I wouldn’t recomend a stone finish unless it is for a large scale layout. If it is then you could spray on a stone paint in a color of your choise. Your other option would be to paint it gray or tan using FLAT paint. Spray or brush will work.
I painted a tunnel for my layout recently and I had to buy another one because the stone finish didn’t give it the efect that I was looking for. I used the flat paint on the replacement and it looked a lot better.
Also about the soot build-up; I recomend using a charcoal pencil. You can get them at most craft stores for about 90¢. After the paint is dry make a line from the edge near the tunnel mouth were the soot build-up is going to be(that should be directly above each track) and draw it about half way up. Go over the line repeatedly until it is very thick and then with your finger or a DRY rag (a tissue may even work) rub in the charcoal spreading it away from the line in all directions, but remember not to go to far away.
“jonadel”
How did you make the water fall in your gorge?
We used Woodland Scenics Water Effects. Take a piece of wax paper and put it on a cookie sheet, then take the Water Effects and just put down thin strips of however long you want the falls to be. After they are dry place them where you wish, use more Water Effects to sort of glue them in place. If they are too long just snip them off with scissors, best suggestion would be just to experiement with a few before making the whole falls. The only problem we had at first was getting them off of the wax paper but through trail and error we were successful.
This was really a fun project, we both enjoyed every aspect of it. Hope this helps.
Jon
I need help finding an inexpensive motorized turntable for my HO scale layout.
[:)]
Check out this topic: http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=12645
Would you mind not putting the large picture of the (French?) train on every posting?
We were putting in a family room (18x18) and wanted to incorporate the trains (O gauge) is some way. I was able to build a 6" shelf around 3 of the walls and a 20" deep bookcase on the 4th wall. This allows for 3 or 4 tracks across the top of the bookshelf. There were 2 tricky parts. The first was a staircase coming into the room. We cut a hole through the side of a riser along the wall and it made a great tunnel entrance. Where we crossed a doorway a fold down shelf/bridge was built that alligns the track perfectly every time. All my wiring and power was able to be hidden from sight.
By doing it this way we were able to have our family room and trains all in the same place. It turned out great and looks pretty good too. If anyone is interested in a pictures I’d be happy to take some and email them to you.
Tom
What would be the best order to go in to build my new HO layout? What I mean is what order makes it easy to add in tracks, mountains, buildings, scenery, and other knick-knacks.
I would start with geting the basic shape of the land exept for were any tunnels will be. For them wait until the track is in. that is step two. Add track to your layout along with tunnel entrances, bridges and turntables (basicly anything that will interact with the trains). Next, put a cover over any track thet will be in a tunnel. Anything that can be used to keep plaster off the tracks will work. Now follow whatever set of instructions you want to use to put in the mountain. Next add in buildings and then scenery.
That is what worked for me.
Does anyone know were I can find a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 “Big Boy” Steam loco. for HO scale? Preferably on the cheaper side.[:)]
Trix made a decent one for under $700.00
Have you posted this on one of the Model Railroader Magazine forums? The HO folks hang out there, whereas this forum is for toy trains, like Lionel and American Flyer.