# Choosing your theme....



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

Or landscape style. How and why do to you guys choose a theme to model your layout after? Is it somewhere you have lived or worked at one time? Or someplace you would like to visit but have not made it there yet? 

Also whats up with the graffiti on layouts? (rolling stock) I have seen some amazing layouts on Youtube and elsewhere that are top notch until a piece of rolling stock goes by with graffiti or a political slogan tagged on the side. :lame: Are these guys just trying to replicate real life? :stroke: My layout is like my little dream world where anybody caught "tagging" would be Hung! :smilie_auslachen:Hmmmmmm............Possible diorama???? Lol.

I have chose to Model 2 areas of the Mojave Desert where I used to live & work. Also in researching how to do Desert landscape for a Model railroad I have found not a lot of guys try Desert landscape. I see a lot of mountains and trees. Sometimes too many trees! The Desert theme I wanting to do is going to be challenging!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Personally, I don't get hung up on a specific theme, but that's just me.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

concretepumper:cheeky4:


> Sometimes too many trees!


I resemble that comment!!!:lol_hitting:
I so Agree with you on the graffiti thing! :worshippy: I moved here to not have to look at the slums, and being around the low lives of Phoenix, Why in the smell would I want to make my layout look like it!
Yes very few can pull of a good desert view! It's easier to just cover everything in trees, bushes, ground, and grass.:retard:


----------



## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

When we decided that we'd actually scenic our layout, my wife and I wanted to take things from our hometown of Colville and incorporate them. But overall we wanted just a small town appeal, since we werent going to have huge industries or yards.

For the most part though, our kids are the ones who decide what goes onto the layout. If they see something from another layout or display, we'll research how to build it and what kits are needed and whether it'll fit well.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

concretepumper said:


> I have chose to Model 2 areas of the Mojave Desert where I used to live & work. Also in researching how to do Desert landscape for a Model railroad I have found not a lot of guys try Desert landscape. I see a lot of mountains and trees. Sometimes too many trees! The Desert theme I wanting to do is going to be challenging!


Hey pumper, 

Desert is easy... just throw some sand on a piece of plywood. 

Seriously... desert is a really "cool" idea. :thumbsup:
It's what you are familiar with, and you know the feeling that natural environment evokes. After all, that's one point of modelling... to recreate a feeling associated with a natural environment by building a physical *impression* of it.

My layout is going to look like this... 










...because that's what I've been digging for months. 

And I agree... do a little experimental diorama to find out what you like best.
This one is just made from *free* rocks and dirt... so I'm going to use them.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I fully agree with Choo Choo!!!







This is what I look at every day.
I'm going for this minus the snow!:thumbsup:


----------



## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Yeah that snow might short out the electronics after an hour or two:laugh:


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

concretepumper said:


> Or landscape style. How and why do to you guys choose a theme to model your layout after? Is it somewhere you have lived or worked at one time? Or someplace you would like to visit but have not made it there yet?
> 
> Also whats up with the graffiti on layouts? (rolling stock) I have seen some amazing layouts on Youtube and elsewhere that are top notch until a piece of rolling stock goes by with graffiti or a political slogan tagged on the side. :lame: Are these guys just trying to replicate real life? :stroke: My layout is like my little dream world where anybody caught "tagging" would be Hung! :smilie_auslachen:Hmmmmmm............Possible diorama???? Lol.
> 
> I have chose to Model 2 areas of the Mojave Desert where I used to live & work. Also in researching how to do Desert landscape for a Model railroad I have found not a lot of guys try Desert landscape. I see a lot of mountains and trees. Sometimes too many trees! The Desert theme I wanting to do is going to be challenging!


Ok where to begin with this one... Well first off I do not have a particular area or town that I model. I just include what ever building I like or industry for that matter and it becomes my own little town. Now on to your thoughts on graffiti. I am planning to include some on some tri level auto carriers when I get them not because I want to model a slum but because that is what I see when a train goes by in my town. I live in the very nice town of Troy, Ohio and it is in my opinion one of the nicest towns in Ohio (apparently Ohio magazine seems to think so as well.) There is not a lot of violence, everyone is nice to each other, and there is always something fun to do. I also want to include some as I have seen some very wonderfull graffiti. While yes doing graffiti is completely illegal and I disagree with anyone doing it comepletly the ones that have been done I can not tell them not to do it or anything of that matter so I just live with it and admire the "graffiti" that actually has some work put into it and is not just a one color slang word thing. 

Now onto the tree part of it. I live in Ohio so there are more hills than mountains but some of my relatives live in Kentucky where mountains are semi abundant and I find the rock faces and shear magnitude of them astounding though there will be no mountains in my new layout. Now to the trees. My current layout is abundant with trees pine trees covered in snow that is. I have them because it helps get the Christmas feel across and also helps add some dimension. my new layout will be a summer/fall setting as far as trees go. There will be some pines but mostly the type of trees with leaves as that is what is abundant in Ohio and has very beutiful colors in the fall. I also use trees to help get a modd across like for example say a single steam mainline with overhanging trees that branch over the rails. It helps get a feeling of being in a forest in a steam train across.

I think doing a desert theme would be a very interesting and neat layout to see completed. While I perticularly would not want to it is not about me and my layout now is it? It is about what you like to see go down those miniature tracks and fly by now isn't it? It is really just what a perticular person likes and the only reason I could figure someone would put mountains and trees in is for seeing it all peice together, haveing more things to make and add then you would in a desert setting as there is relatively no brush or trees in the desert, and it seems to be really good for makeing videos in and helps livein up the trains and make things seem more cosy. Now this is jsut my take so you go and make your layout look like whatever you want it to and get us some update shots.:thumbsup::laugh:


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

gc53dfgc said:


> I want to model a slum...


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

choo choo said:


>


I don't know how that got there but I definatly don't want to model a slum.

Fixing that bad sentence right now.

You scoundral. You actually made me think I typed in I want to model a slum when in fact I said because I don't want to model a slum. Very clever on your part and foolish on mine. Why would anyone want to model a slum in the first place?


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

I'm just foolin' around, Dave... 

Greg


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

I'm not modeling, or pretending to model.

I have a Lionel train. It is a toy. Lionel does not make any attempt to keep their items accurate, or too realistic for that matter.

It moves, makes noise, is fun for kids and is a release for me.

I try to keep my layout 100% Lionel, but stray from time to time. Afterall, I am the boss of this here railroad boys.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

My approach is similar to yours, Dave.
My layout will be a total toy fantasy. 

Greg


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Ditto. I'm going for lots of action, massive numbers of moving parts.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

One word.
*BIG*







OK fun too, lifes too short not to have fun with your trains!


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

The tanker is looking good Sean


----------



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

I just model whatever catches my fancy at the time, be it real life or fantasy...


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

I love the contrast... 



















Greg


----------



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

*WOW! * Excellent response here guys! Thanks to all of you!  :thumbsup: 

I guess my problem with the graffiti is the damage to the property. Some of the walls, buildings, trains etc. cost more than all those loser's could all add with their fingers and toes! More than they will ever see in their lives too. Maybe that's why they feel they need to destroy things that don't belong to them. However with that said I can understand the Art and talent. I have even known and worked with a few guys who claimed to participate in such activities! :thumbsdown: Good guys with bad hobbies! Well maybe a little retarded! 

To each his own I guess! We are all the BOSS of our Railroad and we can run it any way we want to!  


Sean, That thing is HUGE! Maybe too small for Idaho standards. It would be more efficient here on the West Coast dont you think?????   Lol.


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

NIMT.COM said:


> One word.
> *BIG*
> View attachment 7782
> 
> OK fun too, lifes too short not to have fun with your trains!


I'l like to see that on an 027 curve.

One word




HAZMAT!!


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

CP,

I've posted my opinions before (won't bother to repeat here), but I agree with you 1000% about real life graffiti tags and taggers. Horrible. Should be locked up. Destroying personal property, and the aesthetics of everything around. Booooo ....

Now if model guys want to put graffiti on their own layouts, I have no problem with that ... it's their world, their property ... no worries.

But in the real world ... boooo .... hissss ....

TJ


----------



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

tjcruiser said:


> But in the real world ... boooo .... hissss ....
> 
> TJ


I agree...I do multi-family housing inspections...


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*My Table*

My Table is directly tied to this forum and my interest in Toy Trains. Just about all the threads I have done revolve around questions and have ended up on the table. For the newer members, I have an 027 double loop in the center. An O scale trestle, an outer O scale loop. An HO scale loop stuck in between. A DC O scale reversing trolley and most recently an S gage trestle. Most of the items being collected used, over the years without spending a lot of capital.
It's more of a lab/workshop than a layout.

Someday, N will find a way in too!


----------



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

Now thats one crazy cool mixed up layout you have in your Lab T-Man!  I also don't have more than a few hundred wrapped up in this. Most of that was building materials. I have gathered a bunch of used HO stuff for my creation. Heck for some reason I kinda like my "brass" track. The nostalgia of it I guess. However it does take a few laps to clean up after not running for a few days! I guess I need to play everyday HUH???
Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

T-man,
But you Enjoy your Layout / Workshop / Mad scientist laboratory, Don't you?  And that's all that matters!
Oh and BTW your S has a wicked super elevation thing going on in the turn in the front of the pic.:laugh::laugh:


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

The picture is from the S Scale thread on " My Loop is Finally Started."
I guess the picture was "In Process" and the corner wasn't screwed down yet.

I have a Small N scale project in the works and it would be nice to have a test track on the table.

Just keeping the fingers busy.


----------



## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Yesterday someone was selling N's for a good price on here.
Get a magnifying visor if you don't already have one.
I work on N's and Z's both require the sight of an eagle to work on.


----------



## concretepumper (Jan 2, 2011)

NIMT.COM said:


> Yesterday someone was selling N's for a good price on here.
> Get a magnifying visor if you don't already have one.
> I work on N's and Z's both require the sight of an eagle to work on.


Funny you say that. Last night I was watching vids on youtube of Z and N scale. Pretty cool. Then I checked Ebay to see whats out there. Seems cool now that I see how much space it takes to do all I want in HO. However my eyes are only getting worse and I have large hands and fingers so.......... I think I will wait for the chance to try a N scale and see if I could even set it on the rails.


----------



## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

Really!











I have been using magnifiers for years. Ain't that the truth!


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

shaygetz said:


> I agree...I do multi-family housing inspections...


Same here... I remove that animal crap to keep our canyon clean.


----------



## penlu (Dec 9, 2010)

*@!!!!*



NIMT.COM said:


> I fully agree with Choo Choo!!!
> View attachment 7755
> 
> This is what I look at every day.
> I'm going for this minus the snow!:thumbsup:


When were you in my back yard? That looks so much like Pike's Peak peeking up over the top of the trees by the Arkansas! Totally the view out my dining room window!

(I too can live without the snow)


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Now that your location has been triangulated...

...the black heliocopters will be arriving shortly.


----------



## Jammer Six (Feb 10, 2011)

*Excuse me!*

Do those black helicopters come in N scale?


----------



## TapRoot (Oct 3, 2010)

I have never seen a train that didnt have graffiti on it, and thats why I model it...plus I grew up with guys who did bombs and tags, one of them actually gets paid to do it now and has done "PAID" work along the back of buildings facing the CTrain tracks and in galleries or clubs....some is crap but a lot of it can be very artistic and fun to see....I love seeing it personally...(the good stuff) but to each their own....I dont agree with back ally gangster tags at all tho - that crap needs to stop.


----------



## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Jammer Six said:


> Do those black helicopters come in N scale?


Yes... as a matter of fact they do.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Wow ... that's some novel way to infiltrate the bad guys. 

"Hey, Ahkmed ... look at that wobbly bird over there. Ahhh ... never mind ... he's flying away."


----------

