I am collecting information scenery phase of my 4x8 HO Model Railroad. Would anyone have tips on scenery, (I.E. how to's, where and when to place buildings, etc.) or some tricks of the trade for a greenhorn model railroader?
Thank You!
Acela026
The timbers beneath the rails are not the only ties that bind on the railroad. --Robert S. McGonigal
~G4
19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.
Dave Frary's book on model rr scenery is exceptional. You can't go wrong using this fantastic guide. It shows materials, techniques for all forms of scenery from the benchwork to the last piece of grass.
www.mrscenery.com website
http://www.mrscenery.com/book.html book to use
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Well Acela,
You don't have to look too far. At the top of these pages find a button that is marked "ARTICLES" then scroll to the bottom under ARCHIVES and go to the 2008 articles (all four of them) That is where David Popp gives a good description of building his Waterbury Industrial District. The second and Third articles give a great description of scenery techniques. You can't go wrong with these ideas and tips. If you happen to be building with open frame work then go to the search feature here on the forum and search hard shell scenery. That will tell you about weaving cardboard strips or chicken wire base and plaster cloth covering for your teraine.
Also our Hosts here Kalmbach Publishing put out numerous MRR help manuals at a reasonable cost for the information provided on all areas , Benchwork, Scenery, Trackwork, Buildings, Wiring and DCC., Bridges, and even weathering rolling stock and locomotives,as well as Industries and Yards. Etc.. Be sure to pick up some of these for your own reference library.
And thanks David, You and that other little guy, with the hats, (Cody) always do a great job.
Johnboy out..................... for now
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Read the books is the best place to start. The Woodland Scenics advice is good. WS also makes a video that I found helpful.
My adition to what has been said is: for mountains, valleys and tunnels, consider stacked pieces of Foam Insulation board (pink, blue, yellow, green or purple all work.) I get mine from dumpsters behind consrtuction sites. I carve the rocks and gullies directly into the foam and then paint with my version of Ground goop. I then add the WS grass and stuff.
I have some pics in my sig that show what can be done with very little talent but a lot of persistance.
Have fun. Some of us find the scenery the best part.
I would send you to the book of REAL LIFE. What real railroad scenes do you know and like that would be fun to copy (rather than building a model railroad like everybody else's model railroad)? I looked at Olathe on Google Earth. A lot of the railroad scene is straight double track that goes on and on. Hard to model on a 4x8.
But I found a short length of single track that runs from East Dennis to a connection about a mile west near West Elm and South Kansas, making a couple of long curves-- with residential neighborhoods bcked up to them. Could you use that as a prototype for suburban homes backed up to your oval loop. Making even part of your scene copy something you know is real would be beginning.
Dave Frary's superb The Pennsy Middle Division in HO Scale is now out of print, but can still be secured with an eBay search. Here's a weblink to Dave Frary's website with downloadable PDFs, and that same book at $5.95.
Caveat - Some eBay book dealers say his books are worth $100+ - $200+! => looks like monkey-see and monkey-do on their pricing.
Conemaugh Road & Traction circa 1956
For my money (and I don't like to spend a lot of it on "how to" materials when I can be buying actual stuff), you cant beat Joe Fugate's scenery series DVDs. Take a look at these two links:
http://model-trains-video.com/volume4.php
http://model-trains-video.com/volume5.php
These videos are also available via download for about $2.00 per chapter. I have watched them over and over and always find a new tip or technique that I can use right away. I have never built a model railroad before and I can vouch for the fact that I am getting outstanding results by following his methods.
Jamie
CLICK HERE FOR THE CSX DIXIE LINE BLOG
leighant But I found a short length of single track that runs from East Dennis to a connection about a mile west near West Elm and South Kansas
But I found a short length of single track that runs from East Dennis to a connection about a mile west near West Elm and South Kansas
That describes Olathe in general, actually.
Kansas City has a lot of rail to model, just drive around different parts of town, take pictures if you can. Visit the old Depot in Independence, for instance.
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
Here's the "ValleyRR" 4 easy rules for good scenicing:
1) Look at the world around you, either through the camera or your eyes. That will tell you what it's supposed to look like. You'd be amazed at the number of people -- even on these boards -- who say "that's not very realistic" when it is in fact an exact replica of something I either have a picture of or have seen with my own eyes. Start thinking about what you see with an artist's eye. Most trees are more than one shade of green, and most bark really isn't brown, just to give you a couple of examples.
2) The great majority of commercial scenicing materials are fine... but beware the "cheap and quick" method (grass mats, I'm thinking of you). Commercial trees are also a potential pitfall -- a lot of the cheap ones really look like crap. Before you buy any commercial product, refer to rule #1.
3) There are few "rights" and "wrongs" in scenery construction. What works for some doesn't work for others. Read a few articles, watch a few videos, visit a few websites; this will give you an idea for techniques that others have found useful, but don't be afraid to try something your own way.
4) When you're done with a project, refer back to Rule #1. If it doesn't meet with your expectations, rip it out and try again. If it's good enough for your needs or desires, then it is good enough, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's your layout.
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
CTValleyRR... but beware the "cheap and quick" method
I am trying to find a medium to make mountains or large hills out of. I thought about using the Guaze and cardboard lattice method, but would paper mache over cardboard lattice work too? Or would it be a "Cheap and Quick" method?
For your underlying terrain base, it's only cheap and easy if you rush it, and / or try to cut corners on how much you use.
Papier mache over cardboard lattice would work fine. Personally, I prefer plaster of paris gauze to papier mache. You can also soak shop towels in plaster, and use balled up newspaper for the forms underneath.
I have used any number of methods. The one I like best uses extruded styrofoam insulating board to create gross / rough terrain forms (evelvation changes, mointains, etc.). Tape balled up newspaper around this structure to make more natural looking terrain. Cover this with sheets of newspaper, sprayed with "wet" water (water with a couple of drops of dish soap in it to break the surface tension). This smooths out the bumpy appearance of the newspaper balls. Then cover with plaster cloth. After this is dry, paint with thin plaster to ensure the gauze is completely covered.
I have also used extruded foam covered with sculptamold to make terrain. This works especially well for rugged terrain (mountains, cliffs, gorges, canyons).
Acela026 I will soon be starting the scenery phase of my 4x8 HO Model Railroad. Would anyone have tips on scenery, (I.E. how to's, where and when to place buildings, etc.) or some tricks of the trade for a greenhorn model railroader. Thank You! Acela026
I will soon be starting the scenery phase of my 4x8 HO Model Railroad. Would anyone have tips on scenery, (I.E. how to's, where and when to place buildings, etc.) or some tricks of the trade for a greenhorn model railroader.
Can you post pics of your layout? That would help a lot.
Springfield PA
HamltnblueCan you post pics of your layout?
I will try. Before I start though, there is still one adjustment I would like to make with the track. I will get the photo's posted ASAP.
Timboy CTValleyRR: I just love your approach and think you are well on your way to a "10 Commandments" of scenery building! That may be worthy of it's very own thread. May I add another point? It would be: If you think you have it right, take a high-quality pic and look at it. Oops. I didn't see that. Where did that white plaster blotch come from? -Timboy
CTValleyRR: I just love your approach and think you are well on your way to a "10 Commandments" of scenery building! That may be worthy of it's very own thread. May I add another point? It would be: If you think you have it right, take a high-quality pic and look at it. Oops. I didn't see that. Where did that white plaster blotch come from?
-Timboy
You are so right! 3 years ago, I made a diorama for "Take a Model Train to Work" day. I kind of threw it together, but was still pretty happy with the results.... so I took a bunch of pictures. That's when I discovered that: 1) There were little white spots all over the place, and 2) The four boulders that I had glued randomly on the river bank were so evenly spaced it looked like I had measured it with a ruler.
I immediately performed what golfers call a "Mulligan".
Acela026 HamltnblueCan you post pics of your layout? I will try. Before I start though, there is still one adjustment I would like to make with the track. I will get the photo's posted ASAP.
Dont' worry about adjustments, it's not prom night.
You can still do the adjustment and do a before and after pic. We like to see pics :)
CSXDixieLineFor my money (and I don't like to spend a lot of it on "how to" materials when I can be buying actual stuff), you cant beat Joe Fugate's scenery series DVDs. Take a look at these two links: http://model-trains-video.com/volume4.php http://model-trains-video.com/volume5.php These videos are also available via download for about $2.00 per chapter. I have watched them over and over and always find a new tip or technique that I can use right away. I have never built a model railroad before and I can vouch for the fact that I am getting outstanding results by following his methods. Jamie
I agree with Jamie. These videos are great.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
flyboy10check out bige61 on youtube he has some great vids
Ill also vote for bige61. Evert is his name and he has a lot of good and informative videos. Ill also mention another youtuber I recently found out about and has a lot of good videos that goes by the name of flymanjg.
CTValleyRRPapier mache over cardboard lattice would work fine
OOPS! I forgot, I have a non-waterproof plywood sheet as a base, so this method is a no-no anyway!
So, imagine this basic idea on a forest green plywood board with the track on Cork roadbed. I am still wiring the blocks in.
Another question: How do you get photos in your signature?
Acela026 CTValleyRRPapier mache over cardboard lattice would work fine OOPS! I forgot, I have a non-waterproof plywood sheet as a base, so this method is a no-no anyway! Acela026
If you think you'll have a problem, simply put a coat of latex paint down where you're going to do the work. It will seal the wood.
Okay - Red Wing Division.
First thing to do is to consider whether you can split the layout into two separate scenes with a viewblock down the center of the table.
This may be possible if you have access to both sides of the layout, and if you have a throttle you can use from either side of the table - as opposed to being stuck with running your trains from one position.
A viewblock will prevent you from seeing the loops around and around the table, and make your two scenes visually separated from each other.
Then decide what type of places/what type of landscapes you want to model, and what era you want to model. Big city is different from forested hill is different from prairie town is different from SW desert, 1940s looks different from 2010s.
Then you can e.g. look at Byron Henderson's "California Dreaming" 4x8 adaptation of the Red Wing Division at this URL: http://www.layoutvision.com/id49.html
Good luck with your model railroad!
Smile,Stein
leighant I would send you to the book of REAL LIFE. ...
I would send you to the book of REAL LIFE. ...
Yeah, find a suitable, natural site for your inspiration.
(along Endicott Arm, Alaska)
Mark
steinjr ...and if you have a throttle you can use from either side of the table...
How much would a small, used command control system cost? I wouldn't want a brand new one with all the bells and whistles, just a small, easy to use, inexpensive walk around (tethered or untethered, doesn't really matter ro me) system.
Acela026steinjr ...and if you have a throttle you can use from either side of the table... How much would a small, used command control system cost? I wouldn't want a brand new one with all the bells and whistles, just a small, easy to use, inexpensive walk around (tethered or untethered, doesn't really matter ro me) system.
If you just will be running a single engine and don't care about sound etc, you could probably also get a simple DC (not DCC) controller with a tethered throttle on a longish cord by combining a 16V AC wall wart power supply, and a home built SCR throttle (A Silicone Controlled Rectifier to turn the AC into DC, with a center-off switch for "reverse-stop-forward" and a knob for resistance/voltage adjustment) for about $50 or so.
I'd guess that you could get a decent quality DCC starter system with a tethered cab (like an NCE powercab) new for about $150. You put the panel at the short end of the table, leave the powercab permanently plugged into the panel, and in the default configuration have 7 feet of cable to walk around from that end to the two long sides of the table. Not the total freedom of a radio cab, but might be good enough for your use. No idea what they go for used.
Smile, Stein
steinjr But ask over in the DCC forum and see what the guys over there would suggest for you. Smile, Stein
Thanks for the suggestion, I have already gotten four replies in a half hour! Sometimes it takes me a while to understand what they say, I don't speak Technical circuitry fluently.
CSXDixieLine (and I don't like to spend a lot of it on "how to" materials when I can be buying actual stuff)
That is why I came here first!
Acela