Well, the landscape will be flat. Not a problem on my city with ammusement park themed 5x8. I take issue with the comments that carpet is only suitable for a “toy train look”. My layout looks far more like high-rail. Joe
Take a look at the September 2005 issue of CTT. Major Joe Bolton’s layout is plywood covered in grass mats, with trees, lichen, and structures on top of that. He did an outstanding job making simplistic scenery look great. It looks incredible! So incredible that I’ve given serious thought to giving my fledgling layout the same look, as opposed to a more realistic look. You could do the same with carpeting or felt. Felt might actually be more versitile in that you could make mountains and tunnels out of it. Apply some spray starch once you form them and they should hold their shape.
The Feb 2005 issue had an article about a guy (John Potter) who owns and runs pre-war trains. His layout was painted Homosote board. It was painted green in some areas, and a terra cotta color in others. Again, it looked great! I’ve really been amazed with how nice some layouts can look with just the most basic scenery elelments.
Jim
More GREAT replys ! I like the idea of FasTrack or some similar stuff. Does the carpet base help the noise problem I’ve seen mentioned ? I think I’ll try a small oval of that to check the noise level.
That’s the stuff, Alan! I couldn’t exactly remember.
I use loose ballast on the green sandpaper and it works fine. But I am also careful to work things out so the issues noted don’t occur. My trains don’t generate enough ‘vibration’ to scatter it much - I keep it away from switches, etc. It’s also real rocks instead of something lighter.
Major Bolton was using Fastrack directly on the plywood tables with only a grass mat between the track and table and said he did not hear excessive noise.
Jim
For a 6 X 4 christmas dislay I might use the carpet glued on the 2 inch foam top. Was going to paint the foam but it sounds like you could glue the carpet to the foam and lay the track on the carpet and go. An ice pick would work to punch holes for the wires through the carpet and foam. Mist the carpet with a little white paint and spray in a raod or two for the village. Thaks everyone for the great ideas.
I was just re-reading the All-Star Electric Trains of the 1950s special issue, and n pp 46, Bill Mack’s layout is described as being built with GarGraves track on top of green outdoor carpeting - in some areas he ‘loose’ ballasted, in others - near the edges where visitors tended to rest their hands, he glued strips of 1/2 gasket material under the sections of track. He said it was one of the smartest things he did - looked like ballast but didn’t make a mess - and made it easy to swap accessories.