Hi Everyone, I haven't asked many questions in awhile. I been busy building the layout and enjoying it. Not sure if this is a weird question or not. I am building an n scale layout and I am putting a few mountains on the layout. Has anyone ever built the mountain off the layout and then put it on in place when ready. I know this is a strange question. I am new to building mountains and I figure if I do it off the layout and if I don't like it or if I want to modify it I can. Plus it won't make the layout messy with plaster and other things right away. I have the area on the layout where its going to be. I have the mountain started there with foam board and its loose so I know where its going. Thanks, Robert
Hi Robert - Not a strange question at all! Lots of people have done what you describe, for exactly the reasons you describe. I don't have mountains on my small layout, but I have nevertheless built some landforms off the layout and put them in place later. - Jeff
Hi, I built the rock formation in the following image off of the layout. Here is another that I'm working on. The frame was built on the layout and then it was moved to the table and even into the house. Gary
Not a weird idea at all. On my old layout I wanted a mountain in the upper left corner. Because this layout was retractable (folded up against the wall) the mountain needed to be removable. So, I made this, Here's a pic of the interior construction, Its heavier than heck but I built it sturdy so as to withstand all the moving around. 1/4 inch ply base and formers, with cardboard strips and plaster soaked paper towels for the shell. Brian
I didn't build my mountain off-layout, but I did build it to have a removable top. I did have it off-layout when I snowed it in. The removable top is to provide near 100% open access for derailment cleanup. The mountains were built to drop into place or slide into place. This way, there is a positive, repeatable, fully installed position that is consistent. This is the basic landform: The mountain is removed to install roadbed: Once scenery material (tinted SculptaMold) and rock castings were installed, the gaps begin to close: The gaps are nearly invisible: I hope this helps!
I have not done it on my home layout, but have done it for NTrak and T-Trak modules. It does keep the mess confined and reduces track cleaning chores. I would encourage you to give it a try and report back to Trainboard about your experience. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
