I am planning an under the tree, On30 Christmas layout. Track plan will be a simple loop with maybe a passing siding and a couple of spurs for light switching. Mainly it is just someplace to let trains run. Anyone have any experience with creating snow scenery? I just ordered the January and February MR back issues (96 I think) that have "How To" articles in them, but wondering if anyone here has any advice. Thanks in advance
Kevin
I know Woodland Scenics makes a snow product. You can find it here:
http://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/Item/SN140/page/1
Real snow, fresh-fallen or in a rural setting (low or no airborne particulates) is vivid white and somewhat glittery - tiny sparkles where individual flakes reflect sunlight.
In overcast weather the glitter effect isn't seen. It looks like (and can be modeled with) raw white plaster applied dry over a dampened substrate (zip texturing.)
In urban or smoggy areas, the snow turns grungy grey in pretty rapid order. A very light, uneven spray of India ink solution over the white plaster will do it.
On topic - legend has it that John Allen wanted to photograph a snow scene on the Gorre and Daphetid. He sifted either flour or raw plaster on some finished scenery, lined up his camera and snapped away. The photos looked good, and he was pleased enough with the effect, but had to quickly vacuum up the evidence - his birds were starting to fly South...
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with, possibly, one minor snow scene)
Snow scenes are extremely difficult to model - especially, if you want your scenery richly covered by freshly fallen snow. Most of the snow stuff you can buy is way too coarse to represent snow and does not give you the texture of a thick layer of snow.
The best method I have found is using plaster (in a thick paste) to cover the ground and the roof tops, shaping it to the form I want, considering wind drifts etc. I then paint it with a shiny white latex color. Sounds a lot easier than it actually is. To achieve that look of a snowy landscape, you need to observe reality a lot. In any case it is a lot of work - much more than a summer landscape.
I've used snow from NOCH, a German manufacturer. You should it get from Walthers, too.
It's removable !!
09IMG⦄SantaClaas400
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
Wolfgang that is an AWESOME looking snow scene!!!
Ya that's a cool idea. I want to do a snow scene this winter, but I want to be able to vacuum it up.
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
Wolfgang, that turned out really nicely!!
I used WS "Snow" in HO scale for the scene below. I was easy to sprinkle and to vacuum later.
I would suggest experimenting with baking soda, icing sugar, and other fine and inexpensive materials. Just be aware of the downside of their use. If they get blown around, it won't be great for rolling stock. Insects might enjoy the sugar immensely.
I did up this scene for a photo contest, kept it for a bit, maybe three weeks, and then got out the shop-vac.
-Crandell
Wedudler -
Great looking scene. It looks like the Noch snow will stick to almost vertical surfaces. Is that correct?
- Harry
Thanks for all the advice. I am thinking (or perhaps hoping) that because it is O scale, the flakes will be a bit less out of scale. Also thinking about trying to use some of that "glittery" hair spray misted up (so the propellant does not blow the flakes out of place) and let it fall to the scene. I am hoping for kind of a Currier and Ives Winter Wonderland. Any comments would be greatly appreciated
Wolfgang / Crandell
When you guys sprinkled on the snow, are there any problems with running engines, will they pick up any of this stuff and get into the gears and whatnot?
A couple of manufacturers make snow with "glitter" already included in it, so you don't have to add it.
My last layout was set in early winter, but the snow I used seemed too big - kinda like snowballs covering the ground!! The best snow I've seen was on Bill Henderson's Coal Belt RR. In his winter scene on the layout he used talcum powder to apply an even thin dusting of snow on everything.
I posted a reply some time back, but it doesn't show.
I have an On30 Bachman Christmas train set. For snow, I use the rolls of cotton batten that you get near Christmas in department stores designed for decorating the home to look like there is snow inside. I have a 4X8 that I use in a bay window, and I just lay length of the unfurled cotton batten. It is thin, maybe 1/4" thick or more, and has some metallic sprinkles embedded here and there for a glittery effect. Works for me.
Motley, for the WS snow, it is gritty, and some grains will remain on the rail tops. I just gently and carefully whisk them away with an artist's brush, and then the trains can safely go over those sections. It is no different from having the WS 'cinders', much the same thing, except they're black, that I have sprinkled around much of my track system. They don't go anywhere, and certainly not into 'the works'.
selector Motley, for the WS snow, it is gritty, and some grains will remain on the rail tops. I just gently and carefully whisk them away with an artist's brush, and then the trains can safely go over those sections. It is no different from having the WS 'cinders', much the same thing, except they're black, that I have sprinkled around much of my track system. They don't go anywhere, and certainly not into 'the works'. -Crandell
Thanks! I can't wait to do a snow scene now, I'm all excited!
Motley Wolfgang / Crandell When you guys sprinkled on the snow, are there any problems with running engines, will they pick up any of this stuff and get into the gears and whatnot?
I've made only the picture.But I think there're no problems because it's made by NOCH for model railroads.
Nice snow scenes, guys.
I like to crush some Heki Glitter Snow to a finer powder then mix it with the WS flake snow. It gives a nice sparkle.
Mike
Modelling the UK in 00, and New England - MEC, B&M, D&H and Guilford - in H0
I've never done it myself, but have read on these forums in the past that some people have had success using Arm & Hammer Baking Soda for snow. Certainly much, much cheaper than something labeled as a "hobby" product.
Re: your Christmas set: Did you mount the track to a board and then lay in snow? Is the "Snow" (cotton) mounted to a board? Please, more details. Thanks
Kevin, it is a temporary layout for the season, so I lay out the batten first, and then lay the EZ-Track plastic ballasted sections atop the batten. It works quite well. We aren't modelling per se, but trying to employ a theme of winter and snow. I think it works well in concert with a train and those porcelain houses with fake snow on them, some pine trees, etc.
This is what it looked like in 2007:
Crandell,
Thanks for the picture. That is the general look I am after, though mine will be under a 7' tree and set only 4 or 5 inches above the carpet. I am hoping this will tide me over until I get the train room cleared and finished. And besides, can it be Christmas without a train?