pete
1st Class Member
canton ohio
Foreman
Posts:201
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 | | 02/16/2008 7:57 AM |
| | If you go to garden railways site there is a article by jack verducci on building mts and how to color them. | | | |
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barnmichael
1st Class Member
NRH (Ft Worth), TX
Foreman
Posts:103
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| | 02/16/2008 10:29 AM |
| Posted By MarkLewis on 02/14/2008 1:18 PM Hmmm... real or fake mountains. I know how to add fake mountains to layouts, but adding real ones seems like a bit of a stretch. I have to admit that real mountains would look much better on any layout, so if you decide to go that way, please tell us how you moved the mountains of your choice to your layout.
Mark
Just look through the archives of previous layouts. There are numerous stories of those who brought 10-20, I even seem to recall one who brought in something like 74 tons of dirt and rock to add "dimension" to their layout. Those "real mountains" were moved by wheel barrow, bobcats, front end loaders, dump trucks, or whatever means the builder had at his disposal.
As I am new at this and don't have those kind of resources, I figured I'd like to try something that, if it looks too nasty, I can simply bust up with a sledge hammer and start over.
Honestly, If I knew more of what I was doing and had the resources (I simply LOVE playing with heavy machinery :-) I'd much prefer real mountains.
Michael | |
Michael | |
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astrayelmgod
1st Class Member
Ventura CA
Foreman
Posts:118
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| | 02/16/2008 9:03 PM |
| | I disagree that real mountains would look better on any layout. Mountains need mass to look good. That is fine for you guys that have acres to play with, but 25X29 feet is all I've got, and some of that has to go to walkways. So, I'll take fake. | | | |
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pimanjc
1st Class Member
Jim Carter - Wichita, KS
Conductor
Posts:513
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| | 02/19/2008 7:43 PM |
| My concrete mountain/tunnel.
Before
After
JimC. | |
"Never promise more than you can give. Always give more than you promise." ~JC
"You don't stop laughing because you grow old, You grow old because you stop laughing." ~AU
Charter Member of the Roundhouse Irregulars | |
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blackburn49
Copper Center, Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1855
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| | 02/23/2008 10:22 PM |
| Posted By MarkLewis on 02/14/2008 1:18 PM Hmmm... real or fake mountains. I know how to add fake mountains to layouts, but adding real ones seems like a bit of a stretch. I have to admit that real mountains would look much better on any layout, so if you decide to go that way, please tell us how you moved the mountains of your choice to your layout.
Mark
I get the impression some of the responders never really got what you actually meant--that it was tongue-in-cheek. Oh well. Myself--I just can't find the room for any of the 5,000 ft (minimum height) mountains anywhere within my model area. Guess I am stuck with coming up with fake ones. | |
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MarkLewis
1st Class Member
Mustang, OK
Foreman
Posts:198
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| | 02/24/2008 1:24 PM |
| I get the impression some of the responders never really got what you actually meant--that it was tongue-in-cheek. Oh well. Myself--I just can't find the room for any of the 5,000 ft (minimum height) mountains anywhere within my model area. Guess I am stuck with coming up with fake ones.
True, it was means as reflecting my own amusement at what I found to be an absurd question. Even the never addressed the real mountain option.
Mark
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Mark Lewis
Mustang, OK
email: oktrains@oktrains.com
Don't anthropomorphize your trains. They hate that. | |
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Mike Reilley
1st Class Member
Escondido, Ca
Conductor
Posts:537
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| | 02/24/2008 2:34 PM |
| I think the largest decision to make regarding real or fake mountains is whether your layout is going to be a GARDEN railroad or an outdoor model railroad.
Real mountains facilitate planting on them. You can still put rock into the soil making up the mountain, but you've got real soil for plants to grow in around the rocks. You can even put in fake rocks as some have done and shown here. On the other hand, if you completely take the fake mountain approach, growing anything on the mountain becomes moot unless you carefully plan in basins of soil for plants to grow in.
I think your decision has a LOT to do with what you want the layout to look like when you're done. Only you know that. The rest is just variations on building techniques.
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astrayelmgod
1st Class Member
Ventura CA
Foreman
Posts:118
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| | 02/24/2008 11:50 PM |
| | I guess neither of you have seen some of the layouts that I have seen. It isn't a moot question at all. | | | |
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blackburn49
Copper Center, Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1855
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| | 02/25/2008 9:57 AM |
| Posted By MarkLewis on 02/24/2008 1:24 PM
I get the impression some of the responders never really got what you actually meant--that it was tongue-in-cheek. Oh well. Myself--I just can't find the room for any of the 5,000 ft (minimum height) mountains anywhere within my model area. Guess I am stuck with coming up with fake ones.
True, it was meant as reflecting my own amusement at what I found to be an absurd question. Even (though) they never addressed the real mountain option.
Mark
I got it, but this just goes to demonstrate that in this obsession hobby of ours the lines between (is it ) real and (is it) memorex can really get blurred. Maybe that's a good thing! | |
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blackburn49
Copper Center, Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1855
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| | 02/25/2008 10:01 AM |
| Posted By toddalin on 02/14/2008 2:26 PM Posted By MarkLewis on 02/14/2008 1:18 PM
After it had been inplace for several years, I decided to make it into an active volcano. This meant boring a hole through the center, carving it out to be the cauldron, and sealing it water-tight. I then had to dig under it to run the hose and electrical wires. This was all done using hand tools (and blood).
Very impressive. Wouldn't mind having one of those on my layout ! Original and great work, too. | |
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Mike Reilley
1st Class Member
Escondido, Ca
Conductor
Posts:537
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| | 02/25/2008 11:20 AM |
| Posted By astrayelmgod on 02/24/2008 11:50 PM
I guess neither of you have seen some of the layouts that I have seen. It isn't a moot question at all.
Perhaps moot was too strong a term.
I've seen LOTS of wonderful concrete "mountains" and will certainly have some on my layout too. I wasn't knocking the fake mountains at all. I was just trying to point out that IF you plan to put plants on fake mountains, plan ahead for basins to hold soil for the plant roots. I've also heard from those layout makers who had fake rockwork that they went back afterwards..and chiseled out pockets in the concrete to hold soil/potting mix for plants. This was THEIR tip...plan ahead for plants...which means you need to think about how your "vision" for your layout is going to be implemented. | |
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Terl
Colorado
Foreman
Posts:114
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| | 02/26/2008 9:48 PM |
| I built the fake mountains in my backyard by piling up dirt and then
arrangeing rocks on them. This worked ok. Expect the dirt to settle
and erode some over time and change the appearence of your rocks. A
friend of mine brought in large piles of rock and then added dirt on
top. More like what real mountains are like. They can still move (I
wouldn't recomend rounded river rock) and so carefull attention needs to
be paid to use deadmen and tiebacks with retaining walls.
I think I like the look of some of the mountains I've seen scuplted out
of concrete. I like the blended look you can get, but it takes some
artistic skill to look good. Rock casting of some sort is easier. I
have been favorably impressed with using carved styrofoam covered with
patching cement or stucco. I have read about a mixture of sphagnum peat
moss, cement, sand and gravel to make good looking containers for
miniture apline gardens.
It's important to have good drainage for your plant containers because
the concrete will chemically effect the ph of the soil to the base side.
Terl | | | |
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SandyR
Near Lake Ontario in NY
Brakeman
Posts:95
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| | 02/27/2008 8:26 AM |
| The mixture of peat moss, cement, sand, etc. that Terl mentions is known as hypertufa. A Google search will turn up more information on it than you could ever imagine! It has been a topic on MLS, too. Good stuff.
SandyR | | | |
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SE18
Brakeman
Posts:58
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| | 02/28/2008 9:21 AM |
| Tod,
Great work | | | |
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toddalin
Foreman
Posts:465
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| | 02/28/2008 10:08 AM |
| Thanks guys. A couple more:
And of course with volcanos, you get natural hot springs. 
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kennywsp4
Brakeman
Posts:23
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| | 02/28/2008 10:38 AM |
| | Love the hot springs and fossil | | | |
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blackburn49
Copper Center, Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1855
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| | 02/28/2008 12:10 PM |
| Posted By toddalin on 02/28/2008 10:08 AM
Thanks guys. A couple more:
And of course with volcanos, you get natural hot springs.
Nice touch ! | |
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blackburn49
Copper Center, Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1855
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| | 03/06/2008 8:07 PM |
| | But, in answer to the original question, my Phase III hills will be real fake ones. That is, they will be solid ones requiring many full dumploads of pit run, but definitely not the real thing. | |
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SandyR
Near Lake Ontario in NY
Brakeman
Posts:95
Send Message
| | 03/07/2008 8:52 AM |
| Ron, how about including a volcano that 'operates' with a highway flare...or Roman candles! Just kidding!
SandyR
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blackburn49
Copper Center, Alaska
Engineer
Posts:1855
Send Message
| | 03/07/2008 8:06 PM |
| Posted By SandyR on 03/07/2008 8:52 AM
Ron, how about including a volcano that 'operates' with a highway flare...or Roman candles! Just kidding!
SandyR
BUT I have a couple of years to consider the possibilities of that suggestion . | |
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