Don't laugh too hard...It's my first attempt!

Tell us again how you affix your rocks to the scenic base?

Galen
Click to expand...
Just so ya all know...I'm going to do a little step by step on the desert scene I made(hopefully soon). It will cover a little bit of everything as far as rock work and the waterfall goes (I hope).
But to answer your question Galen:
I use white glue to hold the rocks (on fairly flat surfaces) and hot glue on slopes. most of the time I glue them right to the foam or plaster. I also add them on top of sculptamold (SM) if I want more texture and or some realistic rock forms. I then blend them in with SM so they look embedded in the landscape (unless I want it to look like a recent "slide" or a few scattered rocks here and there).
This pic shows rocks attached directly to the plaster and some attached to SM.....That hot glue really holds!
Scenery 431 small.jpg

Here it is after adding the SM...It will look better after it is painted....(I HOPE)
Scenery 435 small.jpg
I will not be putting any SM around the pile at the bottom because I want it to look loose. I glued them together one at a time but I guess I could have made the pile and sprayed it with scenic cement or the ol' 50/50 mix of white glue/water (but that would be too smart!):D

Viaduct 007 small.jpg

As an update: I am just about finished with the Sculptamold and then it will need a few days to thoroughly dry...then I can paint the rocks and the bridge and start the install. I'm hoping to get this section back up and running for the one year anniversary of this thread near the end of January...........yeah right!sign1
 
Great work. I cant help but feel the pain for the workers if that bridge was real, in a real place. Thats a tuff job no matter what time era it is built in.
 
not "tough" just a little difficult, you make it sound like walking a tight rope, just an average day for a expert construction worker.
 
This might be a stupid question that's been asked many times before. but is this your first "serious" Train layout, nagzul?

WOW!

BTW, did you get the turntable you wanted in your first post? :D

It's looking absolutely fantastic, I sure do love that sculptamold! :thumb:

It's hard to imagine that you got so much done in a 11 months! All this work is paying off BIG time! :thumb:

Cheers to another fantastic 11 months! :aussie:
 
Steve:wave:, WOW!!!:eek: thats REALLY coming along GREAT!!!:thumb: :thumb: :thumb:(yea, like it wouldn't be, YOUR doing it:D). FANTASTIC JOB!!!:thumb: :D -Deano
 
Thank you everybody! (Josh, COMBAT, prodigy2k7, Miles, Dominic, Steven, David, and of course, Deano)
Just to keep the record straight: This is my 1st layout of any kind. I know the common wisdom is to start small...But I've never been that type of guy. Cost had something to do with it also...but I was nervous starting something I had never tried before but with the help and encouragement from you all and the rest of The Gauge...We're gitin' r done!tooth1
I heard back from the NP modelers group and NP's bridge color was black, so...black it will be:)
I have FINALLY FINISHED ALL of the sculptamold....I think I now have about 18+ hrs on this section (could be more). I am going to try and paint the viaduct tomorrow while the SM dries
Here's a few "fun" Pics (that means I had fun taking them;)):

Lookin' thru to the mine
Viaduct 019 small.jpg

Bungee anyone?
Viaduct 018 small.jpg

Viaduct 023 small.jpg

Viaduct 012 small.jpg

If you look to the left (****EDIT****I meant right), you'll see one of my Christmas presents hanging on the bench work....yeah baby!
Viaduct 024 small.jpg


Take care everybody:wave:
 
Steve-

Running into your Post has been a blessing and a curse. I love the work you are doing but I cant stop checking in to see the progression. Your attention to detail is amazing and as the rest of the others keep saying, I want to copy your layout. Unfortunately I'll be doing an Iowa layout with zero hills of course.

Keep up the amazing work! Keep sending pics!

Mo
 
Steve, this is truely AjawdropWjawdropEjawdropSjawdropOjawdropMjawdropE .
The whole bridge scene is a great imrpovement to your layout (even though it’s hard to believe it can be improved). I don’t think that even Galen could have imagined such a beautiful layout when he did this ingenious trackplan.
 
Steve,

Not to be negative as you are doing a fantastic job but do you have any "protection" for trains on the bridge? I am just starting to build but most have told me that I need space between the track and edge and/or clear plastic edge to catch anything that might leave the track. Perhaps you are planning some sort of catch system or rubber floor but it looks like a loco killer right now.
 
Mo...thank you so much... I love "flat country" layouts!:thumb: ...just remember to show us your work!
Kurt...you are too kind (as usual;))...I hope I am doing justice to Galen's plan...i know one thing....IT SURE IS FUN TRYING!!!!!!
hey Jim
I don't call that being "negative"...I call that good thinking!:thumb:
I really have no plans for a catch system....I'm not saying I don't need one...I just never saw how to do one.
How about it guys...Any ideas?
A few thoughts: I figured that, especially in a situation like this, bullet-proof track work is the best protection against "tragedy". After running trains here for almost 8 months I have had (after initial tweaking) no derailments that weren't caused by some dummy:oops: not throwing a switch. Obviously, turnouts don't apply in this case.
I believe Micro Engineering makes a walk-way rail that could line the edge of the bridge. I don't, however, think that it would stop a train from going off the bridge if it had a mind to.
Lastly, I am open to any and all suggestions about making this project better:thumb:
It just needs to have a balance of practicality and aesthetics.
Thank you Jim...good looking out!:thumb: :thumb:
 
Big Jim has a point there. All my previous layouts were "Flatlanders" (although I did manage to "launch" my brass 4-6-2 to the floor-the usual collection of boxes under the table saved the day...). Now that I'm building a 3-D layout, I was checking the grade I'm working on with my 4-8-2, and seeing that baby climbing on a 2 1/2" of piece of plywood, with nothing between it & the floor, did kinda give me the "willies". That'll be incentive enough to do the scenery in that portion of the layout right quick, as it'll be my train catcher...

All be safe * we'll see you NEXT YEAR...!!!
 
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