Operation: Mountain Side

[Andrew Falconer]

The hillside appears to be bursting forward, 

You need signs like:

LOOK OUT FOR FALLING ROCKS

Andrew

[cnw1995]

Great idea. Now it's not going anywhere. Looking forward to its coloring and vegetation.

[highrailjon]

 Yep you're pretty much on the mark. At least 60 pounds. Here's how I attached it to the wall:

I took an Exacto knife and carefully cut out a styrofoam brick from the retaining wall about every 16 inches-lining it up with the studs of my train room wall. Then I screwed in these 5 inch long deck screws and reinserted the styrofoam bricks!

[cnw1995]

Wow, so the frame must've been very robust. How heavy was the whole thing - about 50-60 lbs?

[highrailjon]

 Doug, the masonite backed wooden frame is essential!!!! Without it your holding nothing more then construction paper and 40 pounds of plaster spread out ten feet!!!!!!!

[cnw1995]

Wow, so it's ten feet long. I would have a hard time getting that into the basement I think. I'll bet the backing you describe gives it linear strength - or I would be worried about it snapping as it was carried.

[johnandjulie13]

Jon:

Very impressive!  Thank you for sharing.  You do great work.

Regards,

John 

[Brutus]

This looks great and also neat solution!  Thanks for sharing. man. 

[ChiefEagles]

Wow, pretty F3's too.  Thanks for the tip on the video.  Need it for my desert prairie RR.

[highrailjon]

Martye, The easiest way to explain the process I used was the method explained in the Black Diamond Railroad video. Especially for someone like me who has never tried this! I liked being able to go back and review the proper steps of application, plus he lists all the materials need and where to get them. It was worth the 20.00 investment!! If anyone is interested in it check it out here:

 www.toytrainsontracks.com

[MartyE]

Jon

Sweet.  Please along with the photos can you post a small blurbs as to what you did?  I take it this is the beginning of the new layout?

[highrailjon]

 Thanks, Guys!! I'll post pic's as I go. The wife wasn't to thrilled when she was elected to help carry the "wall" into the train room, but after bribing her with the promise of those pearl earrings she had been wanting- she smiled the whole way to the train room!

[Jumijo]

Awesome stuff, Jon. I'll bet it's a lot easier working on it flat like that. Keep posting photos of your progress!

Jim 

[Buckeye Riveter]

Jon...Looks good.  Keep posting the photos. 

[jonadel]

Excellent results, thanks for sharing. We've also used hydrocal for mountains, fairly easy to work with but big time messy. I really like the retaining wall, great contrast.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Great job, Jon.

That really looks good. Congratulations.

Chuck

[gwg50]

I agree with Doug, Outstanding job.

[highrailjon]

 Doug, Exactly! The backing is a frame comprised of 1 upright 2X4 with a 2 foot high 1/4" masonite attached for support. Its 10 feet long and after I'm finished spraying it with matt glue, and adding grass, I'll carry it to the train room and attach it to the wall. I could'nt imagine attempting this in the layout as its quite messy as well as reaching across the layout to tackle it.

[cnw1995]

Outstanding, Jon. I like the retaining wall at the bottom - then again, I liked the paper-bag paper you had before. So you seemed to make it as a 'flat' and just installed it against the studs on the wall?

[highrailjon]

 Here's my first attempt at creating a mountain side backdrop with hydrocal: