Snow...Advice Pls

Tough crowd!

I really like your layout!

To cover my plaster cloth (gauze) on my Christmas layout I used Amaco "Sculptamold" which is available on line and at craft stores as it is easily applied by hand and can be smoothed out or carved with a knife to simulate rocks.  It also takes acrylic colored washes well.  You can also make and apply "rocks" made from rock molds and Hydrocal to the Sculptamold if you would like.

Since my layout is for my Grandkids and is not a "realistic" layout, I used two layers of polyester quilt batting from Walmart covered with Department 56 imitation snow at more "horizontal" areas.

Woodland Scenics website also has a video on how to use their products for a more realistic winter snow scene.

A search for "snow" or "Christmas layouts" on these forums should also give you some additional information.

'Best of luck in the completion of your layout.

Thanks for the tip, HMorgan. Your rocks look amazing; I will have to check out the Sculptamould.

Since I live in the cold NE I don't have snow on my layout but your layout looks good. I would look at the artificial snow sold by the scenery people. You must be careful so nothing gets up in to your engines. Are you gluing it down ??  Later on this winter there are a bunch of us north country people who will gladly donate some real stuff.  

Here are two more, including an aerial shot. It was some feat of engineering to make all the clearances work! The train can only run in one direction, as the grade in one section is just too steep for my old turbine locomotives.

Hi Jim-- I'm planning on lightly dusting the fake snow powder between the ties on the tracks; will that get caught up in the engine? I figure that eventually there may be either a dust issue or I will have to clean the rails with an eraser, so I would like to be able to vacuum along the tracks and re-apply the fake snow every once in a while.

i like Noch snow on fusionfiber

first snow

Good morning, looks like you are well on your way with your winter scene.

Modeling winter is a tough season to model due to the snow and ice and the way it changes the landscape. I have been modeling winter on every layout I have built and like you I am always looking for ways to make the scene on my layout more realistic.

 One thing for sure, I strongly recommend that you do not put any snow flake material around the track area.

This material, not matter what you use will raise havoc with motors and drivetrain items in your engines. I keep all my snow material away from the tracks due to this reason.

As they say "been there done that", and what problems it made for my newer engines loaded with electronics.

I mentioned on another post if people would ask why there is no snow against the tracks, my answer is I only run steam engines and they either blew the snow back from the tracks  as they went by or they melted it !!!!!

I do have areas of ice around and between the tracks but everything in these areas are well glued down.

Go to Woodland Scenics web site and search Winter Scenes and there is a complete video on making realistic  winter scenes using their products. Even if you don't use their products there are some very good technics.

Looking at your photos I think you need some rock faces along the walls. Adding rock faces will give you all kinds of scenic opportunities from snow drifts, vegetation, ice and icicles hanging from the rock ledges.

Also as you will see on Woodland Scenics video you need to get rid of all the white and get some brown and green areas. Not matter how much it snows there are always areas that the snow is not as deep as others.

I made this mistake with my layout and ended up going back and repainting areas to show the bare ground and higher grassy areas where the snow was either blown and then drifted up against a fence or a building.

The lower corner you could build it up and put a frozen pond scene with possibly a waterfall coming down the inside of the trestle and flowing into the partially frozen pond.

All of these items enhance your scenery and give your layout that wow factor.

It takes time so don't get discourage,  Good luck, and have fun !!!!!

I looked  those pictures and turned the heat up !!  Nice winter scenes.

It will be here before you know it Jim !!!!

I've used white caulking or sparkle and sprinkled on some snow to give it texture. What I've found works nicely is to have something, like a road, painted underneath, and then scrape it off with a putty knife.