05-31-2009, 08:48 PM
Here's a picture I resized for this thread. It was originally for an article destined to be published in the 1:64 Modeling Guide but alas, the editors/publishers dropped the ball. Hey, maybe I'll submit it here as a how-to. Anyway, it shows the trackwork down at the end of Murdock's Landing.
Ties are real wood that has been stained a dark brown, rail is code 70 painted a rusty color. Individual ties have been singled out with a lighter shade to represent older ties fallen prey to the harsh sun and wind along the river, and darker to represent newer ties. Note also the 'sidewinder tracks', the greasy black down one side of the ties outside the rail, drippings from the shay that sees duty out there occasionally.
Balast is WS Cinder Balast. The subroadbed is actually yardsticks...hey, they're free at most lumber yards...so track is not that high above the ground level. Scenery base between tracks is lightweight spackle tinted with crafters acrylics then covered with WS ground foam. I have since added 'prairie tufts' from Silflor between the ties as weeds.
There will be other places where I will bury the ties with dirt, cinders, etc. but what you see here is my 'basic' trackwork for sidings & light trackage.
Galen
I may not be a rivet counter, but I sure do like rivets!