Hoboken Manufacturers Railroad Micro-Layout

[Chris333]

Kind of like Mike Danneman snow

http://www.nscalerailroadn.com/039/NSR039.html

[Scottl]

He used marble dust, didn't he?  Plowed out the flanges as I recall.

[DKS]

I was looking at your reference photo, and seeing the little dips near the spikes / ties.
Wasn't thinking of melting, just heating up so a finger or dowel could more-easily slightly squish/form the edges of the foam along the center of the track.
Maybe even just pressing with finger?
Just something subtle to get rid of the sooper-clean & flat line/edges.

The clean edges help disguise the heft of the Code 80 rail, and also avoid interference with wheels. So I'll be focusing on some subtle surface texture more than the overall shape, which I'm pretty much leaving alone.

How in the hell do you get such precise cuts such that there's no gaps between the rail and the "snow"?  Sure, you can press on the foam and get an impression of the railhead, but then you need to think ahead to allow for and cut the bevel.  I'd never get that as tight as you have it in this picture.

Actually, I didn't do any "precise" cutting at all, other than the width of the piece between the rails. Fun Foam is very soft and bendy; all of the pieces were cut straight, and then bent to fit the track as I glued it in place. The bevel on the outside pieces not only avoided the spikes, but allowed me to press the foam up tight against the rail for a seamless fit.

Kind of like Mike Danneman snow

For now. But not for long...

[Chris333]

Also for some reason last night at work I was thinking about all the retaining walls at the "incline".  Was think about a stepped version of this, but inset with Chooch cut stone flex walls:


So the columns and caps would be old concrete and the bulk area would be cut stone similar to the bridge wall behind the CNJ Bronx terminal:
http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/crrnjbxt8401000.jpg
http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/crrnj1000pubphoto2.jpg

You could integrate tunnel portals as well:
http://members.trainweb.com/bedt/indloco/crrnj1000.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harsimus_Stem_Embankment

Give it a whole subway trench look.

Just talkin' 

[DKS]

Already stocked up on retaining wall material. Concrete will be used in a few areas (mostly around the road bridges), but the bulk of it will be Chooch stone.

Most all of the snow, for those who may have missed it, will be done like this: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=27762.msg334912#msg334912

[Chris333]

Will look forward to your Chooch stone. On mine I spent some unpleasant time removing all the "sticky" from the back with automotive brake parts cleaner, couldn't think of anything else. I thought it was easier to ACC down than to rely on that 1/16" thick coat of slime.

[DKS]

I'm not using the flex, but the old (old!) cast stuff. Easy enough to curve with a quick dip in boiling water.

[peteski]

David, how are you planning on cleaning the track with the "snow"on the outside of the track is so close to the rails?  It does look great!

[DKS]

David, how are you planning on cleaning the track with the "snow"on the outside of the track is so close to the rails?  It does look great!

Same way I got the white paint off the railheads after installing the snow... Bright Boy. (It's right up against the sides of the rails, but not quite as close to the railheads as it may appear in the photos, thanks to the white paint.)

[eric220]

I watch this snow thing with great interest. About 1/4 of my layout is planned to be under snow.

[Sokramiketes]

I haven't found any issues with these switches yet, but if I ever do, I know what to do about it.

Throw the completed layout in the trash like last time?  SAY IT AIN'T SO!

[sirenwerks]

David,

Your snow is gorgeous.  I really liked what Mike Canfalone was doing on his Allagash but yours is nth degree sweeter.  I'm eager to see more.

[Chris333]

Snow!
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=31749.msg353934#msg353934

[Ian MacMillan]

David,

Your snow is gorgeous.  I really liked what Mike Canfalone was doing on his Allagash but yours is nth degree sweeter.  I'm eager to see more.

I can't wait to see DKS's snow attempts on this again.

I'm a big fan of Mike's Allagash and can't wait to see it in person again. It really captures northern New England Mud Season.

[DKS]

Getting closer to snow time...

Painted the track--



--and then added the Foamcore underlayment to fill in around all of the "Uniroadbed."