Art, that truely is impressive ... and from just carving foam. I like the fact that you are using the verticle space to add a lot of dimension to the layout.
Seeing this makes me wish I was doing the same, but then, I am modeling central Texas around Austin ... and it is only rolling hills ... so I do not get the same vertical impression.
Your layout is looking super.
Regards,
Tom
I can recall my own use of foam on my other layout. I must say I had a lot of fun cutting and shaping it and gluing it into place. I hope it is the same for you. It sure looks to be spectacular once it's all done up nice and purdy, Art.
-Crandell
Art
That is so cool! There is just so many ways to use foam.
I also use it a lot in my other hobby, radio control sailplanes, build wings etc from it.
TheK4Kid
Loather. I bought one piece of foam for $22.00 to get started. I got all the rest from construction sites and one mess beside a freeway where it looked like a truck lost part of a load and never picked it up. If I had to buy it, I suppose $200 - $400. I have found foam at 7 different construction sites. Three large ones I did not even stop at for I had enough for this job.
The reference to Devils tower is not lost, The geology is the same. Most modelers model sedimatary rock like in the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert. The Superstitions and Devil's Tower are a strange form of volcanic mountain where there was no mountain built up, just an upthrust of lava under ground. The mountains were revealed when erosion striped away the surrounding soil.
Part of the fun for me is trying to simulate the geological processes with a knife. That is one of the reason I like foam, it responds to the knife forces in a similar way that rock does in nature, though a little faster.
Art -Looks like you saw those lights in the sky last night too. Brings back memories of Close Encounters.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I have had time to stack a lot more foam lately. One of the construction sites saved me about 25 pieces of 2 inch foam, 8 feet by 4 inches. It turns out to be useful here. The mountain is inspired by the Superstions from the area of Goldfields and the park. I walked up to the Flatiron once and that is featured. The mines are in the area of the Massacre site. The falls will be between the tracks.
To model a large structure, I try to get some inner details that remind me of a walk and the overall impression from a good view point. One view of the Superstitions I like is from the top of Cat Peak in Usery Park. Even Northlandz can't get the scale right, but the impression is possible.
For the most part I am still stacking foam, but some of the errosion has sarted on the main scene. It takes a lot of knife strokes to simulate all the hoodoos near the top. The tracks will in in some dramatic blasted gullies. The process also makes a great mess.
My wife is having a party in a week so I have a bout 5 days and then I have to pick up. I have no idea whan the mountains will be done. The Kanyon took 6 months.