Thoughts

[Motley]

I'm trying to figure out what to do with the sides of the raised tracks.

So I was trying to make it look like the tracks near my house.

Let me know if I'm heading in the right direction?

 

[RW&C]

Looks like you're getting it. Try mixing some of your grit material with earth-tone paint and laying that down as a base layer, that should help with getting things to stick to a near-vertical hill. Also make sure to put some masking tape on the tracks to protect them from stray scenery bits or you'll never get them clean.

 

[Motley]

Looks like you're getting it. Try mixing some of your grit material with earth-tone paint and laying that down as a base layer, that should help with getting things to stick to a near-vertical hill. Also make sure to put some masking tape on the tracks to protect them from stray scenery bits or you'll never get them clean.

OK, thanks I'll try that out then. Appreciate the feedback.

Michael

 

[Selector]

It's a little late, but I would have mixed plaster, or used sculptamold, and filled in the bank and shaped it to cover the (tape?) under the tracks. Then, once it had dried, I would probably slather a cheap sealant paint over it, and then paint it with straight glue and sprinkle the sand product you show at present.

Anyway, you seem to be headed in the right direction, and it should look very good. I would say you need some duller green, almost more brownish, tufts if the proto photo is the standard.

It will be nice to see this when you call 'er dun.

-Crandell

 

[Motley]

It's a little late, but I would have mixed plaster, or used sculptamold, and filled in the bank and shaped it to cover the (tape?) under the tracks. Then, once it had dried, I would probably slather a cheap sealant paint over it, and then paint it with straight glue and sprinkle the sand product you show at present.

Anyway, you seem to be headed in the right direction, and it should look very good. I would say you need some duller green, almost more brownish, tufts if the proto photo is the standard.

It will be nice to see this when you call 'er dun.

-Crandell

That's a really good idea actually. I only did this small section to see what it would look like.

I just laid down the ballast, didn't even glue it yet. Do you think I should try sculptomold? Or does this look ok?

Thanks Grandell for the great suggestions.

Michael

 

[Motley]

OK I just slapped on some of that WS foam putty that I already had. Don't have sculptomold right now.

I think it will look better this way for sure.

 

[UP2CSX]

Before you go any further, I'd do two things. The first is to remove as much of that white gunk (which I assume is latex caulk) from between the ties as possible. It's going to stand out and not make your ballast job look its best.

The second is to use and airbrush or rattle cans to weather the ties and rails before you do any more ballasting. It's easier to do without ballast in the way and the effect is much better if you are laying down what's supposed to be clean, light colored ballast.

 

[Motley]

I decided not to weather the rails, it's just too much for me right now.

This is what it looks like now with the slope formed like Crandell suggested.

Thanks for the help.

Michael

 

[UP2CSX]

Looks good except for those weeds still being a tad too tall. Really, weathering the track is not hard. Just spray it with some light brown paint or oxide primer. Put a little vaseline on the switch points first so the paint won't stick to them. Wipe off the top of the rail heads with a clean rag before the paint dries and you're done. Try it on one small section and see if you think it's worth the effort.