I N F O R M AT I O N S TAT I O N

Toy train scenery

‘hidden corner’Build a

Re-creating a scene from Lionel’s postwar display layout

story and photos by Stan Trzoniec

LIONEL’S 1950S DISPLAY LAYOUT in New York City left an impression on me that haslasted a lifetime. To this day, many of this O gauge layout’s fine details andsmall scenes are etched in my memory from one three-hour visit decades ago.

One scene could have easily been overlooked. On the far corner of the layout wasa scene that combined a suburban setting with a pedestrian overpass – it remindedme of the busy commuter stations near my home in New Jersey.

Complete with a Lionel no. 132 station, it had tracks that swept out in a wide arc.Farther down the tracks, trains would slip beneath the main surface of the layoutonly to briefly reappear at a below-grade station before turning back to climb to themain level of the layout.

When I began building my layout, which is based on the famous showroom lay-out, I still had an image of this “hidden corner” in mind. Clearly, I had to adapt thecorner into my plans.

Cornering an ideaMy hidden corner has one track that

descends to a lower level and thenemerges from a tunnel portal to make asweeping 90-degree curve before climb-ing back to the main level of my layout(photo 1).

I added a siding along the curve foran extra train (a four-car string of LionelPennsylvania MU cars) to serve rush-hour commuters. Of course, I wanted toleave room for that famous no. 132 sta-tion. This part of my layout also featureshand-built catenary (as described inCTT’s February 2004 issue).

Since my layout’s lower level is about11 inches below the upper main line, ittook me some time to develop a sceneryplan that would blend the lower levelwith the rest of my layout.

I decided to conceal part of theadded-on siding, hiding it behind a wallthat features Scenic Express’ Pennsy cut-block tunnel portals. Adding a side cur-tain to the fascia of my layout later wouldmake the double-deck effect blend inand look truly professional.

The back wall separating the cornerfrom the main surface of my layoutoffered many different scenery possibili-ties. I decided a vertical wall, with a flatfacade, would work best. Somewherealong this wall I wanted another tunnelportal, this time for automobiles. AChooch HO tunnel portal seemed per-fect for my O gauge vehicles.

With this plan in mind and the trackin place, I loosely positioned all thestructures and scenery components tosee where they’d fit best. Now I wasready to build scenery to blend the cor-ner with the main level of my layout.

Blending two layersAt first I considered using Scenic

Express’ Pennsy FlexiWall stone blockwalls to visually join the upper and lowerlevels together. These plastic-foam wallscan be bent to follow a contour. Ulti-mately I decided on a less man-madeappearance, but I found these flexiblewalls worked nicely as tunnel liners(photo 2) and as bits of retaining wallused elsewhere in my corner scene. Iglued these interior walls, plus the por-tals and larger retaining walls, in placewith Liquid Nails.

For the back wall of my corner scene,I needed another stony substitute. Ichose plaster and cardboard strips.

To create a support structure, I sta-pled together a web of 1-inch-wide card-board strips, covering the open spacebetween the upper and lower levels ofbenchwork (photo 3). I also added somecardboard strips to the backside of the

1. This is how Stan’s hidden corner scene looked before scenery was added. Thestation area calls to mind a similar scene from Lionel’s 1949-57 New York City show-room layout. Stan adjusted the scenery and added handmade catenary to matchother parts of his layout.

2. To break up the vertical wall separating the corner scene from the rest of hislayout, Stan installed a car tunnel using an HO scale tunnel portal and flexiblestone-block foam walls. The foam walls, used to line the interior of the tunnel, giveit depth.

portals so they could later be blendedinto the adjacent scenery (photo 4).

I used plaster wrap (a gauze-like fab-ric impregnated with plaster) and Gyp-solite (a lightweight plaster) to createthe shell. I simply cut the plaster wrapinto 4-inch strips, soaked the strips inwarm water, and applied them over thecardboard. By poking and prodding thestill-wet material in places as I applied it,I created surface imperfections to mimicexcavated stone (photos 5 and 6).

Next, I added a coating of Gypsolite

to enhance the appearance and strengthof the shell.

After allowing the plaster to dry forseveral days, I coated it with slate grayacrylic stain from Woodland Scenics’earth color liquid pigments line, appliedwith a spray bottle (photo 7). First Ievenly applied a base coat; then an hourlater I added an extra coat or two nearthe tracks to simulate weathering fromtrain traffic.

I allowed the stain to dry for a fewdays, and then I touched up the high

spots along the walls with some earthbrown latex paint, using an almost drybrush with each pass. (My mixture,which I selected from a paint strip atHome Depot, is called San AndreasBrown, but you don’t need to match mycolor exactly.)

When the paint and stain were dry, Iadded various ground covers usingmatte medium as an adhesive. I usedWoodland Scenics ground foams(weeds, green blend, and earth colors)plus some Scenic Express Flock and Turf

3. Stan created a web of 1-inch-wide cardboard strips as the structural base forhis plaster scenery. The short retaining wall pieces are made from the same flexiblematerial as his tunnel liners.

4. Stan glued cardboard strips to theback of the tunnel portals to allow plas-ter wrap to join the portal stonework.

5. Once the cardboard webs were secured on the hillside, Stan covered the card-board strips with plaster wrap, poking and prodding the wet wrap to create arougher surface that mimics excavated rock. Most of the holes in the gauze-likematerial disappeared under a coating of Gypsolite that was applied later.

6. Stan ran the plaster wrap right upto the edges of the portals and theretaining walls as a means of blendingthe scenery materials.

(summer lawn color). I also added somecinder material to give added depth tospots and then glued on trees and lichento give more life to the horizontal sur-faces atop the rocky wall and to hide anyseams on the vertical surfaces (photo 8).

Building a station platformMy desire to include a no. 132 station

in my corner scene involved more thanmerely setting the structure in place. Iwanted a convincing station platform,like commuters might see along a busy

railroad line.My plan was to fill in the space

between the curved tracks and the sidingto create a flat surface nearly even withthe top of the rails.

I first inserted and then glued stripsof N scale cork roadbed between theouter and center rails on both tracks,making sure to leave a gap for wheelflanges on the outer rails.

Next, I glued some 3⁄4-inch-wide woodstrips tightly against the track ties to cre-ate a border for my platform (photo 9).

These strips are about even with theheight of the top of the rails. It took a lit-tle jury-rigging and some map pins (lovethose flags!) to secure the strips in placewhile the Liquid Nails dried.

Next, for fill, I purchased a few bagsof Woodland Scenics coarse brown bal-last. I poured the ballast between thewood-strip borders until it was flush withthe top edge of the wood. I leveled offthe ballast as best I could, then addedmatte medium with an eyedropper to fixthe ballast in place.

Bill of materialsStan used these materials to buildhis corner scene. Brand-nameproducts are listed, when applica-ble.

Chooch HO tunnel portalGypsoliteLatex paint (earth brown)Liquid NailsMatte mediumN scale cork roadbedPlaster wrapScenic Express Flock and Turf

ground cover (summer lawn)Scenic Express Pennsy FlexiWalls

stone-cut wallsScenic Express Pennsy O gauge

tunnel portals (3)Wood strips (3⁄4-inch- and 1⁄4-inch-

wide)Woodland Scenics coarse ballast

(brown and gray)Woodland Scenics earth color liq-

uid pigments (slate gray)Woodland Scenics ground foams

(various colors)Woodland Scenics trees and lichen

7. After applying Gypsolite on top of the plaster wrap, Stan created a rockyappearance by spraying a base coating of Woodland Scenics slate gray stain to thesurface. He used a clean quart bottle and a spray attachment from a weed killer kit.

8. For added realism, Stan appliedstain inside the tunnel opening andadded bits of lichen to cover the seamsbetween the retaining walls and portal.

9. For the station platform, Stan used wood forms on both sides of the track, glu-ing them to the ties under the track with Liquid Nails and temporarily holding themin place with braces and map pins. The cork strips in the tracks are actually piecesof N scale roadbed that Stan later painted black.

To finish this scene, I positioned thestation and then glued a 1⁄4-inch strip ofwood as a barrier around the building. Ifilled the area nearest the building withthe same brown ballast. Then I coveredthe exposed tops of the track ties adja-cent to my platform with WoodlandScenics gray coarse ballast.

I applied matte medium to the grayballast and let it dry for a few days. ThenI painted the exposed top edge of wood-strip borders yellow and the N scaleroadbed strips black (photo 10).

I finished the scenery around the sta-tion, made sure my trains ran properlythrough the platform area, and thentook an appreciative look at my com-pleted hidden corner.

Sure enough, my corner brings backmemories of both a classic Lionel displaylayout and of real commuter scenes Iremember from my childhood. T

With the hidden corner complete, thefirst Amtrak Special makes an appear-ance in the busy commuter area onStan’s layout.

10. Woodland Scenics coarse ballastin shades of brown and gray fills thearea around the track and the Lionel no.132 station. Stan painted the top edgesof the wood forms yellow as a real rail-road would do for safety purposes.

This neat scenery feature looks great on an O or S gauge railroad

Add a gorge

NO MATTER WHAT size or scale lay-out you have, including a gorgeor creek bed will attract the atten-

tion of visitors. Even if your S, O, or Stan-dard gauge railroad already has track andscenery, you can build a gorge like I did.

Cookie-cutting a foundationThe first step in adding a gorge

involves cutting into the tabletop toaccommodate an open area. Begin bymarking an outline on the tabletop whereyour gorge will be. When determining itswidth, keep in mind that the typical Ogauge trestle bridge is 24 inches long.

I made my opening 22 inches, whichleaves an inch on each end to supportthe trestle bridge. Farther in from thefront edge of my layout, the gorge nar-rows and is crossed by a second track. Iused a plate girder bridge for the sec-ond crossing.

Once you’ve checked your gorge’s loca-tion, use a saber saw to cut an opening inthe plywood tabletop. You may also haveto cut through some bracing beneath thetabletop as I did (fig. 1). If necessary, adda new brace farther in from the edge ofthe layout or closer to the floor to makeup for the brace you cut.

Next, you need to decide how deepyour gorge will be. If you really want to gowild, building a deep gorge down to the

floor level may be in the cards,although a dramatically deep gorgemay look out of place if the rest of yourlayout’s terrain is relatively flat.

I envisioned a shallower basin about4 inches deep for my layout. I bought a1-by-4 piece of lumber to frame thesides of the gorge and a sheet of ply-wood to serve as the bed of the gorge.

I cut three equal pieces of the 1-by-4 toserve as the walls of my gorge. If yourgorge is deeper or shallower, use a differ-ent width of wood accordingly. Using car-penter’s glue and 11⁄4-inch-long drywallscrews, secure two of these “walls” to theleft and right undersides of the cutoutarea so they’re perpendicular to the edgeof the layout. Then secure the third pieceto the rear of the opening (fig. 2).

Take the sheet of plywood and cut offa section that’s about the size of youropening (my opening measures approx-imately 22 by 30 inches). This pieceserves as the bed of the gorge. Again,use wood glue and drywall screws tosecure this piece to the three 1-by-4 sup-ports. When finished, you should have athree-sided “compartment” to scenick.

Scenery baseReady for the real fun? I’m referring

to making the scenery surrounding thegorge. First, though, I decided that, foradded realism, I wanted concrete abut-ments to support the center and ends ofthe trestle bridge and the ends of thegirder bridge. I bought my abutments

Stan built this neat gorge on his O gauge lay-out. Follow his directions and you’ll see how easyit is to add this scenic feature to your railroad.

Fig. 1: Start by cutting out the shape of the gorgeand any underlying braces. The width of the cut inthe tabletop is about a couple inches less than thebridge that spans it.

Fig. 2: Next you frame the gorge the same waythat Stan did – with 1-by-4 sides and a base madeof plywood. Be sure that they fit flush to the frontedge of the layout.

story and photos by Stanley W. Trzoniec

to your layout

from Scenic Express, a model railroadscenery supplier.

After checking that the abutmentswere the right height and making adjust-ments, I weathered them with a wash ofrubbing alcohol and black India ink. I letthe weathering dry overnight. Then Isecured the abutments in place with dabsof Liquid Nails on their bases.

Whether you include abutments ornot, the next step is to cut strips of corru-gated cardboard and staple them from theedge of the tabletop down to the plywoodbed of your gorge. Using the strips and abit of artistic license, contour the sceneryso it flows down into the gorge (fig. 3).

Since the gorge on my layout is rathershallow, I decided to combine a dry washwith a small creek that is low at this time ofthe year because of the lack of rain. Otheralternatives would be to make the gorgefull of water as if it were a rain-swollenstream or river. Again, it’s your choice.

I made banks for my creek with amaterial called PlasterWrap, which Irolled up to form the basic contour ofthe water flow. This also let me form a“dam” to confine the Enviro-Tex two-partclear epoxy that I use to model water.Both PlasterWrap and Enviro-Tex areavailable from model railroad scenerycompanies such as Woodland Scenics andScenic Express, which advertise in CTT.

PlasterWrap is just what it sounds like –a mesh wrapping material impregnated

with dry plaster. It was originally developedas a convenient way for physicians to putbroken bones into casts. Be aware thatthis material can be messy. If your lay-out is sitting on a nice carpet, you oughtto put a tarp under it to spare the rug.

Use an old pan or tray for preparingthe PlasterWrap. Disposable paint-roller trays are another alternative. Fillyour tray about a third of the way withlukewarm water. Cut the PlasterWrapin strips 6 to 8 inches long.

Dip the strips in the water; you shouldbe able to work with three or four at atime. Lift them out and let the excesswater drain off. Then drape the wet stripsover your cardboard latticework. Let thestrips overlap for added strength (fig. 4).

Don’t worry about getting a star forneatness. Have fun and let everythingdry for a day or two, depending onroom and humidity conditions. Thenget ready to finish the rough scenerywith Gypsolite, another material.

Gypsolite is a lightweight gypsumbase-coat plaster. Look for it at homeimprovement centers. I’ve found that amix of 3 parts Gypsolite to 1 part waterworks best. It creates a consistency thatlets you brush on this mix with relativeease while still being able to take timeto work it the way you want.

Place the 3 parts of Gypsolite into awashable container and add half of thewater to start the mix. Then pour more

water into the mix and keep turning ituntil you get something like wet con-crete. You can then begin to lay theGypsolite onto the walls of your gorgewith an old brush (fig. 5).

Allow for natural flows in the terrain.If you have an area where you thinkwater will spill into the gorge, shape theGypsolite with your brush to suggest ero-sion from the water. Later add detailslike talus (small rocks) and debris toshow the direction of the water as itreaches the bottom of the gorge.

Paint and detailsAfter the Gypsolite has dried, you

can paint and detail it right down tothe water line (fig. 6).

You can add earth to the base of thecreek, followed by some coloring for thewater. Start with a darker color in the mid-dle of the creek for depth, and let itbecome lighter as it gets to the shallowshore. Since I had plenty of greens andbrowns on my layout already, I took a bitof artistic license and used hues of blue.

The finale is pouring the Enviro-Texepoxy to model the water in the creek. Ifashioned a temporary dam from a 1-by-4at the front edge of the benchwork tokeep the mixture from spilling out ontothe floor of my train room (fig. 7).

Be sure to pull the dam out just afterthe epoxy sets solid. Otherwise, your tem-porary dam will bond to the benchwork.

I mixed up the Enviro-Tex followingthe manufacturer’s instructions. Then Ipoured in the mixture until I had filledabout 1 inch of the gorge. I let every-thing set overnight.

That’s all there is to it! A few hoursof work yielded a gorgeous gorge thatearns compliments from visitors. T

The author shares more scenery tech-niques and tips for building his Oak Ridge& Western intermediate O gauge layout inToy Train Layout from Start to Finish,available at hobby shops or from KalmbachPublishing Co. Call 1-800-533-6644 or goto kalmbachbooks.com to order.

Fig. 3: Once the abutments are in place, you cancut cardboard strips shaped to the rough outlineof the walls of the gorge and staple them in place.

Fig. 4: Now you’re ready to place overlappingpieces of PlasterWrap on top of the cardboardstrips and let them dry for a day or two.

Fig. 5: After covering the PlasterWrap with a coatof Gypsolite, you can start painting and texturingthe gorge to match your scenery.

Fig. 6: Details include grass on the banks, talus,ground cover, and lichen. Once you’ve painted thebottom of the streambed, you can add “water” tofinish this “gorge-ous” scene.

Fig. 7: Before pouring Enviro-Tex into the creekbed, place a tarp on the floor and a 1-by-4 at theedge to act as a dam. Remove the board as theEnviro-Tex sets but before it bonds to the material.

W hen my layout was featured inCTT’s February 2002 issue,some readers took special note

of my custom-built elevated bridges,which have varying elevations and arealistic yet colorful appearance.

The drawings on page 67 show theparts and dimensions. I’ll explain howthey fit together. If I were to build themagain, I’d assemble them in my work-shop and install them on the layoutusing these steps.

Track supportThe track sub-roadbed is 1⁄2-inch ply-

wood. Because I didn’t have the neces-sary track on hand when I began con-struction, I used engineering tools todraw the curves on a sheet of plywoodand then cut it with a saber saw. (If youhave the track, use it to draw the lines

on the wood.) For roadbed under thetrack, I used extruded polystyrene foam(“blue board” house insulation) on topof the plywood.

For bridge sides, I used plywood wallpaneling, cutting 2-inch strips with atable saw and a fine tooth blade. This 1⁄8-inch thin wood may splinter a little asyou cut it. To reduce splintering, laymasking tape along the cutting line. Toallow me to bend the plywood aroundthe curves, I scored the finished side,which faces inward.

To create the appearance of steel-fabricated bridge sides, complete withseams and supports, I cut and gluedtwo different sizes of balsa wood to theunfinished side of the plywood. Then Ipainted the assembled sides with a 2-inch roller and latex house paint. Theinside does not need to be painted.

Concrete columnsI made the concrete column

anchors with 11⁄2-inch square ash (whichmachines well), cutting the ends roundwith a band saw and drilling holes forthe columns. I also sanded the edges togive it a finished appearance.

The column tops are also fabricatedfrom ash in the same manner, except Iused 11⁄2-inch by 1⁄2-inch wood cut aninch shorter than the anchors.

The concrete columns are wooddowel cut to varying lengths. (Don’t cutthe dowel until you’re confident of theexact length.)

Before cutting the dowels, I cutsome temporary supports that wereroughly the same length that I thoughtthe dowels would be. I laid the sub-roadbed on these temporary supports,shimming and shaving the supports in

Making an elevated lineAn easy way to construct customized elevated bridges

by Dick Teal | illustrations by Robert Wegner

WILLIAM ZUBACK

places until I was satisfied. Then I setthese supports aside to use as a guidefor cutting the dowels.

Putting it all togetherOnce I was done creating the parts

and bridge subassemblies, I erected thebridges in earnest, working from thebottom up.

First, I cut the dowels to the variouslengths I needed. Then I inserted eachdowel all the way through an anchorand a top piece, using carpenters gluefor long-lasting wood bonds. I paintedthe finished column assemblies withgray craft paint.

Before permanently installing them,I positioned the columns onto my lay-out, loosely laying the roadbed atop thesupports. I marked their position bypenciling in an outline around eachoval base, then removed the bases sothat I could drill holes for the flatheadwood screws through the table. Then Iput the bases back in position andscrewed them in place directly to thewood table, not to any foam board orother softer surface such as Homasote,to give it a firm footing.

Likewise, I then drilled holesthrough the roadbed and screwed thesub-roadbed to the columns from thetop down.

At this point, I glued and screwed onthe side pieces, this time using panhead

screws. Clamps held the sides in placetemporarily as the glue dried. If anybalsa pieces came loose as I was bend-ing the sides, I re-glued and clampedthe pieces in place. (If you’re consider-ing using curves that are tighter than54 inches, you might want to experi-ment first.) I painted the screw headsand touched up other areas.

Finally, I glued the blue foam board

to the sub-roadbed and screwed thetrack through the foam board into thesub-roadbed.

My completed structure has goodeye appeal and has proven to be quitestrong. Because I designed specificallyfor my needs, the elevation is just rightin all places around the layout. It’sworth a try for anyone who has similarbridgework in mind. T

3"

4"

1" 1"

1 ⁄ "

Column anchor

Column top

2 1 ⁄ "-square ash

Templates shown actual size

12

1

12

1 ⁄ "12

12 Drill through, ⁄ " diameter, three places

12 Drill through, ⁄ " diameter, three places

⁄ "-thick ash

3 4

18

14

No. 4 x ⁄ " panhead screw

No. 4 x 1" flathead screws

48" lengths of ⁄ " paneling, cut 2" high

Finished side to outside; scribe on inside foreasier bending

No. 4 x 1 ⁄ " track screws; through track pieces and foam board into plywood

EXPLODED VIEW

Column top

1 2

1 2

Real Traxor other track

⁄ " foam board

⁄ " plywood

ew

d

12 ⁄ " diameter

dowel3

323

32 ⁄ " x ⁄ " balsa

18

18 ⁄ " x ⁄ " balsa

Note: pre-drill all screw holes

Column anchor

Foam board

Layout surface

12

12

No. 4 x 1" flathead screw

⁄ " plywood table top

⁄ " diameterdowel

Balsa strips

Panheadscrew

SECTIONVIEW

Panel strip

No scale

Column top

Foam board

5 16

PlywoodTrack

⁄ "

THERE’S NO NEED to stop working with track after you’veplaced it on your layout. Any O or S gauge layout willbenefit if you build a sound roadbed, add ballast,

weather the area, and paint the rails.

1 Build the right baseBefore making any improvements to your track, I recom-

mend creating a base on which to work. For this, install Homa-sote or ceiling tiles between the sub-roadbed and the track.

Homasote is a compressed paper material used in con-struction for sound or temperature insulation. It’s sold in 4- by8-foot sheets at large lumberyards (the website homasote.comhas a product locator feature).

Modelers usually cut Homasote with a wood-cutting bladein a saber saw. You’ll have less dust if you replace the wood-cutting blade with a “specialty blade” that has a straight knife-edge rather than the normal saw-tooth design.

Ceiling tiles, which cost less than Homasote, can also be cutwith a specialty blade. Used in suspended ceilings, these tiles aresold in cartons of eight 2- by 4-foot panels. I use a flat-surface style,such as Armstrong Ceilings no. 290, but any brand works well.

Homasote may be more durable, but ceiling tile is moreworkable. Nevertheless, once the scenery is in place, the differ-ence is insubstantial. Remember, these materials are not self-supporting and should be used only on top of your subroadbed.

Once you’ve glued or screwed the base to your support struc-ture, tape over the seams with masking tape (photo 1). Give every-thing a coat of earth-colored flat latex wall paint to seal the surface.

After laying the track, cement N scale cork roadbed along-side the ties on each side of the track. This will reduce the pro-file of the oversized wood ties to near scale height and give theballast a natural shoulder (photo. 2).

If you’re satisfied with your track, go ahead and glue down thecork. Always work your scenery to the edge of the cork roadbed.This lets the ballast overlap the scenery for a natural effect.

2 Applying ballastCongratulations! You’re ready to apply ballast.Just one problem … with hi-rail track, you’ll use up ballast

in huge quantities.What’s the solution? Create a relatively inexpensive supply.

Some modelers use aquarium gravel, which works rather wellwith O gauge track. However, it’s oversized and isn’t suitablefor use with GarGraves track.

In a quest to find an economical alternative to commercialproducts, I discovered a quarried industrial rock made from

crushed granite. It’s accurately scaled and has a prototypicalgray blend.

Since this rock – the best-looking ballast I’ve seen – isn’tgenerally available, I decided to market it. You can order 5-pound bags of Brennan’s Better Ballast for $15.95 each plusshipping through my website: brennansmodelrr.com.

Regardless of what type of ballast you choose, put some in apaper cup and shake it out between the rails of a 3-foot section.

Next, spread the ballast with a 3⁄4-inch stiff-bristled brush(photo 3). Work the ballast between the ties, making it levelwith the tie tops. Gently tap along the top of the rails with ablock of wood to impart a natural crown to the ballast (photo 4).Pick off any granules that fall on the ties.

Next, spread ballast on the outside of the rails, followingthe contour of the cork. For a natural look, vary the depth ofthe ballast around the ends of a few ties.

Mix up a batch of “wet water” (water mixed with a few drops

Four steps to better-looking track

Roadbed, ballast, weathering, and paint

story and photos by Dennis Brennan

Simple improvements will leave your main lines and sidingslooking as realistic as those on Dennis’ O gauge layout.

2. Securing N scale cork roadbed along O gauge track reducesthe ties’ profile and provides a natural shoulder for ballast.

1. You can use Homasote for a solid base beneath your track-work. Cover the seams between panels with masking tape.

of liquid dishwashing detergent). Put this in a spray bottle andsoak your ballasted track in this mixture.

The detergent reduces the surface tension of the water, whichallows glue to be easily absorbed and evenly distributed through-out the ballast. If you don’t use detergent or another soakingagent, the glue will just ball up on top of the ballast.

For a bonding solution, use a mixture of 1 part white glue, 1part earth-colored latex paint, and 1 part water. The paint killsany sheen on the ballast, getting rid of that freshly ballasted look.Apply the bonding solution with an applicator bottle used tocolor hair. In a pinch, an empty Elmer’s Glue container will work.

Soak the ballast with the bonding solution until it’s saturated.This process won’t damage the wood ties, but you should still becareful around turnouts because glue and ballast can interferewith their proper operation.

Without disturbing the ballast, wipe the top of the rails with adamp cloth. Let everything dry overnight (or longer in highhumidity), Vacuum it to remove any loose material; otherwise,pieces of ballast that may contain magnetic particles could beattracted to a locomotive’s wheels, gears, or motors. Once pickedup, those particles could wreak havoc with the delicate parts.

3 Weathering ballastTrack and ballast, like everything else on a layout, are subject

to the effects of water, dirt, grime, and rust. So you don’t want toforget to weather them, but keep a few things in mind.

Track on a heavily used main line exhibits more grime betweenthe rails than does a lightly used siding or spur. The color of theballast and the dirt tend to blend into one another. Also, a spurmay have little or no ballast and may be almost buried in the dirt.

When weathering track and ballast, the secret for creating anatural look is to avoid uniformity. To see what I’m talking about,check out some real-life railroad tracks and take some pictures.

Once the ballast has dried, weather with a basic earth washof 2 parts water to 1 part earth-colored latex paint. Use yourapplicator bottle to flow this mixture over the ballast. Don’t beafraid to let some of this color creep into the dirt or weedsalong the shoulder (photo 5).

For the next step, create the grime by mixing 3⁄4 teaspoon ofIndia ink with 8 ounces of the earth wash. This has a greatgrungy brown color. Dribble this mixture between the ties,both inside and outside the rails, with the heaviest concentra-tion inside the track.

Spray the ballast shoulders and adjacent ground with wetwater. Randomly dribble the grungy wash on the ballast shoul-ders, letting it blend with the surrounding terrain in variousplaces. If you overdo an area, just spray it with more wet waterto dissipate the India ink.

4 Painting the railsBegin by priming the rails with brown camouflage paint. I

use Rust-oleum no. 1918 Earth Brown spray paint in a glassbowl. (Any brown camouflage paint will do.) This paint driesto an ultra-flat finish and has a great rusty brown rail color.

The paint dries fast, so use only enough to work on one sec-tion of track at a time. A 4-second spray of paint should do it.

Mix it up with a no. 4 artist’s brush and then drag theloaded brush down the side of a rail. Keep a jar of paint thin-ner handy to prevent your brush from stiffening.

The painting goes fast, since you need to paint only the vis-ible sides of the rails. Don’t worry if you get paint on the ties; itonly adds to the weathering.

Let everything dry for several days. You now have a good basecolor that will hold paint or take additional weathering. Remem-ber the grungy brown wash? It’s also an exact mainline rail color.So, as shown in photo 6, load up your brush and have at it! T

6. Once you have colored your rails with brown camouflagepaint, you can either consider your track finished or apply agrungy brown wash to give it some variation.

5. Be sure to let the dirt wash spread out into the sceneryalong the right-of-way.

4. Gently tapping along the rails with a block of wood spreadsballast under rails and imparts a slight crown. Be sure to fillany low spots with more ballast.

3. After distributing the ballast with a paper cup, use a 3⁄4-inchstiff-bristled brush to spread the rock. Then level it off.

Compact & Simplicity is the key to building this flexible Flyer train board

WHEN I DECIDED to build an S gauge layout for myAmerican Flyer trains, I wanted it to be com-pact and simple. That meant being able to con-

struct it fairly quickly and spend time running trains. Asyou’ll discover in this issue of CLASSIC TOY TRAINS and thenext one, I managed to meet both goals, but I can’t leavethe 46 by 66-inch layout alone! The more time I spendwith it, the more habit-forming it becomes.

Here, I’ll describe how I built a layout based on thetrack plan shown on page 35 of the Gilbert catalog for1952. The mountain tunnel is covered in the July CTT.

Layout construction is about more than nostalgia. Asyou’ll find out, I emphasize the value of playing with ourchildren. In this high-tech age, there’s something magi-cal about sitting down with a child and a simple toy train.Although I use Flyer trains and track, you can build a sim-ilar layout with O gauge trains and O-27 or O track byadjusting the dimensions.

When I was young, my father built a Flyer layout thatwas the envy of all the kids in our neighborhood. A com-plex block control system allowed two trains to operateautomatically on a large dog-bone track plan. Second-hand pinball machine relays made the trains stop andstart by themselves.

Unfortunately for my brother and me, the block con-trol system was so complicated that we could never oper-ate it without my father’s supervision. Our layout wasgreat for family togetherness, but play value on our ownwas practically nil! Since then, I’ve steered away fromcomplicated track plans and multi-train wiring systems.

You won’t have trouble with complex operation onthis project layout. American Flyer track switches allowtwo trains to occupy the train board simultaneously. How-ever, you can run only one train at a time.

Luckily, the small size of this layout encourages lots ofcreativity in play activities. Basement-sized railroads tendto overwhelm young children. This layout is small enoughfor a child to focus on the entire train board at once.

The buildings and scenery aren’t permanentlyattached to the layout. Besides simplifying storage, themoveable buildings and scenery maximize creativitywhen playing with the trains. For example, you may wantyour trains to operate in the city one day. An urban scenequickly appears. Perhaps the next day you long for thecountry. On this layout, it’s easy to make city buildings

changeable

An American Flyer New York Central Hudson speeds through the ruralMidwest in this scene on Roger Carlson’s portable 46 by 66-inch layout.He packs plenty of activity into a compact S gauge model railroad thatcombines old and new structures and accessories. Construction of thislayout isn’t difficult, as he explains here and in the next issue.

by Roger Carlson | photos by the author

disappear into storage boxes and bring out barns, silos, andplastic cows. If a scene requires more space, you can removethe tunnel, too.

BEFORE GETTING STARTED, you may wonder how much Ispent on materials. My board, with plastic grass carpet-ing, Homasote roadbed, and second-hand AmericanFlyer track and switches, will cost between $80 and $100,

depending on what you spend for the switches. I spentanother $60 to build the double-tunnel rock formation out ofhardshell-covered foam insulation board.

I used exterior grade plywood for my board. Interior gradeplywood is cheaper, but a basement or garage can get dampwhen you least expect. For the frame, I used quality grade 1 by4-inch pine lumber. The price difference between qualitygrade boards and the common no. 2 grade lumber is smallcompared to the difference in knot size and warpage. Avoidclear grade pine, unless you want to spend a fortune.

Beneath the track is Homasote board used as roadbed anda sound deadener. Half-inch Homasote is a dense paper prod-uct available from many lumber companies and home centers.I cut the Homasote to follow the track plan.

Atop the plywood is green carpet. For a portable layout, plas-tic turf patio carpet holds up much better than the groundfoam rubber turf used on scale model railroads. Another bene-fit is that it cleans up easily with a handheld vacuum cleaner.

I bought my carpet for a buck per linear foot, markeddown from $1.29! At these prices, I recommend buying aslightly oversized carpet and trimming it to size after you’veglued it into place. I used a 61 by 71-inch piece of carpet tocover the plywood and the inside of the pine frame.

I installed two pairs of heavy-duty steel handles to the ends

of my layout. The 60-pound train board is a lot easier to carrywith good-sized, comfortable handles on the ends.

When I saw the wimpy mounting screws that came with thehandles, I substituted 1⁄4-inch-thick bolts. I enlarged the screwholes in the handles to take these bigger bolts through theboards. Total cost of four handles, bolts, washers, and self-lock-ing nuts was about $15. It was money well spent!

FOR YEARS I’VE BUILT modular benchwork out of 1⁄2-inch ply-wood. I framed the wood on this layout with 1 by 4-inchpine boards. There are many ways to make corners on theframe, but dovetailed joints are the strongest. I made my

joints with a special router accessory. If you don’t have arouter, you can still build the layout without dovetailed joints.

My frame stands upward, like a fence around the plywoodor a frame around a picture. Although the frame slightlyobstructs some viewing angles of the trains, kids and adultscompensate by getting their faces as close to the layout as pos-sible. (At today’s toy train prices, I have no desire to watchprize locomotives dive for the floor!) Take a look at the photoof the layout lying against my van on page 53 and you’ll get agood idea of how the frame works.

Compared to O-27 track, American Flyer curves are huge!My layout board measures 46 by 66 inches. I cut 2 inches offthe width of a 48-inch-wide sheet of plywood so the layoutwould fit into my van. The 66-inch length of my train board isa compromise based on weight. Without the tunnel, the boardtips the scales at 60 pounds.

Unfortunately, 66 inches doesn’t provide enough space foroperating accessories like cattle pens or log loaders. But therestill is lots of action on the layout. The pickup shoe for myauto-unloading car fits on this track plan. Two Lionel aircraft

`

beacons and a Marx crossing signal provide a lot of visualaction without taking up much space. You can always lengthenmy track plan to accommodate other operating accessories;remember, though, that a longer board weighs more.

When it comes to storage, my train board slides easilyunder a double bed. Build a longer layout and you may runinto storage problems. My board is heavy enough to give some-one a good whack should it be stored vertically and then fallover, so store it carefully if there are kids around.

Building this train board isn’t difficult. If you use dovetailjoints to construct your frame, you’ll have to glue and clampthe frame first. Otherwise, you can assemble the frame directlyon the plywood. Make sure that the “good” side of the ply-wood is face down. That way, you’ll cover the less-appealingside with the artificial grass carpet. Clamp the plywood to theframe with wood screws in predrilled holes. When you tightenthe screws, glue should squirt out slightly.

Once the frame is glued to the plywood, you can lay thecarpet. Use a cement designed for patio carpets. Do not applycement to the whole layout at once, and do not skimp on thecement. It’s physically hard work to spread the carpetsmoothly. The job goes easier if you start at one end of the lay-out and spread the glue over small sections of plywood.

I used one continuous piece of carpet to cover the plywoodand the inside edges of the pine frame. I cut notches in the cor-ners of the carpet before I smoothed it out over the frame sides.

IUSED MY 3⁄4-horsepower scroll saw to cut Homasote roadbed,since I can tilt the saw bed at a 45-degree angle to bevelthe roadbed. If you do some splicing, a 4-foot-square pieceof 1⁄2-inch Homasote provides enough material for all the

roadbed on this layout.

To create a track pattern, I set my track on the Homasoteand drew around it with chalk. I drew the roadbed outlinewider than the track ties, so I didn’t have to worry about the tieshanging over the edge of the roadbed if I didn’t measure right.

I used two types of nails to attach the roadbed and track tothe layout. [Although the author used nails for his layout, manybuilders prefer to attach track with screws. – Ed.] Because I did-n’t want the roadbed to work itself loose when the layout ismoved, I attached the Homasote with paneling nails. Theirbumpy surface (called a “ring-shank”) really grips the plywood.

Now you’re ready to lay track. Get what you need and besure it is clean. American Flyer curved track is sold verycheaply at flea markets.

Buy the best track and switches you can find, or get new

BELOW: Switch a few buildings and you have an urban scene. Being able to change the settingenhances the layout’s play value. Here, an American Flyer Pennsylvania RR K5 Pacific chugs througha seedy neighborhood on its way to Chicago’s Union Station. Adding flavor to the scene are the Wm.K. Walthers O scale structures, Preiser O scale figures, and Ertl vehicles. The backdrop consists of HObuilding walls from Design Preservation Models lined up along the layout’s carpeted frame.

LEFT: A no. (405) Silver Streak from 1952 leads a set of American Flyer streamliners. The Lionel andMarx accessories may be secured in place, but other features, including the mountain tunnel, can beremoved to create an infinite number of scenes.

After removing the tunnel, structures, and accessories, it’s easy to move thislayout, thanks to the handles installed at each end. The simple track plan andpatio carpeting make this S gauge railroad perfect for even the youngest kids.

track. I needed two sections of straight track and 16 curves.Avoid track that’s rusty or has been cleaned with sandpaper.(Sandpaper encourages rust to form again quickly. Instead, Ibuff my track with a 3M pot scrubber.) Be careful to get Amer-ican Flyer track switches without any corrosion on the con-tacts. A like-new set of switches is worth the extra money.

The track should be attached to the roadbed solidly; how-ever, there will be occasions when you need to remove someof the track from the layout (such as the first time you need toclean the contacts on the track switches). Gilbert simplifiedtracklaying by punching holes in the edges of its AmericanFlyer track ties. One-inch wire nails fit perfectly in the ties.These nails hold firmly, but still make it easy to remove tracksections without damage. To replace sections, just slide thewire nails into the original holes in the roadbed.

I decided to add a thin layer of ballast to my Homasoteroadbed. I used a kitchen strainer to sift kitty litter for ballast.Homasote and kitty litter are the same color, so I didn’t needmuch litter to give the roadbed a realistic texture.

Next, I installed my aircraft beacons, switching tower, andcrossing gate, but ended up with a rat’s nest of ugly wiresspread all over the plastic grass. Despite wishing I had con-cealed the wires beneath the carpeting, I still wanted the flexi-bility of moving electrical accessories around on the board.

I concealed the wires by sticking them to the carpet withScotch Double Stick tape. I covered the top of the DoubleStick tape with narrow strips of Woodland Scenics Turf Mat.

IN ADDITION TO ITS regular, year-round use, this little layoutworks great under an artificial Christmas tree. I can’t stressthe word “artificial” enough. Remember, real Christmastrees cover trains and track with real sap! Forgo tradition

and stick with an artificial tree! The artificial Scotch pine thatwe use in our living room is 5 feet wide – only a few inches nar-rower than the 66-inch length of my train board.

To maximize the decorative value of my layout at Christ-mas, I add a lighted garland around the outside of the layout’sframe. I use easy-to-remove screw eyes to secure the garland,which gives my train board an appealing, finished look, likedisplays at malls and department stores.

Compared to most model train layouts, this project goestogether quickly. You can easily spread the work over a three-day weekend and have lots of time for the glue and paint to dry.

In the next issue of CTT, I’ll show you how I built the tun-nel, which can be built for any size layout in any scale. In themeantime, hook up a transformer, fire up your favorite loco-motive, and have fun with toy trains. T

Looking for more layout-building information? Be sure to visit ourwebsite classtrain.com and click on “model trains”; then look for the“modeling reference” section on the left.

The 46-inch-wide train board fits nicely under an artificial Christmas tree.Roger attached a lighted garland to the frame of his layout. Christmas lightsand a pair of Magnite flashlights provide all the illumination that’s necessaryto create a scene of a freight train rumbling through town on a winter night.

It’s Saturday morning, and the local volunteer fire department is out in fullforce for a training session. A passing freight distracts the volunteers, whothen begin debating whether it’s safe to have a petroleum tank car (no. 958Mobilgas) and a chemical tank car (no. 24324 Hooker) coupled together. Thefire station is a tin lithographed toy made by Wyandotte in the early 1950s.

Build a mounEasy tips for adding a peak to your pike

tain & tunnelby Roger Carlson | photos by the author

NO LAYOUT feels complete without a mountainand tunnel of some kind. This obsession goesback to my childhood, when I was the proud

owner of one of those classic toy train tunnels. It wasabout 10 inches long, expertly painted green andbrown, and when it wasn’t straddling the track, itlooked just like a camouflaged footstool! Of course, allof my friends knew it was a tunnel and not a footstoolbecause each of them had one just like it!

Since then, I’ve seen my share of toy train layouts,and way too many of them have mountain tunnels thatlook like footstools. Fortunately, it doesn’t take mucheffort to transform over-sized chunks of tunnel materialsinto realistic rock formations.

So let’s add a mountain and tunnel to the compactS gauge layout I described building in the May 2001issue of CLASSIC TOY TRAINS. Even if you aren’t planningto follow my plans for that 46 by 66-inch model rail-road, you’ll find this method of constructing a hill andtunnel useful for any layout.

Before I started construction, I did some research.Geology books gave me good photos of rock forma-tions in various parts of the country. I also shot 35mmslides of rock formations near my home. Watching avideotape of your favorite railroad is also a good start-ing point.

My best research tool turned out to be a videotapewith footage of the California Zephyr. The tape showedlots of tunnels and rock formations. After watchingthe video and poring over photographs, I drew somerough sketches.

Next, I had to decide how to construct my mountainand tunnel. I wanted it to be portable, so I made it outof dense foam insulation board.

Cows graze in a lush meadow, oblivious to the American Flyer SilverStreak passing behind. This deluxe passenger train has crept out of atunnel on the Roger Carlson’s S gauge project layout. He explainedhow to build the railroad in the May issue; now he describes thedesign and construction of this impressive mountain.

Unlike white bead board, the densefoam insulation sheets come in differ-ent colors. Depending on the manufac-turer, boards may be pink, yellow, blue,or gray. Keep in mind that the colorhas nothing to do with the structuralcharacteristics of the foam. Choose anycolor and don’t worry if you use morethan one hue; it won’t affect yourmodel rock formation.

I used yellow and pink 1-inch-thicksheets of insulation board because I gotthe stuff for a price I couldn’t refuse.The yellow foam sheet had been runover by a lumberyard truck. A wind-storm blew chunks of the pink sheet offa downtown office building.

You can use 1- or 2-inch foam boardfor this project, but the thicker sizesaves time and money. Using 2-inchfoam means you cut and laminate halfas many pieces to build your tunnel.You also use about half as much glue.

A rock formation of this size is noplace for dainty dabs of cement! Islathered Liquid Nails paneling cementon the entire surface of each piece offoam to get the job done. This addedweight and durability to my tunnel.

Regardless of the cement you use, besure to read any warning labels. Yourcement must be compatible with foaminsulation, or you may end up modelinga lake instead of a tunnel, since sometypes of cement react adversely to the

foam. Also, most paneling cements needplenty of ventilation if you’re working ina basement or another enclosed area.

Mountain design and constructionMy S gauge project layout measures

only 46 by 66 inches. For that reason, Idecided that so small a model railroad

needed a large mountain and tunnel tobreak up the visual effect of a trainchasing its own tail. I especially likedhaving two different tunnel openingsthrough the same rock formation.

To balance the tunnel’s mass, Isculpted it to look like two differenthills next to each other. The outer tun-nel goes through a low hill that’s cov-ered with greenery. The inner hill jutsupward dramatically. Visible sedimen-tary layers and heavy erosion linesaccent its vertical structure. Except forthe stands of conifer trees, vegetationstruggles to cling to its outcroppings.

The inside of my tunnel openingsmeasures 5 inches high. I arrived atthat height by pushing an AmericanFlyer Vista-Dome car through sampletunnel portals I cut out of corrugatedcardboard. If you use 2-inch foam insteadof 1-inch foam, make the tunnel chan-nels 6 inches high and conceal theextra height with the portals.

Consult the photos to see how thebase layers of foam sit between thetracks. After you cut the first few layersof foam, it is a good idea to set them onthe train board and roll different loco-motives and cars through the tunnelopening. If a car or locomotive rubs ona tunnel wall, you’ll find that it’s mucheasier to modify a foam block now thanif you wait until the tunnel is finished!

As for the appearance of the mountain,

TOP: The author’s mountain is bigger than youmight think – and heavier, too! But by making itportable, he made it possible for his layout to havedifferent looks with or without the mountain.

ABOVE: Research is the key to effective modeling.Roger studied rock bluffs in Wisconsin beforedesigning his mountain. Note the horizontalstructure of each sedimentary layer.

I concluded from my research that sedi-mentary rocks are usually found in hori-zontal layers. However, mountain rangesare formed when land masses collide androck layers buckle upward at an angle.

The Wisconsin rock formationshown in the smaller photo on page 88has been pushed up to slope at about a10-degree angle. This is what I soughtto model using my favorite carvingtools: a small fine-tooth handsaw andthe claw end of a Stanley pry bar. Usewhat works best for you.

Once you’ve shaped the mountain,you need to cover the foam with a hardshell. Plaster is too heavy and too brittlefor a portable tunnel. Instead, I cov-ered it with my special recipe for hard-shell material described in the August1990 issue of CTT.

Mix dry Durham’s Water Putty witha good grade of interior latex paint. Toavoid a psychedelic look, use an appro-priate shade of tan or gray paint. Yourmixture should be thick like peanutbutter. Trowel on the mixture as thoughyou were frosting a layer cake. Carve

strata while the mixture is still soft.Realistic cracks will form as it dries.

Finish painting the rocks with dilutedwashes of earth-tone artist’s acrylicpaints. Burnt umber, burnt sienna, rawsienna, and yellow oxide are my favoritecolors for tinting rocks.

You can color the green grassy areason the tunnel two different ways. One Ioften use involves mixing up an earthygreen color from ultramarine blue andyellow oxide artist’s acrylic paints.

For this project, however, I triedsomething different and mixed part ofmy hardshell using dark green interiorlatex paint instead of tan. I coveredcracks in the first layer of green hard-shell with a slightly different coloredsecond layer. The mottled effect of thetwo shades of green looks very realistic!

How green was my tunnelI used Woodland Scenics conifer trees

on the hills. You’ll find they look moreconvincing in clusters than when scat-tered randomly on the rock formation. Ipainted a few of the plastic conifer treetrunks with light gray paint and left offthe vegetation to represent dead trees.

Light green Woodland ScenicsFoliage Clusters worked great for theshrubs. (Foliage Clusters are coloredpieces of couch-cushion style foam thatcan be torn into chunks to quicklymake bushes and shrubs.) Light greenshrubs provide a pleasant contrast tothe dark green conifers.

Finally, I needed portals for the tun-nel openings. Commercial O scale por-tals are on the tall side, but their width isabout right for S gauge steam locomo-tives on tinplate curves. Unfortunately,O scale portals can be expensive; thefour I needed might have doubled thecost of materials for my tunnel!

Instead, I cut out tunnel portalsfrom 1⁄2-inch plywood and bought twosheets of Holgate & Reynolds embossedplastic brick material. This materialcomes in many patterns. I chose an Oscale random stone pattern, cut it to fitmy portals, and glued it to the plywoodwith contact cement.

I painted the portals with tan modelpaint. I let them dry for a few days beforeI shadowed the grooves in the stone withburnt umber artist’s acrylic paint.

Applying the paint looks difficult,but is actually the easiest part of build-ing the portals. I smeared it all over thebrick material and wiped it off with adamp paper towel. The paint stuck tothe grooves between the stones, creat-ing a realistic, weathered look.

In a couple of places, the burntumber made the stone look too dark.

This was an easy problem to fix. Afterthe burnt umber dried, I went over thedark spots with more tan paint.

Let the fun begin!Once you’ve finished the tunnel,

you’ll be eager to set it up on your trainboard. Find a friend to help you hoistthe tunnel into place as two pairs ofhands make the job easier. This tunnelis heavier than it looks!

The crowning touch to the realismof this tunnel is watching a locomotive’sheadlight emerge through the darkshadows of the portal. On my S gaugelayout, I use the remote-control trackswitches to alternate a train between theouter oval and the inner circle. Let theAmerican Flyer whistling billboard orNathan Air Chime Whistle blast out awarning. Even the best store displaysdidn’t make Gilbert’s S gauge trainslook this good! T

TOP: Three pieces of 1-inch-thick foam insulationmake up each of the mountain’s bottom fivelayers. Before going too far, Roger checked forclearance by running various S gauge enginesand rolling stock through the openings.

ABOVE: The sixth layer of foam forms the roof ofthe two tunnel openings. Rather than taperingfoam layers too soon, Roger continued cuttingseveral more layers to the shape of the base.Doing so gave him greater flexibility in sculptingthe rock formation.

TOP: Roger built the tunnel portals from 1⁄2-inchplywood that he covered with Holgate & Reynoldsplastic brick material. He painted the portals tanand used burnt umber to bring out highlights.

ABOVE: Take a look at the rock structure on themountain. Sedimentary rock layers are representedby horizontal strata. After carving the paintedhardshell, Roger added vegetation and conifers.

How toE x p ayour

RAILROADS ROLL through beautifulmountain vistas and past farms,pastures, and forests that seemingly

stretch to the heavens. Yet on many toytrain layouts, the scenery ends at theedge of the train table. Why not addthat extra element of depth to create atotal scene?

While there are several companiesthat produce beautiful scenic panels,most are aimed at smaller scales and nottruly effective on our larger O gauge lay-outs. But don’t fret, you can do it your-self with some paint and a plan, evenwith little or no artistic talent.

Ideally, you should create the back-drop before you’ve built your layout,but you can also retrofit your existinglayout using these methods.

Setting the sceneThe first step is determining “where”

your railroad is located. Naturally, ifyou’re modeling New York City youdon’t want a mountain backdrop. Butwhether you decide on the East, theGreat Plains, the Rockies, or the South-west, a little research can help you deter-mine how your backdrop should look.

Begin by studying photographs ofyour region.

Back issues of Trains magazine comein handy for placing a particular rail-road within its scenic setting. Coffee-table books and National Geographicmagazine can also be inspiring sources.

If you can get your hands on them,those beautifully illustrated AmericanFlyer and Lionel toy train catalogs fromthe 1940s and ’50s, which put toy trainsin realistic settings designed to inspireus to build miniature empires, also help.

Better yet, if you live in a relativelyscenic part of the country, take yourcamera and go for a weekend drive.Before starting construction on my pre-sent layout, I took an Amtrak tripthrough the Mohawk River Valley inupstate New York to get a better idea ofthe environment.

Study your photos. Notice the subtledetails – the ruggedness of the moun-tains, the haziness or deep blue color ofthe sky, etc. Also note that mountainslose detail and blend into one color asthey recede in the distance (lower onthe horizon).

Creating the sceneOnce you complete your research

and find scenes that look right for yourrailroad setting, develop some sketchesof your overall background.

The examples shown here are fromthe backdrops on my layout, which isset against distant hills. I broke each

An L-3 Mohawk leads a coal dragout of the mountains of West

Virginia on Ray Stuber’s O gaugeNew York Central layout. Just four

colors are used to create thiseffective background scene, which

gives depth to Ray’s train room.

n dhorizons

Paint striking backdrops without being an artist

story and photos by Ray Stuber

sketch down to three levels of scenery:the foreground (tree line), the interme-diate level (nearby hills), and the back-ground (mountains). I needed only threecolors, one for each level, on my sketches.

Next, create a one-inch to the foot(1:12) grid of the background area youwant to paint. Using your sketches andreference photos, draw the three layersof trees, hills, and mountains on the gridas shown in Drawing 1. This grid will

serve as the pattern for the full-sizedbackdrop panels.

Consider where you would like thehorizon to be located. I like it at abouteye level (5 or 6 feet above the floor) ora little above. Assuming the train table is4 feet high, the horizon would beroughly halfway up a 4-foot-high back-drop panel. If you want the mountainsmore in the distance, place them loweron the horizon and make them drop

occasionally behind the intermediatehills. Make the foreground trees about 6to 8 inches high so the tops will be visi-ble over the passing trains.

When sketching hills and mountains,avoid what I call the “wave effect” illus-trated in Drawing 2, where the peaksand valleys are too pronounced andclose together.

Also, if you have a good idea wherethe mountains, buildings, and otherobjects are going to be located on yourlayout, sketch them on the grid drawing.Since I have an elevated section runningaround the backside of my layout, Imoved everything up 6 inches whensketching out the background.

Construction optionsWhen constructing the backdrops, you

should decide whether to mount them toyour walls or directly to your layout.

I built my current layout in an unfin-ished basement, so the backdrop panelsactually became the walls for the trainroom. I built the panels from 4-by-8hardboard sheets using 2-by-2 strips forsupport and filling the joints betweeneach wall section with spackling com-pound. Then I began painting thembefore building the layout.

If your layout is already built and inplace, paint 2-by-4-foot or larger panelson your workbench and attach them toyour train table. If you use this technique,carefully line up the mountains and hillsfrom each panel as you proceed withpainting them. I’ve used this approach onearlier layouts with pleasing results.

The height of your backdrop willprobably be dictated by your construc-tion method and room configuration,but a train table containing a ceiling-height backdrop will create a more com-plete environment for your scenic vistas.

Painting the sceneAt this stage, the paints you select

may vary from my examples, particularlyif you aren’t duplicating my mountainbackdrops. Still, you can get a prettygood idea on how to paint your ownscene based on my approach.

I chose Olympic flat latex paint froma local home improvement center, butalmost any paint or hardware store willdo. Olympic’s color names are listed inparentheses below. A gallon will coverabout 400 to 450 square feet and a quartabout 100 square feet.

As on my grid drawings, I use threeground colors in addition to the blue sky(“Ariel”) on my backdrops. The back-ground mountains are a light hazy blue(“Crystal Lake”), the intermediate hillsare light green (“Slate Green”), and the

Drawing 2 – Avoid the “wave effect,” in which hills and valleys are too pronouncedand the three levels rise and fall in sync with each other.

Photo 1 – After painting the sky color, Ray transferred the grid drawing to the full-sized backdrop. Note the small “+” marks indicating 1-foot intervals that corre-spond to the grid on his original drawing. Ray then painted the uppermost gray-green level showing the distant mountains.

Drawing 1 – This grid drawing, in which each square represents 1 square foot,depicts an eastern mountain range with three levels: background mountains, inter-mediate hills, and foreground trees. This scaled-down grid is later used to transferthe scene onto the full-sized backdrop for painting.

foreground trees are a darker green(“Painted Turtle”).

Begin by applying two coats of the skycolor to the entire backdrop. For largebackdrops, I recommend a paint rollerfor this step.

Once this is dry, correlate the griddrawing to the backdrop by making “+”marks at 1-foot intervals on the back-drop, using a charcoal pencil or a simi-lar dark-leaded marker. Each markshould correspond to the point wheretwo lines intersect on your grid drawing.Obviously, you don’t need to mark theareas that will contain only blue sky.

Using these marks as a guide, drawthe topmost horizon lines onto the back-drop as indicated by your drawings. Pro-ceed to draw lines indicating the mid-level and lower-level scenery.

Now you can begin painting eachlevel. In Photo 1, I’ve already transferredthe lines for these three levels of scenery(mountain, hills, and trees) to a 4-by-8center section and have painted the back-ground mountains. I use a 1⁄8-inch brushto paint in the top line of each level andfill in the rest with a larger brush.

In Photos 2 and 3, I’ve painted thelower levels. Note that I added a littlemore jagged definition to the top ofeach level, as compared to the smoothermountains on the horizon, by turningmy brush on its side and dabbing a little.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. If youaren’t happy with the results, simply paintover it and try again. If you are happy,either declare the job done or try yourhand at some even finer detail work.

Finishing strokesWith a few more brush strokes you

can add character to each of the threeground levels in your backdrop.

In Photo 4, I’ve taken the process astep further by creating a more ruggeddefinition on the mountaintops andadding shadows in the ravines and val-leys. Also, I’ve added highlights to theforeground trees.

Use your reference photos as a guide.You may want to experiment on yoursketches or grid drawings using coloredpencils to create darker shadows. Justidentify which direction the sunlight iscoming from and keep it consistent.Once you are happy with your sketches,experiment with your shadow techniqueon a piece of scrap wood before trying iton your backdrop.

For the mountain details, mix about10 drops of a dark blue acrylic paint – Iused “Cerulean Blue” in this sample –into a small cup filled with your moun-tain paint. You don’t want too muchcontrast. And remember, the paint tends

to dry darker. Also, note the proportionsof each color in case you want to dupli-cate the mixing process later.

To create highlights on the fore-ground trees, mix a green paint withsome white acrylic paint.

Again, don’t be afraid to experiment

because you can always paint over it andstart again. I did.

When you’re done, your backdropwill suggest that your layout stretchesmiles into the horizon – a not-so-difficultstretch of the imagination that is pleas-ing and realistic. T

Photo 2 – Ray painted the intermediate hills next. Don’t worry about the neatnessof the paint at the bottom of each level since the next level of paint will cover it.

Photo 3 – Ray added darker green foreground trees at a height of 6 to 8 inches tocomplete the scene. Note how the detail and definition increase on the top edge ofeach level as they get closer to the foreground.

Photo 4 – A more rugged outline indicates a western mountain range. Ray alsoadded shadows to give definition to mountain ravines and painted light-greenhighlights on the foreground trees.

scenery

steps for

by Jim Riccioli | photos by William Zuback

WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING convinc-ing rock-faced scenery, the elu-sive answer may be just two feet

over your head. Ceiling tile scenery is aneasy, almost foolproof way to create rockwalls with jagged outcroppings, rockstrata lines, and cliffs.

“Easy” means you can’t make a mis-take because there is no right or wrongway to do it. Any way you stack ’em cre-ates an interesting pile of rocks. By thetime you add a little color, you mighteven start thinking of yourself as aPicasso of railroad rock art.

Start with a pile of ceiling tiles from ahome improvement store. I bought aneight-sheet box of 2- by 4-foot panels forabout $15. Buy new panels and don’t

rely on water-stained panels stacked upin your neighbor’s garage. Older ceilingtiles may contain asbestos, and even ifthey don’t, they may not break apartinto the jagged edges you’ll need to cre-ate a convincing rock wall.

Beyond a box of ceiling tiles, youneed only some common hobby scenerysupplies: various rocky and grassy colorsof ground foam turf, white glue or mattemedium, Sculptamold or a similar plas-ter substance, and some tan or gray latexpaint.

From your toolbox, grab a StanleySurform or similar hand planer, a utilityknife, and a wire brush. Once you haveyour tools and supplies, follow thesesteps to create rock-ledge scenery.

Ceiling tile Ceiling tile

This rock wall wasn’t made from ceilingtiles. It’s the real thing photographed incentral Wisconsin.

Build your own rock strata wall in a few evenings

Using a utility knife, score a sheetof ceiling tile down the middlelengthwise (so that you’ll havetwo 1- by 4-foot pieces). Youdon’t have to cut all the waythrough the material, so don’t tryto bury your knife blade. Work inan area where you don’t mind alittle dust and where you caneasily clean up with a broom andshop vacuum.

1

11

Snap the tile in two alongthe scored line. Theresulting rough edge willbe the start of your rockwall. If you want nar-rower or shorter piecesof tile, score and snap at

will. I kept a clean edgeon one side of the piecesthat’s meant to butt upagainst a layout-roomwall. To make a free-standing wall, score andsnap both sides.

2

On each piece of tile,score a random curvedpattern that breaks upthe “straight edge”appearance. One tilemight be cut 1 to 3inches in from the frontedge, while anothermight be 2 to 3 inches.Snap off pieces by handalong those scored lines.Don’t throw away any

small pieces – some ofthem will come in handylater. Cut several of thetiles shorter than 4 feet tobreak up any regular pat-terns you might be form-ing unintentionally. If theends of the rock face willbe in clear view, scoreand break the tile inthose places, too.

3

This step is foolproof.Stack ragged-edgedpieces on top of oneanother (white side fac-ing up) and move themaround a little to createan appealing shape.Avoid any uniformity orpatterns. I left gaps inseveral layers to repre-sent fissures in the strata.If the back side of yourceiling tiles will representrock too, make sure italso has a random,uneven look. Don’t worryif the appearance of yourrock wall is underwhelm-

ing. As long as the wallhas an uneven texture,it’s fine. When you’re sat-isfied, attach the piecestogether with white glue,preferably using a bigcontainer or a Styrofoamcup that allows you topour the glue liberally ina zigzag pattern. Don’t glue the ceilingtiles to your layout yet –it’s easier to work on yourrock face before it isglued to your layouttabletop. Allow the glueto dry overnight.

4

5

Get rough with your rockface. Using your utilityknife, score and snap sec-tions that you don’t wantjutting out as far as othersections. If some areaslook too flat, carve outsome tile pieces to breakit up a little. Randomlyslice and snap so that nosurface appears smooth.

Next, roughly fill the largeholes or gaps in your rockface with leftover smallpieces of ceiling tile. Gluethem in place. Whenyou’re done, you shouldhave a lot of jaggedpieces defining yourintentionally ragged rockface.

Use a Stanley Surform or anothercheese-grater-like hand planer torandomly scrape the exposed topsurfaces (those facing the sky) ofthe ceiling tile. This serves twopurposes: to remove the layer ofwhite finish wherever you can stillsee it and to make the stratauneven and weather-beaten. Usethe Surform to fine-tune the frontedges of your rocks as well. If youwant a heavily eroded face, carvea lot. If you like a more jaggedlook, carve sparingly. This stage ofwork is messy, so you may wantto wear a dust mask and work in awell-ventilated area. Keep yourvacuum cleaner nearby.

6

Sculptamold, a plaster-like mold-ing compound made by Amaco,comes in handy to fill any bad-looking gaps and to give yourrock face a softer texture in ran-dom spots. Thoroughly mix asmall amount (roughly one cupof powder with one cup of water)in a disposable container, like aGladware bowl. Scoop out partialhandfuls and push the mixturetoward the end of your fingers.With your other hand, as shownabove, push the mixture intogaps and other places along therock face (suggesting a spotwhere rock may have crumbledover time). A random patchworkof Sculptamold looks great. Allowit to dry for several hours.

This stage is optional if you don’thave a wire brush, but I’d suggestgetting one. Move the brush in ahorizontal motion lightly alongthe entire rock face to create littlelines that add horizontal texture.The more you brush, the moreweather-worn your rock facebecomes, so stop frequently toassess your work. Again, this cre-ates a bit of dust, so take theproper precautions.

8

Find a color of flat interior latexhouse paint that matches thetype of rock you want. Shale isgrayish. Limestone (which erodeseasily) is brighter and tanner. Iused some leftover Dutch BoyDirt Fighter “Rocky Mountain” col-ored paint. Brush on a thick coatof paint, more than you woulduse, say, if you were painting awall. Catch any runs and work insmall enough sections to keepthe paint wet for the next step.

9 10

11

While the paint is still wet, applyground foam turf, such as thatoffered by Woodland Scenics andScenic Express. Mix vegetativecolors (greens and yellows) withrock shades (soil, earth, and rust).I gathered a palm-full of groundfoam in my hand and blew itonto the vertical rock, using onecolor at a time. The turf, stickingto higher profile surfaces, givesthe rock face a stronger three-dimensional texture. Cover theentire rock face with multipleshades of ground foam turf.Allow the paint to dry.

Fine-tune your newly builtscenery. Add vegetation – bushes,small trees, and weeds – usingwhite glue or matte mediumthinned 50-50 with water and adrop or two of dish detergent. Tothe base of the rock face andalong several ledges and crevices,I added some Woodland Scenicsbuff-colored talus, little bits of tan-colored rock that are coarser thantrack ballast. Since I left the top ofmy rock wall flat – making it a bluffrather than a mountain scene – Ialso scenicked up top usingground foams and bushes. Seal itwith a spray of diluted glue. You’llfind your rock-solid efforts havepaid off with a face that’s unique,and your friends will think thatyou spent weeks painstakinglycarving a rocky wall. T

7