HO City Sidewalks

[Anonymous]

Hello! I'm in the early stages of building a new HO empire, after having my former layout packed away in boxes for 3 years. I have many buildings built already. What I don't like is that, since they are from several different manufactures, the sidewalks that came w/ the bases don't match.Most of these models were built a long time ago, when I was but a young lad, not caring much for such details. Now that I'm a bit older, I definitely do care about such things!

My idea was to find a company (Evergreen?) that makes sheet styrene sidewalks (w/ curbing?). I'd remove all the original bases/sidewalks from the structures, and glue the buildings to the new stuff instead, and then have the uniformity I'm looking for.

Any ideas??? Thanks, as always! - Matt

[Seamonster]

There was an article in the May, 1994 Model Railroader by Bob Foltz called "Pour Your Own City Streets." He made his own sidewalks from .020 or .030 styrene sheet, cut to a scale 3' wide in residential areas and 6' wide in commercial areas. He scribed the expansion joints in it along with a few cracks. If you don't want to "roll your own" Evergreen does make sidewalk sheets. Either way, you'll have to add your own curbing. Mr. Foltz used square styrene the same size as the sidewalk sheets and secured it to the edges of the sidewalks.

Hope this helps.....Bob

[Anonymous]

Is there any chance a man could pour some real cement scale sidewalks and have them look decent? Has anyone tried this and failed/succeeded?

[Anonymous]

I do not think that would work at all. You'd have to pour it so thin, it would be very suceptible to cracking.

[Anonymous]

i recently laid new sidewalks using Heki products. This is a foam product, with precast curbs, expansion joints and cracks. Comes in concrete gray. Cut it, paint the edges with gray paint glue it down and your done. End bends around curves. I did the road using Woodland scenics road system and they recommend using same system for sidewalks. I though the Heki was simpler

[Anonymous]

O.K. fellas' Here's what I do. Take 1/16" strip-wood and carve out your sidewalks. Make sure they fit around the buildings before you proceed to the next step. After everything fits good and it all looks right, take contact adhesive to the surface of your wood sidewalk forms, and do the same to some pre-cut matching pieces of #400 grit sandpaper. Bond the sandpaper to the wood forms and let it set. After it has set, use standard spray-can type paint to get the base color. (I prefer a cream color to simulate old concrete). Then get out your trusty weathering chalks and "Dull-Coat" and create the effect you want. This technique will give incredible texture and depth to your sidewalks. It also works well for any other type of paving you want to duplicate. For sidewalks, don't forget to scribe the joints before painting and weathering. Don't worry, It's EASY! The brand of paper I use is "Norton" #400 grit. It is black in color, and for "new" asphalt, all you have to do is spray it with dull-coat. For older asphalt, just lighten it up a bit with chalks.
Todd C.

[Anonymous]

I have been using Evergreen's styrene sidewalk sheets. The 1/2" squares looked the best to me. For curbs I use .080" strip styrene. Since the sidewalk sheets are .040, I glue a piece of .040 sheet styrene to the sidewalk before gluing on the curb. Sometimes I may be using the .040 sheet as a base for a building. In that case I just extend the base out for the sidewalk. I then paint with Polly Scale concrete and weather with chalks and an india ink-alcohol wash.

[Anonymous]

Matt, you've gotten a lot of great replies here. To me the best combination sounds like using the styrene sidewalk sheets and #400 grit sandpaper for the asphalt. However, nobody has commented on your plan to glue the buildings down. As I've been scenicking my layout I've come to the opinion that I really don't want to glue down any structures, for a number of reasons:

I may have to move the layout (a tabletop layout) someday and the buildings will have a much better chance of surviving if I can remove them.

If I have to repair a structure in place, it may be too far from the edge of the layout to reach easily.

If I want to change some details (like add signs to the acetate windows of a storefront), I'll have to get back inside the structure to add them.

If I want to dust the layout I may be able to clean the structures better if I can remove them.

My plan is to create a nice flat surface for each structure, and just lay it down. The details around the structure (sidewalks, trash, shrubs, gravel etc.) will hopefully conceal the fact that the structure isn't firmly planted in the earth.

What do other people here think of this plan?

Stan

[Anonymous]

Thanks for ideas! - Matt

[Anonymous]

I agree with not glueing down buildings, especially when they are near the edge of the layout, they can be easily broken when leaning over to rerail a car or work on other parts of the layout. A couple of foam rubber blocks in opposite corners under the building will allow a friction fit and allow you to remove the building to replace lighting or work on other scenery. Jeff

[bfsfabs]

Matt, Stan, I agreee with Stan do not glue the buildings down. Life will be better later for maintenence and modifications. I just cut a piece of .060 styrene to match the building base put a DB-9S connector in it and embed the whole thing in the scenery. A matching connector in the building base brings in utilities and lighting/control wiring. The friction of the connectors is plenty to hold everything in place. Just "plug in" the building. I have one building location using 4 buildings. 1 is under construction. 2 is as new in the 1920s 3 is "The Fire" 4 is 1960s and after rebuilding/repair caused by "The Fire". Choose whichever according to mood.
Lowell
Pacific & Southwest Railroad Co HO

[Seamonster]

I put some clear silicone caulking around the perimeter of the bottom of my structures (I don't use any of the supplied bases). I apply it in short segments leaving gaps so that about half the perimeter has caulking on it. It holds the structures very securely, yet I can easily remove them by sliding a single-edged razor blade or thin putty knife under one edge and gently prying. Once the structure is partly raised, the rest of it just peels off the layout.
...Bob

[Anonymous]

Lowell, thanks to you and everyone here for the feedback. Changing the buildings to change the era is a clever idea. Was your building the one described in MR in the past year or so? I seem to remember they had an article about just this kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

The new Scenic Express catalogue has some really neat looking sidewalks, w/curb & gutter and drains. I haven't tried them on my pike, but I do intend to order some in O-Gauge and give them a try. they do show them in HO as well.

dostuff

[adnelson]

I had poured some plaster (hydrocal) into molds made of balsa, then did the same for the streets. I carved the cobblestones in the streets and the sidewalk pieces. For a first time, it wasn't too bad, and it did look good. I had made the sidewalks wider to fit under the buildings. Try it on a small off-layout area to see how you like it.