Modelrailroader.ca

From the beginning of this project, I have always promised myself that I would strive to find the easiest/simplest way to do something – and keep mess-making to a minimum! Hence, when I started building the scenic contours on my n scale Niagara Escarpment System (NES) model railroad, there was no way I would use any sort of lattice-webbing-plaster-soaked-paper-towel technique. Rather, I decided to create the landforms using the ever-popular technique of stacked extruded Styrofoam sheets. Typically arranged in a wedding cake fashion, the Styrofoam techniques allows you to build landforms quickly, carve contours, and sand imperfections, all the while offering incredible structural stability.

In my case, I needed to create some rolling hills, as well as some rock bluffs in an attempt to capture some of the geographic essence of Niagara Escarpment region. Depending in whether or not the landforms were being stacked atop the hidden tracks or not, I either built the hills as solid masses of Styrofoam, or used small blocks to created elevated areas with open cavities beneath (for inevitable later access).

I opted to use the half-inch think pink foam for all of the construction, and I found many benefits to having selected this thickness of the other available sizes. Firstly, cutting the foam is a snap ‘ literally. You simply need to score the foam about ½ inch deep with a sharp knife and bend it along the cut and it will snap clean. Likewise, after hearing about all of the dust crated from slashing away at the foam with an old steak knife of rasp, I bought a package of utility knives; the ones that have the thin blades that you can extend about 3 inches. These knives easily cut through the foam cleanly. I was able to shave the majority of landforms smooth just using the knife. (Buy a pack of blades ‘ they do tend to dull quickly.)

I used PL300 adhesive to join the foam, and I shoved in 1 inch finishing nails to keep things in place while it dried. As I worked, I installed the backdrop/view block, fastening it in place with hot glue and wood scraps. I didn’t make the backdrop overly high, as I envision this model railroad being shoved behind the furnace etc. for storage, so the shorter the overall height, the better. After two casual evening of work, I had all of the terrain roughed in.