# Background Idea



## alfakilo (Jan 13, 2021)

I'm coming back to the hobby after a number of years. When my son was a boy, we spent many happy hours building HO layouts. Now, I want to get back into the action with N scale.

Here's my question or thought. I'm thinking of a small N scale layout, something around 2'x3' or a bit larger. My idea is to use a background divider picture of a sky and clouds but to mount this backdrop in the middle of the layout along the diagonal running from corner to corner. I'm looking at a twice around with some spurs. The idea is to have contrasting scenery on each side of the backdrop divider, maybe summer/winter or mountain/desert or city/farmland, etc.

Probably someone has tried this before. How did it work out?


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## flyboy2610 (Jan 20, 2010)

I've not done it personally, but I've seen pictures where it was done. It can be quite effective.


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## cfurnari (Aug 2, 2020)

I have seen a diagonal background, in HO, that came out very nice.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

A fairly common technique, and an excellent idea to make a small layout look bigger.


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## alfakilo (Jan 13, 2021)

CTValleyRR said:


> A fairly common technique, and an excellent idea to make a small layout look bigger.


More reason to try this but I have Googled my eyes bloody and have yet to see an example.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I don't think I've ever seen anything like that offered commercially. It's a DIY project.


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## alfakilo (Jan 13, 2021)

alfakilo said:


> More reason to try this but I have Googled my eyes bloody and have yet to see an example.


Having said that, I took another shot at it and found quite a bit of info using the terms "scenic divider" or "scenic separator".


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I found a number of sky/cloud backdrops via Google.





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sky and clouds backdrop for N scale layout - Google Search






www.google.com





One of them looks like what I tried to use for my HO layout...my project failed when I couldn't
find a suitable 'glue' to hold them to the walls...which I didn't wan to mar with nails, etc.

Don


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

alfakilo said:


> Having said that, I took another shot at it and found quite a bit of info using the terms "scenic divider" or "scenic separator".


I was gonna say....

Model Railroader had an entire feature on just such a layout a couple years back. It was created by Pele Soeborg.


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