ATSF Los Angeles Division, circa 1949

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Wrong scale but very very cool
Thanks for sharing!

Michel

Ain't no scale that's the wrong scale. JFRTM!

[JMaurer1]

...but some scales are righter than others! 

Thanks for bringing back so many memories from my early railfanning days. When I moved out of So Cal, I thought that all train spots would be as busy as Cajon only to find out that I started with one of the best and busiest.

[Cajonpassfan]

Ain't no scale that's the wrong scale. JFRTM!

Amen to that, brother!
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

...but some scales are righter than others! 

Thanks for bringing back so many memories from my early railfanning days. When I moved out of So Cal, I thought that all train spots would be as busy as Cajon only to find out that I started with one of the best and busiest.

Lol, yes. Even today, the traffic volumes are quite impressive, if you don't mind a lot of stack trains in and out of LA/Long Beach harbors. Glad you enjoy the thread.
Otto

[Cajonpassfan]

Last few days, I managed to retrace some wiring I did twelve years ago and finish making connections under portions of  the unfinished scenery. That allowed me to get on top and start roughing in one of the unfinished sections, see pic. It may not look like much yet, but I love the way the cardboard and hot glue give me control over the contours. Cuts and fills, flow lines and ridges. To be continued, shortly I hope...
Otto

[MDW]

Looking good - Can’t wait to see more!
I’m probably 3 months away from starting to rough I’m scenery.....thinking about cardboard strips vs. foam now.  I just hate the mess from foam.

Michel

[jereising]

Cardboard strips hot glued together then covered with cheap masking tape then joint compound - best method I've ever used...

[LKOrailroad]

Cardboard strips hot glued together then covered with cheap masking tape then joint compound - best method I've ever used...

I am nearing the time to begin terraforming on my layout and have settled on your method as well. I am curious if the relatively poor adhesion of joint compound to masking tape has ever caused you any noteworthy problems on down the line?

[jereising]

I am nearing the time to begin terraforming on my layout and have settled on your method as well. I am curious if the relatively poor adhesion of joint compound to masking tape has ever caused you any noteworthy problems on down the line?

Absolutely not.  It would appear to not br adhering, but once it's down, it's good.  I always hit the compound with a wet paintbrush as a final touch, blending everything together.

[MDW]

Cardboard strips hot glued together then covered with cheap masking tape then joint compound - best method I've ever used...

Thanks Jim.  I think that’s how I’m going go forward.   And if any further confirmation was needed, I went down to the basement and quickly determined that I have a lot more cardboard & hot glue sticks than foam!

Michel

[jereising]

I HAVE used foam and virtually every other method known to modelers but the hot glue and cardbord with masking tape is SO simple, easy and fast and not messy it just begs to be used. Seems like today's folks are centered on speed and can't wait for the joint compound to dry.....they want it NOW,NOW, NOW.

[p51]

Seems like today's folks are centered on speed and can't wait for the joint compound to dry.....they want it NOW,NOW, NOW.

I get your point, but it could be argued with the same logic that those who don't want it now, are often the ones who take decades to get even a small section of layout complete in any measurable way?
I was once accused of 'going too fast' getting my own scenery done, by a guy who has a basement filler layout which has looked like two lumber trucks collided and spilled their loads, since the 1970s with no appreciable progress!

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I was once accused of 'going too fast' getting my own scenery done, by a guy who has a basement filler layout which has looked like two lumber trucks collided and spilled their loads, since the 1970s with no appreciable progress!

Hahahah. You know it's funny. A few years back I visited a layout that was touted as "using a John Armstrong track plan".

I walked in, saw a forest of seasoned lumber and lots of unlaid track and thought "yup".

It's also when I realized that I was pretty darned happy with the size of layouts I've worked on.

I think it's why there might need to be a second version of JFRTM: JFBTM. Just ******** build trains man.

[Cajonpassfan]

Looking good - Can’t wait to see more!
I’m probably 3 months away from starting to rough I’m scenery.....thinking about cardboard strips vs. foam now.  I just hate the mess from foam.

Michel

Thanks Michel! I dislike the messiness of foam as well (although it has its applications). But the main reason I like cardboard strips is that on my hilly/mountainous projects, I like to have as much scenery below the track boards as I do above. Big fills and cuts, balancing the earthwork, and for me, cardboard gives me better control. Often, layouts that are built on a flat baseplate, plywood or foam, have most of the scenery layered up above the base, with maybe a token depression here and there.

I spent the day today working on my friend's HO layout again, creating a setting for yet another bridge he acquired, using the cardboard strip method, see below. The bridge is 26" long. The scene has a lot of vertical 3D play. At home I use shop towels covered with plaster "specialist bandage" which gives me precise control (see other pic) but that would get rather pricey on a huge layout so we use pink rosin paper over the cardboard and finish with a layer of Sculptamold or plaster. (On really BIG scenes like the 10' arch bridge setting, I go with chickenwire for the base; harder to control, but a LOL cheaper).

I've never tried using Jim's method using joint compound (mud), but if it works for him, it must be okay! I do admire his work😎
And now, on to my own layout!
Otto

I've never tried

[Cajonpassfan]

More cardboard tonite. The flat spot is the site of Alray section house and grove, 3% descending grade of original line in the foreground.
Otto