Warner rails
Active Member
With a make-shift hot wire and the help of my wife pulsing the power we managed to rough cut the river.
What am i getting into.
- Thread starter Warner rails
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Warner rails
Active Member
Started painting the first tunnel. I'm happy with the shaping and design to jump ahead to see how this will turnout. The color is from behr, winter oak B3703. It was a sample container that I had and thought it would go great as a base. I have some imperfections in the foam but ground cover will eliminate that. I hope!
Warner rails
Active Member
I'm not sure. I had little fumes but still probably not good for you. I'm doing this in my 60'x20' shed that has exhaust fans for welding.
Warner rails
Active Member
Well I gotta say that I'm quite happy about this outcome. It's no where near some of these exquisite layouts but with some green ground foam, static grass, trees and bushes it should pass pretty good for my son.
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Warner rails
Active Member
Finished the base for the second tunnel and quarry. I can't wait to place foliage but I gotta truck on and get the shaping done with the rest of the layout and start laying track. One thing that I have noticed is that when I dry brush the highlights I get little fibers from the foam. Not sure what's causing that. Well.. done for the night.
Warner rails
Active Member
I really wasn't sure how I would tackle my tunnel ports. I thought about just buying some but that's just more items to add to my budget. I decided to go with a dyi approach using white foam board. I tried several mockups but ended up sticking to a basic concrete wall.
I started experimenting on trying to achieve a concrete texture on the foam board. I first took a short stiff brush and pressed it into the board leaving very fine dimples. I then used an acrylic color called buttermilk and lightly brushed the foam. Then I dry brushed downward strokes. Next, with that short stiff brush I took a hint of burnt almond color and mixed it into the buttermilk and very lightly dabbed the walls with it. Ending with a black wash. I'm not to sure how I feel about the top edges but the sides I'm happy with. I might take a hypodermic needle and pipe colored glue where the rock meets the concrete to stimulate a sealant/caulking. Overall I'm happy with the results and will do the other three the same.
I started experimenting on trying to achieve a concrete texture on the foam board. I first took a short stiff brush and pressed it into the board leaving very fine dimples. I then used an acrylic color called buttermilk and lightly brushed the foam. Then I dry brushed downward strokes. Next, with that short stiff brush I took a hint of burnt almond color and mixed it into the buttermilk and very lightly dabbed the walls with it. Ending with a black wash. I'm not to sure how I feel about the top edges but the sides I'm happy with. I might take a hypodermic needle and pipe colored glue where the rock meets the concrete to stimulate a sealant/caulking. Overall I'm happy with the results and will do the other three the same.
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Warner rails
Active Member
Added some elevated terrain this morning. I think that's all I'm going to add as far as foam. The rest of the molding will be with sculpta mold to get the very small rolling hills that I'm after also will use it for the river. Tonight I'll start laying the track bed.
Warner rails
Active Member
Built the bridges lastnight. I used what I had on hand to make them. The wood isn't to scale but it will work for this layout.
I also worked on the main part of the river. I used a diy sculptamold made from shredded toilet paper and plaster of Paris. Laying the trackbed was pretty straight forward and I decided to change the track plan a little. It should save me some money because I'll only have 2 turnouts instead of four. I'm moving the grain feed branch to the back. Check my first post for the original plan.
I also worked on the main part of the river. I used a diy sculptamold made from shredded toilet paper and plaster of Paris. Laying the trackbed was pretty straight forward and I decided to change the track plan a little. It should save me some money because I'll only have 2 turnouts instead of four. I'm moving the grain feed branch to the back. Check my first post for the original plan.
Warner rails
Active Member
Iron Horseman
Well-Known Member
That is good. I was worried about the "S" curve you had in the front right side.
Warner rails
Active Member
Thanks. Yeah I was looking at that when I laid the bed. It looked good on paper. I should get some cars and test it before I mold that area.
Warner rails
Active Member
I feel alot better with this change. Mapped out the roads and placement of buildings. The side spurs are not glued yet. Waiting on the turnouts.
Warner rails
Active Member
Did a little work on the cement plant area. I'm going to fill in the rail with plaster to achieve the inground rail. Also finished up the small hill area that will house a camp. Still waiting on my switches so I can start laying track and I've decided to scrap my bridges for the atlas single trusses. I just wasn't happy with how they turned out.
Warner rails
Active Member
Tonight I added a pond by the farm area and was happy with the outcome of the terrain. Stared my ground cover over majority of the area. All I used was dirt that I blended then used a nylon stretched over the jar. I think that I will grind up that first cover that I made and apply it the same way with nylon. It's just too course as is. I'll shake it sparsely over the lowspots and rocky areas before I lock it in.
Hi.
If not too late: In first pic where curve (spiral) comes out of tunnel at bottom at 10.5"r and transits to opposite curve of 12.5"r, can you change that and add a section of straight track (tangent) between them the length of your longest car ? Reason is, the S curve you have can cause derailments as couplers wind up going in farthest opposite directions, and when maxed out can lift cars off rails...
Perhaps replacing 12.5"r with another 10.5" will afford space for the tangent..
(If engine and cars are all short wheel base/slow running, disregard)
If not too late: In first pic where curve (spiral) comes out of tunnel at bottom at 10.5"r and transits to opposite curve of 12.5"r, can you change that and add a section of straight track (tangent) between them the length of your longest car ? Reason is, the S curve you have can cause derailments as couplers wind up going in farthest opposite directions, and when maxed out can lift cars off rails...
Perhaps replacing 12.5"r with another 10.5" will afford space for the tangent..
(If engine and cars are all short wheel base/slow running, disregard)
Warner rails
Active Member
Thank you for your advice. Unfortunately it's locked in. Fortunately I did change it to a 10.5 accidentally when I transferred the plans to the foam.Hi.
If not too late: In first pic where curve (spiral) comes out of tunnel at bottom at 10.5"r and transits to opposite curve of 12.5"r, can you change that and add a section of straight track (tangent) between them the length of your longest car ? Reason is, the S curve you have can cause derailments as couplers wind up going in farthest opposite directions, and when maxed out can lift cars off rails...
Perhaps replacing 12.5"r with another 10.5" will afford space for the tangent..
(If engine and cars are all short wheel base/slow running, disregard)
On a side note, I tell my son all the time when he places his toy tracks that his s-curves are going to cause derailments. Must run in the family...He will probably have 3-4 short cars and a short Loco on this layout. We will start a large n scale in the basement and will definitely be using your advice.
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Warner rails
Active Member
Warner rails
Active Member
Finished up half of the track tonight.
