A.k.a. " hazy distance" close to the "ground". )
I actually chose to simply leave the backdrop ( "sky board" ) light blue. The motion in the foreground keeps the attention there, and not "in the distance".
Hope it helps the "thinking process",
Pete

[Steve]

First...thank you for the kind comments everyone

My thoughts on the backdrop are these........If I could paint, I would do a kind of hazy representation of the road and houses trailing off into the distance. Unfortunately I can't, so I will spare all of us that fiasco . A suitable picture on the backdrop would work , as Pete said, at certain angles, but not others. I am leaning toward this solution even with its drawbacks and will try some tests (I tried some a while back with some promising results and others not so promising). It should be interesting

The new structure was a very difficult choice. In fact, it took quite a while to find anything that felt right.
A flury of pictures were sent back and forth between me and Kurt, but finally we both liked this:

http://www.jacksontwppa.com/historyphotogallery.htm



The store will be brought up to date a bit, and of course Mr Rose will be a lot older , but I think it will be a nice addition to the layout. We shall see.

[mountaingoatgreg]

Steve,

Great choice on the building...lots of style and great detail opportunities.

[doctorwayne]

Unless you can restrict the viewing angle, backdrops with any hint of perspective don't usually work very well. I think Pete's suggestion of a plain sky with perhaps some muted colours along the horizon would work best, especially when you're running trains. However, you could also experiment with temporary backdrops that could be inserted into the scene for photography. These could be painted, photographic or very low-relief items. The latter could be free-standing "structures" that would lean against the existing backdrop, while the others, mounted on heavy cardstock, foamcore or styrene, could be in whatever perspective you wish, as you could set up the camera at a point which would make the scene look best. If you were so inclined, you could even have multiple backdrops of different types for the same layout area, to be used from different camera angles. Photographs of the same scene taken from different perspectives would work, or totally different scenes for a variety of effects. These would work as either a complete background scene, with its own sky filling the viewfinder, or cut-outs, with the layout's sky showing behind the temporary scene setting.

Wayne

[scubadude]

I really like the lawns, how one is well manicured and one needs a good mowing. I especially like how you do your sandpaper roads...I must add them to the growing list of ideas to steal fair and square! Can't wait to see what you do with the gas station. This layout is most definitely B-B-B-B-BAAAD TO THE B-B-B-BONE!

[Puddlejumper]

I have to agree... you've had me since hello... um... I mean you've had me hooked since page one. Outstanding modeling!!

[P5se Camelback]

Stevie!

Where/how did you find that web site?!!! WOW! And I love that gas station! Those pumps would go great on my layout -- those upstate PA people didn't (and still don't) replace things just 'cuz there was/is a newer one! Serviceable is serviceable! In 1957, when our family went on vacation in August up in the Pocono Mountains where we had a summer cottage, there was a family (of 6) who came to the little white, one-room Methodist church we went to in a black 1938 Plymouth 4-door sedan. It was in very good shape, well taken care of ... serviceable ... no need to replace it. They were corn farmers, they took care of their belongings, as do most people up in that area.

And, hey ... that web site is just a wealth of cool stuff! Thanks for posting that!!!!! That's good for a couple hours of "study!"

[ocalicreek]

Unless you can restrict the viewing angle, backdrops with any hint of perspective don't usually work very well. I think Pete's suggestion of a plain sky with perhaps some muted colours along the horizon would work best, especially when you're running trains. However, you could also experiment with temporary backdrops that could be inserted into the scene for photography. These could be painted, photographic or very low-relief items. The latter could be free-standing "structures" that would lean against the existing backdrop, while the others, mounted on heavy cardstock, foamcore or styrene, could be in whatever perspective you wish, as you could set up the camera at a point which would make the scene look best. If you were so inclined, you could even have multiple backdrops of different types for the same layout area, to be used from different camera angles. Photographs of the same scene taken from different perspectives would work, or totally different scenes for a variety of effects. These would work as either a complete background scene, with its own sky filling the viewfinder, or cut-outs, with the layout's sky showing behind the temporary scene setting.

Wayne

This is what I was trying to get at. But considering the viewing angle and scene depth, the blue sky makes good sense too.

Nice choice for the next structure! What an opportunity for loads of character!

Galen

[Sumpter250]

The "American Pickers" ( History Channel ) would go wild for those visible pumps ! Excellent choice!

[Steve]

I would like to thank everyone for the thoughtful comments and suggestions

The building process has begun. I used Northeastern scribed sheathing all around. The storefront (which has not been glued in place yet) is from Tichy:





A closeup of the side wall reveals two signs and a neat looking freight door:


I have started work on the door and a search of the internet paid off with pics of both signs:


That's were I'm at now 

[P5se Camelback]

Oh, Boy! Oh, Boy! He's gonna build anothern, there, Mabel! Pull up a chair and set a spell! This 'un's gonna be a good 'un ... i kin tell!
Looks a lot like that ol' place over yonder a ways that ol' H.A. Rose used to have when we was small fry. 'Member? That place what had penny candy!

[Gary S]

Nice job on the signs!

[mountaingoatgreg]

I feel like such a slacker watching you get these amazing buildings whipped out in no time at all...

Where did you get the poster on the side of the building??

Also what size of siding are you using??

[Steamtrains]

WoW...!!! That's gonna be one "sweet" structure..!! Great that you could find the very same signs as on the prototype...!!
Where are the gas pumps coming from..??
Can't wait to see how this baby comes together...

[faraway]

How did you do the sign? The building looks very good but it is outstanding with that large sign.
ps. Do you have any plans to replace the switch machine with something hidden? The outstanding quality of your layout demand that little change.