| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
drewthomas
|
 Posted - 2009 July 15 : 08:49:48 AM
|
Hi,
I am trying to decide how to design my streets and sidewalks. Does anybody have any tips/pics of a good process of modeling sidewalks? I would like to use the Woodland Scenics products.
I have noticed in a lot of layouts that the buildings look like they "sit" higher up then the ground/curb How is that done too?
Thanks
Art
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 36 |
|
|
Spookshow
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 09:08:19 AM
|
The Woodland Scenics "Road System" is pretty simple. You demark your street layer with their Paving Tape, dollop in the Smooth-It (plaster) and then use the supplied spreader to get a smooth surface (and if necessary, a bit of sanding once it dries). For a sidewalk/foundation layer, you simply add another layer on top of the street layer.
Cheers,
-Mark
|
Dear Atlas - Please Make More DME/ICE Models!  |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 5559 |
 |
|
|
drewthomas
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 10:03:37 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Spookshow
The Woodland Scenics "Road System" is pretty simple. You demark your street layer with their Paving Tape, dollop in the Smooth-It (plaster) and then use the supplied spreader to get a smooth surface (and if necessary, a bit of sanding once it dries). For a sidewalk/foundation layer, you simply add another layer on top of the street layer.
Cheers,
-Mark
Thanks Mark
I am still a little confused on the "add another layer on top of the street layer" Could you please explain
Thanks
Art
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 36 |
|
|
|
Roger Perkins
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 10:43:03 AM
|
I have used polystyrene plastic sheets for sidewalks and streets. There are specific sheets of material labelled as sidewalk.
They are of a thickness to create a curb effect.
There are also some thin, narrow strips of plastic of appropriate width for streets from a couple of the more prominent brands that work well for streets and can be painted in a flat, concrete color or tarnish black for asphalt.
I also have used brick sheeting for some city streets; I am still using some on the current layout that I have recycled for about 25+ years as my layout was moved and rebuilt.
I have used the W/S tape, but elected to use light weight spackling compound for the actual road or street area. Spackling is much less expensive than the W/S product. I felt that the resulting streets or roads were much thicker than I wanted. I found it took some practice and skill to achieve a smooth finished surface.
I did have satisfactory results for "dirt roads" with the W/S product tape; I finished them by painting them earth color and shifting very fine sand, such as that used for sand art while the paint was still wet.
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 3351 |
|
|
|
Spookshow
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 11:37:39 AM
|
After you've put down a base (street level) layer, you put paving tape on top of that, demarking where you want sidewalks and foundations. Then repeat the same procedure as with the street level layer (pour in the smooth-it, level it, let dry, sand it). The second layer is higher than the first layer, creating curbs.
In the above picture, you can see my freshly laid sidewalks and building foundations (the darker areas) on top of the street level layer.
Cheers,
-Mark
|
| Dear Atlas - Please Make More DME/ICE Models! |
Edited by - Spookshow on 2009 July 15 11:40:07 AM |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 5559 |
|
|
|
Rossford Yard
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 12:05:29 PM
|
There are plenty of plastic sidewalks on the market, but the names escape me now. Much easier than molding them.
Ditto for roads. I have used WS and the results are good, but with paint, a sheet of about 1.5-2" wide sheet styrene, painted, usually works. You can also use Easy Streets and similar. I know many like the look of plaster roads, so I am not discouragin that by any means.
|
Jeff
GM of the Indiana Harbor Belt - The "Expanding Belt Line"
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 3470 |
|
|
|
wm3798
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 2:32:42 PM
|
Sheet styrene streets, and Evergreen scribed "Tile" for sidewalks. I mask the striping using 1 pt. graphics tape.
Lee
|
Mill Street Studios - Custom N Scale Offerings.
www.wmrywesternlines.net |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 4416 |
|
|
|
MichaelWinicki
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 4:28:21 PM
|
My thought process on this whole road building thing is that the more products you use to build and cover your roads– the better. Just for the purpose of trying to diversify the look of your layout. Woodland Scenics, styrene, joint-compound, pre-made roads. I think they're all fair game.
Here's a road that I'm working on that's 1/16 balsawood...
The sidewalk is 1/16 balsa also.
Here's a foam core road on my work bench that I'm messing around with...
I have a spot on the layout where the road is going to have to be movable in order to reach some staging trackage. That's why the balsa wood or foam core are being considered.
But elsewhere, it's going to be a combination of those products I listed earlier. Travel around... Roads come in a wide array of "looks". And I think using a variety of road construction methods and coverings is one way to make each of your roads unique.
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 1773 |
|
|
|
gbcaboose
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 4:43:36 PM
|
This video of a downtown scene has some of the best streets and sidewalks I ever seen. They talk about them briefly but they look fantastic. They're HO scale but you still might be able to pick up some different details thet you normaly don't see on layouts.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lyk8CqFPmc4
|
Mike
Alabama Gulfcoast Railroad (AGR), King of the restinsled boxcar |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 154 |
|
|
|
nkalanaga
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 7:15:28 PM
|
I used plain styrene sheet for the sidewalks, and scribed my own lines. For curbs, a square strip the same thickness as the sheet worked fine, and gave me a nice, even edge. Most of my sidewalks are 0.04 inch sheet, for about 6.5 inch high curbs. You can adjust the thickness to suit the region/era you're modeling.
|
N. Kalanaga
Be well. |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 4452 |
|
|
|
GOLDENSPIKE
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 8:11:31 PM
|
I worked for a run down company in an older run down part of town
and each building had its own style of front sidewalk - so anything
goes. Just make it look run down enough.
|
Ron S.
"How many model trains is enough ??...a few more."
(a take on a J.D. Rockafeller quote.)
|
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 1252 |
|
|
|
nkalanaga
|
Posted - 2009 July 15 : 8:45:26 PM
|
That would also be my advice, as even a well maintained older neighborhood would likely have varying styles of sidewalk. In my case, I only have one block of sidewalk, and it's in a business district on a state highway, so the single style doesn't look out of place.
If I modeled more of the town, I would use other styles. The town I'm loosely following has numerous variations, but each block is generally similar, unless one of the buildings is obviously newer/older.
|
N. Kalanaga
Be well. |
|
Country: USA
| Posts: 4452 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Atlas Model Home
Forums
Events Calendar
Rules
FAQ
Forum Locked |
Topic Locked |
