Slicing off Corners . . . Would you do it??

No. Just put some accessory or scenery there. Good spot for that.

Agree with CJack. Fill it with scenery to make it look less square. It always looks better when the trains run through the scenery, rather than around it. 

I have one corner lopped off at a 45 degree angle on my little home layout, but that is mainly for clearance to make it easier to walk around the end.  My small display layout that I take to the local train show also has the two front corners trimmed the same way, and for the same reason... to make it easier for myself and spectators to walk around the layout.  However, the back corners are still in place, and come in handy for places to display stuff.  However, both layouts were originally built with the angled corners, I did not do it after the fact.

I'd place something there, as has been pointed out.  Otherwise, if I were to lop off the corners, I'd probably follow the curvature of the track and give it an Art Deco sort of look.  

Do the front corners of the second level.

I lopped off a corner for clearance so I wouldn't hit it all the time but the others have a little bit of scenery. I would leave those corners alone-put a few trees, figures, or a building or something on them.

Corner's are great for coffee cups and small tool boxes.

My current layout has both, square and angled (rounded) corners, with the square corners against the walls and angled corners where the corner is in an open area.  As you have filled up the entire wall, my suggestion would be to also be to leave the layout as is. 

Jim

Thank you all for the feedback.  I will leave the corners intact and "round" them with scenery.  

I decided not to use straight edges anywhere which almost eliminated straight right of ways:

If you  study prototype RR track you will see much straight or tangent track in use. I read and was told by an NS MOW man that the PRR ran tangent track and used some pretty sharp curves. I have seen it standing near the  line while photographing trains. I see the magazine article reviews and the layouts seem to have too much curved track to be prototypical.  Curves cause friction and wear.

I have lot of straight edges on my layout, but no square corners anywhere.

I suggest that you curve the corners where doing so will improve access, or improve viewing angles, allowing you to get closer to the trains.   I am doing this with my layout built on 2" thick 4' X 8' foam sheets, which are supported by tables.   This works easily for this purpose, but other construction techniques will not be as convenient, but as others have pointed out, you do lose the corner space for small accessories and such.  

I also built a layout with Boy Scouts where we chopped the corners, removing a triangle.  Again, improved access, and was a good idea for the small portable layout involved, making it easier to move and hold.   The boys covered the foam edges with black duct tape, with imperfect results.

It is nice to be able to move around the layout more easily, and to get to the sides, extend reach in some cases, and etc.

Each situation is different, and each person's preferences will vary.

I prefer curves.

Rounding corners does help in preventing injuries.  When folks run into it, at least there isn't an edge.  It looks neater as well.  UNLESS, you have an actual need or use for it...I know this is off subject but angle your bench work corners that are under your layout so when you smash your head into it you won't get cut.

We're in the process of curving our corners. Looks more natural. After this pair, we have one more to do when we replace the harbor bench work. For corners against a wall, beveled corners provides a small access port if desired, or without bevels can be disguised by mountains, buildings, etc.

Absolutely. It was almost a requirement with the 0120/0128/0138 curves on the far end of the attic.

In the hollar of the mountians the right of way follows the elevation lines of topography, hence sweeping curves along the water way.  In the flat lands string straight is the most efficient way to run a railroad.  Extreme wide radius cosmetic curves simply add running interest.

My outer corners are round on my layout.  I needed the room to walk around it, and to keep kids from running into sharp corners.  So the edge is a constant distance from the track.

Curves are sexy but in this case I feel you would be better served by installing some scenery to soften the look on the lower level.  On the upper level you definitely want to cut the corners back a bit and roll your scenery into that. 

Blending the upper level in with scenery to make a smooth rise in the horizon is the easy out. Cutting the upper level to break the squared edges , and or creating scenery to justify them (brick/stone walls) would go along way toward a "natural" look too.

At 19' breaking textures along the length of the "retaining wall / tunnel ; brick here, placed stone there, some natural rock occurance & vegition to boot would give more allusion of distance.

A backdrop alone might even break things up enough to settle you down.

I don't  see a huge visual advantage to rounding the lower level near walls on a smaller layout. Start on top and see how you feel then IMO.

No because Corners allow you to add some of the smaller accessories and fill it up

Like so many things in this hobby-blanket rules or statements don't alway work. All corners are not equal. I kept two but cut one for a corner cupboard clearance and another so I could make my layout  bigger but  have room to get past it.

I have cut down 2 corners because of needing to walk past them because I have a somewhat limited area in my train room. Other wise I would try to install some scenery or make a dead-end track with a switch near the corner and use a curve or two for the dead end.

Lee Fritz