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I work in N-scale, and my approach is to start with a flat base much like your 4x6 table, then work upward. I use 1/2" foamcore as a roadbed material, since it is easily cut with a knife rather than with power tools (most modelers use plywood instead, but it requires much more carpentry, while the foamcore is lightweight and assembles with regular white glue). I elevate all of my track on this, so the lowest track height will be 1/2" above the table surface; everywhere else I place foamcore spacers cut to fit at regular intervals, to give me varibale track heights. <br /> <br />For scenery, I use expanding foam insulation ("Great Stuff" brand name), which comes in a spray can that has a long nozzle. You just point the nozzle where you want a hill to grow, squeeze some out, and sculpt with it. The stuff will cure, expanding as it does, into a rigid foam mass, which you can then shape with a simple kitchen knife. I get foam under all of the elevated track (you must weight down the foamcore with encyclopedias or whatever is convenient, to prevent it from bulging upward due to expansion) so that the end result is a solid foam base under the track. On top of the foam, I place a finish scenery coat of papier-mache & joint compound mixture; one could use just about any scenic plaster, but my mixture remains both flexible and lightweight. I developed this technique when I was building a small layout just under 4x6 which needed to be portable.
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