Does anyone share my view of not needing scenery?


Personally I love the cork over plywood phase and just love to run trains.
I love the feel and smell of it.
My layouts do get scenery but there's always one section that never gets that far.
I've never had anyone complain about anything, they know better!
 
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Bruette said:
I originaly believed trains and tracks was all I wanted, it's still about all I have, not counting stuff in unopened boxes.
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It took me years and years and 6 layouts before I really tried any scenery, and 4 more before I really did what one would call a fully sceniced module. I didn't realize it was so easy.
 
I can see going either way. David Barrow of Cat Mountain and Santa Fe fame built a shelf (more-or-less) switcher that had extremely minimal scenery - his emphasis was on operations and scenery was a low-priority "distraction". Since I model flatlands RRs, any scenery I do is on the minimal side anyway.

One thing I hate to do is ballast, so most of my layouts have been unballasted, but I'm still experimenting with things like crushed coral aquarium sand, so that might change.
 
Bruette said:
...

To each his own, have fun with your toy trains, I know I do!

Keep High Balling, Be Safe & Have Fun!

Louis
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(OFF TOPIC) Hey, Louis--good to see you here... I was just thinking the other day that it's been a while since we heard from you...
 
Mister bill right now today my layout is benchwork foam and a few buildings and small screwdrivers lying next to bad track joints i need to fix nothing painted. no trees will put some on later i plan to will it be a show room layout that makes people swoon not a chance they want to know why the why that's my layout as is your layout is yours what you want is all the why needed
 
Bill, as all the others have said, it's your layout.... Right now mine is like yours, no scenery. Reasons, 1. The third level is incomplete, and until its finished, why would I want to scenic an area that may get damaged installing things like wiring, etc. 2. Even after the trackwork construction phases are finished, I will operate on the layout to find bugs, problems with the track and so on. Its a lot easier to fix things like this when there is no scenery in the way. I believe to operate every scenario laid out for my operations this may take a year or more 3. I'm really in no hurry, plus I have about 52 structures to be built and placed in their locations and as they are built as they get placed scenery will start. I want to start on my top level and work down. There is nothing more frustrating than having to re-scenic an area because some plaster has fallen on an already sceniced place from an area above.
 
Beachbum said:
I can see going either way. David Barrow of Cat Mountain and Santa Fe fame built a shelf (more-or-less) switcher that had extremely minimal scenery - his emphasis was on operations and scenery was a low-priority "distraction". Since I model flatlands RRs, any scenery I do is on the minimal side anyway.

One thing I hate to do is ballast, so most of my layouts have been unballasted, but I'm still experimenting with things like crushed coral aquarium sand, so that might change.
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Ballast has been the undoing of my last three layouts. I don't know what I'm doing that causes this, but once I ballast a perfectly fine running stretch of track, things "happen". I do think a base earth color on the plywood, foam or whatever makes the layout look better, even without scenery, but that's just the way I see it.
Dave Barrow's layouts are very workable, and look good without going overboard.
 
Maybe I should add that currently I'm using GREEN extruded foam for my layout base - close enough to grass that no paint is needed.

(Just kidding - the foam is green, but I'll eventually slop on a more realistic color.)
 
Beachbum said:
Maybe I should add that currently I'm using GREEN extruded foam for my layout base - close enough to grass that no paint is needed.
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Lucky you. Pink and blue foam just do not have the same effect :rolleyes:. By using Green foam, you are upholding the fine Hi-rail tradition of painting the train board "Ping-pong Table Green' :eek:.

Joe
 
I've never gotten a layout to the point of ballasting the track. Usually do get some ground foam down. "This time it will be different."
 
I had no scenery on my first layout just painted the table green and used black paint and small roller for roads it turned pretty good.
 
Miller219 said:
I had no scenery on my first layout just painted the table green and used black paint and small roller for roads it turned pretty good.
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Perfect, minimalist scenery with all the basics.

otiscnj said:
I've never gotten a layout to the point of ballasting the track. Usually do get some ground foam down. "This time it will be different."
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Every time I attempt to ballast track, the perfectly fine running track takes on a new menacing form, and nothing stays on the track. I'm talking a little bit of N scale sized cinders sprinkled on an HO track, nothing fancy.

Ever notice a railroad ROW? Dirty looking dirt, drab earth colors, only the rail heads shine. Even the vegetation looks ragged and dirty. That's what I've been trying to capture, with really minimal success. That's hard to do. Next time, I'm going to start with a Krylon rattle can, say flat olive green, and start with that. Then after it's dry, a shot of muddy brow, and a few splots of sandy. I'll wait until the roadbed is down, but before the track is placed. And see how that looks?

Joe :rolleyes:
 
Joe,

Laying ballast without it effecting the running of your trains isn't as hard as it might seem, BUT it is time consuming and something that cannot be rushed.

The easiest way to do it is to spread a line of ballast down the center, between the rails, doing about 1' at a time. Use a soft brush, at least 1 1/2" in width, and "gently and lightly" brush the ballast down between the rails. Spread it thin even if that means having to go back over it later.

Use a smaller artists brush to brush along the "inside" of the rails. Again, do this gently. Once you have it spread apply a small amount of water/glue mix down the middle of the rails in between the rails. You can use an eye dropper for that. To ensure a good glue spread, you can put down a line of 91% alcohol first, before the glue/water mix.

Let that dry for a little while then use a "SMALL" piece of something to remove any ballast that may have been pushed up against the inside of rails by the glue and alcohol.

The LAST thing you want to do is put the glue/water mix down BEFORE you spread the ballast.
 
Lightly spray (trigger pump spray) the ballast once dry laid with water that has a few drops of liquid dishwashing liquid added (breaks surface tension, helps to spread) to wet it, then use the glue/water, also with a few drops of washing liquid added.
 
Joe,

I wonder if the ballast is shrinking or otherwise distorting when the glue mixture dries, pulling the track along with it? This is one of the reasons I've been somewhat hesitant to start ballasting my own track. There must be some way to do it right though, without affecting the rails...?

[This would make an excellent topic for a new thread.]
 
CSX_road_slug said:
Joe,

I wonder if the ballast is shrinking or otherwise distorting when the glue mixture dries, pulling the track along with it? This is one of the reasons I've been somewhat hesitant to start ballasting my own track. There must be some way to do it right though, without affecting the rails...?

[This would make an excellent topic for a new thread.]
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I would think the water may be warping the plywood benchwork.
 
CSX_road_slug said:
Joe,

I wonder if the ballast is shrinking or otherwise distorting when the glue mixture dries, pulling the track along with it? This is one of the reasons I've been somewhat hesitant to start ballasting my own track. There must be some way to do it right though, without affecting the rails...?

[This would make an excellent topic for a new thread.]
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I don't really know how much of a factor shrinkage is. On my layout, I was looking for two effects, one the cinder ballast on yard tracks, industrial sidings, and other secondary lines. and a cinder shoulder, with newer limestone ballast on the main lines.

The roadbed is standard "Midwest" cork on the mains. In the yard/terminal and industrial areas, a thinner 3/16" cork was used. The track was secured to the roadbed by use of standard Atlas track nails, using the perforations in the ties. Track was either code 83 or Code 70 flex and all switches are commercial, mostly #6 frogs. My cork roadbed was glued to the foam track bed using the usual commercial scenic adhesives, nothing exotic. The ballast was applied in a thin layer from the center and brushed outward with a artist brush with soft bristles. on which I dripped alcohol, then sprayed Woodland scenic cement. Nothing special, ties visible.

My take is that before ballasting, the track would flow up and down as trains passed over it, after ballasting, the track became rigid. On sections that I ballasted, but did not glue yet the rigidity does not exist. (Just don't use the vacuum on the unglued part) :rolleyes:. I'm beginning to think that for optimal performance, scenery gets in the way.

Joe
 
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DairyStateDad said:
(OFF TOPIC) Hey, Louis--good to see you here... I was just thinking the other day that it's been a while since we heard from you...
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Hi DSD,

Summer is busy with little league, 2 Grandsons with no school and yard work.

Good thing I don't have to make time for naps, I just sit still and they happen.
 
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