woodland scenics foam

[Anonymous]

heyy!!! i have asked if it is a good idea for using foam...so far i have heard nothing but good!!! im thinking of using the 4 inch high and 2' wide foam for my layout..if anyone has any expeirience please let me know how it went with it thankyou

[selector]

I can't speak from experience using 4" foam, only 1". It will make a nice stiff table and main surface, and you will probably have some work with a wire bru***o get rivers, creeks, ditches, gullies, and ponds or puddles if you go to that level of detailing.

Maybe use only 3" (I've heard here that even 2" is plenty stiff), and layer 1" for small hills and to get your water features in . If your hills will be fairly high, use 2" layers.

[soumodeler]

I would use the 2" foam for the base. Any type of foam will work, there is a lot that is cheaper than Woodland Scenics stuff, and it works just as well to me.

soumodeler
-----------------
The Southern Serves the South!
http://www.trainweb.org/mgr

[twhite]

If you can find 2" extruded foam (the type made by Corning) for the base, it's a LOT stronger than Woodland Scenics, which is a bead-type foam and needs a lot more underbracing. Warning: your layout will be either pink or blue for a while, until you get the scenery started, as that's the only colors the extruded foam seems to come in. Out here in California, it's very difficult to get extruded foam now, but luckily, I built my Yuba River Sub when it was still available. The WS foam is great for risers and grades (very even grades) , and it's light weight means that you don't have to construct your benchwork as if it were Fort Knox. If you want to click onto my website, you can get an idea of how I used the extruded foam combined with the WS. Both types are very easy to work with, and their sound-deadening qualities are a God-send, especially if you have sound-equipped locos. I reccommend a combination of both!
Tom [:D][^]

[HarryHotspur]

twhite -

Very impressive layout. Could you describe your technique for creating the mountain cliffs and rock faces? Thanks.

[rrinker]

Right, when you use plywood and there's no scenery, they call is the "Plywood Pacific". Well, since I'm using pink foam, right now my layout looks like the "Pink Prairie"

A couple more sidings on the back side and at least I can put the brown paint on 3/4 of the layout. That will improve the appearance 100%

[Anonymous]

I have "L" girders on wall braces . I used the 1x3s laid on their sides (instead of the traditional upright position) and spaced 16" apart. I topped this with a base of 2" styrofoam. The N - gauge corkroadbed is attached to the styrofoam with Liquid Nails and signifigantly reduces the noise level. Rock work is done using hot wire tools and a regular serrated kitchen knife. I model Northwest Ontario and the rock is all igneous (granite) so when I poke the knife into the styrofoam and then pry / pop - off a little chunk of foam it inherently has the texture of the igneous rock. There have been at least two articles in Model Railroader dealing specifically with using extruded styrofoam as a base and as scenery material. I believe the authors name was Bill Darnby. For sedimentary rocks or igneous rock with sedimentary inclusions a layer of celotex or gasket cork between styrofoam layers might work. Needless to say with the great weight saving of styrfoam versus plaster I am a fan.

[pbjwilson]

Keith,
I think you are talking about the Woodland Scenics risers and inclines. I just put together a small N gauge layout on a door using the inclines and risers. It works great and is super simple to work with. After I glued the risers and inclines I covered them with mesh seam tape, the type used to seam drywall, and applied a thin coat of plaster of Paris with a putty knife. After a little dry time I layed cork roadbed and then the track. In a short weekend I had all the track layed and was running trains. I highly reccomend the Woodland Scenics foam risers!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by pbjwilson

Keith,
I think you are talking about the Woodland Scenics risers and inclines. I just put together a small N gauge layout on a door using the inclines and risers. It works great and is super simple to work with. After I glued the risers and inclines I covered them with mesh seam tape, the type used to seam drywall, and applied a thin coat of plaster of Paris with a putty knife. After a little dry time I layed cork roadbed and then the track. In a short weekend I had all the track layed and was running trains. I highly reccomend the Woodland Scenics foam risers!

lol how did you know that was exactly what i was thinking thankyou so much!!!

[Anonymous]

I've used it extensivley on my layout, "N" scale 10' x 2' x 10' "L" wall mount. My base is 1/4" Luann, with 1" pink foam on top, then the Woodland Risers. I used the Starter Inclines and the risers in 1", 2" and 4". They bend where you need them take the guessing out of inclines. I think they are worth the price. And despite what their catalog says, I've run a double main with Kato Unitrack without expanding the width any. Dave