Forced Persepective - N and HO


C

cmcgloughlin

New Member
Hi
I am still planning my layout and I am wondering about something:

I happen to like both HO and N scales for different reasons. I am thinking of combining the two in a "forced perspective" arrangement where I have the N as the "far off" the HO as the foreground. My strategy right now:

1) putting everything at eye-height so view to the model is forced to be at the horizon line
2) using N scale buildings next to the N scale tracks
3) painting everything in the n scale zone a little "lighter" to make it look further away
4) concealing the bottoms of the N scale buildings with a "bluff" which terminates the HO zone.

I am hoping to acheive this effect in no more than 3' of space. Possible?

Does anyone else have a link or tips to achieving this effect? Photos even better?

Thanks in advance!

Charlie
 
cmcgloughlin said:
Hi
I am still planning my layout and I am wondering about something:

I happen to like both HO and N scales for different reasons. I am thinking of combining the two in a "forced perspective" arrangement where I have the N as the "far off" the HO as the foreground. My strategy right now:

1) putting everything at eye-height so view to the model is forced to be at the horizon line
2) using N scale buildings next to the N scale tracks
3) painting everything in the n scale zone a little "lighter" to make it look further away
4) concealing the bottoms of the N scale buildings with a "bluff" which terminates the HO zone.

I am hoping to acheive this effect in no more than 3' of space. Possible?

Does anyone else have a link or tips to achieving this effect? Photos even better?

Thanks in advance!

Charlie
Click to expand...

I think its an interesting idea. We used forced perspective in some scenes on our RR but stopped short of actual N scale trains running on a background level. I wouldn't recommend an abrupt transition between scales. Intermediate trees could ease the transition in a believable fashion.
 
Charlie - I have one corner hill on my HO layout that has three N scale buildings in the trees that makes for a fair looking town in the distance. I have no room to try trains up there. I know we discussed this a while back here. Someone had the same idea you do, I don't know if he ever got very far. There was a layout in Model Railroader in the last year where someone combined an HO Northwestern themed layout and a N scale Alpine ski area with Trams and lifts. It looked cool in pictures. I think HO and N are a little too far apart to work together. S scale and HO would make more sense.
 
I think it takes more real perspective to make an HO + N trickery work. If they're close enough to reach out and touch, people will probably be able to tell they're a different scale.
________
LovelyWendie
 
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LoudMusic said:
I think it takes more real perspective to make an HO + N trickery work. If they're close enough to reach out and touch, people will probably be able to tell they're a different scale.
Click to expand...


He should be able to pull it off in 3 feet. Much of it will be dependant on the veiwing position. For instance, forced perspective looks great head on at eye level on but not so good when viewed at an angle or from above.
 
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I just tried a mockup last night and I think Im onto a winner here, this should work.

The key is: View the N scale from below . I am going to mount the layout at eye level so that the HO train set in the fore will be seen at eye level, and then N scale will be 8" above that.

I am going to do a night/evening scene and will use only "blue" flourcesenct to get the low light effect. That lighting should also help with the illusion.

If I can get around to it I'll post some pictures... stay tuned
 
a helpful point to consider: Malcolm Furlow (back when he was still cool and into trains... sadly it seems he tired of the hobby) did an article where he talked about colors muting and gray-ing as they retreated back into the horizon. I think Andy Sperendeo did a similar article. All my MR back issues are packed up right now so I can't tell you which issue..
 
Many years ago one of the guys in our round robin get togethers did a combined HO / N for perspective and it worked very well. He explained only 2 things were needed to make it fool they eye: distance and elevation. The further apart horizontally and then vertically, the better it worked. One other thing he did was keep the distant N scale area simple and not overdone with fine details or crafstman type buildings. That way the focus is kept on the closer HO details and the N scale is perceived as just something off in the distance. He also did not make the visible N scale area so large that it commanded the same attention as the main HO railroad. Overall it was about 30 inches long but ran trains on a continuous loop of mostly hidden track.

With 3 feet of depth to work with I think you'll be able to make it work with a decent elevation and a few scenic bluffs as was mentioned.
 
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