Westfir to Oakridge: Terrain

Terrain was next up for Westfir and Oakridge with trackwork, wiring, and backdrops all completed. I started work on some of the terrain forming with pink foam on the far end of Westfir, the first sceniked area of the railroad out of Eugene staging last winter. Since, I have decided to build the majority of the hills with cardboard strips, painters paper, and plaster, with flat areas that need more support out of pink foam. I started on the RR-East end of Oakridge: Tunnel 22 and a small residential area.

Above: Foam base in for residential area, and first layer of cardboard strips in place behind tracks. Gaps between foam and subroadbed will be filled with cardboard strips. Two white rectangles are foundations for some of the homes that will be modeled in this scene. Cardboard strips are held into place with hot glue.

Above: Beginnings of terrain around Tunnel 22. Had to wait for ballast to dry before securing the tunnel liners and portals. The cardboard is much faster and easier to work with than pink foam.

Above: Cardboard lattice finished around Tunnel 22.

Above: Pre-sculptamold. I covered the lattice with sections of painters paper. I found the paper is much easier to form if it is crumbled a bit first, otherwise it tends to hold its rolled shape. I filled major gaps and seams with masking tape.

Above: Sculptamold applied! I added some rock castings I had on hand.There are a few spots that will need to be touched up, but that shouldn't be too big of a deal.

Continuing to develop the terrain, I started to add some rock outcroppings. The prototype tunnel is fairly heavily vegetated so much of this might be covered, however, there are a few sections of particularly steep slopes that require some rock work, so I will be continuing this process in multiple areas around the two tunnel portals to supplement the rock castings. For my first attempt at carving I am pretty pleased with the results. Paint and weathering will reveal the true look, but so far so good!