ModelRailroadForums.com is a free
Model Railroad Discussion Forum and
photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.
Into June, and the work on Sweethome Alabama begins again, after a short hiatus while Sweethome Chicago was prepped for exhibiting a couple of weeks ago.
I chose the area just to the right of the silos for treatment, to continue the scenic progress along the back of the layout from left to right. So far, Silflor scenic matting has been glued to the hill base and loose leaves have been glued in place.
Jon
A few more photos of the ground cover
Now to add some bushes and trees
Jon
The variation of your ground covers, weeds, bushes and trees is amazing. It really looks nice and random in an orderly sort of way!
That looks seriously legit. If I didn't recognize the WS rock face I'd totally fall for it.
I added a few trees to the bare hillside tonight to give some height to the scene. Tomorrow I'll add some bushes, flowers and weeds
Jon
Jon,
As always, your work is very impressive.
Now all you need to do is take your trees, in an area, twist them until all the limbs are stripped or broken, any structures in that area should be de-constructed, down to the bare walls, and scatter the debris all around.
Then you can have the same areas of tornado damage, as we have here now.
I made a start on scenicing the slope in at the front of the layout today. Usual method of gluing grass mat to the base and adding some bushes
Jon
Wow, looks great, very realistic!
I thought for sure that second one was a prototype photo! Fantastic work!
Jon that really is looking real good. Now all ya gotta do is model enough Kudzu to cover it all up!
Around here the Kudzu will catch a slow moving freight!
Marvelous scenery! Can't wait to see more.
Rotor
PS... I'm waiting for the Kudzu to bloom here. I'm going to make Kudzu jelly this year.
That really does look very nice.
I have added a few more foreground trees to the west board before commencing scenic work on the Eastern end of the layout.
CSX GP38-2 switching cars in the west yard
Jon
The next big job on the layout was to separate the two main boards on the layout. The first task was to remove the lighting, the backscene and the small end board from the West Yard board, so I could 'jiggle' it loose from the East board
The joining bolts and wing-nuts were then slackened and the boards loosened apart. I had been careful not to lay the polystyrene blocks and plaster bandage across the board joints, so the two layout boards separated quite easily
Jon
Moving further eastwards, I have added the ground cover to the east yard and am just waiting for the diluted white glue to dry on the ballast, wood chippings and static grass, before starting on the hills with the Silflor grass
The hills de-nuded of the temporarily-added trees, enabling me to affix the ground cover and forest floor
Jon
I'm very impressed Jon, that does look stunningly brilliant mate.
How deep is that area?
Hard to tell where the backdrop starts, very nice Jon!
I agree, the depth is really nice, but I bet it's only about 10 inches, at the most. This is spectacular scenery!
I agree, the depth is really nice, but I bet it's only about 10 inches, at the most. This is spectacular scenery!
The overall depth of the layout is 21 inches from front to backscene. You get a good idea from this photo
Jon
Work on the scenics is progressing rapidly now, in fact too rapidly to upload any progress photos for nearly a week. The backscene has had the sky repainted, the silos have finally got a name, the main road bridge has had some work done on it and I've planted a load more trees.
Here are some photos
I've also been planting some new grass seed. Lets see how quick it grows in the Alabama sunshine.
Jon
Well, the grass seems to be growing quicker than 'Chia Pet' and possibly even kudzu. It has already covered the next hillside and more. The trees are following rapidly behind.
Here's the next set of photos
The trees are now on the other side of the road bridge
I have also been working on the highway guardrails
Now to make some more trees
Jon
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website
(Learn More Here)
