Hi I'm new on here and this is my first posting.
I'm starting from scratch on a 5'0" x 2'6" board. I've found a split level layout plan on Google which I like, however I've no idea how to set about the track and split level. The last time I did a layout like this I used chicken wire covered by papier mashier (sorry about the spelling) but I guess there are more up to date methods of doing this. I'm just looking to do a double loop with country type layout, nothing too fancy to start with. Can you help, advise on this please.
Hi argee :wave: and welcome. You could try looking in the General Category »
N Gauge Tutorials section for information. Some helpful information there. Good luck with your layout :thumbsup:
Marty
Hi argee and welcome to the forum. There is no problem using chicken wire but as an alternative, Woodland Scenics do graduated risers in a kit or you can make your own with polyfoam or polystyrene and you can always just use bits of plywood cut to shape and size.
Have a browse through the layout construction thread and see what methods our members have used
Welcome argee,
Scrunched up newspaper stuck down with sticky tape then covered in paper maché is quite good for hills and you can use watercolour paints to give a base colour - and it is cheap :thumbsup:
Welcome argee :wave:
Hello :wave:
Welcome :wave:
I'm going for fine mesh wire and plaster cloth for much of my sloping scenery. Will have to be careful not to get it on the carpet.
Hi Argee :wave:
Rather than chicken mesh I have used aviary mesh before because it is a finer mesh. I then made up a sloppy mixture of a well known filler, dunked sheets of paper kitchen towel into it and spread them on the mesh. It makes a good hard surface to emulsion then use scatter. Use 2 or 3 layers of towel. It will then accept drilled holes for fencing, trees etc :thumbsup:
Might be worth comparing prices for plaster cloth with local Art shop. Surprisingly, the Art shop was much cheaper than a train shop.
I agree with you there Pendy. I got a huge roll online way cheaper than the stuff packaged for train scenery. It was about 20 quid for 150ft x 6".
Even within the hobby area, there seems to be a lot of variation in price. Modroc seems to come in a bit less than half the price of the Woodland Scenics stuff, albeit in slightly narrower rolls. Guess which one Hobbycraft sell on retail parks everywhere, and which one I need to journey into the wilderness to find a model shop for? ;)
(I guess that's a damning statement on the price of retail locations round here. There are no model shops in town centres, just industrial estates in the arse-end of nowhere. Oh, and in the middle of a housing estate right behind the prison. Go figure.)
If by a split level you mean it has some tracks above the level of the baseboard itself, then most techniques intended to build sloping scenery will not give a level or strong enough foundation for tracks. Under the area where the high level tracks will be, you need a sort of mini-baseboard which could be a piece of plywood cut to shape and supported by other bits of wood. If you make the scenery out of insulation board or polystyrene you could provide a level surface with that, but you'd need to think about how you fix the track down and add any wiring or other items you need below track level. I believe contact with polystyrene degrades electric wires!
edwin - you are right that the trackbed needs to be solid. Not mesh and plaster or papier mache! Woodland scenics sell the polystyrene elevations and slopes that are suitable. I had assumed the wire and paper would be just for the scenery!
Many thanks for all your replies. I can see staight away the help on here is going to be invaluable.
:thumbsup: