Running water

Superdave Aug 8, 2000

  1. Superdave

    Superdave E-Mail Bounces

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    Does anyone know if its possible to make real water run, with a bilige pump and so forth to make the water real instead of fake or is this a bad idea?
     
  2. Maxwell Plant

    Maxwell Plant TrainBoard Member

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    I've seen it done in HO and it was an OK [​IMG] effect, but I think it would not look right at all in N. [​IMG]

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    BNSF RAILFAN-TO-THE-MAX!
    Brent Tidaback, Member #234 and a N-Scaler to boot!
     
  3. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    You can do it with just a little more work than an epoxy based water, but if you do, it's best to design it so that all the water is off the layout when you turn off the pump. If it drains into a bucket instead of sitting on a "pond" on your layout, you won't have algee, and lime scale to worry about.

    Most poeple who try real water, end up just using epoxy resin or similar on their next effort, but it's fun to try! (I use Envirotex lite resin)

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    Robert Ray
    The NP & UP N-Scale Railroad
     
  4. porkypine52

    porkypine52 TrainBoard Member

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    You can use real water if you want to, but it can be a huge pain in the tail to do so. If you want real water, check out your local pet shop for info on backyard ponds. They use a small water pump system. But I wouldn't try real water, I would use something else, casting resin, matte-medium, Woodland Scenics water beads or whatever. Check around, look at some of the scenery books from KALMBACH PUBLISHING, the people who print MODEL RAILOROADER MAGAZINE. They have some good ideas in their books.

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    Let's Go Run Trains
    MARK
     
  5. Gats

    Gats TrainBoard Member

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    Dave, you will be pushing the proverbial uphill with your nose getting running water to look real in N. You have physics working against you.
    About the smallest scale that still has water looking realistic is 4:1 - 1/4 scale - like they use in film scenes, and that is with the addition of various 'wetting' agents. I would assume expensive special effects stuff.

    There was a thread in the N Scale Egroups list about this about 6 weeks back. The general view there was it wouldn't be convincing.

    Another point is visitors... when they see that water running, they will be too. [​IMG]

    Gary.

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    Gary A. Rose
    The Unofficial TC&W page
    N to the Nth degree!
     

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