I’m sure this is not worth makeing this post for, but I can’t help it - I’m excited! I am finally starting on the scenery on my layout. The first real element I’m working on is a tree and bush covered rock wall to serve as the backdrop on one side of my layout. I made a wood frame, taped in some balled-up newspaper, and covered it with plaster cloth. I can’t believe how well it turned out! This is my first time ever using plaster. Here are a couple of pics.
It needes some “fill in” plaster work, a paint job, and some foliage added and it will be set!
Looks absolutely great! How do you intend to proceed from this point? Generate rock cuts and facets, then colour them and weather, and then apply the shrubs, etc?
Thanks for your kind words! To answer your questions - Crandell, I’m not 100% sure what I’m going to do. I have some rock molds, and I am thinking of making some rock formations and place them at various locations and simply have them “peek " through all the foliage.
Ken, the track radius on the helix is 22”. I would have liked to have gone bigger, but due to lack of space in the layout room 22" is all I could get and still have my big 6 axle diesles run o.k.
What I like about your helixes is that they don’t seem so intimidating - IOW, even I might be able to do something like that![:D] Have you actually operated any full-length trains on there yet? I’ve heard people say that steep grades on sharp curves put a major strain on locomotives…
I just got my layouts mainline planned out now i’m just looking for the time to do it. I’m out of school but saturday we’re leaving for vaction. and i just got my learners permit[^][:D][8D][:)][:P][4:-)][C=:-)][C):-)][{(-_-)}][oX)][#offtopic][swg][tup][:-^][yeah]
Of course it’s worth posting!!! Congrats on the progress and the success with a new technique. Nothing like seeing another success story (no matter how small) from another modeler to keep the rest of us inspired. Starting scenery is an exciting and important stage for any model railroad.
Ken, to answer your question, yes. I’m not sure what you consider a “full length” train, but I regularly run a 18 car ( 3 Maxi III 5-unit sets, and 3 stand alone ) double stack train up and down the helix with little problem. It takes at least 3 big and heavy pullers on the front end to get it to the top. I CAN run more than just those 18 cars, but to do that requires rear end helper locos. By the way, those helpers HAVE to be put on the tail end, becuse the “draging weight” of more than those 18 cars is enough to make the first 3 or 4 cars to fall over ,or try to “string line” themselves as they start up the hill. It is also VERY important to have the power balance between the front and rear power correct. The rear power needs to be set up to run just a little faster than the head end.
I was wondering just how long of a train I could get up the helix, so one time I did a little test. I made up a train with these cars - the 18 double stacks, 2 89’ autoracks, 3 55’ CenterFlow Hoppers, and a 50’ box car (pretty much every rail car I own!). I put 3 locos on the front and 2 more at the rear. I set my DCC system to control the 2 power consists on seperate throttles, so I could really get the power balanced ( because if you don’t you will have a VERY large mess of railcars to clean up off the floor!). Adjusting the throttles in order to get the train going was super trickey! But I did get it going and it pulled those 24 cars up the hill with what seemed like very little problem. I wouldn’t want to do that every day or anything, but it did work.
My “full length” means either 30 50ft cars or 15 89ft cars plus 2 6-axle locos.
Hmmm…that’s what I thought! Doable, but requires lots of planning and concentration [not to mention mega-motive power]. Think I’ll stick with my original [no-helix] plan. Thanx Kevin!
