Corner "mountain" suggestions...Help?

Looks imposing! Pretty awesome

So I've been swamped at work past couple of weeks and just got back to the mountain area.  I tweaked the pink foam a little more as compared to the previous pics in pink.  And now I gave it a coat of a generic brown/tan I had left over just as a base coat so everything on top sticks well and no pink shows through.

This is my first mountain build so I'm not sure how it's turning out, I'm learning and you guys can watch it turn out kinda cool or poorly and a start over.   So far, all I have done is pink foam, glueing, razor knife carving and hot wire cutting, and one coat of brown paint.  

I have to figure out the paper background that will go left and right of the mountain on the wall, (and which vendor will make that easy for me) and how to pull this together with grass, trees, exposed rock, etc...   Hopefully I can spend some time this weekend on it.

Hi 42Trainman!  I recall times of being swamped at work myself, sometimes for long periods of time, before I retired.  All of us face it or have faced it. 

A coat of paint makes a pink foam mountain look so much better, even if it is to help show areas that need work.  At this point, I have to ask what type of mountain scenery is your goal.  Some modelers try to make landforms and rock outcroppings look as close to real life as possible.  Some take the more artistic approach, maybe I should say impressionist approach.  Their goal is to give the feel of a rocky mountain, sometimes even a cold feeling as on a winter layout.  What you have now looks like the second approach.  Are you planning to smooth out the slopes at the bottom?  Are you planning to only use foam or use plaster castings for rock faces?  All of these approaches are correct.  I am just trying to understand your overall goal before making suggestions.

@42trainman posted:

This is my first mountain build so I'm not sure how it's turning out, I'm learning and you guys can watch it turn out kinda cool or poorly and a start over.

Well, for a first effort, I concur that you've made a very impressive beginning! However, in the spirit of constructive criticism, I offer a few of my first thoughts:

- First, the size of the mountain may be a bit *too* impressive, drawing the viewers attention away from the trains and track in the foreground, and "into the hills" . . . literally! You may want to consider what you want the viewer to concentrate on and remember afterwards, and if that's not exclusively your mountain, you may want to dial it back a bit. Your railroad, your rules, though . . .

- Second, you've created a lot of fissures and texture all over the mountain and in all different directions, but to my eye, they don't fit together in a natural manner. In other words, each section of your mountain has seams running in all different directions, in a manner no geological force I can conceive could account for. In general, the layers and fissures of a natural rock face are roughly parallel, though often been bent or broken by the forces that shaped the mountain. Yes, there are plenty of jumbles out there, but usually only in materials that have fallen or been cleaved off of the original rock (or dropped in moraine piles from a receding glacier). Otherwise, they tend to follow a parallel pattern, as the original sedimentary or igneous rock was laid down and subsequently heaved by geologic forces. like shown below:

NOTE:  IMAGE REMOVED DUE TO COPYRIGHT.

- Finally, I think your background choice may be very important in the design of the mountain, and you may want to make its choice and acquisition sooner rather than later in the process. Rather than searching high and wide later for something to match your foreground creation in color and shape, the early choice of the background scene can help you design and implement what you decide to put in the foreground. On my layout, for instance, the shape of the valley in the background distance strongly influenced the shape of the 'ridge' over the tunnel I added to cover the  back two tracks, and the placement and design of the cell tower and farmers market scenes I added at each end:

In any event, good luck, and I think you're off to a fine start!

@42trainman  just saw this thread (due to Mark's comment above).  I have to agree with Mark's question - what are you trying to achieve?  The other question is do you have the room to do what you want?  and still make it look reasonable.

I've put in enough stuff to realize making an element look and feel right to the eye is important to me. Otherwise it will bug me until I rip it apart.  I would love to have a huge mountain layout - just no room to do it properly - unless it was nearly all mountain.  My 12x12 accommodates hills and rock cuts just fine and a mountain/hill in the distance can help give depth perspective.

If you are asking if this looks ok, then I suspect it is bothering you - something does not look right to you.

To my eye the steepness of the base to the peak is too much, and may be better served by cutting off the top 40% or so. You could always paint a mountain background. But as everyone around here says, it is your railroad you get to do what you want. (Unless of course the CEO nixes something). I am facing a similar issue with my build. Laying in a rock wall, cut stone wall, brick wall or concrete wall with arches which provides vertical elevation from track to a town above. And that's only 8 inches tall.

@Steve Tyler - great advice

Mark, funny you should ask... I'm trying to figure this out.  I've been "winging" it.   I am not generally looking for total realism, more of a "characterization of" if that makes sense.   I think I'll keep carving, add some rock and ground cover and see where it takes me.  Gents, I appreciate the constructive thoughts, I'm not adverse to trashing the whole thing if that becomes needed.  It's my first run at a mountain.  Let's see how this plays out...

Corners of rooms ......... I used a tunnel at the northwest corner of the train room:

But I wanted the futon to fit better and thus needed to use an O-36 curve instead of the O-72 curve inside that first tunnel. This time I chose an "abstract" tunnel that would emphasize the photos which are an important part of scenery on the Plywood Empire Route:

@42trainman posted:

Mark, funny you should ask... I'm trying to figure this out.  I've been "winging" it.   I am not generally looking for total realism, more of a "characterization of" if that makes sense.   I think I'll keep carving, add some rock and ground cover and see where it takes me.  Gents, I appreciate the constructive thoughts, I'm not adverse to trashing the whole thing if that becomes needed.  It's my first run at a mountain.  Let's see how this plays out...

I thought a characterization is what you are after.  That’s a good plan, work on it and see where it goes.

I used foam scraps and paper bags brushed with fabric starch. I like the look.

Very nice job, Joe!

I like the way that extra rocky area looks on yours Trans.    On mine, I chopped off the top of mine as suggested by others.   Tomorrow I'm going to try to green it up and texture it with some batting I have.   Fingers crossed.

That looks great up there!  Yes, I think it looks better especially since it sits on top of the rocky tunnel.

Joe,

That is incredibly outstanding!!!

Mannyrock

Hot as heck here in Houston, but still at it on the back porch today.   Used some super77 spray adhesive for most of the glueing, and modgepodge for part also.  Glued down the batting that I bought a while back at the craft store.  Let dry outside a couple hours.   Then I started to trim it back to get to what I "THINK" I'm looking for.  Pics didn't load in the right order, but I guess you get it.   Mostly ready to go to the next step -hopefully tomorrow.   I'll dig and see what brown or dark green paint I may have - or run to Lowes- and I'll paint the white batting.  There's a YouTuber who shows this technique and I like it, so we'll see!!!   While the paint is wet, I guess I'll be sprinkling scenic grass and ground cover all over the white batting.   Not worried about the brown rocky part yet.  Fingers crossed!!!

@42trainman posted:

Hot as heck here in Houston, but still at it on the back porch today.   Used some super77 spray adhesive for most of the glueing, and modgepodge for part also.  Glued down the batting that I bought a while back at the craft store.  Let dry outside a couple hours.   Then I started to trim it back to get to what I "THINK" I'm looking for.  Pics didn't load in the right order, but I guess you get it.   Mostly ready to go to the next step -hopefully tomorrow.   I'll dig and see what brown or dark green paint I may have - or run to Lowes- and I'll paint the white batting.  There's a YouTuber who shows this technique and I like it, so we'll see!!!   While the paint is wet, I guess I'll be sprinkling scenic grass and ground cover all over the white batting.   Not worried about the brown rocky part yet.  Fingers crossed!!!

I think that will look good painted up as long as you can hide the white. I've never seen that technique before.  Today i was looking at moss batting at the local craft store and wondering if that would work for what i want to do.  Might get pricey tho unless i can find some on sale.

Model Trains and the Colorado's Joint Line is the guys Youtube channel.  He hasn't posted anything new lately, but he has some informative vids, including one that shows this technique clearly.  I'm giving it a go!  Us newbies are so lucky the guys that have been doing this a while and have the experience are so willing to share.

Someone here on the forum demonstrated that or a similar method a couple years ago.  It worked out very well for him.  I’m not sure who it was though.  Yours is looking good as far as you have gotten.

As an aside, the temperature went the whole way up to 73 here in Northwestern Pennsylvania.  You will be comfortable when we are freezing.  ❄️

Nothing fancy or multi-level here, but this photo shows how even a small "hill" adds some depth and interest to a layout corner.

Thank you Gents for the pics and thoughts.   I've said before, this is my first layout build ever, and I went straight in for a 15x17.  So, giant learning curve since I started about October 2021.  Next month will be 2 years working on this.   This forum and YouTube make it SO MUCH easier for us new guys compared to the guys that had to grind up and color their own sawdust to make grass!!! LOL.

Anyway, thanks everyone!  So, this morning I spent the last several hours working on the corner mountaintop.   So the batting dried on there yesterday, this morning I picked up a $10 mis mix can of generic brown latex paint at Lowes.   Used 3/4 gallon on it, so yes, the batting absorbs and you have to slop it on thick to get in the cracks good.   Took over half hour just to paint that.  

Then I let it dry to tacky mostly because I was dying in the Houston heat and needed a water break.   Went back out and gave it a light coat of scenic glue on the hard surfaces and a spray down with rub alcohol.  Then hand sprinkling the green fine turf, sprinkle on two diff shades of sand, sprinkle on a shade of the brownish fall turf, and finally and second shade of green.  

The different textures of the two sands (two colors, two textures) and the different texture of the flat painted foam areas and the batting areas, along with my carving textures seem to help tie it together.  Different textures and different layers and formations seemed to help.   At the end, I sprayed a decent covering misting of alcohol then scenic glue to lock it all in place again.  Now I'll leave it alone a couple hours drying on the back porch.

I still have fake rocks, and heavy ground cover, the clump foliage type stuff in a couple different colors to get on it too.  Not sure if I'm getting to that today or not.      

Not done, but really getting there now.  Two year Veteran Newbie to Model Railroading and always open to suggestions.   Thx!

That came out excellent. Nice job.

Well, I couldn't quit.  Just finished up for the day and now I"m gonna settle in.   Added various (3) colors of clump foliage put down w glue and a spray of scenic glue on top of that.  I'm going to leave it on the porch overnight to settle in tight and dry.  Tomorrow I'll shake off the loose foliage that didn't stick.  That should just about do it.  

I know it's not prototypical and vey realistic, but I like it and it was my first mountaintop.  Trees will be much later, like next year.   For now, tomorrow I'll shake it off and place it back in the corner on top.  

NOW to figure out what to put up there!   Some camps, tiny old mining/logging town, old mines I think (like over in Truckee).  Maybe even a miniature Donner party?  lol.

Sorry for the shadows and bad pics.

@42trainman posted:

Well, I couldn't quit.  Just finished up for the day and now I"m gonna settle in.   Added various (3) colors of clump foliage put down w glue and a spray of scenic glue on top of that.  I'm going to leave it on the porch overnight to settle in tight and dry.  Tomorrow I'll shake off the loose foliage that didn't stick.  That should just about do it.  

I know it's not prototypical and vey realistic, but I like it and it was my first mountaintop.  Trees will be much later, like next year.   For now, tomorrow I'll shake it off and place it back in the corner on top.  

NOW to figure out what to put up there!   Some camps, tiny old mining/logging town, old mines I think (like over in Truckee).  Maybe even a miniature Donner party?  lol.

Sorry for the shadows and bad pics.

Gee, I think that's a great corner !  Enough detail to look convincing but not so much going on there that your eye will be drawn from the stars of the show - the trains !

Rich in WV

Wow!  That was fast and it looks great!  

It dried and set overnight and all day today.  Afterwork tonight I brought it back upstairs to the train room and placed it back on top.  I wanted it to be removable for those just in case moments.  I KNOW it doesn't blend well, so that is what's next.  To make the portals, rockface foil, plaster rocks and top all blend.  I don't think it will be perfect, but I'm going to try to make it acceptable.  I'm not a high railer, just a weekend warrior.

It looks great!

@42trainman posted:

It dried and set overnight and all day today.  Afterwork tonight I brought it back upstairs to the train room and placed it back on top.  I wanted it to be removable for those just in case moments.  I KNOW it doesn't blend well, so that is what's next.  To make the portals, rockface foil, plaster rocks and top all blend.  I don't think it will be perfect, but I'm going to try to make it acceptable.  I'm not a high railer, just a weekend warrior.

Nice results so far IMHO -- trimming the top has left you with an obvious platform for a small scene (for instance, I located a cell tower and crew at one end of my tunnel, and a farmers market at the other), and the reduction in size has reduced the intrusion and competition with everything else in the layout. As to finishing it, a few thoughts:

- Obviously the texture and color of both the front wall and portals do not currently match your new top part. ISTM you can either spend a lot of effort modifying them to blend better with the top part, or modify them to be different but complimentary. Given the configuration you're limited to, I think I'd be inclined toward the latter, and change the rock face to some sort of retaining wall (since it is virtually vertical anyway) rather than depict a natural or cut rock face. As such, it will not have to match the 'mountain' behind it in color or texture, and if you extend it up a couple of inches, it should nicely hide the edge of the top piece. You have a number of choices: a gabion wall (rocks held in place by galvanized mesh), a natural rock wall (something like the current right side), a fitted stone block wall, or even a brick wall. Each of these can be scratch-built or are available in sheets.

- Your existing portals appear to be raw native rock. As such, you may be able to just color them a bit to better match the 'rock' above, and perhaps blend the edge back a bit (or cover the seam with landscaping). Or, you can replace them with more traditional stone block portals, like the ones I used to build a drop-on tunnel for my brother-in-law's set:

As it happens, I carved these portals out of scrap styrofoam, but they were modeled on commercially available two-track portals.

[Incidentally, the 'rock wall' above the portal was an experiment with a thin layer of partially hardened plaster of paris, cast in heavy duty aluminum foil that had been crumpled up and straightened out, and then plopped over and formed to the styrofoam support layer while the plaster was still pliable -- this might be an option to unify the front rock face in lieu of a new retaining wall.]

In any event, good luck, and I'm sure the end result will be worth all your hard labor!

Looks like you could add a small waterfall feature at the top.

To soften the separation between ground and rock face, I like using some clump foliage between the two and some lichen, which drapes down and hides the separation line.

@Richie C. posted:

Looks like you could add a small waterfall feature at the top.

To soften the separation between ground and rock face, I like using some clump foliage between the two and some lichen, which drapes down and hides the separation line.

I like that idea.  I plan to do that where I will have a hillside above a rock cut for the tracks.

Been busy as heck at work, but managed to get a couple hours of scenic work in.  Working on painting using the leopard spotting technique, various browns and black over the grays and whites it was earlier.  Some scenic glue, then a sprinkling of a couple shades of fine turf sprinkled on.  Then another coat of scenic glue.   I'll let that dry overnight and work on some larger ground cover/clump foliage on the wall sorta like I have on top.  Also need to work on the tops of the portals and the front seam.  I'm planning some type of conveyor belt coming down that angle on the front from above down to the cars for loading.   Fingers crossed!

Added some foliage, but it's not enough.  Going to need to order something larger.  But for a first effort, it's going to be good enough.  I'm not redoing it for sure.  Some larger foliage bushes to hide the seam, and on top of the portals, then some trees, and...  viola!  Good enough for gov work.  The whole thing about the seam was so the top is easily removable should I have issues one day in there.

@42trainman posted:

Added some foliage, but it's not enough.  Going to need to order something larger.  But for a first effort, it's going to be good enough.  I'm not redoing it for sure.  Some larger foliage bushes to hide the seam, and on top of the portals, then some trees, and...  viola!  Good enough for gov work.  The whole thing about the seam was so the top is easily removable should I have issues one day in there.

Very good progress, and looking good! Yeah, I'd say that seam (gap?) between the top and the front rock face is your biggest  remaining challenge. If you can't raise the top of the rock wall a bit, adding some substantial foliage or small trees to obscure the visible division line. Other than that, you've done a good job on unifying the exposed rock and adding patchy foliage in a realistic manner may work. Good luck on finishing it up, gubb'mint work or not!

It looks mighty good!  I can appreciate the purpose of the seam.  I have a similar issue concealing a seam on a lift up portion of scenery and will have more as work progresses.  I go along with Steve on putting in some foliage that will camouflage it a bit.

Ordered some trees and more foliage off amazon last night.  Let's see how this looks come next week.  Thx.

Still at it.  Some trees came in over the weekend, still need some bigger "bushes" to truly get rid of the "seam" and bring in the portals to the fold.  Thanks for the input Gents.

@42trainman posted:

Still at it.  Some trees came in over the weekend, still need some bigger "bushes" to truly get rid of the "seam" and bring in the portals to the fold.  Thanks for the input Gents.

Definitely progress -- looking better and better!

A bit late in the process, but you may want to consider interrupting the rather straight line across the edge of the top with some gullies and swales leading toward the edge of the vertical stone face? The added shrubbery has concealed the 'gap' between the face and the top, but the transition from flat to vertical is still a bit too regular for natural forces to account for IMHO. I'd also consider adding a few scattered small shrubs above the portals to better break up and conceal the gap behind the top of the portal.

[BTW, if it isn't obvious from my comments, I'm an inveterate "tweaker", who always manages to see "just one more thing"! FWIW, there may be some of us who plan and implement end-to-end in one efficient process, but I believe most of us duffers just muddle our way through until we run out of "good ideas" . . . which we never seem to do!]

I’m one of the duffers Steve mentioned. 😃

Sure, there is still more work in the cards...

Basically done now.  

The mountain looks quite good!  The disguise of the seam is good enough in my book!