ground cover options

[RJasonB]

Greetings all. I am interested in ground cover methods you all have used. I had looked at purchasing WS products, but quickly realized this to be costly considering the size of my layout. I have plenty of dirt free and readily available in my back yard. I considered applying said dirt in a matter similar to ballasting, but then I remembered as a kid collecting metal from dirt using a magnet. Seemed like a good way to ruin a locomotive. Ideas? Thanks!

 

[Motley]

Yes dirt is free, and I use a lot of it on my scenery.

Just run a strong magnet through it, and also get a flower sifter, to get all the big chunks/rocks out.

Then to glue it, just use a mix of elmers white glue, and water. 50/50 mix ratio.

 

[Motley]

This is my coal mine scene, used lots of dirt here....

 

[railfan]

Nice coal mine!


I ate dirt when I was younger....so.....I have a layout inside me.

Mike

 

[Selector]

This is real garden soil filtered through a discarded pair of pantyhose. I mixed it with some plaster of Paris to add stiffener, and rolled it flat with a small glass jar. Then I sprayed it with yellow glue diluted with water and some liquid dish detergent added. It was one part glue to about six to eight parts water.

 

[joed2323]

Wow selector.. great looking scene you have

 

[waltr]

Here is a link to a build article that uses dirt and other found materials that you may find useful.
http://www.railwayeng.com/Newloop/index.htm

 

[railfan]

The flat grey and weathering on the steam locomotive and tender in the above picture is a thing of beauty.

Mike

 

[Selector]

Thanks, fellas. The locomotive has since been returned to the person who did the weathering as it had a bad hitch in it, so I have another at this point. Not my own work.

The black patch you see to the left of the radiual track in the middle of the photo, on the ground beside the rails, is a shallow dip painted with black acrylic paint to help seal it. I then poured in some epoxy to simulate oily water.

 

[Railrunner130]

Nice touch. I really like the ground cover job you did there.