I’m building a layout with an Alaska Railroad theme. I say “theme” because I’m not trying to model the prototype execpt running ARR and White Pass & Yukon locos and rolling stock. I’d like to put a glacier face on my layout, but I’m not sure how to make it.
Here’s a good photo of an actual glacier: http://www.oreillynet.com/network/2000/06/06/graphics/glacier.jpg
Thanks
Since neither railroads nor paved roads can be built on or close to a glacier (the glacier itself is constantly moving, albeit very slowly, and the ground downstream is inherently unstable), you only need to put them on your backdrop. You can use photos or paint it yourself, using photos as a guide.
The White Pass and Yukon picked White Pass as the route to the interior because it was glacier-free. The Alaska RR built a long tunnel from Whittier to Portage to go under the glacier-bound mountain range between the 2 points. This allowed the US to use Whittier as a protected ice-free port with rail access to Anchorage and Fairbanks during WW2.
Glaciers are characterized by their brilliant blue ice which is often seen through the dirty snow on top and the sides. Most glacier faces are considerably higher than sea level, although there is usually at least some kind of lake at the melt point. The chunks of ice that break off and other debris go downstream a little ways to a natural choke point and form a dam holding the melt water back. Glacier fed rivers are an opaque (not translucent like normal rivers and streams) tourquoise color because of the huge amount of silt contained in the water.
just my thoughts and experiences
Fred W
I grew up in Alaska, so I understand that having a railroad close to a glacier isn’t realistic, but I’m building more of a fatasy layout than a model of the prototype. ARR and WP&Y are separated by hundreds of miles, but I plan on running both on my layout. I do plan on scratchbuilding a tunnel portal to look like the Whittier tunnel somewhere on the layout.
Pete
I tried. But someone left the thermostat up too high in the basement and it leveled my coastal town. The salmon haven’t been back since…[:(]
Tom
Was it Al Gore ??? [:-^]
You could conceivably build a bridge OVER a glacier, or have a glacier in a valley below a mountain that the tracks are on (I am thinking a rocky cliff leading down to the glacier, the upper steep mountain being glacier free). Tunnel etc. I would think that building a mountain/river with plaster cloth and then sticking cast or carved glacier pieces in the snow and painting white/blue along with some clear epoxy for ice etc would be workable. You would have to experiment around. Certainly could be done. Neat idea.
I am modeling Colorado Rocky Mountains myself. I love mountain scenery and trains!
You might be able to get the “blue ice” effect by pouring epoxy into a rock mold to make a clear rock face, and then putting it over a light blue surface. Snow could then be applied to that face and piled on top. A rock face isn’t exactly right, comparing the ice and rock in your example picture, but it’s a start.
This is a neat idea, incidentally. Please keep us posted, particularly with photos.
That’s actually my plan. I’ve got a 20" Walthers bridge going over the space where I want to build the glacier.
Thanks for the ideas guys, I’ll have to start experimenting. I’ll try to post some pictures this weekend.
Pete
My layout is progressing at truly glacial speed. Does that count?
Dave Nelson
Remember to curve the upper end of the glacier out of sight and/or paint the snow fields on the backdrop, just like you would a water river and its source.
As you know, active glaciers are ice “flowing” downhill from the year-round snow fields high in the mountains where the snow has compressed into ice by its own weight, usually over several hundred years. Like water rivers, glaciers have a source. River of ice is an accurate term.
I think a bridge spanning the valley just downstream of the glacier face would be a really terrific and actually plausible scene. Nothing would say Alaska better (except moose and bear carcasses hanging in a garage and skins on the wall [:)]). Perhaps you might try the normal river and waterfall construction methods with a much bluer tint, then add snow. Trying this in a cardboard box or similar to refine your techniques and colors before doing it on the layout might save re-dos on the layout.
my suggestions, your choices
Fred W
modelled an ice cap
You could easily model a glacier by using the blue foam instead of pink and with just a plaster cap to indicate the snow cover ,you might be able to get away with it. Also consider receding glaciers which break up on the face more quickly than they flow. The Mendenhal at Juneau is such a glacier. One could easily build a railroad over the bare rock faces that are exposed,while leaving the moraine areas alone. I’m thinking of a scene like Art Hills avatar,which is a scene of yosemite. You could do something like that only with the glacier in the back ground. Or paint the glacier on the backgound. An added bit of realism would be to route a tube from your air conditioner to the glacier giving a blast of cold air. Also don’t forget the rafters on the river and the eagles in the trees, and salmon in the stream,and fishers on the banks,maybe even a dog team on top giving tourists a ride with a tour helicopter close by, A blue and yellow train disgorging passengers at a period style depot with tour busses waiting could all happen. A glacier is a good idea Man.
[#ditto]
Beat me to it!
[:-^]
Here is help for you.
Go to www.alaskamodelrrnews.homestead.com
They have a picture of their model, it is the second picture under the track plan. Quite impressive, they have done an excellent job.
James 1: Verse 5
Long live the “Wobbly”
Johnboy out…
