Scale Model Mock-Up

Mock-up of the road show

As B-Day* approaches I thought I take some time to do a more detailed mock-up of the ACWRR Road Show to see how everything looked in 3D. I made a scale mock-up of the layout in 1/2 inch to the foot scale. Since it is an O scale layout, that works out to a model that is 1:1,152  scale.

The mock-up you see at the left is first mock-up we made based on an earlier design. This mock-up was not as detailed, but it convinced us that the design was too wide. So that help lead us to this long-linear design.






I used my laser to cut the pieces of the layout on various scrap wood and task board. I also used the laser to cut some more detailed parts like the trains, track, truss bridge and boat. The buildings and barge are pieces of scrap trimmed to rough size and shape.

Looking at the mock-up led me to change a few things. I got rid of the notch on the far left. That meant extending the side backdrop panel to the front. That will help support the valance on that end. It also allows a little more room for the boat.

I also made the notch in the river in the middle more shallow. I think it looks better.

The shipyard buildings add a nice sense of mass to the center, though it will be tight to try to fit the marine ways between the track and the layout edge. If the vessel under construction is a barge, it will make it easier to fit in.

I used a little ground foam to simulate trees on the far right. They hide the entrance to the fiddle yard, which may be as simple as one piece of track or as elaborate as a traverser mounted on a cabinet slide. That is TBD.

Most of the valance panels will be cantilevered over the layout. The LED light strips are super light, but the valance should be stout enough that if someone leans against it it will hold up.




* B-Day = Benchwork Day