Google Images a Great Help.

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oldtimer67

New Member
As usual I spend hours wrecking my brain as to what type of scenery to model for my new Freelance layout, in the meantime I lay track, buy loco's and run a few trains, ( a wee bit unorthodox but then I do live upside down to most folks on this forum).

Anyhow I live in a place called the City of Redlands that got its name because of the red soil in the area, I thought I would like to use these red colors in my new layout but hang on this is supposed to be a model set in the USA which supposedly has the Santa Fe Railroad running through it, mmm what to do next.

As usual I Google Redlands USA thinking there must be such a place over there, well I found three Redlands but not really suitable, next I Google Red Rock USA which led to "The Valley of Fire" State Park in Nevada, wow love the name so I Google Images and find exactly what I am looking for red soil fantastic scenery and something different.

So "Valley of Fire " is the setting for the new layout, thanks to Google Images I was able to download about 70 photos of the area so I will be able to model some of those wonderful scenes but what about Trains?, well it is freelance so why worry I kind of like the idea of the AT&SF Warbonnet colors running through the Valley of Fire so what the heck.

Its impossible for me living in Oz to build a prototypical layout when the area I love to model is thousands of miles away so thanks to Goggle Images I can get some ideas on what places should look like, thank goodness for modern technology.
 
Yes indeed, Google and Bing satellite images are great. I did the same thing as you, I started my layout just to get some trains running. Then I thought, well I want some ideas for the prototype. I got some really good ideas for my yard by using satellite images.

btw, we have an area near Denver, CO where I live called Red Rocks that is stunning scenery to say the least.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/26550668
 
It is a good idea to run trains on a layout for a few weeks without scenery. That way if you discover that you don't care for the way a particular section of track is laid, or you want to add or redo a yard, you don't have to tear up scenery to do so. Some people jump right in and build scenery before they have thoroughly tested the track layout, and then they wind up doing it twice.
So enjoy your layout for a while. Make sure it's what you want. THEN add scenery, and don't forget to post pictures!
 


Motley said:
Yes indeed, Google and Bing satellite images are great. I did the same thing as you, I started my layout just to get some trains running. Then I thought, well I want some ideas for the prototype. I got some really good ideas for my yard by using satellite images.

btw, we have an area near Denver, CO where I live called Red Rocks that is stunning scenery to say the least.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/26550668
Click to expand...

Hi there Michael, Red Rock looks like a great place, once again I Googled Images and found quite a few pictures of the area, I had originally wanted to build scenery similar to what is found in Colorado but it seems that it is such a popular place to model that I thought it may be nice to be different, had no idea Colorado had red rock type scenery.
 
flyboy2610 said:
It is a good idea to run trains on a layout for a few weeks without scenery. That way if you discover that you don't care for the way a particular section of track is laid, or you want to add or redo a yard, you don't have to tear up scenery to do so. Some people jump right in and build scenery before they have thoroughly tested the track layout, and then they wind up doing it twice.
So enjoy your layout for a while. Make sure it's what you want. THEN add scenery, and don't forget to post pictures!
Click to expand...

I agree 100% as I made many alterations to my track plan before I considered the scenery, no matter what the most important thing about any layout is trouble free running of trains, once that is achieved the rest just falls into place, will post pictures and create a website in the near future.
 
QUOTE: "It is a good idea to run trains on a layout for a few weeks without scenery."


Really true. And preferably without ballast too. So if you find a chronic spot or two with derails it'll be easier to change.

Plus, if you use your imagination and run trains and switch yards in your planned industries you will probably discover some operationally illlogical parts of your track scheme. I sure did.

I model the 1955 era and Google Earth has lots of street views of small US towns that haven't changed very much (boy, are they lucky!). It's great for finding older homes and town businesses to model. Even lots of older feed mills and bulk oil dealers are still there.

From street views you an get a good idea of local tree types, dirt and rock coloration.
 
Thanks for your suggestion re street views Charlie and yes it would be nice to live somewhere that had not been changed.

Switched my location for my new layout from the "Valley of Fire" Nevada to the "Garden of the Gods" Colorado so thank to Motley and others.
 
I was at 'The Garden of the Gods' as a kid in the 1960s and I was very impressed with it. Amazing rock formations and colors. I was in Durango a couple of years ago and the thing that impressed me most was how much the environment can change in a small area. I saw Southwestern Desert and Alpine forests and most everything in between. It wouldn't be far fetched to model radically different areas on a layout of Colorado. Being from Illinios, I'm used to driving for days and seeing nothing but flat land and corn!
 
Ah that sounds cool. I went to Garden of the Gods when I was a kid. There is definitely some very nice looking rock formations there.
 
When I research my freelance Slate Creek Industrial ISL(Industrial Switching Layout ) I used Google and Bing satellite images for ideas on a modern industrial branch..I really love the "street view" since that gives you a opportunity to look around on the "ground".

I also agree its a excellent idea to run trains-including any planned operation to ensure all will work as planned.
 


No doubt about it that Google Earth and Images can be a great help to model railroaders, I have downloaded many pictures of the Garden of the Gods area which will be ideal to get the feel of the place, no doubt about it the USA is a beautiful country with many unique areas that certainly makes modeling interesting.
 
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