It has been a while since I posted so I thought ya'll might like to see some pics from my layout. This is the first layout I have done and am probably not using orthodox materials and procedures, but so far it seems to have worked out . The plan is essentially a cantilevered shelf around a square 16x16' room. I am trying to model (HO) West Texas around Paisano Pass. Subroadbed is 1/2"OSB. Roadbed is 1/2" extruded foam insulation board. Polyurethane foam filler (Great stuff, Home Depot) was used to glue the track to the roadbed and the roadbed to the OSB. Ballast is size-graded kitty litter, painted with grey latex. I use grey concrete caulk on the profiled roadbed and press the kittylitter directly into the caulk. I made the big mountains by laying plaster-soaked bedsheet pieces over hardware cloth (wire). (This allowed me to run hidden storage track underneath). Smaller hills were made with stacked 2" insulation foam shaped with a steak knife. Colored plaster was then applied directly over the foam. One wall of the four is now completed. Bryant see more at http://www.railimages.com/gallery/Bryant-Mansfield [ 28. August 2004, 04:17: Message edited by: Bryant ]
Thanks for bringing your photos to the form. Great job!! Really like some of the scenes you have created and thanks for the help with your methods and techniques. You have a really nice looking railroad. Blaine
Some of your ideas for the scenery are unique. The layout looks great. Are you going to post more pix?
It's definitely a nice one. The camera perspective really makes it seem closer to real. And as a fan of the Fall, I like those tree colors. Boxcab e50
Thanks to all for the favorable comments. It really helps to give me incentive to continue on. It is nice to have the support. To ak-milkm : Yes, I bought materials that I thought might work and tested them. Some worked out and some did not. Of course, I had seen references to caulking compound to glue track down, but I found that the Great Stuff polyurethane foam is a much better all round cement even though it is not sold for that application. It is a wicked glue for laminating 2" extruded styrene insulation board together. Dries fast and doesn't let go. I did not mention it, but I found a foam-backed poster board at Office Depot that is perfect for low-profile roadbed. Cut it to profile with a box cutter and glue it down with polyfoam. After I lay the track, I run a bead of grey concrete caulk along each side and push the kitty litter ballast into the wet caulk up to the tie ends. I am still laying ballast between the rails the old-fashioned way with 50/50 white glue. One big help is that I have a set of sieves so that I can fractionate kittylitter into 4 different size fractions. I am using 20 mesh size as ballast. Thanks again for all your support. Bryant [ 29. August 2004, 23:41: Message edited by: Bryant ]
Bryant, what did you use for those grass tussocks in the photo above? Those are great! Kitty Litter....hmm... I can see my cat thinking the entire layout is his domain!
to disisme and all interested in GRASS (not the smoking kind) I have two shades of 'field grass' from Woodland Scenics (~ $3.00). To plant, put a spot of white glue down, then pull out a section of grass from the package about 3/16 in diameter. While holding the ends together (thumb and forefinger) snip off square with sharp scissors and push into the glue. Then measure off about an inch and snip again, leaving the cut section planted in the glue. Then you will have remaining in hand enough material to repeat a couple more times before you have to get more from the package. it takes a little practice and my first attempts were a little wild (see pic). Most of the bushes and trees on the layout (not the diorama) are W.S. olive green fineleaf foliage. I try to retrieve as many tree candidates as possible, then use the rest as bushes. But tree candidates are variable. You never know what you are going to get. GRASS-- I am experimenting with plush felt from WALMART. It comes sort of straw color. I spray on 2 different colors here and there of Krylon spray latex green (Hobby Lobby). Then sprinkle on static flock. Looks pretty good. Flock stands straight up but you can move it around with a brush. I glue the whole thing down with white glue. I sprinkle on blended turf for bare spots here and there. Still experimenting. Try it and lets have some pics!
