What am i getting into.


My diy ground foam is dry and turned out pretty good. I still need to make more shades so i can blend it but overall I'm quite pleased with it.
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Thanks, yeah it's amazing how one little thing changes it. We start with a blank sheet of foam and little by little it transforms into something pretty cool. Then you have the people in this hobby that just make true masterpieces.
 
Today I did a little mock-up of a campfire using an arduino and an addressable led. I wrote a quick code for it but it definitely needs tweaked. I have an idea that will use 3 micro addressable leds. I also decided to continue with my update videos but will be moving them to the video category on this forum as well as a separate Playlist on my YouTube channel. I'll continue to post my written progress on this thread.
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Quick update while I wait for plaster to dry. It was pretty straight forward but I was still nervous. I made the plaster a little runny to help with getting into the crevasses. Drying time is a little longer and the Temps here in pa are dropping at night so that's not helping. I overlooked a future problem with my track over the river. When I layed the track my foam wasn't completely level and when I place the foam on a flat surface I get a buckle where my bridge will be going. I'll need to wait till my frame is done and foam mounted before I do the bridges. I show it in my video which I'll keep posting them on this thread. Earlier I said about a new thread for them but I don't really see a category for layout updates. So I'll just keep them here. Once the plaster dries I'll sand it and post the update video.
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I haven't done anything these past two days on account of starting physical therapy and they beat the heck out of me, lol. I received my ballast today and also received the station. Now it wasn't the original station that I was planning for but I picked it up for 1/2 price.

Since it's not the planned station I have a little bit of adjusting to do with my road. I'm also trying to figure out how to place the station up against the track. One thing I was considering was to use a 1/8" foam board to bring the station up to track height then just taper the board edges onto the base like I did with the cement plant area. What do you all think about that idea?

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Thats how i did it when i put mine in. In some ways i wish i had that station back but its ok. It was bigger than i needed anyway.
 
This morning I added some trackbed under the switches to help support them and I plan on painting the solenoid plate gray to match the ballast. My intention is to try and blend them in as much as possible. I'll put ballast around it as well. Temporarily placed ground foam in key areas of my ballast mess and I think with some static tuffs I could pull off my mishap🤣. Also started my road crossings. I just used 1/8 foam board sanded to a taper and the center will be filled with plaster just like the cement area.
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Topherisme said:
Looking good…. Quick question about roads since your latest post talks about it. The only layout I did 20 years ago I used drywall mud for the roads, good or bad idea?
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Not sure. I thought about drywall mud as well but decided to go with plaster of paris. My only concern with the drywall mud is that it shrinks and is quite soft. The plaster is pretty hard and dries quickly. I installed and finished drywall for a few yrs as a job and preferably like the plaster.
 
A basket full of goodness (Tall goldenrod). I remember picking these with my father when I was young to turn then into trees. Probably should wait a few more weeks to harvest.

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Definitely wrong colors but it works.
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