building a river

[Anonymous]

I was thinking of modeling a river. I don't want to put a foamboard down because i have switch machines below. What would be the easiest way to do this?

PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN
NEED HELP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

thanks

[Anonymous]

What kind of switch machines? Foam should not pose a problem to many of them. If you have Atlas under-table, you can attach them directly to the bottom of the turnout and carve a space in the foam for them.

In any case, all you need for a river is a lower part of the layout. What kind of construction is your benchwork? It is relatively simple to modify any type. I used "cookie cutter" for my small layout, and simply notched the frame a bit to lower a piece of plywood cut to the shape of my riverbed. You only have to lower the riverbed the depth of the banks (plus a little) since your river will only have simulated depth.

The river itself can be modelled with anything like gloss medium or Envirotex; Woodland Scenics has a few products that will work too. Paint the deepest part (usually the middle) of the river black or other dark colour. Gradually blend to a sandy brown, or other appropriate colour for the shallow areas along each bank. The pour your selected water product and let dry. Just make sure the table is level, and any holes are plugged!

Hope that helps.

Andrew

[cwclark]

I do the above mentioned..the black river bottom and then blend tans, greens, and browns into the banks..i also place small smooth stones near the banks and a few in the river channel ...then i use 2 part epoxy as the pour. for the water...(it has a nice gloss to it when it dries) be sure it is well ventilated when you pour...unless you are into 2 or 3 brain cells left over after the pour is done from breathing in the fumes....

[Anonymous]

Andrew, i have tortise switchmachines
i meant that the foam might make the distance from the top of the table to the rod of the switch machines to great or far

i have a double level layout. the bottom level is for staging and the upper level is for well, my trains.

but thank you for your advice

Shmitty

[Anonymous]

Woodland scenic has water in a bottle (pun intended) that pours out nicely and dries to look like realistic water. Item is called "Realistic Water " and according to their website (http://www.woodlandscenics.com/)

QUOTE:
No heating or mixing required. Pours directly from bottle and is self-leveling. Models lakes, ponds, rivers and more. Flexible, therefore easy to model and is water-soluble for easy clean-up.

Jay

[Anonymous]

Jay, what did you mean when you said "pun intended"

Shmitty

[Anonymous]

Shmitty, what else would water be in?

Jay

[Anonymous]

Jay

i still don't get what "pun" is, PLEASE EXPLAIN FOR ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Shmitty

[Anonymous]

A pun... a joke, just playing with the words.

[Anonymous]

DO NOT USE Woodland Scenics REALISTIC WATER ON FOAM. It absorbs it and swells up. I learned by using it. It is however a very nice product as long as you put several coatings of plaster, or I am sure others items on the foam first to seal it. Just painting the foam also will NOT work to seal the foam.