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Austin 'S' Adventures in Austin Texas - Page 1 - Click for page 2     or    Layout Diagram
John Oglesby (on right) was my host in Austin and among other adventures, brought me over to see Tom Potthast's S-Scale layout.
The layout takes up one bedroom in Tom's apartment. 

  It hugs all four walls and has a bridge at the door.
Tom's comments: My large park-like trees are sagebrush.  Some as tall as 12".  Green polyfiber material from Woodland Scenics was teased
into a three dimensional ball shape and applied to the armatures.  The key is to make the polyfiber as thin, wispy and 3D as possible.   Next AMSI
ground foam was applied.  Jungle green was used on most as the basic color.  However, lighter shades where often used as highlights suggesting the direction of morning sun.  A basic uniform color avoided a mottled look while adding a slight, pleasing variety.  Tall trees are effective on such a small layout because trees acts as a view block.  They break up the layout into vignettes keeping the viewer's attention on one scene.

The room size is 10'x15'.  The track plan is a simple around the walls affair with a fixed duckunder.  Track height is 57".  I realize that it is
only a loop.  I had never intended to live in this apartment this long.  However,  circumstances are suggesting I might be here a couple of more years.  Since the layout is a series of modular vignettes based on photographs and track diagrams,  it can easily be moved or reconfigured.