How do you handle flat terrain?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I agree with using thinner material for some terrain shapes, but it’s critical to avoid the layer cake look.

Oh yeah, absolutely.

But that's what Mr. BFK and Mr. Surform are for.

[CRL]

Just don’t use a drill with a disk sander. A buddy of mine used one to contour the blue foam on his NTrak module. About 10 minutes later he looked like a Smurf.

[C855B]

Just don’t use a drill with a disk sander. A buddy of mine used one to contour the blue foam on hid NTrak module. About 10 minutes later he looked like a Smurf.

That's a hoot. Yep, static-charged blue dust. Everywhere. But power sanding XPS isn't always a big mess, don't forget this:

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[wazzou]

I've often used a palm orbital sander to shape profiles with good luck.

[Chris333]

https://olfa.com/professional/product/stainless-steel-precision-knife-svr-2/

[peteski]

@daniel_leavitt2000 , you might find this interesting: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/156540-general-motors-plant-framingham-mass-brochure/

[daniel_leavitt2000]

@daniel_leavitt2000 , you might find this interesting: http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/156540-general-motors-plant-framingham-mass-brochure/

Thanks man!

This is a great example of what I mean by flat. That overhead shot shows the factory (unused by 1990) and the rail to road transfer pad for the factory later used by GM for distribution to New England states. This was referred to by locals as South Yard though I don't know if it ever had an official name. Framingham had three yards: Nevins was to the west and situated on the B&A mainline. North Yard was a former New Haven yard that brought up stuff up from Walpole and down from Sudbury to connect to the B&M. Until Conrail, I believe there was  single interchange point between the trackage and everything else were diamonds rather than switches. South Yard was built after the PC merger I believe for this factory specifically. There was a sister yard in Westboro which also handled vehicle distribution, though I do not know for certainty that it was GM. I'm pretty sure GM used all Boston Line trackage to New England where Ford used B&M/Guilford in Ayer. I'm not sure where Chrysler got their product from. Maybe one of the P&W rail-to-road transfer points?

[Ed Kapuscinski]

One thing to remind you, and I'm sure you're already aware, so really I'm saying this to remind everyone reading: flat isn't flat.

For a facility like that, I am SURE there are drainage ditches, gentle undulations around the perimeter, etc...

That's one of the reasons I like building everything on 1" foam.

[peteski]

Thanks man!
. . .

 I'm pretty sure GM used all Boston Line trackage to New England where Ford used B&M/Guilford in Ayer. I'm not sure where Chrysler got their product from. Maybe one of the P&W rail-to-road transfer points?

While I'm not automotive history buff I know that the Assembly Square Mall building in Somerville, MA was originally a Ford assembly plant (thus the name).  With B&M going through Somerville it would make sense that they serviced that plant.

[perezbill]

The way I see it is there are 2 ways you can approach this. One is to leave the track flat and sculpt the terrain in the foam around the track. Two is to raise the track up slightly on another piece of foam making a foam ramp to the different height. Overall I like the idea of sculpting the terrain around your track. It allows you to keep the track flat and even but will still look like it is changing grades based on the sculped scenery around it. There are some good Youtube videos of sculpting scenery out there to watch. Ken Patterson does some nice sculpted foam scenery in my opinion.

[CRL]

Unless you’re modeling the Bonneville Salt Flats, there is no flat terrain. I grew up on the coastal plain of Texas, and while the overall look of the terrain is flat, there are obvious man made drainage features that lead to regular natural creeks & rivers. Those natural drainage features deviate from flat by 10’ to 20’ or even more for a larger river crossings.
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[Maletrain]

But 20' in N scale is only 1-1/2",

So, putting a flat track plan on 2" of foam would handle the drainage parts of the landscape with a bit of foam carving.  And adding some thinner pieces of foam could handle the elevations above the roadbed.

I think that some subtle changes in the terrain would get rid of the "plywood prairie" effect.

[CRL]

Exactly! That illustrates that even a 1” layer of foam gives enough relief to model the common bar ditches found in so called “flat” country, and also demonstrates how unrealistic a flat plywood sheet is for any area that doesn’t contemplate underground storm sewers.

[OldEastRR]

Quite true. If terrain were completely flat, water would be standing everywhere, including surrounding the track.  Imagine if the water in a lake was evenly distributed to a uniform depth over the surrounding terrain, instead of being confined to a low spot in the ground. There'd be water everywhere.