Hi everyone, I just started my second layout and have learned alot from this forum and experience. One of them is to use extruded foam as a base. My question is how do most of you make the terrain uneven so to speak? Do you carve out low spots or build up higher areas? Im not talking about mountains. Right now all is too flat. I realize this is a juvenile question for most of you, but I cant seem to get the look I want. Pics would be nice. Thanks for all the help Dave
You’re on the right track (pun intended), carving and building up. I’ve used a hotwire tool to form larger areas but a rasp and sandpaper are my tools for carving most features. Just some simple undulations, usually sloping away from tracks and roads is how I’ve handled “flat” areas. Just a little goes along way, 1/2 inch drop is 3 feet in HO.
Here are some of our modules, almost everything was done with foam.
http://www.trainweb.org/freemosoks/photos.html
Ricky
Yep, Ricky’s right. Hot wire cutter is a great way to go. I do recommend a WELL VENTILATED AREA. Seriously. The fumes from a hot wire cutter are toxic. If you’re concerned about the fumes, you can use a sharp kitchen knife, but it’s messier.
Here’s an example. Note that I’d painted the foam top with tan latex paint. But I did this cutout with a hot wire cutter:
The finished area:
The same works for terrain above the table. Here I stacked and cut Styrofoam, then covered it with Sculptamold and then hot glued on some foam-rubber rock castings: 
Again, the finished scene:
Good luck!
Can’t compete with David’s mastery, but I’m using foam for the first time too.
I have an urban layout, so I just need to cut out a harbor & turntable pit:
I used a long, smooth bread knife.
Worked it gently up & down to minimize the clumping & pealing, but you see there’s still some.
But I was able to get the round out in one piece, so I can use for casting the pit later.
I’m using the same knife to cut out the harbor area, as that’s all verticle cuts.
I hear rasps are good for channels, depressions & “down”.
Here’s a good “how-to” you-tube series:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A1378DF426F2C713&search_query=model+railroad+scenery+using+extruded+foam
that should give you some ideas.
Foam is forgiving!
Though, there is benefit to keeping the surface area intact (it’s strong!), so plan out yr cuts!
Cheers!
–Mark
Pretty much the same as Dave, but in general, I go up rather than down. I use scraps of foam, cut with a wire cutter or knife, to take the flatness out of the scenery. I also go down, like I did for this pond:
I covered the pond basin with plaster cloth to smooth it out a bit. I’ll use plaster cloth to ease the transition from flat to raised, too.
While I like working with foam, I don’t like having to be the one to supply all the angulations within the scenery…
In order to compensate from my lack of imagination, in some parts of my layout I’m using a layer of “pillow-shaped” newspapers, secured with masking tape and covererd with plaster strips to form an uneven terrain on top of the pink foam.
Oh, I did add a think layer of sculptamold on top of the plaster sheets to make the terrain a little smoother.
Besides the WS wire cutter, there is a little tool called Tippi which lends additional versatility to cutting foam. Using shapable flat wires, it is simialar to a hot knife but is a lot less costly. I do final shaping with a Sur-Form tool and a steel bristled brush.
Thanks for all the good info. that is exactly what I wanted. I know what I wantto achieve I just have a hard time visualizing what I need to do to get there. Thanks Dave
Check out this series on youtube. All about working with foam.
Brent