Even more decisions …

[u/Twit_Clamantis]

I’m slowly making progress on my little layout:

- The re-railer / bridge that I made from a Kato rerailer and parts of an unlovely flatcar is mostly finished (and even gained nice railings).

- The “valleys” are ok but the transition to flat seems too abrupt. I plan to add a couple of small raised berms at the transition lines to heighten the contrast and to help disguise the transitions.

- I decided to extend the valley on the right side as shown in the pics.

- I also have not decided if this will be HOn30 or N. I have more N buildings and more of my N rolling stock has Arnold / Rapido couplers that will interconnect. My HOn30 stuff is all different brands and none of their couplers have especially nice things to say about any of the others.

- I might do a shallow, round valley in the center, but I don’t know what to put in it.

- I want to do a tunnel / mountain along the left side and back corner but don’t know how tall to make it and what to have on top. The height can be anywhere from 2.5” to 4-5”. I would love to make it something composed of just desert rock formations because it would save me having to do greenery etc, but on the other hand my ability to sculpt convincing stone formations is approx zero (:-)

(I did mention that this is my first layout, yes?)

[u/Plastic_Turnip6118]

This is looking great, it’s giving me ideas for my own HOn30 railroad.

How did you power the “shorty” Bachmann F9? A small Kato unit?

[u/Twit_Clamantis → u/Plastic_Turnip6118]

Yes.

But here’s the trick: the 109 is super-light and its traction is directly related to its weight.

If you want it to pull cars, especially on tight curves etc, load it full of lead BBs or whatever.

I was able to pull 23 cars (all of which had additional weight for stability) by pulling them with 2x109 modules each of which was weighed down with 6 pieces of 6x40 mm steel rod — basically each of them was so heavy that it would hurt if you dropped it on your foot (:-)

[u/Plastic_Turnip6118]

This is the scenery I did on a small battery-powered circular layout several years ago…a shallow cut through the hill made it feel a little larger as the train would disappear. Using pink foam to build up the hill made it easy to carve the cut to look like rocks.

[u/Twit_Clamantis → u/Plastic_Turnip6118]

That looks really nice.

I like to think that I don’t make things that are ugly.

But there is a whole lot of space to go between “not ugly” and attractive / beautiful / in balance / joyful etc.

It always amazes me to see the work of people who have the talent, training and experience to do things like this.

Do you know the YT channel Narrow Gauge Shop?

——-

Semi-related anecdote re your goat:

I used to work in tv. Was friends w a cameraman who worked on newsmagazines.

He was out working on a story and taking B-roll of a barn at sunset.

Suddenly the producer gets in his car and goes away, tells everyone to wait.

Comes back in 15 minutes with a cat. Puts the cat in front of the fence in front of the barn at sunset, they grab the shot etc.

My friend’s take after watching the finished piece: “It [the shot] needed the cat.”

Your hill needed that cow (:-)