What to use for road surface?

[mpzpw3]

I am doing a major renovation in my town, and could use some advice. I have "raised" my entire town with 1/8" masonite, except where the roads will be. Hopefully this will enable me to build curbs. I have been experimenting with Woodland Scenics Smooth It for roadways, and it seems to work okay, but am having a hard time painting it to look like real roads. I am also using a lot of lemax street lights and traffic signals, so I need to be able to bury the wiring in the roadway. I don't know whether to stick with the Smooth It, or go to a pre-fabricated road, such as those from Scenic Express. Any "street" advice you could give me would sure be appreciated! Also, does anyone have any experience with the Bachman On-3 trolleys? They look like they would make an interesting addition to my streets without taking up a lot of space. I have given up on O-gauge trolleys, as they are either to big, requiring large turns (read O-27), or way to expensinve. Can they be run back and forth such as Lionel or Industrial Rail trolleys by using bumpers? Again, any info. you can give me sure would help!

[pbjwilson]

Roadway I don't know about. The Bachmann trolley uses a reversing track. It's a special 9" section of track that changes the polarity.

[mpzpw3]

pbjwilson, can this track section be purchased seperately? My local train store only has the trolley for sale ( I believe under the Spectrum name), not with track.

[Anonymous]

i remember in an article about using black sandpaper for roads. to paint the lines make a stensil on some cardboard and spray paint them on the ''road''[^]

[Anonymous]

I had some roofing paper left over from a porch project. I like the texture of it and after painting it various shades of gray, the edges of the center line can cut into it with a knife. The scribed lines help guide the brush when painting.

Click photo to enlarge

[Roger Bielen]

I used 1/8" masonite painted gray with oil and other stains dry brushed on. For the lines I used pinstripe tape. When done I spayed all with Dulecoat.

[Anonymous]

CHEAPEST and easiest CUSTOM asphalt or concrete roads.

I use cardboard. Yes cheap cardboard. It is easy to paint, cut and make very realistic... To use with masonite you need to cut out the areas where the roads will go(clean up the fuzzy edges), and using that as a stencil place over the sheet of cardboard and cut out the roads to fit;

use the masonite as the sidewalks and curbs paint those areas where the side alks will go using concrete color spray paint; score the sidewalks .

STEP 1.

layout your city on the on the masonite. Cut out the areas where the roads will go(clean up the fuzzy edges), and using that as a stencil place over the sheet of cardboard and cut out the roads to fit; place the cardboard beneath the masontie and using it as a guide draw roadway on the cardboard.

2. Approximate where you will have WHITE crosswalks and stop lines

3. Obtain WHITE line spray paint; this paint can be used with the sprayer nozzel upside down
and paint on the cardboard where the lines will be; Also spray WHITE on both sides of the road and of course in an X where the railroad crossing would be.

4. MASK the street lines and letters. Using Charting and Graphic Art Tape like Formaline(R) 3/32 or 1/16 inch create the Road edge lines placing over the WHITE paint on the road edges; Use an X-acto Knife to cut and form the X-crossing "STOP", road arrows(like I said it does take some planning ahead) and cross walk and stop lines. Look outside on your street to get an idea of the thicknesses of real lines to know how to form your lines. Create curved lines at curves it is easily done because the formaline line is flexible. Press hard with the line tape to seal te white. Where possible wrap the lines under the cardboard too.

5. using a straight edge mark the centerlines on the dried yellow paint of your road but offset the center by 1/8"

6. Obtain and spray YELLOW line paint down the center of the roads; don't worry about overspray on the WHITE paint or lines you formed;

7 using the Formaline but 1/8 inch wide (double yellow lines are hard to peal off later, instead I use one line that is thicker) form the yellow lines; If you want to have interrupted or dashed lines as the centerline then mark evenly spaced places and cut the yellow line and remove where you want the road to show.

Also if you have parking spaces places lines on an angle too over yellow paint or white paint as sometimes parking spaces are marked both ways. Mark off handicap or no parking areas with on the yellow paint with slanted stripes.

8. Now it is time to form the asphalt or concrete road; Using Krylon Fabulous Finishes; Black granite (8201) spray over the entire road white paint, yellow paint, the Formaline lines too with this fleck paint; I sometime add a bit more black (using black spray paint) for asphalt or more gray paint, or concrete-color paint for concrete; also add a small small small breath of spray paint in both Gold and silver over the initial coating. This creates an interesting reflective quality to your roadway. Note the texture created by the Krylon that matches the real road.

9. Let air dry to a light tack; then using the xacto carefully peal and cut out the lines. ALL of them.

10. you know have a beautiful custom roadway that you can cut to shape and Elmer's glue down on your layout. under the masonite;



Alan


I'll post pictures later.

[Anonymous]

I just started looking at the Smooth-it and other materials.

Can you use the Smooth-it by itself of are you supposed to paint over the top of it with either the concrete or pavement options they offer?

[pbjwilson]

mpzp.
The track section I am talking about is Bachmann E-Z track. It comes in a blister pack. and I think you get two sections so you can put one section at both ends of your trolley line. You can check it out on-line at hobbycircle.com. Just go to track - bachmann-H.O.

[EMDSD40]

TRY A SQUARE OF ASPHALT ROOFING SHINGLES. I USE IT ON BOTH MY HO AND O SCALE LAYOUTS EASY TO CUT, PAINT LINES AND HAS A NATURAL CURVE IF YOU ARE USING ROADBED. COMES IN MANY SHADES AND TEXTURES. WILL HANDLE ANY KIND OF PAINT. FOR SIDEWALKS TRY SELF STICK VINYL TILE CUT TO SIZE AND IT CAN BE PAINTED TO YOUR LIKING ALSO

[cnw1995]

I was just looking at a roofing shingle - thinking about using it - my son and I are also thinking of using his plastic road track. It just clicks together, and has center lines, curbs, and man-hole covers already in it.

[eZAK]

For what it's worth I use black sand blasting crystals, available at home centers, for black top roads. Simple put it were you want it then spray it with glue/water mix.

[FJ and G]

I've used drywall compound. What is esp. good about it is that it often cracks, leaving prototypical "frost damage" to your road.

For dirt roads, I simply use dried clay spread over latex.

For shoulder of country roads, I use small grained gravel.


Dave Vergun

[Frank in Steam]

I've used expanded cell sheet PVC (Sintra is abrand name), available at plastic distributors. It is usually available in black in 3mm and 6mm, which when lightly dusted with any gray primer 'looks the look'. It is also available in 1mm white, but when you paint it, you lose the slight texture that makes it so good for roads.

[Craignor]

Folks,

I use 3M grip tape for roads.

You can find it at most hardware stores, its self adhesive, looks good, and is easy![8D]

[4kitties]

I've been using mat board for years. It's inexpensive (around $5-6 a sheet) when bought at an artists' supply store rather than from a framing store. I buy 30x40" sheets. They cut easily with a hobby knife, take paint well, and it's easy to put a crown in them by placing 1/8" stripwood or similar sized wire underneath.

[FJ and G]

Here's another method that's kinda cool. Lay down some latex paint or glue, then sprinkle with sand. Then coat with a layer of black enamel paint once it's dry and vacuumed.

You will end up with perfect asphalt; and it even feels like asphalt; in fact, that's sort of what asphalt actually consists of.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mpzpw3

I am doing a major renovation in my town, and could use some advice. I have "raised" my entire town with 1/8" masonite, except where the roads will be. Hopefully this will enable me to build curbs. I have been experimenting with Woodland Scenics Smooth It for roadways, and it seems to work okay, but am having a hard time painting it to look like real roads. I am also using a lot of lemax street lights and traffic signals, so I need to be able to bury the wiring in the roadway. I don't know whether to stick with the Smooth It, or go to a pre-fabricated road, such as those from Scenic Express. Any "street" advice you could give me would sure be appreciated! Also, does anyone have any experience with the Bachman On-3 trolleys? They look like they would make an interesting addition to my streets without taking up a lot of space. I have given up on O-gauge trolleys, as they are either to big, requiring large turns (read O-27), or way to expensinve. Can they be run back and forth such as Lionel or Industrial Rail trolleys by using bumpers? Again, any info. you can give me sure would help!

[Anonymous]

I did the same thing when I built my town. I laid down 1/8" poster board under my town buildings. Then I used pre-made roadways for the streets and parking lots. I then bought 1/4" square balsa wood for the curbs. Before gluing them down, I sprayed them with gray stucco paint that you can buy at Home Depot or Lowe's. The stucco paint makes them look rough and "curb-like". The balsa wood is easy to cut and glue in place.

Hopes this helps. If there is a way to send you some pictures, I can show you better than trying to describe it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by mpzpw3

I am doing a major renovation in my town, and could use some advice. I have "raised" my entire town with 1/8" masonite, except where the roads will be. Hopefully this will enable me to build curbs. I have been experimenting with Woodland Scenics Smooth It for roadways, and it seems to work okay, but am having a hard time painting it to look like real roads. I am also using a lot of lemax street lights and traffic signals, so I need to be able to bury the wiring in the roadway. I don't know whether to stick with the Smooth It, or go to a pre-fabricated road, such as those from Scenic Express. Any "street" advice you could give me would sure be appreciated! Also, does anyone have any experience with the Bachman On-3 trolleys? They look like they would make an interesting addition to my streets without taking up a lot of space. I have given up on O-gauge trolleys, as they are either to big, requiring large turns (read O-27), or way to expensinve. Can they be run back and forth such as Lionel or Industrial Rail trolleys by using bumpers? Again, any info. you can give me sure would help!

[mpzpw3]

Thanks for all your responses! Wish I could have gotten back here sooner, but it seems I have to go to work. I need to figure out a way around that. The woodland scenic smooth it does require paint, and the paint they recommend for it does not look right. Being fairly stupid, I laid my masonite down, before measuring for pre-made road systems, so they probably won't fit unmodified. I am looking for a more cement color than asphalt color. Main Street will be cement, while outlying roads will be a mix of cement and asphalt. I think I am going to practice with a few of your ideas and see which one works best. Thanks for the help, guys!

[Buckeye Riveter]

mpzpw3

With all due respect I offer to you that you will not be building a "cement" road or street. You will be building a "concrete" road or street. (Of course, in 10 years your concrete road will be so deteriorated that you will spend a Million Dollars to repave it over with asphalt., but that would be realistic[;)].)

BTW, make sure you add the construction joints to your roadway and some pavement markings. Not only will the curbs be needed in town, but also the storm drains in the curbs will be needed. A nice touch is to build a scene with your concrete road busted up and the paving crew repaving it. CAT now makes some great die cast construction equipment, including a paver.

I built my road by taking a small can of black paint. Dumping some fine ballast into the paint. Shaking real good, I then paved the road with my paint brush. After it was somewhat dry, I sprinkled on some excess ballast to make it look like the road was not brand new. I also created some skid marks and potholes. For concrete roadways, some fine random cracks would be appropriate and can be made with a fine felt tip pen.

Have fun building your road. I've been working on them for 35 years [:D]

[Anonymous]

I use spackle. As someone else mentioned, it can crack which makes it look more realistic. It can also be picked at to make potholes. Painting it is easy. I use Testor's Military Modeler Flat Black Enamel or Testor's Rubber, also an enamel. The rubber color only comes in those small bottles of our childhood.

Here is the trick - weathering. You cna use various chalks and pastels. Being a smoker (it does come in handy!), I rub cigarette ashes into the painted surface after it is dry. It gives it an ashy (!!!) worn look.

Frank from Allied Hobbies

[Anonymous]

Bacmann made two different trollies. One of the first pieces of On3 that Bachmann produced was a trolley with white roadbed/track and transformer, and two bupers. It was made for Dept. 56 and their Christmas village line. That trolley has a built in reversing unit activated by the trolley bumper hitting a stationary, track bumper. It was some time before Bachmann issued the trolley under their own label (the dept. 56 trolley has very little indication that it is from Bachmann). The trolley is "O" scale and looks much better than the O trollies. Bacmann trolley (under their own label), for some strange reason, does not have the automatic reversing unit. It is packaged with track, transformer, bumpers, reversing track unit, and a trolley barn. I bought my Dept. 56 issue a long time ago and it is not available from what I understand. Itest ran it and it seems fine but have never used it for any period of time. I don't know why Bachmann made their own issue so different in operation.

Frank from Allied Hobbies