Hello all! Having successfully passed on my previous Z scale micro (see http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?104725-My-small-layout), I have been having fantastic fun making another one! I am currently unemployed so everything is stuff I already have. The aim is to spend absolutely no money at all This is going to be much greener than the very southwestern looking first one, and is based vaguely in the northeastern USA. Base is again a chunk of pink insulation foam. I wanted a tunnel so made some masters from plastic sheet, took a mould from meltable PVC and cast some portals and sides. The heat from the meltable PVC distorted the masters a little but the results are ok for now. I may make some more in the future, either in a different material for the master, or a cold latex mould. The tunnel liner is made from thin card. I'm afraid I forgot to taken photos for a while, but the sub-terrain is more foam, covered in sculptamold with rock castings embedded. This is airbrushed dark grey and various tones, and then coloured grout is used for dirt. Next come the trees!!!
Northeastern USA? Right now, it looks like some of the pictures sent back by the Mars rover, except for the track and tunnel. But regardless, it looks like REAL terrain. A little greenery. It's so compact, you may be able to do it with a few hundred trees instead of thousands. Great job.
Thank you Frank and Kenneth! Yes, it does look a bit barren, so here are some pics from today, please excuse the odd spot of wet glue Basic forest floor ground cover is blended turf in two colours, and some chopped up bits of string for texture. Hard to photograph with my camera Trees are a mixture of some that I rescued from an architects model, with "enhanced" trunks, and some evergreens made using Lorens method. This is about 25 trees so far, so a hundred or so should do it... Still lots of work to do on the surrounding areas, but we are getting there. Much less Martian already! Thanks!
The ground cover looks good in the pictures. Looks like a untouched forest. It's hard to tell from the pictures but the tunnel might give you some fits with long cars - you might want to make more room on the outside of the curve for overhanging cars. And I really like your portals - the weathering is nicely done. JamesTraction
Hi Phil. Good to see you back in action. Shame about the job though. Layout looking real good I take it your'e not in the Isle of Man anymore? We'll have to meet up at a show some time cheers KEV
Thanks James! I did a good bit of testing when positioning the portals, so I think it should be ok. However your word of caution is enough to convince me that as the track is now unmasked I should connect a controller and run some trains! Expect a video soon...
Shows High Wycombe WYCRAIL Nov 2nd with Shasta Wakefield Nov 29-31st with Cuyahoga next year Nottingham, Manchester LYDCC, Fleetwood, Southport with Shasta Liverpool with Cuyahoga Bradford with Midsomer Mardy Zedex with a surprise (the surprise will be if I get it finished)
Well i should be able to make Wakefield, and obviously Manchester! I will have to coincide next years Zedex with a visit to my brother in Surrey ;-)
Looks great, although the cracks in your tunnel portal make it look like the whole thing's in trouble! Seriously, I love the rocks!
Thanks Jeff! The taller evergreen trees are home made using Lorens method. Not sure of the maker of the shorter deciduous ones, I bought them used off eBay. I suspect they are budget trees for architectural models. I enhanced the trunks by covering in glue and grout before planting.
Thanks! Indeed, quite precarious! ;-) I will add some rust streaks to allude to the rebar which is holding everything together...
