The way they did it in the 60's

Mixing sawdust and sand with plaster of paris will also give it a textured effect as will mixing dry plaster or beach sand in paint. Back in the 1960's they did have model RR trees but the scenic supply market offered limited choices. Lychen was the material of choice for shrubs and you could buy bottled ballast. Some modelers used babys breath for shrubs. Good luck with this interesting project.

hope you post pictures!  I am planning to build a pw display layout too & would like to see how you go about doing yours as well

Chris,
If you can find the old style egg crates that will do the same as the asbestos  a lay in ceiling tile would be the same also.
put them in a 5 gallon bucket of water to soften them up into mush let them mostly dry then mix them with the plaster

I used to use this on  my N scale layout it's alot like what your looking for

http://www.acmoore.com/p-27887...-3-pounds-white.aspx

David

Kevin,

I had been thinking of doing this also. There's something about the layouts of the early postwar era. I'm thinking of shooting for something out of 1950-1955. The old train magazines of that era have numerous examples of these layouts - Model Railroader, Model Builder, Model Trains, and others.

The only problem is whenever I think about using vintage materials, I'm not sure if I could give up my latex/acrylic paints, my modern glues, caulks, etc. I also think back to my early efforts to dye sawdust green. Most of the time, I achieved a green definitely not found in nature. Thank God for Woodland Scenics and Scenic Express! 

I may still give it a try someday.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing your project. Please keep us up to date. 

Jim

I believe that if you go back to the 30's and 40's the original model RR grass was made from dyed sawdust but I remember using grassmats and packaged grass in the early 60's.That stuff was available then and I occasionally still see it at rain shows. I believe that some grassmats today are made of the same materials.

I remember my dad using "RIT" green and brown dye and soaking sawdust from his shop in it to get home made grass and dirt for my layout.  Back then a penny saved was a penny earned he said.  I remember applying these colored sawdust scenery on the paint while it was wet so we did not need glue for it.  I bet it was leaded paint though.  This was in late 1950's.

TEX

Steve

I remember stapling netting of 1" cardboard strips for mountains then dippng 6" squares of newspaper into a thin soupy mixture of plaster and placing it over the mesh.  Followed by several poured coats of the same overly thinned plaster mixture from the top of the mountain.  After setting we would mix in sawdust and repeat.

Very east to build, sledge hammer to remove.

We also used many bags of asbestos on other projects, coughed cause the air was so thick, no mesothelioma as yet.  Checked 2X annually.  tt

Circa 1954-59

Ah, back in the day. Back when all our trains ran up hill for two hours in a snow storm - both ways!

I don't see a problem with using this asbestos.I was reading your post while I cleaned my dusty boxcar using bezene while smoking, and chewing on a rusty razor blade . Don't worry......I know about open flames starting fires......the glow from  overheated rollers on the ol' KW lights a cigarette just fine.

  All kidding aside........good luck on the layout!

red,

   Your showing your age man!

PCRR/Dave

Hi,

  Thanks for the input.  I plan on using old dyed sawdust that I have picked up at the shows, I used it on my pre-war layout and I am very happy with the outcome.

   Kevin

Dried coffee grounds were also used to simulate dirt.

You guys are really bringing back some memories.  And this was an HO scale layout that I used these kind of materials on!

How far we've come, eh?