Sequence of putting your scenery together?

[AllenB]

First layout here....I'm "guessing" it goes something like this...

1. Benchwork, roadbed, track.
2. Finish carving foam/laying down plaster/putting in rocks
3. Paint
4. Structures
5. Trees/brush/weeds (organic stuff)
6. Ballast track

I'm sure there are exceptions to the rule but that's my thought as I'm getting ready to dive into #2. Thoughts???

Allen

 

[UP2CSX]

Pretty much what I did. I ballasted the track before putting down the ground cover, since I've found it's more realistic to have the ground cover creeping up into the ballast, but that's just a matter of personal preference. You could, in most cases, also save the structures for last. Ground cover and ballasting is much less time consuming that building structures and helps give the layout a more finished look while you complete your structures.

 

[lmackattack]

this is how I do it.

Benchwork
Baceboard
Trackwork/roadbed
Wireing
Foam shaping/forming
Ballast track
Ground cover / basic Scenery
Trees/shrubs final touches

 

[Selector]

I agree largely with Imackattack. The general frame for the bench closest to any wall is done first, followed by the backdrop.

Next, roadbed if doing splines, or lay foam and form subroadbed grades. Follow templates or a graphic plan, and measure often!

Lay roadbed, and follow up with tracks.

Wire the tracks.

Prove the tracks (will your trains run forwards and backwards all through the entire track plan that they are meant to use?).

Cover the tracks with wide painter's tape/masking tape.

Rough out the terrain topography. Clean up.

Refine the terrain, including flat and level spots for structures, playing fields, argricultural areas...

Make your roads now. Be mindful of the footprints and orientation of any structures near the roads. Make the roads a realistic scale width.

Paint up and glue up all the terrain cover and ground foam bushes, etc.

Uncover the tracks.

Paint the ties varying shades of grey and brown. Wipe the rails immediately if you get any paint on the tops.

Ballast. Clean immediately any rail surfaces around which you have worked. Do this often or you'll have lots of crud on the tracks to wear away.

Weather the ballast and the rail sides.

Place structures and plant trees. Populate the urban areas.

Start runnin' trains.

 

[Beachbum]

On my current shelf layout, I painted the "benchwork" first, before anything else. I use pink foam, I dislike "pink prairies", AND I had a lot of cheap dark green paint. I also smeared random areas of dark brown into the green while it was still wet.

I then laid roadbed and track. Next I'll contour the foam, which will require some repainting, then add ground cover, etc.

With cork roadbed and the foam painted, I'm in no rush - it looks tolerable enough to me to leave it as is while I correct any trackwork problems, etc. And I hate to ballast so I might never ballast the thing...

(My cheap digital camera isn't great for close-ups but this was a good opportunity to play with attaching pics. And yes, I will route those feeders down through the foam...)

 

[Rico]

I just do what I do when I get tired of doing what I just did.
(?)
I get bored easily doing one thing all the time so I tend to mix it up. Maybe not the best way to go but i like the variety.
And yes it has bitten me in the butt a few times when I have to work around something that shouldn't have been done first, but you did ask for my sequence.