Under the tree layout help!!!

[rthoman]

I want to create a 4x4 under the tree layout... I have my track and roadbed already.... I was considering doing the scenery as if it had just snowed, but cannot find any good tips on creating snow scenes... I just want to know what kind of ballast I should use since I intend to cover it with something that looks like snow... Any Ideas would be appreciated!

 

[60103]

Welcome to the gauge.

What scale/gauge are you using?
Do you want a scale model layout or a Christmas train looking layout?

 

[rthoman]

HO... just something thats will look nice under the tree... In the past I just had a circle track on a peice of plywood, I wanna have the same with some light wintery scenery....

 

[Russ Bellinis]

You can use plaster to simulate snow. If you want some sparkle, mix in a little marble dust. I would suggest using some soupy paster on the ties between the rails and on the scenery around the tracks. After the plaster hardens, sprinkle on some dry plaster powder with the marble dust if you want it. Then mist on water to set the plaster and glue down the marble dust.

 

[Marxed]

just go to the craft store and you can get a sheet of fake snow fabric and then you can get a bag of snow sprinklies for on buildings/train cars

for under the tree it looks pretty good and is fairly cheap and quick!

 

[upguy]

Here is a small N-scale layout that I put together using a scrap of chipboard that had foam already glued to it (I think it has to do with roofing although I don't know what the product is called.) The foam is fairly soft and carves easily, but it won't hold up will to rough handling.

I carved out a stream channel and ran a simple loop of track around the 2' x 4' piece. I also added a small styrofoam mountain in the one corner. I only had one tunnel portal, so I hid the back entrance to the mountain where you wouldn't be able to see it easily. I covered the stryofoam additions with sculptamold and painted some of the remaining layout with brown paint. I didn't even bother to paint over the sculptamold. The part that wasn't painted looked a lot like snow, so I just added the Micro-Trains Village pieces to the layout. I also placed six cars, the loco, and caboose from Micro-Trains' 12 days of Christmas cars on the train.

There is a lot to be done yet, but this is already a different look than it had last year. It looks more like a snow scene with the snow covered buildings. Last year I just had some structures that I grabbed off of my layout. Next year perhaps I'll have some skiers coming down the mountain and a ski lift.

 

[nachoman]

Assuming the thing needs to come apart (how else do you get it around the tree), I would recommend keeping things rather simple. I've tried using plaster for snow before, but it chips off too easily. I would simply paint the board with a gloss white latex and sprinkle on fine clear glitter or marble dust before the paint dries. You may even try a few styrofoam landforms and a few conifer trees of the bottle brush type. I would just lay EZtrack or similar over the board, and paint the sides of the roadbed white to look like snow. Keep in mind, a layout under the tree will take quite a beating.

kevin

 

[Gary Pfeil]

I used plaster as Russ stated, it is easy to get it to look right by sprinkling then lightly spraying. It isn't strong this way, but it wasn't subject to a lot of abuse. It does yellow between seasons, and some does chip off while moving into storage, but both these small problems are solved by a little reapplication next year.

Gary

 

[ezdays]

Just thought I'd remind you (and everyone else here) that we have a "No-contest" contest this year. Submit anything at all that is holiday-related, and shots from your layout here certainly would qualify.

 

[Marxed]

Just thought I'd remind you (and everyone else here) that we have a "No-contest" contest this year. Submit anything at all that is holiday-related, and shots from your layout here certainly would qualify.

::lighbulb flickers on::


i got an awsome idea for that contest