I am beginning to put scenery down on my N scale Model layout. My question is one of material... The layout has a small intermodal loading siding. I want the ground to be concrete, but i don't want ties to show. I want it to be like... Ballast-less track in a sense, but that the ties do not show. I want it to be like a Road crossing all over, with the concrete being level with the ties, so that trucks could easily cross over. In easy terms I want the track to be "embedded in the concrete. Any ideas on how to achieve this would be appreciated.
Model Brain Storming...
- Thread starter butter
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I am beginning to put scenery down on my N scale Model layout. My question is one of material... The layout has a small intermodal loading siding. I want the ground to be concrete, but i don't want ties to show. I want it to be like... Ballast-less track in a sense, but that the ties do not show. I want it to be like a Road crossing all over, with the concrete being level with the ties, so that trucks could easily cross over. In easy terms I want the track to be "embedded in the concrete. Any ideas on how to achieve this would be appreciated.In the past, years ago I've used Plaster of Paris, suppose modern day equivalent would be a plaster filler. I used a spare set of wheels to clear out the track and then just clean the rails so the contact is good. This was on 009 so should work on n gauge track.
The plaster idea is a good one, and I have used the technique back in my model railroading days. Two things I would add, though.
1. Molding plaster is easier to work with than plaster of paris, which tends to set up too fast for meticulous work like this. Molding plaster will give you about a half hour to work after it has been mixed.
2. If you are going to use plaster be sure to seal it completely with some sort of dull finish after you color the pavement to make sure plaster dust doesn't over time creep into the workings of your engines and cause undue wear.
Bernie
1. Molding plaster is easier to work with than plaster of paris, which tends to set up too fast for meticulous work like this. Molding plaster will give you about a half hour to work after it has been mixed.
2. If you are going to use plaster be sure to seal it completely with some sort of dull finish after you color the pavement to make sure plaster dust doesn't over time creep into the workings of your engines and cause undue wear.
Bernie
cascaderailroad
New member
Another alternative is very slim sheets of styrene between the rails ... although the plaster/sealer (elmers glue) and an xacto knife with a biocular magnifier (so you can see every minute particle of plaster dust, and wet/dry vac it up).
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In the ancient days of model railroading in N-scale, my dad and I used Strathmore artboard to represent concrete. He being a graphic artist then painted the board to look like concrete and sealed the surface with some Acrylic Matt finish.
You could also try Acrylic Jesso, which is similar in texture to the plaster, but takes a very long time to dry.
John
You could also try Acrylic Jesso, which is similar in texture to the plaster, but takes a very long time to dry.
John
