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i fit into the "old fart" group, but i have been active since i was a "young stud". i find the best system for me is a combination of hard shell and foam. lately i have been using foam as a base and then applying hard shell detail such as rock surfaces cast in rubber molds and applied before the hard shell is fully set. of course i cheat just a little, i live in the west with mountains very close and i make my own rubber molds using latex rubber with a mesh reinforcing. <br />just a word of caution. hard shell can be messy, but so is foam if you try to cut it with a saw. you will never get all the foam residue (high static foam sawdust) totally removed from your layout. purchase a hot knife, or make your own and use it exclusively to cut foam. <br />i also use hard shell when filling in under bridges and other similar structures on the layout. i use cardboard formers with a nylon mesh over it, then apply the hard shell. i use the same technique when closing the scenery in around tunnel portals. trying to cut the foam to shape and then fitting it into an existing scenery base has not always worked well for me. i have damaged scenery already in place and that has created some real heartache. using insulation foam in cans for the same type areas has not been successful for me either. the expansion of the foam can be excessive and create additional work, mess, disillusionment, even frustration. i find both systems work for given applications. take your pick, find what works for you in each situation, and go for it. .
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