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Once you’ve got a train layout set up on a flat table, you might want to make it more interesting by adding a heap of mountains and hills. There are a couple of ways to do this, and they are both easy. Papier-Mâché Method If your layout is temporary, or you don’t want to spend much money, you may use the papier-mâché method. Basically, you just scrunch up a lot of newsprints into the frequent shape of the hill or mountain, then cover them with sheets of newspaper dipped in papier-mâché paste. The traditionalisti method of making papier-mâché paste is to add one portion water to one share flour. Some humans prefer to boil the paste, saying that it makes the consistency smoother. Water to flour symmetry is changed to five elements water to one portion flour in this case. Other humans use a three to one or a one to one proportionality of water and polyvinyl acetate wood glue. Still others say that starch makes a fine paste. Adding a dash of cinnamon to the mixture gives the paste a pleasant smell; adding a dash of salt and sugar reduces the prospects of the product formulating mould. You plainly dip sheets of newspaper (fold them a couple of times to make them thicker) in the paste and drape them over the scrunched up newspapers. The sheets will be soft and pliable, so mould them into hills and valleys as you like. Let the papier-mâché arid overnight. You will find that it is hard and rigid, like a piñata. Paint it with a water-based paint in shades of green (for grass) and brown (for dirt) and grey (for rock). You may also use spray paint, but make sure it is matte, not glossy, paint. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle galore grass (available at the sideline shop) or green-coloured sawdust. When the paint is dry, add numerous lichen for bushes and trees (also available at any sparetime activity shop). Window Screening and Wooden Supports If your train layout is permanent, a more lasting method of making mountains and hills is to use screening and wooden supports. This also has the vantage that you may run tracks on the mountain itself, supplying you make the suitable supports. Basically, you cut wooden support blocks to the suitable size, then drape window screening (called “fly screen” in Australia) over the blocks, stapling the screen to the blocks. You will have to firmly attach the blocks to the table with screws or nails first, so they don’t move around. If you want, you may build a second track bed around or through the mountain, elevated above the table. Simply use help blocks and plywood to make a rigid base for the track. Once the screening is in place, pinch it in places to make rugged edges, ditches, and valleys. Then mix up a heap of mutual household plaster (available at any hardware store to repair holes in a plaster wall) and slobber it over the screen. There is no need to be careful, just make sure all the screen is covered. A thicker plaster mix works much better than a thin mix, as the latter allows the screen to show through. When you get to the rugged vertical bits, use horizontal strokes of a knife to simulate rock cuts. Let the plaster arid during one night and then paint as described above. Finally, finish it off with lichen bushes and trees as appropriate. Don’t Forget Access When you are settling how big to make your mountain, and where to place it, likewise think in regards to derailments. Murphy’s Law warrantees that, at galore point, your train is going to derail in the tunnel through your mountain. Make sure the tunnel entrance is big sufficient so you may reach in and get your train out. Or consider these alternatives: If you have made a papier-mâché mountain, and not glued it to the table, you may plainly lift it off the table. If you have made a permanent wood block and wire screen mountain, then consider cutting access holes in the table, beneath the mountain, so you may reach in and right the train or remove it. Don’t make the holes too close to the track, because if the train does derail at that spot, you don’t want it to fall through the hole onto the floor. |
