i’ve been away from the hobby for several years and am finally preparing to build a new h.o. layout. the accepted practice is to complete all the track work and then begin to add all the landscaping and scenic details. i would like to take a real world approach-rough in the landscape which includes mountains,rivers and rolling terrain. this would be accomplished using styrofoam sheets of varying thickness and layering them. the track plan would then be “CUT” into the existing landscape. has anyone attempted this? any and all feedback would be appreciated!
You wouldn’t be the first to build the scenery and then the trackwork: John Allen did that 40 years ago building the Gorre & Daphetid. It’s definitely the hard way, though–and you want to have your final track plan set in stone before you start building the terrain.
I’d really advise you to think twice about doing that. For trackwork, you need a solid, flat base. If you’re going to try to cut a notch through a mountain to put track on, it will be very difficult to get it either flat or even. Slopes will be even more difficult.
If your trackwork is weak, you will not enjoy your layout.
Amen to MisterBeasley. I think your asking for a lot of trouble.
This idea will be a lot easier to implement with the foam than it would in the old days with screen and plaster scenery. I saw an paragraph or two written about this in some layout planning book, but can’t remember where now. It could be fun, but be aware as the other posters have pointed out to make certain there is enough support under the deepest part to be cut. Also there will be a lot more waste and hence cost in the base materials.
I actually use a random 3D surface technique to design geography for free lance railroads. However, that is only a pencil and paper exercise. I always translate it to a pre-set thing before construction.
I dunno about design, but I think you could make a decent trackbed with your proposed method by using the thin paper-clad foam that comes in sheets you can cookie-cut. In a perverse sort of way, that would be similar to prototype practice. Might not take spikes too well, though…