Green River Basin Layout (First Timer)

[Car17]

Hey guys this is my first post on this forum, Club Module in the works right now. Just thought I would post a couple picks and see what you guys think. CC very welcome!!!











I will be finishing getting the Fascia on tonight and I have some Rocks molds setting right now as well!!!

[superturbine]

I like it!!!!!

[jimmo]

Looks like you got a really good start. Keep those pics coming, we love progress pictorials.

[Rossford Yard]

Looks great.  I think it will be a standout, if for no other reason, with that culvert, you are attempting to model drainage correctly!  Too few of us do that.

[Car17]

Looks great.  I think it will be a standout, if for no other reason, with that culvert, you are attempting to model drainage correctly!  Too few of us do that.

Well funny you bring that up. I got looking at the culverts and the Loco and the culvert is way to big to be correctly modeled. I am still going to use it and it is N scale but it is a little big. But I do not think anyone will notice once everything is in place. Thanks for the kind works. I wont be using any water.... it will all be just a little dried up bed.

[Car17]

Thanks guys for the comments. I finished all the plaster rock molds today. I will get some photos up soon. I used another Hydrocal knock of. The price was to good to beat and it was colored already.

[Car17]

Hey guys so at the LHS, I was able to pick up some Hydro Cal knock off which I though was a good deal and am always looking to try out new products. Everything seems to have gone smoothly. First time doing anything with Plaster and molds like this. Really exciting for my layout!

[wazzou]

That's a pretty cool product.  I've never seen it before.  Does it have a brand name on it?

[Scottl]

I like your layout a lot.

I'm a big fan of tinting plaster for rocks.  It avoids any stray flashes of white and makes for a realistic base coat for washes or highlights.

This product can be replicated with regular plaster (I use Plaster of Paris) and squirting in a bit of acrylic paint before mixing.  I use about 1-2" from artists tubes for a small tub of plaster and it works well, although it does delay full curing of the plaster for a long time.  This makes it very forgiving for placing on the layout and blending in.  I use umber, burnt umber, sienna and sometimes a tiny amount of black.   Craft quality paint seems to work well too- just as long as it is water-based.

[Car17]

I like your layout a lot.

I'm a big fan of tinting plaster for rocks.  It avoids any stray flashes of white and makes for a realistic base coat for washes or highlights.

This product can be replicated with regular plaster (I use Plaster of Paris) and squirting in a bit of acrylic paint before mixing.  I use about 1-2" from artists tubes for a small tub of plaster and it works well, although it does delay full curing of the plaster for a long time.  This makes it very forgiving for placing on the layout and blending in.  I use umber, burnt umber, sienna and sometimes a tiny amount of black.   Craft quality paint seems to work well too- just as long as it is water-based.

i was told Plaster of Paris would be to heavy and very hard to work with? Is this true or not?

[Scottl]

I don't know how heavy it is relative to hydrocal, but it is easy to find and work with from my experience.   I did a lot of rock exposures on my current layout and only used a 2 kg box.

[Car17]

Ok guys I have come to a mental building BLOCK and need some advice!! I have been looking at this guys layout and mine will be very similar to it. I even kinda stole the name from him even!! So I have the two mountain bases and I cannot picture anything. I have the plaster rocks ready to go I am just not sure how to shape the mountains for them.

http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/pop_printer_friendly.asp?TOPIC_ID=11835

This is the exact feel, look, and emotion I want my module to poses. In particular these photos











So as you can see what I am going for I could use any advice or styling tips any of you have. This is what I have so far.





I would take any opinion, I think I am headed in the right direction just need some guidance. The rock molds I am using are located at the middle of this post.

[Car17]

Bump

[Philip H]

Car17,
I think you have a good sense of what you want, and having photos of other modelers work will seriously help from a technique standpoint.  Add in a few prototype photos from the area you are using - or similar terrain, and you are golden.

As to your carving work so far - you have too much vertical and not enough horizontal.  There is no real slope to what you've done.  The photos of the other layout clearly show a slope in the hill and rock faces.

That said, again, go with prototype photos for reference.  Your chosen area may indeed have near-vertical cuts like that, and if so you may be able to pull it off.

[Car17]

Thanks Philip!!! After I had posted I began to make more of a slope in my mountains and it is coming along quite well. Thank you for your informative and constructive comment.