Trees and styrofoam

[Anonymous]

I'm just getting started setting up my first garden railroad and I have I have two questions:
1. I'm planning on making my own trees from small branches trimmed from nearby trees with painted polyfil for leaves. Do I need to do something to the wood to keep it from rotting (the area is heavily wooded) ? If so, what would you recommend I use. 2. I'm planning to make most of my buildings using styrofoam for the main body with textured styrene panels for the roof and polymer clay for features such as shutters and doors. The area has lots of little critters (chipmunks, squirrels, ground hogs, mice, birds, deer, etc.) Should I use something to seal the foam (other than paint) to keep them from attacking the foam? Thanks

[Rastun]

My suggestoins would be
#1 plant real trees

#2 sounds like that idea would work fine.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I cant plant real trees as my garden railway runs on a shelf  3 ' off the floor, I got round the problem by using an artificial christmas tree. It cost me £14 for a 6' tree and made over a hundred little trees !!

As for foam and plasticard, I use both and the local squirrel population although rarely curious have not added it to there menu. One word of advice if you model a Building dont get clever and model open doors and windows !! Its like putting out an invite to anything small enough to crawl in !!!

John

RJR Branch Line

I can be found at www.rjroriginals.co.uk/rjr_branch_line.htm

 

 

[Anonymous]

 have seen real trees on a shelf railroad - the trees were in pots sunk into the surface - ok it was outside but  the added bonus was the Bonsai effect of restricting growth which was a real plus .

As far as buildings in foam a coat of  cement or spackle then paint should render things strong and inedible - on a par with  stone

[Rastun]

Hi,

I cant plant real trees as my garden railway runs on a shelf  3 ' off the floor, I got round the problem by using an artificial christmas tree. It cost me £14 for a 6' tree and made over a hundred little trees !!

As for foam and plasticard, I use both and the local squirrel population although rarely curious have not added it to there menu. One word of advice if you model a Building dont get clever and model open doors and windows !! Its like putting out an invite to anything small enough to crawl in !!!

John

RJR Branch Line

I can be found at www.rjroriginals.co.uk/rjr_branch_line.htm

 

 

I didn't notice where the first poster said that he was building on a shelf.  Now if I heard that it was built on a shelf  3 feet above the floor I would figure it was indoor and then would be a large scale layout instead of a garden railway. If it's an outdoor layout elevated 3 feet off the ground if nothing else planter boxes could be built into or along side the "shelf" allowing the use of real plants.

[Anonymous]

Styrifoam or the like have no place in garden railways, they will not last the distance and they defeat the whole idea of outdoor work.

The idea that you cannot plant real trees 3 ' above the ground is baseless; i build little planter boxes and have whole gardens above the ground and it works for me here in the tropics. It must work better for you in a temperate climate.

Rgds ian