Fire Scene


Hoppy

Hoppy

New Member
Ok, seeing everyone is so helpful here, I thought I would bounce and Idea off some folks. I am redoing my entire layout (my oldest daughter has graduated college, getting married and will be moving out soon, so I get to move from the garage to the now spare bedroom (yeah air conditioning!)
I plan on building a fire scene in my industrial area, having one of the buildings "on fire" on the scene. I can make the smoke with cheap Bachman smoke boxes, I have a small DC fan to blow the smoke up and to move the small bits of orange and yellow reflective film that I will attach to the roof to simulate flames, the fire crew to work on the fire. where I am stuck is trying to simulate water coming from the hose of the fireman. trying to get simulated water that small (for HO scale) is proving to be difficult? any ideas or input would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
One of the videos of Miniatur Wonderland included a fire scene, with simulated moving water. Turning on the subtitles in the YouTube video provided details on how they accomplished the simulation. I'll see if I can dig it up ... I seem to recall using air, but not sure.

Edit: Check out this video starting at the ~3:02 minute mark: http://youtu.be/g6h6lvOCqTQ. With CC turned on (if you need the translation) you can read that they used compressed air and lightweight fabrics to simulate the water.
 
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Incredible animation. Something simpler? How about monofilament? good old fishing line will work and a little clear silicone caulk.
 
I have a idea of a different nature. Being a volunteer fireman in the past. We went to a local sawmill serviced by CSX. Not knowing exactly what your manufactorer is making water may not be the correct medium to put out your fire. How about foam? I would think with a little patients, some wire, and caulk you could do it. Now keep in mind I have just got back into model RRing so it may be harder than I think. I wonder if you mix a little water with the caulk spread it around on your layout to make it look like that foam has been flowing for a few minutes. If you could figure away to get some small air bubbles in it that would really look real.
Alan

PS
I would use white caulk.
 
If you want to simulate the caulk moving, you could use a thin-wall clear tube between the hose and the building (maybe in through a hole or window) with soapy water or something moving through it? If you whip up gloss or matte medium that might work well for residual foam.
 
Expanding on the foam idea (literally) how about a very small quantity of expanding foam installation? The trick would be to have it form into the shape you want.
 
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You can use ice to shape the foam as it sets (make an icicle in the freezer, in tin foil or something), but if it was me I'd probably put too much foam and end up with the Ghostbusters scene after the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man burns.

Not that that wouldn't be an awesome disaster scene.
 
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