Impressive that you have a 10' x 18' space to work with!

@ADCX Rob posted:

Impressive that you have a 10' x 18' space to work with!

Thank you. Here is last year's layout which I used as a template since 2015.

For the snow blanket for the layout, I am trying to find the one that is most recommended and one you can reuse for the next holiday seasons.

Here are my choices:

• Prextex snow blanket roll
• Buffalo Batting snow-covered blanket
• cotton rolls from Walmart

Any suggestions?

White fleece fabric? As in a cheap throw blanket. (I've used green and brown for no snow versions of the ground.)

Suzukovich uses white throw carpets if you look back a few years. I like that better as the snow is deep and more ’solid' looking than the "misty" look of typical display snow. (Some misty stuff here and there on the rugs looks better yet though)   

Cleaning those should be easier than cleaning fluff fabric too. Vacuum and/or toss in the washing machine. (use a hose vacuum with a nylon over the wand, leave about 5 inches of toe hanging, hold tight. Any little items accumulate in the wand caught in the nylon, and 99% of actual dust passes thru.... some hairs etc picked out quick as you recover those things you didn't really want to suck up. ...and they are clean of dust now too )

Stars... I'm a huge fan of glow-in-the-dark things and even painted some mow-critter headlights/tailights with it.  Stars would work with it too if  they get enough light each day. .

There is another way, using light.  First option is holes in the sky for tiny Christmas bubs to stick out.

Some of the controllers for blinking ones have a "random" setting today too.

Or, still using Christmas bulbs or one or two other types, attach to the main backdrop to light it. (it is now a support). You need to create a top lip, or "curtain rod" support to create a gap between what is drapped off the rod or lip, and the bulbs/support.

Use heavy, dark blue or black satin opaque cloth for a light blocking curtain and hide everything.

Now put tiny (tiny) holes in the cloth (near but not over some, Left, right, above, below, etc. and/or right over others with sm. bulbs, creates variety of bright and dim stars.

Curtain sides, top, bottom can be attached to the support to block escaping beams of light.  Don't use real hot bulbs without adding some venting to the support (Two 3 sided rectangle boxes over a hole, open side down if you're using kinda hot lamps, i.e., don't make an easybake oven out of it

(this is loosy how the night sky background on some stages at Showbiz/Chuck E. Cheese was done. I always liked the effect they got. We also made similar concept drops for theaters when I was a stage and light grip. Some solid, some curtain based. Usually the drama dept wouldn't get good enough cloth without a big push for it early on before the budget was drained by uneeded fancy paints, or pizza, etc.etc.)

Add lights underneath the snow blanket 

Can cotton rolls from Walmart or Target be reusable?

I've simply used a white sheet with small folds in places representing snow drifts.

@onetrackmind posted:

For the snow blanket for the layout, I am trying to find the one that is most recommended and one you can reuse for the next holiday seasons.

Here are my choices:

• Prextex snow blanket roll
• Buffalo Batting snow-covered blanket
• cotton rolls from Walmart

Any suggestions?

I like the poly-fleece from JoAnn Fabric stores - holds up well through a few years - it is on 72" wide rolls

I like your approach - it reminds me of '30's and '40's style Christmas layouts - there is an old photo collection that has many - I will try to find the link

They were called a Christmas Putz in the Washington, DC and Baltimore area

One of my favorites stepped the track line upward wedding cake style - and yes, as large as yours. The floor level train ran under and out and few times on the bottom

"Honey, I got it all working now. By the way, have you seen where I left my keys?"

"On the self by the piano, dear"

Fun layout and can't wait to see this years. Merry Christmas...

@onetrackmind posted:

Can cotton rolls from Walmart or Target be reusable?

Did it for years!

What about Buffalo Batting snow-covered blankets or Prextex snow blanket roll? Are they reusable too?

For the outer length of the tunnel, I want to make it look like that of a snow-covered rock formation. However, it will be temporary and used during the Christmas seasons. What easy-to-use materials would you recommend?

@onetrackmind posted:

For the outer length of the tunnel, I want to make it look like that of a snow-covered rock formation. However, it will be temporary and used during the Christmas seasons. What easy-to-use materials would you recommend?

Stacking 2" foam insulation board, gluing and then cutting and carving to shape will provide a tunnel unit that can used and stored each season.

@Moonman posted:

Stacking 2" foam insulation board, gluing and then cutting and carving to shape will provide a tunnel unit that can used and stored each season.

Thank you for the advice, but I don't own nor do I know how to use a hot knife. Can I use other methods?

@onetrackmind posted:

Thank you for the advice, but I don't own nor do I know how to use a hot knife. Can I use other methods?

Do you have kitchen knives, hacksaw blades or anything that cuts? One can carve and shape foam with any cutting or grinding tool. I think the hot knife is waste of money.

Can this kind of snow blanket work for the layout? This brand is called "Celebrate A Holiday".

I would suggest white, tightly woven felt, a la a pool table. It’s durable, easy to decorate and less threads and stray material getting into the engine.

@Yojimbo posted:

I would suggest white, tightly woven felt, a la a pool table. It’s durable, easy to decorate and less threads and stray material getting into the engine.

Is white poly quilt batting another option?

Would you recommend tacky wax to secure accessory/trees on snow blankets? If not, are there other options?

Another thing I want to know is how many days, weeks or months does it take to set up these Christmas layouts?

Here is my only fear in using cotton or snow blankets: You have to be careful it does not get up from the track and tangled in the wheels of engines or cars. Been here done that (one was the holiday Celebrations stuff you show). What brand / type track are you using.

For mountain - stacking Styrofoam is fastest and most realistic. Can be painted and stored easily.

@Yojimbo posted:

I would suggest white, tightly woven felt, a la a pool table. It’s durable, easy to decorate and less threads and stray material getting into the engine.

@CurtisH posted:

Here is my only fear in using cotton or snow blankets: You have to be careful it does not get up from the track and tangled in the wheels of engines or cars. Been here done that (one was the holiday Celebrations stuff you show). What brand / type track are you using.

For mountain - stacking Styrofoam is fastest and most realistic. Can be painted and stored easily.

I use thick felt, about 1/8" thick, not flannel.  Any of the cotton blankets I've use over the years have been terrible in terms of getting into running gear and axle bearings.  Also, trees and people aren't all that stable on cotton.

In the picture, you can see some felt being laid over the stryofoam.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

Does FastTrack interfere with the snow blankets?

Kwisor,

That is a beautiful layout in your video. Thanks for sharing.

@onetrackmind posted:

Does FastTrack interfere with the snow blankets?

There's a version of the fluffy stuff that has metal flakes in it and it will mess with FasTrack power -- ask me how I know. I've had no problem using the same stuff without the flakes on my Christmas layout using FasTrack. However, the other problem, flakes or not, is if you want to screw down the track. If that stuff is directly under the track, it will catch on the screw and start to twist and tear along with it. So the other thing I've learned to do is use the track as a template to cut out the fabric so there's none on the underside.

@onetrackmind posted:

Does FastTrack interfere with the snow blankets?

No sure what you mean by snow blanket, but with cotton the track can 'settle' unevenly, it's just too soft.  Cotton is okay as long as you don't run trains and expect people and trees to remain standing.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

@tncentrr posted:

Kwisor,

That is a beautiful layout in your video. Thanks for sharing.

Not sure if this is directed to me as I only posted a picture.  However here is a video:

I took inspiration from kstrains' video about the progress he made on his 2014 layout. According to the user, he used cotton rolls from his local Walmart. My layout should be less complex in design and will incorporate Lego Modular Buildings instead of Department 56 buildings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B74jIkfWfvA

@onetrackmind posted:

Another thing I want to know is how many days, weeks or months does it take to set up these Christmas layouts?

When my kids were small = I was very healthy Jan. - Nov. = then used a bunch of sick days between the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade & Xmas to build a floor living room Xmas display.  Diagnosis was "Train Addiction!  Symptoms were: sore knees, leg cramps, tender hands & fingers, etc.   This was in the 70's.  One memorable Xmas Day all the neighborhood kids that had opened their electronic goodies were at the front door waiting to to see the trains.

@onetrackmind posted:

I took inspiration from kstrains' video about the progress he made on his 2014 layout. According to the user, he used cotton rolls from his local Walmart. My layout should be less complex in design and will incorporate Lego Modular Buildings instead of Department 56 buildings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B74jIkfWfvA

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

Tom Stoltz

@Moonman posted:

Stacking 2" foam insulation board, gluing and then cutting and carving to shape will provide a tunnel unit that can used and stored each season.

My dad suggested me by using plywood and L-shaped brackets for the backdrop and tunnel walls.

I cut mine from styrofoam.

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

I am planning to use the Lionel 6-12896 tunnel portals for my layout. What materials would you recommend as an easier alternative to Styrofoam?

I am going use Buffalo Snow blanket for my upgraded layout this year.

@onetrackmind posted:

I am going use Buffalo Snow blanket for my upgraded layout this year.

Had to look it up, not being familiar with it.   Definitely pricey.  It also looks like cotton.  From too much experience, I have found cotton and trains don’t mix – running gear and axles.  However, it does seem like  lot of people here like it...

Tom Stoltz

in Maine

So does Buffalo Snow cause damage to Lionel Fastrack? If so, what material is a much safer alternative for it? White felt, perhaps?

No damage from Buffalo Snow products that I’ve experienced. The thinner rolls like I purchased from Michael’s below works well with Lionel FasTrack and is thin enough to stay away from running gears and axels. I do use a white sheet as a base and lay the rolls over before placing the track.

@rjsmithindy posted:

No damage from Buffalo Snow products that I’ve experienced. The thinner rolls like I purchased from Michael’s below works well with Lionel FasTrack and is thin enough to stay away from running gears and axels. I do use a white sheet as a base and lay the rolls over before placing the track.

Does the 45 by 99 in. blanket work with the track?

Is it okay to use just cardboard for the tunnel walls as an easier alternative?