(jeb@oscalemag.com). - O Scale Trains Magazine Online

Adding Character To A LayoutMike CougillIt’s funny how things happen. You can be sitting admiring afriend’s layout, just minding your own business. Then, withoutwarning, the mental die has been cast and you know that yourlayout is coming down as soon as you get home. That’s the situationI found myself in during the early part of 2005 while visitingWarner Clark’s Nickel Plate inspired P48 layout (coming inOST #32). I finally made the decision to switch from HO scaleto O. Honestly, I’d been toying with the idea for several yearsprior to that fateful visit, getting used to the difference in sizeand learning what was available.Unlike many long time O Scalers, I didn’t have any baggageabout 3-Rail versus scale, or standard O versus P48. There wasno question that P48 was the route I wanted to follow, since mylast efforts in HO were with P87 standards, nor did my modelingfocus change. The Indiana and Whitewater theme wouldsimply be super-sized to O Scale, letting me more thoroughlyenjoy the modeling aspects that interest me most, prototypicaltrackwork, scratchbuilding and low-key operations.Size does matter though; since I was going to use the samefootprint from the old layout for the new, choosing what scenesand operational elements to include became very important.Thinking about this, I realized that a few key structures from mybase prototype would set the stage nicely for a modest switchinglayout. Space constraints eliminated any kind of distancerunningbetween towns, so combining these structures and trackarrangements into a single scene could satisfy my criteria. Ona small layout like this, every element has to contribute to thesetting. There just isn’t room for non-essentials that simply takeup space. I found out quickly that I had barely have room for thebuildings I did want with space leftover for the track! Welcometo the King of Scales, rookie!So, what are these character-enhancing elements that set thestage for a model railroad? I think of three that are most common,the track, scenery and structures, and operations.The TrackI’ve written before about my track techniques (OST #25), soI won’t repeat thatinformation here. 1What I do want toemphasize is howthe appearance ofour model trackcontributes to theoverall effect of thelayout. My baseprototype has trackthat has seen betterdays. This iswhat drew me toit in the first place.The rail is light inweight, and nonetoo straight, whichkeeps train speedsdown. The ties areworn and weathered,often buriedin the dirt, cinderballast, and weedsthat make up theright-of-way. This14 • O Scale Trains - Mar/Apr ’07right-of-way was built in the 1800s on the towpath of an oldcanal that is still evident in spots. All of this says "branchline",not "mainline". The small yard at the line’s end in Brookville,Indiana (Photo 1), shows how the newer tracks for the enginehouse, with their cleaner ballast, contrast with the old. Littledetails like this, telling of progress and the passage of time, areeasily added to any layout. To model this on my layout (Photo2), I’m using Code 125 and 100 rail, approximating what’s onthe prototype. I also believe that the flowing geometry of long23turnouts (#8 through #10) say “railroad” instead of “model trainlayout”. Before you fire off that Letter to the Editor, let me saythat I understand that not everyone has the space or desire toinclude such huge turnouts. These are simply my choices, notrules carved in stone.Scenery and StructuresScenery can make or break a layout. Warner’s layout is oneof the few I’ve seen in O Scale that has completed scenery. Thearea around his Malinta, Ohio, station and tower is just a joy tolook at (Photo 3). This area also points out how faithful modelingof the scenery of a specific locale can have a great effect.The Whitewater Valley region of Indiana that my prototyperuns through has its own distinct geography, ranging from theopen Ohio River floodplain near Valley Junction, to the steeperhills and valleys near Brookville to the north. Along the route, thetrack will sometimes hug the riverbank; at other times it skirts outacross the flood plains filled with fields of corn and soybeans.Trees are mixed hardwood forest with a few evergreens.