whats the best way to do scenery

[lears2005]

Ok guys I building my layout it is going around the room. My problem is for the scenery should I use all plywood for the base and have a flat layout or should I cut the plywood just wide to put cork road bed on it then track and use 2inch extruted foam for scenery or card board strips and plaster cloth. it seems to be a waste to use plywood then extruted foam on top of that. I dont want just a flat layout. If any one can give me some advice that would be great thanks.

[Charlie B]

Google for video's on scenery. There are lots of them out there, then decide for yourself what you want technique you want to use. I use many different kinds, but I started with a hard base, while lots of guys are using foam. There are many threads on Big Blue that will help you if you have the time to go through them. I won't single out one modeler because we have many great ones here.
Charlie

[BR60103]

My preferred method is to build the trackbed and hang the scenery from that. On my current layout I used Homasote for a flat base and built up from that (mostly). This was because I have bookshelves under the layout and can't go down.
On this layout I used foam for the scenery. But I've also used plaster over cardboard/wadded newspaper. Never had any success with screen.

[Sumpter250]

My "eighteen cents" ? ( inflation )
Track work is on sub-roadbed, open grid. Scenery is Expanded aluminum "Gutter Screen" ( keeps the stuff out of rain gutters), with one layer of plaster cloth, and one-two layers of plaster brushed on.
The beauty of the "Gutter Screen" is, it is light weight, semi rigid ( will support the wet plaster well ), and can be formed by stretching, or compacting the "open Areas", attached with staples, screws, nails, or....I've had some success with "Siliconized Acrylic Caulk".
Buildings can have a 1/4" plywood "base", on risers, like the track sub-roadbed, to which the building can be secured if desired.
There's one picture of this in this thread:
http://www.the-gauge.net/forum/viewtopic...3&start=45

[Sumpter250]

Trees : I finally remembered to get out and photograph a willow tree.....naked.. :o no, not me, the willow !!!
I see now why the willow I was working on didn't turn out quite the way I had hoped.
   

All the hanging branches, are much finer, and there are many more of them!, not as easy to see when all the leaves are on them. Probably the best way to do trees, is to start with photos of just the branches.

[Steamtrains]

The open grid is probably the best, and probably cheaper, than using solid plywood for a base. The open grid serves as a structure to attach your track supports and roadbed, and then fill in the gaps between roadbeds with window screeening attached to the subroadbed. This also allows you to have different levels in the layout. For larger expanses of flat, trackless scenery areas I use 3/8" ply also mounted on risers and then use foam to add "3-D" texture to them.

Check this link out for a lot of info on it... <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.bing.com/search?q=open+grid+for+model+train&pc=Z013&form=ZGAIDF">http://www.bing.com/search?q=open+grid+ ... orm=ZGAIDF</a><!-- m -->

It sounds complicated, but is actually quite easy, once you get over the "what-if-I-goof" factor...