How far do you go?

[xxuntitledxx]

Hi all,

Just wanted to raise this question to all you route builders out there. How far off the tracks do you normally scenic? Is there a rule of thumb as to how far off the track you go to where it's "believable" that something goes on, or do you just go until you feel it's enough? I want to get people's opinions now that I'm starting to sporadically work on scenes along my route. I'm also trying not to go crazy with making sure my scenery matches exactly everything on the overlay Although it is easy to get carried away doing so (haha). So yeah, just wanted to raise that question anyone who's willing to answer. I'll start posting some pics once I have places that look decent... right now I have a lot of empty grass haha.

Ken

[artimrj]

If you mean off to the sides, what I do it get a tree and stick it out there. Come back to the tracks and if it is still visible, move it out more and come back to the tracks. When you get to a point where it is no longer visible, there is no sense adding scenery that far. If you got flat lands it is a bit more difficult that if you have hills to hide the distance. So I find that disappearing spot, come in a bit from it and use a long asset block with trees do break up the skyline. One thing though, the asset block disappear sooner that single trees for some reason so they have to be closer to the tracks.

Another way to determine, depends on your preference. Take an engine out and sit in the cab in head out view. Scenic as far as you can see from the engine. Then you only have to go about a tile away.

Then you have to ask your self how much of this scenery do I want to do? It is a long tedious chore. It took me 3 weeks or so to lay out the track and signals for our Lafayette route. We been adding scenery over a year.

[xxuntitledxx]

Good tips, thanks Bob.

Yeah, I have the good ol' Appalachian Mountains of West New Jersey/ East PA to break things up on the western half of the route near and around Allentown. It's the eastern half that's annoying, especially in Newark/Jersey City, NJ. I mean I could probably use the buildings as a block, but I'll have to see what looks better. I've been kind of taking an RS approach with how they did the NEC scenery in that area. I want to give the feeling you're there... but not go so crazy that I spend a year on one little section.

[buzz456]

I don't have a lot of experience with towns or cities but I did the Lafayette portion of the new route and usually about six blocks or so will do it and the farther from the tracks you get the less you need to worry about doing anything that even 'looks like' since it is only viewed for a minute. The biggest thing you want to avoid is having a train stopped and when you look down the street you can see empty space out there behind stuff. If there are trees you can put one on each side of the street so they actually come close to touching which kind of closes things off. Just going with one row of buildings on streets that are perpendicular to the tracks and not filling in the middle of the block helps to speed things up also.
I'll send you a few 'helicopter views' so you can see what I'm talking about.