Here's an example of how the scenery crew on Tehachapi deals with variable scaling in each of the 3 dimensions.
1. A mockup of the scene at Rowen was created:

2. Topo maps were consulted to get the prototype contours and elevations.  The laminations in the partially competed scenery under the mockup only give a rough idea of these due to some of the foam being laid at an angle to the horizontal:

Last Saturday, I moved our old Coal / Wood Furnace out of the basement. After 3 hours of disassembly, shoving, sliding and lifting, three grown men and a come-along managed to get the firebox and ash bin loaded into a pickup truck. All three of us looked like we did a hard shift in a nearby deep mine. We estimated the firebox section to weight in excess of 400 pounds.The best part, though, is that there is plenty of room to run the layout through this location!

Hello,

I'm in the process of designing my main yard and I have two choices:

- put the main line next to the aisle and yard behind it

- put the main line behind the yard, next to the wall

Reading on the interwebs, some people say that putting a main line next to the aisle impedes operating the yard when trains are passing by due to a potential to knock them over.

I'm starting a new layout based on the 13.8 miles between Northfork, WV and Welch, WV on the NS's Pocahontas Division.  My primary interest is mainline running/train watching, but I've included the yard at Eckman and three coal loaders in case I feel switchey.