I am starting as my first layout a simple switching type with a grain elevator as the central feature. So this will be located on a fictional prairie. In reality, of course, it is to be located on some plywood.
It seems to me that there are few places in the real world that are perfectly flat, unless deliberately so constructed, and that just putting some "grass" and/or "dirt" on would look sort of lame. Any suggestions on now to break up the flatness of the plywood while still keeping the flatness associated with something located somewhere on the prairie?
Hi!
Your problem is not unique. What has worked for me in the past is to first lay out all the structures and roads, and then look at the "bare spots" and address them.
I've used wood scraps or whatever was handy (i.e. foam, wadded paper, etc.) and glued to the area, and then plastered over them. Sometimes I would secure a piece of screening (nylon hurts much less to handle) over the raised objects, and then plaster over that. Once done, some paint and ground cover and shrubs are added, and that bare flat area is no more.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
You can also use Sculptamold to build humps and bumps and other irregularities to get rid of the "table top flat" look.
Joe
You can also have some of the scenery drop below the track. Foam over plywood make this much easier to accomplish as compared to having to cut out plywood. To break up the flat of the scene, even if you add some slight contours, try adding a dry wash or gulch. MR just did article of small bridge over a dry desert wash, (July 2012).
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Try wadding up a couple of pieces of newspaper, then laying a full sheet over the top and wetting it thoroughly (this makes it lay flat). Cover with your choice of hardshell (flour/ water paste, Hydrocal, Sculptamold), let dry, and paint.
And congratulations, BTW, on avoiding one of the big missteps novices make!
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
wschartIt seems to me that there are few places in the real world that are perfectly flat, unless deliberately so constructed, and that just putting some "grass" and/or "dirt" on would look sort of lame. Any suggestions on now to break up the flatness of the plywood while still keeping the flatness associated with something located somewhere on the prairie?
For my childrens' farm/prairie modules I put a 1/4" sheet of extruded foam down. That tiny thickness of foam allowed just enough topological relief to cut some ditches and road elevations. I also sanded it to a very slight angle front to back.
But here are two shots taken in Kiowa Kansas. Look at the horizon in the background of the first. Then I panned with the train to the grain elevator. You can't see the horizon but other than the supporting structures to the elevator it looked the same.
Here is another taken in eastern Colorado. I call it Into Desolation one can see the tiny elevation variations, but in a small area a lot of that is simply due to the height of the weeds. The "tall" elevations way in the back ground are probably about 6 miles away. That could easily be just painted on the backdrop.
Here is some of the elevations around the grain elevator in Deertrail Colorado. As you can see it is not perfectly flat, but the biggest elevation change I would say is 3 feet due to the ditches and ballast around the railroad grading.
Most people think of relieving the faltness by building UP, really the more common answer in the prairie is building DOWN.
From looking at the pictures, assume the flat plane of the plain is datum. The railroad is set up on the ballast section. Everything else will be down. There will be ditches along the roads, small washes and creekbeds every so often (lined with cottonwood and willow trees). There might even be a spot where there is a railroad bridge over a highway.
Easiest way to model this is to cover the plywood with foam or homasote, then put the track up on roadbed, 1/4 in or so higher. Then cut down to theplywood for ditches and washes, cut all the way through the plywood for streams and rivers. The plywood will give you the flat prairie, but the ditches etc will provide a sense of depth.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Texas Zepher
Look carefully at the horizon. It is most certainly NOT flat. Nearly so, yes, but not perfectly so. The RR grade, being in the foreground, has its relief emphasized at the expense of the distant terrain.
Thanks everyone, a bunch of great ideas I wouldn't have thought of by myself. I think I will try the "building down" concept.
Hate to disagree with some above, the prairies REALLY are flat, and I mean flat, at least they are in Saskatchewan, just checked google maps on a rail line East of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, followed the railway roadbed southeast for about 12 miles and there was only between 1 and 3 feet difference in elevation, at one point you can see a grain elevator 14 miles east, river valleys are where most of the trees are found and these are not usually visible from a road, so it's flat. I worked on a topographic map in this area and in a distance of 14 miles there was only one contour line, so if you want your layout flat, make it FLAT. All your relief will be down in the river valleys. good luck.
Forgot the favourite Saskatchewan saying : It's so flat you can see your dog run away for three days.
I'd suggest using Woodland Scenic risers under the track, say 1" ones. That will allow you to have some scenery below and some above track level. You could put in a small bridge or culvert for a stream also.
build down and up. I place 1/2 inch foam on top of the plywood and then for "build down" cut out for my ditches and streams with a knife and sand paper followed up by taking a long nosed lighter and burn the top of the foam (well ventilated location of course). I follow up with dry wall putty to creat small rises and clean up the ditch areas.
depending on large an area....for grass....you might look at Scenic Express grass mats