By David Yadock
Photo 1 – Background needing buildings
I was needing to make background buildings for a section of my HO scale layout. (See Photo 1.) I had placed some of the Walthers paper cutout buildings but I found them unacceptable. They looked unrealistic where they were located and how they were positioned. The scene really needs depth and detail! The major issue is that the area only has approximately an inch of space between the wall and the railroad track right-of-way. Additionally, there are several lineal feet of wall to cover with the appropriate background/backdrop. I envisioned the scene to be a gritty industrial area with the foreground containing my steam engine facilities.
Photo 2 – Cardboard cut to size with a straightedge and sharp knife
Please note, with background construction one must remember that the buildings are just that, a general background (building or otherwise) to be used to direct the observer’s attention away from a blank wall or other offending item. Modelers need to be sneaky when constructing their layout since every standard layout room has many offending characteristics to it. The trick is hiding the problem areas while creating a functional scene. This process makes for some interesting challenges for scenery construction.
