Snow on Snow

Don't have a layout, but recently experimented with adding snow patches (similar to Christmas village houses) to a station model.  Used Crayola Model Magic (kids play clay) to make the shapes than then it dried out in around 3hours-3days.  A few coats with a titanium white craft paint, and some sticky tack and it doesn't look too bad!  Just be sure to use a blue or white Model Magic variety as in the wrong light and without enough paint coats it wont look entirely white...

I've heard though using woodland scenics(?) fine snow powder from a shaker on top of plaster hardened drifts (after white paint) looks pretty good too.

I use Woodland Scenics snow.

For permanent snow, I have always liked the method described by Dave Frary in his How to Build Realistic Scenery for Model Railroads (3rd Edition) book (published by Kalmbach, but available at lower prices elsewhere, such as Amazon). I will be using this technique on my long-delayed all-tinplate layout.

@trumpettrain posted:

I use Woodland Scenics snow.

Patrick - is the snow permanent or do you just "shake it from the bottle" and vacuum up when the season is done?

Thanks,

Greg

I use the woodland scenics in the shaker , shaking it over area that I want covered. Some areas light and some heavy  then use hair spray to help hold. Need to be careful on how close to snow when compressing you can blow the snow around if to close, also I cover switches or any thing I need to protect.  Have only needed to update the snow once in 5 years. If I use it on tracks I wipe tracks off with lacquer. If you want to change scenery just vacuum.

Good evening and Happy Holidays !!!

My layout is a all winter scene and has a lot of areas that is covered with snow.

To keep the cost of snow and replacement snow down to a reasonable cost I use a Fine Snow sold by Hobby Lobby.

The snow comes in a 7.05 oz bag (200 gram) for $4.99. A little bit of this snow goes a long way.

To apply the snow to the surface of the layout I just put some of the snow in my hand and then like mother nature sprinkle it over the layout where I want it. The snow is very fine and does have a lite sparkle to it like newly fallen snow when the ambient temperature is around 0 degree Fahrenheit.

I cover my layout with drop cloths for the spring and summer months to help keep things dust free. I have noticed once the drop cloths are removed the snow will get a slight yellow tone to it like its dirty.

To clean up the appearance of the already placed snow,  just like mother nature a new coating of snow goes down like a fresh blanket of snow !!!!

In some areas I leave the snow dirty because in real life snow and the landscape is not always perfectly white.

If you really want to get into drifts and snow laying on roofs I use Woodland Scenics Flex Paste product.

When you apply the flex paste and you are finished building up a certain area sprinkle some snow on the flex paste and it will  appear to look like snow.

If you only want the snow on the building for the Holiday season Maybe the idea that DYL Trains had maybe a better approach. Although the Flex Paste can can be removed with warm water I could easily see it become a royal pain getting it all cleaned off a building.

My only word of caution is with any snow product try to keep the snow away from the track and your road bed. You don't want too much if any snow getting sucked up inside an engine which could cause some issues, been there done that !!!!!

If anyone that visits my layout asks way there is no snow on the track and ballast, I tell them the steam engines keep the snow melted away. Nobody has ever asked me that question to date !!!!!!

Good luck and have fun !!!!

Happy New Year !!!!

It's a great question, Enon49  Thank you for posting it.  I have not used the Woodland Scenics snow Patrick (Trumptrain) showed us or the Fine Snow Mark Strittmatter just described, but like the look of both.  I've seen Mark's in person.  My wife bought stuff sold at WalMart labeled as Buffalo Snow, but I don't like it.  It is a step up from the traditional batting used for quilt making (I know all about that since my wife quilts, and we used it for expediency on the Christmas display at my new club), but Buffalo Snow doesn't give a fine snow look even in O scale.  No matter what product you use, as others pointed out definitely make sure you keep it away from the track.  I got to a work session late and one of the club members was unwinding batting from the drive rods of my North Pole Central 0-4-0, which has happened to me too.

Sifted plaster of Paris (dry).  Doesn’t cost much, but I don’t think you could do it permanently. I left it loose, but I would think if you misted it that it would mat down and become clumpy and useless.

@Greg Houser posted:

Patrick - is the snow permanent or do you just "shake it from the bottle" and vacuum up when the season is done?

Thanks,

Greg

I just shake it from the bottle.   The photos of the caboose and 44 ton loco are on a 1 ft. section of track and immediate surrounding area in foreground.  Once I finish my photo scenes ( still a few new ones to go ) I will vacuum that section when the muse strikes.  My intention was to create a winter scene for the holiday season using this very small space so I could take a few photos.  

I'm  currently re-working the west end of my layout to include snow cover.  I plan to use Woodland Scenics snow for a light dusting effect.