I am finally onto creating my city. It is around 1950. I am looking to add city streets. I thought, first, that I could paint streets. But that looks bad. So then I started looking at "streets for sale," such as Walthers, Busch (SceneMaster), and Easy Streets. Any ideas? Or, is there a good way to make my own that doesn't look like "paint on a board?" Thanks!!
I use a product called EVA foam for many of my paved street scenes:
Store_Office by Edmund, on Flickr
Rexall_closer by Edmund, on Flickr
I either use black which I overspray with grey primer or grey that I overspray with flat black. There is a tan color that can represent concrete but I haven't used much of that as most of my streets are asphalt paving. I get either 1 or 2 mm thickness.
This is EVA foam that I made to look like it has been patched and the cracks tarred.
Chem_pave-tar4 by Edmund, on Flickr
It is easy to work with and I use a spray contact cement adhesive to lay it down over a base of Genesis PVC panels to make a smooth sub-surface.
With fine art pens I add further cracks:
Asphalt_Crossing by Edmund, on Flickr
Rexall_nite-2 by Edmund, on Flickr
There are places where I've used the Walthers brick or concrete street pieces just for variety. Most older cities you'll see a variety of several paving methods.
Autos at the depot-Dodge by Edmund, on Flickr
Union Station by Edmund, on Flickr
IMG_3238_fix_web by Edmund, on Flickr
Good Luck, Ed
Ed, Really looks nice! What did you use for the sidewalks? Thanks!
After looking at Ed's photos, I shouldn't even bother to post my own, but I use 0.010" styrene sheet, painted gray and pin striped, to simulate streets in 1955 downtown Chicago.
Rich
Alton Junction
Wayne_PRREd, Really looks nice! What did you use for the sidewalks?
In most cases I used the Walthers sidewalks with their separate curb pieces. They also have aprons for driveways that are handy. Other places I used plain styrene, maybe .060-.080 with scribed lines for control joints. Then others are the sidewalks supplied in some of the Bachmann 'city' line of structures you see in my downtown scenes.
Thanks, Ed
Rich, your layout looks great! Don't put yourself down!
So, how do you paint your pin stripes? And, what do you use for your sidewalks?
Wayne_PRR Rich, your layout looks great! Don't put yourself down! So, how do you paint your pin stripes? And, what do you use for your sidewalks?
Wayne_PRR I am finally onto creating my city. It is around 1950. I am looking to add city streets. I thought, first, that I could paint streets. But that looks bad. So then I started looking at "streets for sale," such as Walthers, Busch (SceneMaster), and Easy Streets. Any ideas? Or, is there a good way to make my own that doesn't look like "paint on a board?" Thanks!!
I use styrene strips to frame the streets, then use a paving material for the streets. I've tried a number of different paving materials butd last year got good results using tile grout which give a much longer working time over plaster type materials. I can even create a slight crown in it. I then paint and weather it. The styrene strips are then used as a base to for the sidewalks. I've also tried using styrene for the streets but have been less satisfied with the results.
wow, impressed with how realistic the EVA foam looks! Besides its appearance, there's a critical function it could perform on my layout which is modular. The streets panels need to lay in, so the flexible foam could overhang the panel slightly to compress and avoid any gaps from my uneven craftsmanship