Best option for building river with bridge

[Chuck N]

Wow this is a great forum ..so active!

Many thanks for your replies guys - thats certainly put me on the right path..

and some really inspirational scenery making there - brilliant

best wishes Chuck

[MisterBeasley]

This very shallow stream was simply dug out of flat foam:

This was also dug out of the foam.  This shot shows the plaster cloth I put on after I cut into the foam, to give more of the texture I wanted.  At the same time as I dug down for the stream, I raised up the highway going over the bridge.  Of course, with a highway, I don't have to worry so much about how steep the grade is.

This was more of a planned body of water.  Here, the pink foam is the base level of the layout, where the subway trains run.  The next level up is supported by scrap pieces of 1x2 wood on their side and then built with 2-inch foam, for a total height of just under 3 inches above the base.  The foam wall here were covered with Bragdon rock castings:

After I had the walls in, I dug into the flat foam some more, and poured several layers of Envirotex Lite to finish Moose Bay:

 

[HHPATH56]

The following photo shows how I accomplished two problems.  I use heavy screen wire tacked to pllywood for modeling hills and ravines, especially where rough handling is a problem. The use of carved foam is good for "planting" trees. The rear of the saw mill complex required reachability, so I used a frontless kitchen drawer with wheels sliding on side metal runners, for removabilty of the entire complex.  Like Terry's gorgeous ravine with a painted fascia one paints the fascia with a mute color, (to make the distraction less obtrusive.  I suggest a wooden fascia, rather than a stacked foam fascia, (to prevent damage). Bob Hahn

[Chuck N]

Thanks Ham99 - sounds like a good idea too ..

So is use of foam quite high on American layouts ? Im actually in Australia , and have been looking at European and Australian forums as well - but sounds like foam is not used too much yet in Aust and Europe ....

best wishes Chuck

[Chuck N]

Thanks Terry . Looks great!

best wishes Chuck

[ham99]

I'm doing your #1 choice above.  I have 3/8" plywood covering most of the layout and building elevations out of foam.  However, I lowered the plywood in three sections by 3 inches so I could put the foam on top and cut out for a river, a log pond, and some low spots to break up the flatness.  I did the same thing on my last layout and was satisfied with the results.

[saronaterry]

The  frames on my layout are 1"x2"s covered with 31/2" of foam. In this shot, I cut out all the foam and added a plywood base, then drywall mud and paint. Poured the water with Envirotex Lite, 3 pours.

 

Need another coat of paint on the facia!

Terry

[Chuck N]

Hi There, Im new to modelling in this hobby ..
Ive started building the baseboards for a 'along walls' type layout consisting of sections of 1200 x 450 x12 mm ply top on 42 x 19 mm wood frames bolted together ..
IN the next section I'd like to have a river with bridge but would like to know the best option so I can build the baseboard section accordingly ..
THe options Ive thought of:
1.Sit the new section 50 mm lower and have 50 mm extruded high density foam sheet on top of ply so trackbed level , then cut away foam to form river.
2.Make new section identical to others, but cover all baseboards with that foam ..so can cut river and any other below track features.
3. Make new section with ply top same height as adjacent section but with twice as deep framework so can cut through ply and half framework to make river below ply top level..
4. make new section identiacl to adjacent one but have small 'plank' bolted below framework between the two sectins son that this new lower small joining section becomes the river base ..

Any ideas/ pros and cons , new suggestions please ?
Thanks

Chuck