I have one section of the layout which is the wall next to the engine servicing facility I was considering placing a long retaining wall exactly 700 scale feet. Instead of the usual photo back drop or building flats I figured on having an elevated city section overlooking the yard, placing either barbed wire or some sort of fencing so the residents don’t take a nose dive onto the tracks. I think you get the gist of what I’m talking about, well I started checking places like Scenic Express and to purchase said retaining walls will cost in excess of $100.00. Now I am a self proclaimed cheap skate but will spend money but if you have a way of carving stone or block on foam thats what I’m after. Not the typical stone work I have seen a lot here do which looks great but a canyon type wall won’t look at all correct. So anyone got any thoughts, their greatly appreciated as always.
I took a chuck of insulation foam the right length and width but too think and carved the stones in with a #11 xacto. I carved the horizontal lines first and then diu out the vertical with the point of the blade. I then went over with a mild wire brush. It took a little while but was kind of fun.
I then painted it white to get the space between the stones. Black would give the other look. I then painted each block, one at a time, but not too carefully. I used four different colors and did not clean the brush as I went in a random patern. I used tube acrylics.I then put some washes on to get the right look. I finished with a light dry brush of white to get hightlites.
I then sliced off 1/4 inch of the foam and wrapped the finished product around the space and glued on with low temp hot melt glue. I don’t know if there is a pic of this in my sig or not. I think they look pretty good and cost me nothing.
I did find a couple pics
i am in the very same boat. Last week, i started a thread here about how i am thinking of trying to cast them out of a thin layer of latex caulk in a latex mold. I have a pick of a quick first attempt here:
Yes I recall reading and responding to your post and believe me you system had crossed my mind. For me though I guess I could make a positive of one section lets say a scale 100’ and then just reproduce it 7 times but I honestly don’t have that much confidence in my modeling ability that I’ll make an acceptable looking mold.
I briefly tried a method I saw demonstrated at a train show a few years a go where the guy scribed parallel line in pink foam with an exacto blade and then the corresponding vertical lines to give you the brick or block pattern and then he went back over the lines with a pen and by doing so it relieved the cut line enough to make it look like a mortar join. Once painted gray and then hit with a wash it was a very convincing looking block wall. I guess after you do it a few hundred times it get easier.
I was thinking if I got a styrene brick sheet and possibly pressed it into the foam it may leave a pattern