Layout Progress on Sweethome Alabama - Nov 10

Sweethome Alabama received its first exhibition invite last week (Tyneside Model Railway Show, November 2011). This has finally stirred me into action to make some progress on the layout, after spending the last few months either in 1930s Chicago (Sweethome Chicago) and 1940s Pennsylvania (Westmorland Junction)

A quick look at the layout told me that the west yard needed the most work doing to it, the East yard looking quite presentable as is, despite much of the scenery not being glued down.

My first task was to lift all the temporary scenery to avoid clutter, so I pulled up the trees and removed the bridges.






Also, I wasn't happy with the painted plaster finish to the inset track in the West yard, the finish being close to rail height and leaving little room for adding scatter, without it being knocked when cleaning the track. My solution was to take a small chisel and remove the top of the plaster to lower the level to just above the rail-ties, giving me the space to add fine ballast and scenic scatter.




I then painted the bare plaster to reveal any areas that required more treatment and provide a coloured base for the scenic covering.




Jon

 

While the paint was drying I prepared a mix of several colours of fine ballast to get a mid-brown shade. The ballast was applied with a spoon and spread around and away from the rail ties with my index finger. After laying, I touched up any missing mainline ballast with light grey 'medium' stone ballast.










The next task is to soak the newly-laid ballast with diluted carpenters' glue and allow to dry. This will darken the ballast slightly after which some ground scatter and grass tufts can be added.


Jon

 

With the snow lying outside, I decided I wasn't going anywhere tonight, so I decided to glue down the ballast in the West Yard.

The diluted carpenters (white) glue was applied with an eye-dropper after soaking the area with rubbing alcohol (I actually used Servisol, but it's pretty much the same stuff, except in a spray can)

When the glue was fully applied (the liquid is still visible through the ballast), I sprinkled on various colours and grades of ground cover, ending up with a 'forest floor' mix, to get a slightly overgrown appearance.

When the glue hass finally dried, I'll apply some grass tufts, bits of debris and maybe the odd puddle and tyre track.

Here are some photos showing the state of play tonight.

The stone loading dock




The Yard








Jon

 

It's already snowing in the UK!

 

Has been for nearly a week up here. Heartily sick of the stuff.

Jon

 

The glued ballast isn't as dry as I would have liked, so I weathered some car stops and loosely placed them in position. They will get rather more weedy quite soon.






Jon

 

I agree, your work is very good, was a pleasure to look at it.

 

I sprayed the ballast in the yard with track dirt to simulate older and muckier ballast than on the main line. It also helps to blend in the different colours inj the yard.

I also started adding some grassy areas, which will also be lightly sprayed to dull the colours










Jon

 

Something about that last shot is fabulous. I like all your photos, thankyou for sharing!

 

Sure is! It highlights Jon's track laying prowess and not mention his excellent ability to achieve a realistic representation of the ground cover usually found in and around railway tracks. Excellent stuff!