Northern Pacific Rocky Valley Branch Switching Layout Build
- Thread starter GuilfordRailman
- Start date
GuilfordRailman
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Thank you!
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
I’ve gone ahead and ordered some wooden grade crossings and the road paving kit from Woodland Scenics. Before I order and build the structures, I want to have both the road complete and the tracks ballasted.
I wanted to paint the backdrop with background scenes but I haven’t fully decided on what the overall scenes will look like. Not to mention, my painting abilities aren’t the greatest so I need some more practice first lol.
I wanted to paint the backdrop with background scenes but I haven’t fully decided on what the overall scenes will look like. Not to mention, my painting abilities aren’t the greatest so I need some more practice first lol.
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
Thank you very much! It’s definitely been a learning experience but a lot of fun too!You've done well so far. Keep it up. Looks great.
GuilfordRailman
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I received the road paving kit and grade crossings yesterday!
I plan to glue the grade crossings down today and hopefully I’ll also have time to begin working on the roads.
My plan is to mix some asphalt top coat in with some gray acrylic paint to create a more weathered look for the road. I will then blend it into the Woodland Scenics Smooth-it before “paving” the road. Once it dries and I can sand it, I will detail it with black top patches and oil stains, similar to what I did for my n scale micro layout.
I plan to glue the grade crossings down today and hopefully I’ll also have time to begin working on the roads.
My plan is to mix some asphalt top coat in with some gray acrylic paint to create a more weathered look for the road. I will then blend it into the Woodland Scenics Smooth-it before “paving” the road. Once it dries and I can sand it, I will detail it with black top patches and oil stains, similar to what I did for my n scale micro layout.
TrucTrain55
Well-Known Member
You will like this one I’ve had one on my layout for years and it’s easy to build
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
I’m excited for it!
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
I installed the grade crossings and completed the paved section of road. I decided to include a single parallel parking spot in front of where the general store will go.
I also decided to extend the paved road parallel to the tracks and make it a dead end where I’ll include a gravel lot behind the general store for parking. I may also include a gravel road to another business but I haven’t decided yet.
It was a little difficult to get the road leveled, particularly around the grade crossings but it worked out in the end. Once the Woodland Scenics Smooth-it dries, I’ll be able to sand the road smooth and get everything cleaned up.
I also decided to extend the paved road parallel to the tracks and make it a dead end where I’ll include a gravel lot behind the general store for parking. I may also include a gravel road to another business but I haven’t decided yet.
It was a little difficult to get the road leveled, particularly around the grade crossings but it worked out in the end. Once the Woodland Scenics Smooth-it dries, I’ll be able to sand the road smooth and get everything cleaned up.
TrucTrain55
Well-Known Member
Very nice progress now you got me thinking of put a small layout in my Model/Diecast room. I had a small O27 scale in there one time but I didn’t like the noise.
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
Thank you! I highly recommend building one. 027 is a little noisy but you could definitely do HO or N and make a nice setup for your model/diecast room!
TrucTrain55
Well-Known Member
Yes I’m planning on a HO one been measuring and figuring out how I’m going to to do it I think it will be fun especially on those cold days I can’t get to the garage and run my other 2 layouts.
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
Thank you!
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
I’ve come to realize in the model railroad hobby that there are pros and cons to every technique we use for constructing a layout and that sometimes…one might be better than the other.
On my last layout, I used casting plaster to make the roads and painted the top using a blend of the Woodland Scenics Asphalt Top Coat and some gray acrylic paint. This worked great!
On my current build, I decided to blend the paint into some Woodland Scenics Smooth-it with the hope that the color would be blended throughout allowing me to create pot holes and other road details into the road itself.
However…I apparently made the Smooth-it mixture too thin and some areas settled lower than others resulting in a weird blend of different shades of gray and bumpy vs. smooth road. I tried to create the exact color I created last weekend so that I could make some more Smooth-it and fill in the areas that settled but after applying it, the colors didn’t match at all.
So…I decided to apply another layer of Smooth-it over the first coat across the entire road using the lighter blend. It has almost dried and after it does completely, I will create another blend of paint representing aged asphalt and I’ll paint in over the top. Even with the set back, I should still be able to create potholes and other details as planned. Here’s what the road currently looks like:
Bottom line is that while it is nice to blend the paint into the plaster mix, if something happens during the curing process, I’ll make sure to either have extra paint ready to go, or just utilize the simple technique of applying the paint afterwards. Either way, I’ve got a road now
On my last layout, I used casting plaster to make the roads and painted the top using a blend of the Woodland Scenics Asphalt Top Coat and some gray acrylic paint. This worked great!
On my current build, I decided to blend the paint into some Woodland Scenics Smooth-it with the hope that the color would be blended throughout allowing me to create pot holes and other road details into the road itself.
However…I apparently made the Smooth-it mixture too thin and some areas settled lower than others resulting in a weird blend of different shades of gray and bumpy vs. smooth road. I tried to create the exact color I created last weekend so that I could make some more Smooth-it and fill in the areas that settled but after applying it, the colors didn’t match at all.
So…I decided to apply another layer of Smooth-it over the first coat across the entire road using the lighter blend. It has almost dried and after it does completely, I will create another blend of paint representing aged asphalt and I’ll paint in over the top. Even with the set back, I should still be able to create potholes and other details as planned. Here’s what the road currently looks like:
Bottom line is that while it is nice to blend the paint into the plaster mix, if something happens during the curing process, I’ll make sure to either have extra paint ready to go, or just utilize the simple technique of applying the paint afterwards. Either way, I’ve got a road now
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GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
I was able to sand the Woodland Scenics Smooth-it and apply the first coat of paint today.
There were a few areas, specifically around the grade crossing that were still a little bumpy but this could actually work in my favor! I plan to make the road around the crossing look worn out and in need of patch work or repair. Once this coat dries, I’ll apply one more and then I can begin the next step of ballasting and weathering the track.
There were a few areas, specifically around the grade crossing that were still a little bumpy but this could actually work in my favor! I plan to make the road around the crossing look worn out and in need of patch work or repair. Once this coat dries, I’ll apply one more and then I can begin the next step of ballasting and weathering the track.
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
As I was finishing up the second coat of paint on the road last night, a thought occurred to me about the corner of the layout where I planned to place the barn and chicken coop.
I feel as though it might look too cluttered in that corner with those structures there so I’m thinking I can still create a country scene using leftover foam board from my last layout to create some small hills with either trees or grass fields on it.
I will also save money this way since I won’t have to purchase the barn kit anymore. I still haven’t decided on this idea 100% but I’m definitely leaning that way.
I feel as though it might look too cluttered in that corner with those structures there so I’m thinking I can still create a country scene using leftover foam board from my last layout to create some small hills with either trees or grass fields on it.
I will also save money this way since I won’t have to purchase the barn kit anymore. I still haven’t decided on this idea 100% but I’m definitely leaning that way.
GuilfordRailman
Well-Known Member
A thought occurred to me yesterday. I realized that I forgot to utilize a technique I discovered during my last layout build for my roads. On my last layout, I applied the Woodland Scenics asphalt top coat and then dabbed a darker gray color on top to give the road more definition and texture.
So….I decided I would need to apply the same technique for this layout. However, instead of starting over with a fresh coat of asphalt, I just utilized a lighter shade of gray for the gray blend I applied previously.
Here is the before and after pictures:
Once this dries, I’ll apply a few more details and patches on the road.
The next thing I decided to do was apply some weathering to the tracks. I learned about using dry brushing several years ago and had used that technique on other layout components such as structures but never tracks. It’s hard to see in these pictures but here’s the final result:
The last thing I did today was use the leftover foam board pieces to create the foundation for some hills. I decided that creating the hills would be the best way to go for the layout. Not only will it save time and money not having to build the barn kit, but it will allow for the tracks to fade into the scenery giving the illusion that the tracks are coming from somewhere.
I’m not sure if this will be the final position for the foam pieces but once I make up my mind, I’ll glue them down and use a variety of tools to shape the pieces into their final form.
So….I decided I would need to apply the same technique for this layout. However, instead of starting over with a fresh coat of asphalt, I just utilized a lighter shade of gray for the gray blend I applied previously.
Here is the before and after pictures:
Once this dries, I’ll apply a few more details and patches on the road.
The next thing I decided to do was apply some weathering to the tracks. I learned about using dry brushing several years ago and had used that technique on other layout components such as structures but never tracks. It’s hard to see in these pictures but here’s the final result:
The last thing I did today was use the leftover foam board pieces to create the foundation for some hills. I decided that creating the hills would be the best way to go for the layout. Not only will it save time and money not having to build the barn kit, but it will allow for the tracks to fade into the scenery giving the illusion that the tracks are coming from somewhere.
I’m not sure if this will be the final position for the foam pieces but once I make up my mind, I’ll glue them down and use a variety of tools to shape the pieces into their final form.
