Base layer color question

Forest Green - An opinion

@Bill Barlowe posted:

Hi, I’m building a Christmas themed storefront display. It may be a silly question but any opinions on the color of the base layer board? I was going to go with white but wanted to check as this is my first build.

OGR Rocks!

@Bill Barlowe

Bill:

If you are planning a snow scene, DEFINITELY paint the platforms a flat white. Below, I have included several photos of an earlier iteration of our layout which includes several sections of snow scenes. We use quilt batting as the snow enhanced by powdered snow as used by florists for Christmas floral arrangements, on the roads and to cover the tops of white thumb tacks that hold the quilt batting to the layout platforms. The quilt batting is available from fabric stores and comes in several thicknesses up to 3/4" (3 scale feet in O, 1:48 scale). The batting gives the effect of a fluffy falling of dry snow. We used to fasten down the batting using white, flat-headed thumbtacks topped off by a pinch of the powdered snow. the slight indentations in the batting because of the thumbtacks give the snow a more realistic, uneven effect. On the newest iteration of the layout, now under construction, we will used a staple gun to secure the batting. For a fresh look each year, we buy new batting in that the stuff from the previous year will show every spot of dirt that accumulated and stuck to the batting. I recommend large sheets of quilt batting over the small bags over sheet snow cover as sold by Department 56 or Buffalo Snow in that you can cover a larger surface area for much less money!!!

A Christmas, store-window train display will be a real eye catcher and will attract many customers.

Here endeth the dissertation of my thoughts on the subject.

I retract my green suggestion.  White is appropriate for Christmas Snow scene.

Well, I second the batting suggestion, but I find the batting is thick enough that you can use it to cover just about any color surface. That way, you can use the batting to temporarily cover other landscaping for a winter/holiday theme, and remove it later to restore the original landscaping and color. OTOH, white paint would be appropriate for anything other than a dirty urban snowfall!

Hi guys. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Just got busy with life. Thanks for the great info and suggestions. I just ordered some batting on Amazon and will start testing it out this weekend. I'm thinking I will cut it out to shape the roads. I'll come up with some sort of curbing to blend the edge of the batting with the streets. I'm guessing I'll try some sort of polystyrene for the curbing. Do you have any experience in this area?

Thanks again, Bill

@Bill Barlowe posted:

Hi guys. Sorry it took so long to get back to you. Just got busy with life. Thanks for the great info and suggestions. I just ordered some batting on Amazon and will start testing it out this weekend. I'm thinking I will cut it out to shape the roads. I'll come up with some sort of curbing to blend the edge of the batting with the streets. I'm guessing I'll try some sort of polystyrene for the curbing. Do you have any experience in this area?

Mmm, well, haven't tried polystyrene, but I suspect either hardboard or basswood would work just as well, and probably be a lot cheaper. I just did a scratch build of the old Cambridge train station, and made a simulated concrete slab base out of a spare sheet of one-sixteenths inch thick basswood (which I'd selected as the structural support for the printed cardstock texture files on the surface) :

For a bit more of a *scale* curb, one eighth inch (about six scale inches) thick board would perhaps be more appropriate.

BTW, if you want to experiment with more of a fantasy snow scene, you can always affix some inexpensive vari-colored LED light strings under the batting (an idea I cribbed from a video of a really nice seasonal holiday layout set up in a community center):

[BTW, the color changing and flashing sequences start about 40 seconds in, if you want to cut to the chase!]

Steve,

The station is something to be proud of. Very nice work with it.

Dave

@luvindemtrains posted:

The station is something to be proud of. Very nice work with it.

Thanks -- it's one of several projects I've been working on for the RFC train garden in my hometown of Cambridge, MD.

Hi Steve, quick question. What color or how did you color the sidewalk/pavement around the station?

Many thanks, Bill

Since Christmas is the only time I put up a garden (and not for about 10 years now) snow scenes are all I do. I use as suggested, the white batten. Follow the advice of others, you'll do fine. As Steve said, the batten is so thick, that the undercoat (mine was white) could be almost any color.  A couple of picts.