I need a Little Help

[zachery02]

Hello everybody got a few questions hope someone can help me out? I have just finshed my Bench Work on my HO scale Model Train. I have a 8x8 Table that my model is going on I have the track layout that i want but i need to build a mountian scene on one side of my table. But i am not sure about how to do this step. I scene somewhere that if you take strips of cardboard and weeve them together like a basket and then put paper masha on top of the cardboard, that this was an easy and enexpencive way to achieve a scene like this, but i am curious as how to do this because i am not sure any help would be greatly needed thanks.

Zach

 

[jbaakko]

Thats a way. You can also crumple up paper, or use a piece of chicken wire, staple it to it and add the covering.

You can use Paper Mache, plaster over newspaper, or even buy a roll or two of the plaster cloth from Woodland Scenics. There's another product too, but I cannot seem to remember it, its cloth that has the plaster like material embedded in it.

 

[Trucula]

A great item I use is styrofoam sheets. Cut or break into shapes you want and stack and glue togeather...sand or shape with a autobody "cheese grader"...then plaster cloth and add rock forms or plaster and shape/cut rocks. Another nice and easy rock face is brokened ceiling tiles and stacked and glued togeather and stained with Woodland Scenics and looks great..I will post a couple shots if I can find mine

 

[grove den]

Zach : Very important point is ,if there are tracks layed "in this mountain" I prefer the method you wrote by yourself. Especialy when this mountain is built on a the edge of the layout( other words: against the backdrop) If there is an acces on the backside of your layout it is easy( Murphy's law!!) to reach when a train derails or is stucked=(( Covering that frame can be done as Josh wrote, may be parts of styrofoam, modelled like rocks or....just try it( Josh's and Trucula's methods) out and discover to yourself what is the "best"
Most of all, if there a is track going through the mountain be shure you can have acces to the trains...
May be you cuold make a replaceble part just above the track, or only at critical points: than you could use Trucula's way of building "mountains"
It is like the whole mrr : It is a matter of "taste" or what kind of skills you have, or built up in the future....That is so great about MRR , I think

Jos

 

[Trucula]

Very good point grove den! I forgot to mention that! Yes our club layout has one large mountain thats accessable from underneath, its built with board shaped mountains and fits togeather egg carton style with notches,then covered with screen and plaster cloth...one problem with this is trees can't be added as easy as with styrofoam, they can be hot glued on or cover it with ground foam. Another good idea is add rerailers in some tunnels to help with minor derailments...It can correct a train before a disaster happen...But like grove den said..keep in mind if you have to get to the track for repairs or retrieve a train! An access hole from underneath,a removable back, or a hidden lift out panel works well too.

 

[Trucula]

Here's a couple shots.
1 is our large mountain (unfinished,this is screen and plaster cloth and just painted)accessed thru bottom, inside track loop
2 is ceiling tile at the start( left side is screen and paper towels soaked in plaster center is the tile, and right side is styrofoam wall.
3 is it at stage two with rock face stained and foam covered with paper toweled plaster just to get ready for 1st show. rock face will be added later with ground foam.

 

[zachery02]

Thank You

Thank You all for your feedback it was great i am glad that you guys could help me. Trucula Thanks for the info them are some great ideas and thank you for the pictures that helps alot gives me more of an idea of what i need to do thank you.
Zach

 

[grove den]

Zach Your welcome and wish you lots off succes!!
Jos