Progress on my layout! (Pics)

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I finally broke through the pink foam barrier on my layout and now have some color and texture to look at! Here’s a picture of what the area looked like before the color and some ballast were added:

I went back through this area and applied a second coat of plaster to fill in the holes on the plaster cloth visible in this picture. I also added a tunnel portal to disguise the dead end tracks. I still need to paint, weather and detail the Glacier Gravel Company building. I also painted the base foam a ‘earthy’ tan color that was a close match to Buff colored ballast. I sprinkled the buff ballast onto the tan paint while it was wet for a little contrast in color.

Here’s the results of my first attempt at ballasting my rails. I also applied a ‘stone grey’ wa***o the tunnel portal, adding some color and detail to the cut stone. Any comments or criticisms?

Thanks,

Don Z.

2

looks good!
Who’s the manufacture fo the coal mine building? I’m in the market for one.

3

fannblade,

Here’s the building info you’re looking for: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3062

Here’s an actual coal mine building on sale: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3017

Don Z.

4

Great work on the coal mine. I always wanted a place where I could back long strings of hoppers under a tipple but space was never granted.

5

bought the ne wriver one today

Thanks

6

Let us know how it turns out. I’ll be getting one for my N layout soon.

7

its over here Don’t want to HiJack this thread
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=69273

8

You put this together in less than 24 hours ? I only ask because on 7/3 you said you just bought it. I bought mine yesterday and am still staring at the box and all the pieces. My question is whether I want to paint the pieces first, before assembly.

9

wondered if anyone would catch on to that!!

I bought it assembled from a LHS for $40.00 weathered and all[:D]

10

I did receive one suggestion to go along the rails and clean off the ballast that stuck to the sides of the rails. After looking at the photos full sized, it was pretty obvious that needed to be done.

Any other suggestions?

Don Z.

11

Hey Don did u use foam and plaster for ur mountain side? Love the height.

12

fannblade,

I laid a piece of foam down that was precut to fit the left-right dimension of the alcove and drew a line to represent the base of the wall. After I cut it out, I laid the cut piece on top of another piece of foam and traced the cut line. I then freehand drew another line to represent the top of the wall, recessed back from the base line that was cut. I then glued the top piece onto a wall of foam that is visible in the pictures, filled the void with newspaper and covered with plaster cloth. I brushed on a skim coat of hydrocal to fill in all the the holes in the plaster cloth.

I hope to make some rock molds this week and get them applied to the wall so I can put some color to that white behemoth.

Don Z.

13

Try “mossing” up the ballast a bit! add a bit of elmers glue and sprinkle on some light grasses or weeds!

this gives it a more realistic look!

14

raptor55,

I’ll think about the grass/weed idea…this is going to be a very busy gravel pit, so I’m not sure the weeds will have a chance to take over the rails. I’m going to visit a local rock quarry that has rail service this weekend to take photos of their rails to see how much detail I need to add to make it look more prototypical.

Thanks for the suggestion,

Don Z.