The Mogollon Railroad

[nachoman]

Well, I got a little antsy and started building some scenery before all the tracks were laid. "Antsy" is only part of the story - I was also concerned as to how the scenery would lay out according to my plan, and if my plan was even feasible. I also had frustrations of dropping track-laying tools through the benchwork and a lack of places to lay down my pliers and rail gauges. So, vertical scenery has begun, and hopefully this won't mean I have to change my track design in the town of "Joys Camp" to accommodate some topography.

I am using 1" foam to build landforms. As foam is typically used to insulate basements, and there are few basements here, 1" is all that is available in my area, in 2x8 foot sheets. I have little experience using foam for scenery; in the past I always used plaster. I chose foam because my plater mountains always had a "bulbous" appearance, and I wanted to emulate more layered conglomerate rocks. Plus, there is none of that plaster-drippy mess. I cut the foam into smaller pieces and stack it like blocks as I feel this will result in a "choppier" appearance with more nooks and ledges. I have also been making my landforms hollow by staircasing the foam along the edges of the escarpments, leaving the center open. This saves foam, and will allow easer access to the inside of the tunnels from under the layout.

The top of the topography will extend about 10" above the top tunnel portal that you see. The total vertical relief will be about 18" - not bad for a 4x8 layout.