"Low relief" is the model railroading term used to describe a building with only the front (or the back) visible. Sometimes part of one or two sides can also be seen, but you can't see behind the structure. It is for this reason that low relief buildings are very often positioned at the edge (or near to the edge) of a scale rail layout.

When making your own model railroad, the first thing you must know about is scales. The size of your trains and the size of your buildings and structures will all be based around the same scale. So if you choose HO scale for example; you will need to run HO scale trains, include HO scale structures and HO scale track. Mixing HO scale with N would look strange and unreal.

 Once I chose the type of building I wanted. I printed them out and glue them to card board.
I then back them with 3mm MDF board, this gave me a 3D look. When placed next to building glued straight to the backing board. Some of them were pack out with another 3mm to give a street scape of alleys

The bridge was a little tricky as print to scale and having it fit in with both the width of the road and match existing building next to it.

Once all the building are fixed in place I replaced the backing board with the rail viaduct and fencing in front it all look just right!

 

Its all in the detail

Once the track went down. I started the track side detail.
First  thing was to looking out of the windows my local train service noting what was sitting on the sides of the tracks
Sleepers  old and new
Spare rails
Piles of dirt
Gravel etc, etc ,etc

Next was what would be found around the work sheds

44 gallon oil drums
Signals, warning signs
Workmen
Water pumps
Track sheds

Next was how was the area used

Loading trucks with a cranes,
Timber platforms laid across the tracks
Retaining walls loco sheds
Station platform
Storage yards
This was my first stage of tack side details