HarryHotspur wrote: The expandable foam over chicken wire sounds like a great idea. You could sculp the Rockies and have a cabin or two here and there. A real water stream flowing over and down the rocks would seem a natural for this environment. Plus you wouldn't have to worry about the usual things that cause problems: causing too much humidity. (Heck, you've got the entire world's atmoshere to absorb the water molecules.)Then of course if it rains often enough to suit your operations, the sytem is automatic. Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose. If it snows a little, you will have an absolutely fabulous natural Scene of the Rockies. If it doesn't snow where you are located, perhaps you could rent on of those snow making guns. Might be overkill. I'm not sure about the astroturf seems like you'd have a perfectly manicured summer lawn in the middle of the winter. I'd go with rugged painted and sculpedted mountains, with some trees and bushes of a brownish-gray cole.Just for what it's worth. Sure sounds like fun.
The expandable foam over chicken wire sounds like a great idea. You could sculp the Rockies and have a cabin or two here and there. A real water stream flowing over and down the rocks would seem a natural for this environment. Plus you wouldn't have to worry about the usual things that cause problems: causing too much humidity. (Heck, you've got the entire world's atmoshere to absorb the water molecules.)
Then of course if it rains often enough to suit your operations, the sytem is automatic. Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose. If it snows a little, you will have an absolutely fabulous natural Scene of the Rockies. If it doesn't snow where you are located, perhaps you could rent on of those snow making guns. Might be overkill.
I'm not sure about the astroturf seems like you'd have a perfectly manicured summer lawn in the middle of the winter. I'd go with rugged painted and sculpedted mountains, with some trees and bushes of a brownish-gray cole.
Just for what it's worth. Sure sounds like fun.
To similate running water- relatively low cost/simple setup would require a quick trip to the local hardware store. Place a plastic barrel (a clean trash can would work) under the down spout of your rain gutter. Place a $39.95 sump pump (be sure it has a ball float so it won't run dry) in the barrel and run a garden hose under the scenery to the head of the stream/creek/waterfall. This setup would recycle the water using the rain gutter and would be refilled when it rains.
PS- LOOKS GREAT!
Very impressive display. Thanks for sharing it with us!
Matt
hickstmj wrote:I love your ideas & your "if I can dream it, I can do it" attitude. Great pictures & thank you for sharing with us.
SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote:
SD456789 wrote:
HarryHotspur wrote:A large body of pure water will reflect the color that is cast upon it, which is usually the color of the sky. Often blue, but sometimes gray in the winter.
Or brown if you live in LA
San Dimas Southern slideshow
Midnight Railroader wrote: HarryHotspur wrote: Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose. Just make sure you dye the water blue, because water is blue. Right, harry?
HarryHotspur wrote: Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose.
Otherwise it would be easy to supplement the water flow with a garden hose.
Actually, pure water has a very slight blue color, but it is so slight water appears to be clear unless it is very deep. A large body of pure water will reflect the color that is cast upon it, which is usually the color of the sky. Often blue, but sometimes gray in the winter.
- Harry
SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote:[/IMG]
SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote:[/IMG]
SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote: SD456789 wrote:
Great pictures! Now I understand what you're working with; somehow I misunderstood the shape and pitch of the roof. I guess a picture is worth a thousand words.
Well done. George
SD456789 wrote:I took 9 pictures of the SD45 going around the track on top of the roof. I now have them in photobucket but have not yet discovered how to get them into this site. I will start on this again tomorrow. Thanks for your help.
Hi again, and congratulations on building a dream! Sounds like something a magazine should be interested in; I know that I'd love to see some pictures. To post them, you need to go to a photo hosting site like "Photobucket" et al, and open a free account. It's relatively easy to do, and the site will guide you.
Have fun, George.
SD456789, I have seen a G train hanging from a high ceiling using what appeared to be some kind of metal mesh roadbed. The roadbed was about 8" wide and had sides maybe 2" high. Hard to describe, but the mesh was like the pattern of a chain link fence, except the metal was flat, not round like the links in a chain. It was hung from the ceiling by wires about 8 feet apart, so obviously it was sturdy.
I realize you'd need some type of bracket instead of wires for support, but it's just an idea I had. Can't remember where I saw it, but there were customers walking beneath the train so obviously the store had confidence in the setup.
Just for what it's worth.
rickster.ca wrote:I'm confused,( I think a 3% grade is about 3' in 100' I could be wrong ), in scale that's do able, in real life you would require 300' of track, to raise 9' I really am not sure if my calculations are right, as I'm not sure of % grade, but you either require a real deep yard, or a trick to bend 2" x 6" lumber into accurate curves or heaven forbid a helix, you might want to consider plywood, any way it sounds like a great project, good luck I wish I could put my road ,I am just starting, in the roof of my garage, but it's too expensive a project.
The way I interpret his message, the increase in elevation will only be 3 1/2 feet, so that would be about 150 feet of track. Maybe out to the curb and back would do it.