The Scenic Model Railroad: Creativity at Its Best Part I

One of the greatest joys of model railroading isto have some kind of format that creates a skeleton
creating a scenic display that represents nature as itsfor other materials to be added to form a realistic
own creative art work somewhere in the World.Themountain, etc.The material used to cover your
variables that one encounters are endless in theskeletal frame may very depending on usage.1.
imagination of what he or she wants a layout to lookPortland cements contoured onto the surface of the
like around the track work which includes bridges,projected mountain with a paper or cloth medium
buildings, mills, coal mines, etc. You may duplicatethat will allow the adherence of the cement.2. The
some scene from nature or you may decide toaforementioned material may be covered over
create a scenic landscape that is all your own.WhatStyrofoam and let to dry.Once this process is
are the various products available to build a scenicaccomplished you need to seal and contour your
landscape for your railroad? There are several meansmountains or what ever scene you are creating.3.
in which you can build such a scene.The easiest wayYou may hand plaster the mountain using different
to build a scenic railroad is to build an open framesize putty knives.4. With Hydracal, you must work
layout which gives you height and contour so youfast or make up small batches as it will get hard very
have pre-made elevations to work with. Your choicefast.5. Coating of chicken wire will take some kind of
of size or area to develop a layout is based on thesemi-porous medium that will soak up plaster such as
area that you have to work with. You may evenpaper towels or the like.6. Use Hydracal or Portland
build your layout on a sheet of plywood or the like. Icements with cover materials that will not allow the
wouldn't recommend it because you will getmaterial to drip through the chicken wire.7. With any
frustrated after a while and want to have somethingof these methods, you may use vermiculite as a
a bit more realistic for your layout.Before beginningrock looking cover while the choice of media is still
the scenic part of the layout, you must plan out yourwet.8. Small pebbles or rough sand will also act as a
trackage. The main routes, yards, single and duelgood covering simulating open ground slides or
trackage, by passes, along with station points andpatches of rocks.My choice of materials that best
possibly a roundhouse. The best procedure is to buildsuits my needs seems the quickest and cheapest
all the trackage first, with your elevations, tunnelway to create what ever scene desired. I use
portal locations, bridge locations and yourmaterial that I mentioned before. The cardboard
predetermined ruling grade.Once this is accomplishedstrips and the Woodland Scenics plaster cloth.
you may begin to build mountains, hills, streams,Included with this product is a product called
canyons, gorges where bridges would go, rivers andSculptamold which comes in a semi-powder form with
other unique characteristics that will provide scenicfine shredded paper like paper Mache. You add water
beauty through the layout.to it until it has a semi-loose consistence. Using a
The tools required are putty knives, water, Hot Gunputty knife you mold the Sculptamold onto the dry
for gluing, scissors, plastic bucket or large plasticplaster cloth completely covering the surface.
bowel, wood stirring device like used for paint,Different shapes and contours can be produced that
possibly an electric stapler, masking tape and paperlook like most rock formations found. You can work
towels.The types of products available are numerous.with the Sculptamold while wet to create a ridge,
Much of it is general household material that youcanyon walls, over hangs, etc. Do not over do it
would normally through away. For example, cut upwhen making up the Sculptamold for it will harden on
cardboard strips one inch wide from boxes to whatyou within about a half an hour. The temperature of
ever length you need. If the card board isn't quietthe room has an effect on the water evaporation
long enough splice together a strip using a Hot Gluerate. Just work in away that will cover the surface in
Gun. The card board is the means to build a generala timely manner. Don't get into a hurry.In the Part II
frame of mountain or mountain ranges, small hills,article we will discuss the painting of the mountains
track sidings, etc.You may want to use chicken wireand other formations, addition of various grasses,
and bend it to your liking and staple the edges to theplants, shrubs and trees along with artificial water.
appropriate mounting points to create what youLearn to build culverts for the water to flow; addition
want. You will still need some type of supportingof real rocks and other materials including bridges,
material to hold the chicken wire in place such astunnels and walls to create realistic scenes.Joy Ball
heavy card board or prices of wood. I don'thas been involved in the restoration and maintenance
recommend it for it is expensive, heavy and difficultof a variety of Brass Model Locomotives. Through
to handle.The other form of contour making is to useher years of expertise, Mrs. Ball has perfected the
Styrofoam. It can be cut/shaved to the height andart of train restoration often spending countless
depth you want. Once the basic mountain is formedhours preserving vintage Brass Locomotives to
it can be covered with different kinds of media torunning condition of even the newest Brass Model
create a mountain of your choice.Basically you haveReplicas.