Corner "mountain" suggestions...Help?

Since you have a big flat plateau over the tracks, a small town might be nice. Or you could go mountain side villas overlooking the tracks below.

I did the two back corners on my layout.

One is a cliff/ rock face

The other is a tunnel/ retaining wall

For me a corner mountain is a very useful "trick" in this business of trying to make a tiny space "look like" a lot more, like a real railroad in our mind's eye (the mind being amenable to a lot of trickery ). This one is a hot-glued cardboard-strip skeleton with gauze plaster and then Sculptamold applied (covered currently with quick&dirty Joanne fleece cloth).

{Please excuse the Wally-World blue felt "creek" as being better than bare plywood}.

I have the additional problem of a Cape Cod sloped ceiling.

Even though quick&dirty it works [for me], adding depth to the experience (the mind, at least mine, being susceptible to relatively simple suggestion).

ON EDIT: The curve under the mountain is O-36 and as you can see in this pic there is a flat floor inside the tunnel so nothing can become stuck or go crashing to the floor. Derailed equipment is easily reached from either portal. Since this early construction pic I have added a track switch and cut a hole through the left wall with a branch into the next room. Interestingly, in three years there have been zero derailments under there.

Good ideas, thx.   The more the merrier, I need to figure this out.

This is a corner I am working on...

I have an O72 curve in the corner so the put in a small town scene composed of a few whole buildings, a couple of sawed-off partial buildings and some flats so that the scene wouldn't look too flat. I have yet to print out some clouds for the sky that will go on a translucent sticky paper that will provide more depth to the sky.  I also want to experiment with putting the skyscraper at more of an angle pushing the right side forward a bit.  

(sorry, forgot to put the 3ft trap door up before taking the photo).  

@ScottV posted:

This is a corner I am working on...

I have an O72 curve in the corner so the put in a small town scene composed of a few whole buildings, a couple of sawed-off partial buildings and some flats so that the scene wouldn't look too flat. I have yet to print out some clouds for the sky that will go on a translucent sticky paper that will provide more depth to the sky.  I also want to experiment with putting the skyscraper at more of an angle pushing the right side forward a bit.  

(sorry, forgot to put the 3ft trap door up before taking the photo).  

I like your corner building flats the best. As you can see, all the table top ( Flat top)  layouts seem to go from 0 elevation  to the top of a Messa in 6" , or the traditional  corner pimple with a tunnel ( so short the  Railroads would have dug it out and made a cut. vrs. a tunnel

ScottV, please tell me more about printing clouds onto "sticky paper". I have just begun a new layout in my newly purchased home. I am in heaven having a finished lower-level vs a low-ceilinged damp cinder block walled basement. I really wanted to use scenic backdrops but from what I have read they cannot go directly onto a latex painted wall, it has to be primed first.  I had just painted the wall a soft sky blue and do not want to go back over it. Are you sticking these clouds of yours directly onto a painted wall? Any advice would be appreciated.

Mikki

IMO, a grand corner mountain is too good an opportunity to pass up. It can be much more impressive than a tiny town, etc.  Here's what I did:

Note the layer of black paint under the final ground colors. This is the trick for getting the effect of deep shadows in the nooks and crannies.

There was a thread a month or so ago where the poster was taking out a corner mountain like this, because of access.  It was pointed out that if an engine failed directly inside the mountain it was hard to deal with.  There are some old tricks on this such as the mountain being very light and removable, or the bench work inside the tunnel is open to below.  My point is to consider this when designing a corner mountain.  There will be a locomotive driven by Murphy.

@ogaugenut posted:

There was a thread a month or so ago where the poster was taking out a corner mountain like this, because of access.  It was pointed out that if an engine failed directly inside the mountain it was hard to deal with.  There are some old tricks on this such as the mountain being very light and removable, or the bench work inside the tunnel is open to below.  My point is to consider this when designing a corner mountain.  There will be a locomotive driven by Murphy.

Yes. I did a 3-D pop-out which gives access under the mountain when removed:

My layout was portable and on the living room floor for 2 months a year for 30 years.  Therefore the mountain was light and removable.  It was made from aluminum widow screen, and Sears Textured Paint, a powder that was mixed with water to make a paste, and paper towels.  The mountain has two tracks in and four out with the track portals giving some access and an access door.  The are two Marx 1590 switches inside the mountain.

Picture shows access door.

It also has many tunnel portals that provide access.  There are two tracks going in and four going out by way of two Track switches.

Picture of four tracks going out of the mountain.

I would not build a mountain with access to clear train wrecks or derailments.

Charlie

Here is the a tunnel I built at the southeast corner of my layout.  It has a removable automobile tunnel which slides out of the side of the mountain just like a file cabinet drawer.  Top photo shows the overall finished product.

Two main lines run at the lowest level.  The MTH RealTrax is an elevated trolley line.  This photo shows the construction of the overall project which includes a lake.  The step ladder is where the lake now exists.  The lake drops down for access to the mountain.

Here is the vehicle tunnel I built which slides in and out of the mountain side.  

A rear view of the vehicle tunnel ... which is actually a 3 sided box.

Front and side view of the vehicle tunnel before the wood guides were installed .  The guides run along each side of the vehicle tunnel and keep the tunnel in place.

Here is some context as to the project. There is one more more portal that's not shown just to the left and down from the tank car in lower left.  The tank car is sitting on the elevated trolley line. Trains run in an out of the tunnel on 3 levels.  Bottom level has 2 main lines ( there's also an access hole cut midway inside the large mountain in which I can stick either my head or reach around with my hand. ).  The bottom level portals are visible to the right of the white sheet of paper.   Middle level is the trolley line whose portal actually runs under the platuea which extends from the mountain.  The top level is a loop which runs under the large mountain.

IMHO .. I like having the raw wild mountain look as opposed to a town on top of the mountain ... but that's just me.  

I'm still working on my 2 foam tunnel portals.  These are chucks of the pick 2" foam, cut out, shaped, painted and just tonight I added some greenery.  If you look at my original pics, the top is made of one REMOVEABLE 2" thick pink foam.  I plan to keep it removable, so anything that goes up top, can be gently lifted up and over should Mr. Murphy show up.   Great pics guys, please help me with more ideas on this corner!   I'm at a creative roadblock.

How do you guys suggest I handle the front of the lower part of the mountain?   As you can see, it's basically a vertical cliff, but it's very close to the below 2 sets of tracks that run right in front of it.

@42trainman posted:

How do you guys suggest I handle the front of the lower part of the mountain?   As you can see, it's basically a vertical cliff, but it's very close to the below 2 sets of tracks that run right in front of it.

Either a blasted cut or a retaining wall,

@42trainman posted:

I'm still working on my 2 foam tunnel portals.  These are chucks of the pick 2" foam, cut out, shaped, painted...

I did the same thing, but went for a very different look. I wanted to use a real Lionel plastic tunnel portal, but needed a 2-track version:

As you ponder the possibilities for a top-of-the-mountain scene, consider this ...
Create an extraterrestrial visitation scene with an alien spacecraft accessory -- the one that lifts a cow towards the craft. Kids would enjoy that fantasy!

Another idea ... add rock climbers climbing up the mountainside on "ropes" -- all headed toward the summit where a "refreshment center" welcomes them. Add Coors beer signage as the Rocky Top Saloon.

Carry on ... regardless.

Mike Mottler   LCCA 12394

Here's a few shots from a visit to @Tom Tee, he calls them "Mountain in Minutes", they're removable to access the track behind them.

Don't forget to add a cell tower at the top! There are preassembled options, but I scratch-built mine:

Good ideas fellas, thank you.   Still working on this...

So the portals are temporarily in.  On the front I used a sheet of -Rock Face Foil -I think is what it's called.  I attached it with the hot glue gun and some tacks.  That front, left side of the tunnel I'm trying to make a little different, but it's a work in progress and I'm making it up as I go.   That top 2" thick piece of pink foam will remain removable/liftable.  Still trying to come up with that top design.   Thanks to all for the ideas anywhooo.

I added some 1" pink foam cut at angles, glued on with hot glue gun.  Then covered it with thin layer of plaster sheets.  The bottom pink edge is just some separately applied rocks carved out of 2" foam.  Remains to be seen what stays and what goes.   Love some more input since I'm no expert and just "winging" it.

Then I covered the area with great stuff foam, generally to help lock everything in place and give me something to carve.  I let the giant "blob" cure for 24 hours, then last night carved it into what I hope will look like a rock formation.  My thought is the yellow foam will need a wash of something over it before painting begins.  Last time I used a mixture of putty and water to the consistency of mayonnaise and just painted it on the yellow, let it dry overnight, then started painting the next day.   The other area on the layout I did this came out pretty good for an amateur.  Your thoughts so far?   I'll have to put some effort into making the left and right sides "blend" together.

I'm nervous as heck about doing a similar feature on my layout. I've never built a good looking mountain. I tried with plaster cloth and a cardboard lattice when I was about 12 so that's probably why.

I think your wall looks great! I have to go back and reread how you did but that's what I'm trying to replicate eventually. I think you nailed it!

Thanks Bill.  I'll walk you through it, not very tough at all.  I can do them halfway decent, Im just always lost on ideas.  Holla anytime.

I followed Dave Frary 's scenery book for my first and only mountain.  I was happy with the result.

Check out Eric's Trains YouTube channel. He has a nice tunnel/mountain tutorial. I used his method on my layout. Was impressed

I imagine I'm no different from most of you, we are all in the same boat learning about this hobby.  I have found this forum to be very helpful for specific questions from electrical to control to scenery.  Youtube has been great too, like stated above, guys like Eric and some others have posted so much helpful information, I cannot imagine having to build this like our fathers did... without YouTube or this forum!  lol.  Thanks to those that help us sorta newbies.   So I'm sharing this mountain build mostly to gain ideas and thoughts from others on here, and to document the tunnel/mountain build to help the next guy who reads it.  

After I carved my yellow foam, I mixed up a mayonnaise consistency wash of light sheetrock mud with a little scenic glue (water/glue mix).   Mixed it all up in some Tupperware and covered the yellow in it which is why you now see a white "haze" over the yellow part.  This allows the yellow to take paint, without it, it doesn't take paint well.

As this week progresses I'll find time one night after work to start the painting.   I wanted the drywall mud mix to dry overnight, so I went on to work on the top.  I removed the top piece of 2" pink foam and worked on it separately.  My goal is to build it so it can come off and on like a hat in case there are future problems that corner.

As you can see, I used the hot wire foam cutter to cut out and shape the layers of foam to create the elevation.  My "current" thought is the right side half mood area is going to be some type of mining operation, with the middle half moon to be the processing area.  The left section more of a mining base camp.  No details figured out except that.  The rear 1/3 of the top will probably be a steep mountain with greenery and a snow cap.

Tip:  When you glue this pink foam together don't forget to peel the thin layer of waterproofing plastic off both sides or it does not glue right.   Also, I have found so far that loctite Power grab and liquid nails Projects both work great for gluing layers of this stuff.   Weight them down overnight and solid the next day.

Wish me luck!   I'm no expert, I'm learning as I go off this forum and you tube.  This is my first ever layout build and I'm already 2 years in!   Please share your knowledge or ideas, I'm learning!

It looks to me like the hot wire cutter makes natural striations and that's pretty convenient!

Here is my corner mountain,,

The mountain is on the left to center of picture.

Left portal

Rigth portal

The tunnel is curved and is 10 feet long.  The outside track is 080 and the inside 072.  I model the plains so my mountians are not very tall.

Yes, the wire foam cutter is a game changer if you are using a fair amount of pink foam board.  CBS I like your mountain.   I am working on my mountaintop tonight, it's starting to work itself out.

@42trainman will you just use plaster cloth over that stack of pink foam?

Some spots, yes, some no.  I'll keep posting as it goes.  Much of it will be coated in a 1/2 glue/water mix.  Maybe even a Modge Podge mixture.   I'll basically paint the glue on, then sprinkle over it with loose grass and ground cover.   The spots that are squared off will get carved, and the voids will probably get cloth as you say.

I follow now. I'll keep an eye on the thread as you go!

There are a lot of good ideas and technique available, do searches. Scenic Express seems to cover all the bases. 

Corsair that looks great.   My test fit worked out well today.   Plenty more to do over the next couple weeks.  Need to make it a bit taller.

It’s looking good so far

@42trainman posted:

How do you guys suggest I handle the front of the lower part of the mountain?   As you can see, it's basically a vertical cliff, but it's very close to the below 2 sets of tracks that run right in front of it.

I would suggest using heavy gauge aluminum foil for the steep vertical cliff.  I did this to create cliff walls for an old quarry.  The process is relatively easy and low cost.  

You can crumple the foil and attach ( staple ) to the lower ( trackside ) part and the top plateau.   The foil should give the clearance you need.   You can spray paint the foil with earth tone.  I first used 2 coats of flat black spray paint, then some brown and green spray paint after the flat black dried,.  Once the earth tones dried, I sprayed glue over the painted foil and, with the glue still wet,  threw scenic material ( ballast, tallis, and scenic express earth ) at the glue.  Some of the scenic material stuck and the rest fell to the base.  The result was very effective IMHO.   Here is a photo of someone camping at the base of the wall.  Here is a section of foil to the left of the cabin and just to the right of the brick bridge pier.

The foil wall/cliff  is to either side of the bridge pier.

To give context to the finished foil walls/cliffs here is a panoramic view.  Click on image to enlarge.

A little bit more progress...