I'm considering making an Ntrak scene that will encompass several modules. The scene will have an extensive forest similiar to eastern mountains like the Appalachians. I need a easy way to make the forest. Individual trees are out as the forest area will be about 40 sq. feet. I thought of using polyfibre or polyfil with ground foam for leaves but not sure if this would withstand the rigors that Ntrak modules go through in transport and set up/tear down. Any ideas would be welcome.
A few years back in MR, the HO Columbia Division of the B&O was featured and I remember the guys who built this layout use foam board hills with tooth picks stuck in it. They then put a layer of either Lycen (however it's spelled) or polly fill with ground foam. Looked pretty convincing in the photos and I think this would work well in our scale, N. ------------------ RAILROADING-TO-THE-MAX, Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Style! Brent Tidaback, Member #234
I have an idea that might work. You know those egg-crate contoured yellowish foam mattress pads, well how about randomly cutting the bumps to different heights, slather latex paint, then different shades of coarse ground foam. Also get some spanish moss and grind up a little of that to sprinkle in the valleys of those bumps. You could put a few senics express type trees or even finer lichens in front to hide the transitions. ------------------ Robert Ray The NP & UP N-Scale Railroad
check mine out,(see layout below) I used Woodland Scenics Foliage Clusters...(the big ones you pull apart) I learned this method from my first Model Rairoader Magz. (Dec.'96) you take a golf ball sized (or smaller) clump and pull and streach it till fluffier, I hot glued it to the layout, lightly sprinkled some ground foam on for variance... I covered allot of ground with 2-3 pkgs. ------------------ espee2 Home: www.tunnel13.com layout: SP's Newberg Branch in N scale [This message has been edited by espee2 (edited 08 June 2000).]
I covered a whole mountain on an N Scale module using the poly-fiber ball method detailed by Dave Frary in MR mag. You buy a bag or two of Woodland Scenics poly-fiber and pinch off a clump. Then pull and stretch the clump until it is real thin. Then roll it in your hands to form a loose ball. Then emerse the ball into thinned glue mixture and roll it in ground foam (your choice of color). Place the balls on a sheet of wax paper to dry. Once dry, attach them to your mountain with a dab of white glue. After you cover the mountain, it won't look too realistic until you go back and glue in clumps of ground foam in between the balls. My module is in storage now, but I used it for three years setting up at various shows and the forest held up good. ------------------ Mike Drzycimski Arlington, TX The Southview Lines www.crosswinds.net/~mdrzycimski
Boy, those foliage clusters sure look good Espee2, but those semaphores are what really catch my eye! They sure look nice, I'm gonna need about 20, OK? I was looking through some old N-Scale magazines and seen the poly fiber scenery from Scott Seekins photos. I retract my mattress pad idea in favor of poly fiber and foliage cluster balls. ------------------ Robert Ray The NP & UP N-Scale Railroad
If you use poly fibre clusters for the bulk of the forest/woods, but put some 'specimen' trees at the front, this gives a good look to the whole thing. ------------------ Alan The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.ac-models.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery Alan's European Gallery Alan's British Steam Gallery
