Building Mountains

[Anonymous]

So I have started scenicing another section of the layout.

This is an overview of the site:


I started building the mountain's cliff faces out of ceiling tile, and you can see on the upper portion (below the oil tank) I have the face coat of white glue and saw dust applied, the lower portion is just the placed ceiling tiles, this will get a coat or two of the face coat once I decide if I need to continue building the left side up.

This is a view of the right side of the upper mountain, this will be finished with plaster cloth to create a hillside, and road up to the oil tank, the back edge will be plaster cloth.


Closeup of the left side where I have to decide if I need additional ceiling tiles, I'm thinking 2 maybe 3 more rows will create a better transition, but I'll step those back some.


Closeup of the bridge to tunnel transition area, the mountain to the right will be done with cardboard and plastercloth since it is MASSIVE.


Original overview with a few cardboard strips in place


Closeup of the bridge to tunnel transition area with cardboard


A couple 'airial views'

[Demay]

Brent,

It looks like you are making great progress towards some awesome mountains.  Thanks for sharing the photos; I'm looking forward to seeing updates.

Joe

[Anonymous]

Joe,
Thank you for the comment. After posting the pictures last night I got to thinking that it may look better to build the right side of the mountain leading up to the tunnel out of ceiling tiles - kind of like they blasted the moutain away... if I did that I could also get the entire section sceniced before continuing on to the mountain itself.

Thoughts?

[jonadel]

Brent -- just saw your post and I'll have some "constructive" suggestions for you tomorrow.  Got home from a couple of days away and have some great/easy suggestions that will make the best mountains for you.  Stay tuned!

[wrmcclellan]

Brent,

First start with a molehill.....

Actually - looking good brother!

Sculptamold is also good for smoothing the fronts of the tiles and for blending the tiles into surrounding areas.

[dwiemer]

Brent, looking good so far.  Couple of thoughts.  The right side, instead of putting more ceiling tiles in place of the cardboard and plaster cloth, how about a retaining wall that goes up about six inches.  Then you could put the cardboard with plaster cloth and even some plaster rocks sticking out.  Then do a good sampling of vegetation.  You could also add a slope of plaster cloth on the left side above the ceiling tiles there.  Then spread some grass turf to break up the rocky ledge of the ceiling tiles.  I saw a really great layout photo spread by Norm Charbonneau in CTT some time ago, and TMBV did an episode of his layout in Lionel Nation.

[Anonymous]

Jon - looking forward to them!

Roy - I'm a bit far off from Scultamold stage.

Dennis - I was thinking that, but my concern would be that it wouldn't look natural. I could buildup the ceiling tiles, but not to the total height, then taper with plaster cloth... maybe building up 5 - 6 inches with the ceiling tiles? Kind of like the RR found a cut and decided to turn it into a tunnel lead?

The other side of the curved bridge is going to be more fun to figure out as the upper mountain is closer on the left and the mountain continues to the right above and below the portal... stay tuned for that section (after the main mountain behind the curved bridge is done.

[jonadel]

Brent -- I have to apologize about not getting back to you as promised.  I left this AM at 7:45 AM and just returned home.  Tomorrow I leave again at 10:00 AM and return late so it looks like Friday afternoon will be my best opportunity to share some suggestions as to what's worked best for us.  Key words -- Hydrocal and paper towels, they are the keys to great forms and results.  They are very forgiving and great fun to work with and they accept paint washes perfectly.

I really need to get some supper and sleep, I promise I will sit down Friday -- early afternoon and give you some ideas that worked wonderfully for us and will wow your guests.

[fifedog]

Hey B, your challenge is that you have such sheer vertical spaces that you need to "flesh in".  I think you should think to your old hometown of Pittsburgh for inspiration. I would do away with all of that fascia along the layout edge.

[fifedog]

Google Earth, 1100 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh. 

[Anonymous]

If I do away with the fascia and scenic the edges, it is going to make it incredibly tight along the long sides. The back side, where the nook is, has a little more room.

I'll have to give it some thought...

[fifedog]

Why not use a tall square building, like Penn Station, at that corner, to help mask the sheerness.  The bottom track could be below the station with a subterranian platform, the next level could enter the arched rotunda and fade underneath.  You could spend years populating and detailing this area alone.

[Anonymous]

You are thinking of the wrong end of the layout... this is the mountain side where I have the oil field, and coaling area above this tunnel, and the other side of the mountain is going to be where the coal mine is.

You are thinking of the area when you come in to the room where the yard is located. That mountain face has been addressed during the track reconfiguration. I have the first level to second level transition track coming out of the mountain about 1/2 way up, so I can now 'step' the mountain...

Me thinks someone needs to come for a visit...

[Frank53]

lionroar88

I got to thinking that it may look better to build the right side of the mountain leading up to the tunnel out of ceiling tiles - kind of like they blasted the moutain away... if I did that I could also get the entire section sceniced before continuing on to the mountain itself.

Thoughts?

I would do that. ceiling tiles offer a lot of flexibility. You may also consider putting a wall to the right of the track. I've used Scenic Express flexible "Pennsy Wall" for this.

This area below is very shear and this approach may be helpful in not making look like a straight vertical.

I have also broken up teh shear wall of ceiling tiles bu stepping back and then placing a strip of block wall a few layers high, and then starting back with the tiles. This also gives you as much of a "ledge" as you want for plantings.

 

[Frank53]

lionroar88

 

Looks really familiar

[fifedog]

Back up and take a few more overview pics so we can gauge a little better.

Howzabout a huge coal mine sticking right out of the hillside..?

 

 

[Anonymous]

53 - Yes it is pretty close to what you have there. I agree that the ceiling tiles offer flexibility, but they are too time consuming to use enmass. The mountain behind the curved arch bridge is almost 15 inches high, on the other side of the curved arch bridge it will be nearly 30 inches high. Creating a mountain that high out of ceiling tiles would take a long, long time.

Fife - can't do that in this area. Where you see the fascia is the edge of the layout, the wall is only 3 feet to the left of the fascia. I am standing to left, the camera is sitting on the track to the right of the arched bridge, in what will eventually be the valley between the mountain (I am building now) and the town. I can't back up any further because the town is there. I will see if I can get other angle shots. The coaling station is going to be on top of this mountain to the right of the oil field. The coal mine is going to be above that area and serviced by a short line...