Two cities layout.

[Random]

Between ODD Manufacturing and the main lines I needed a curved retaining wall.   So made a pattern for the curve and built a quick jig from scrap cardboard.




My stone wall mold is flexible so I set it on the jig and then poured hydrocal.  The standard 2:1 mix was stiff enough not to run out of the mold.





I also built a jig curved the other way.  I used this to dry the castings.





Once they were dry I test fit the castings to make sure everything fit.







The wall castings were 4 courses too tall so using the curved jig I scored them between rows of stones until they snapped along the score.  The trimmed castings are the same height as the track base.




I gave them a quick painting with a wash of ink followed by acrylics and then glued them in place with canopy glue.





I used a scrap of another casting to fill the gap by the tunnel.  The scrap was one course too short so I used a piece of strip wood to raise it to match the other walls.






Finally, I dressed the seams with vines and put in some undergrowth along the base of the wall.   I carefully marked the limits for the undergrowth as the base for ODD Manufacturing will slide in against them.





The rest of the scenery between the structure and the wall will be installed on the structure's base.

Other things are afoot but that's it for now.

Cheers

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking good, Rodger.

Neat technique to get curved walls.

Cheers, Mark.

[postalkarl]

Hey Roger:

All is coming along quite nicely. Enjoyed all the photos.

Karl

[jbvb]

Nice mold work.

[Random]

I spent some time laying roadbed in this area and decided to work on the scenery on the opposite side of the tracks.  I installed a few rock castings for variety next to the road and gave the base a coat of cheep brown craft paint.  This was the only brown I could find in a large bottle.




I chose to continue the cobblestone road on in this area.  This material is the same flexible cobblestone that was used for the road in the tunnel.  It likes to curl up at the edges so lots of weights were required.




Installed but not painted, we now have a road leading up towards the express building.




Next up, sidewalks.   I also need to decide what's going to go in the area to the right. 

Cheers.

[Random]

Is it still Thursday?  I've lost track...

I added sidewalks to the street.  After looking at this for a while I'm not sure I like the cobblestone material.

[Random]

I finally got around to laying track in this area and so I decided to pave the area in front of the express warehouse.

I wrapped the building in cling wrap to prevent plaster from getting on it and pinned some stops to the foam to keep the building in position.






I also pinned down some stripwood forms and then filled the area with plaster of Paris.  I normally use hydrocal but in this instance I wanted the softer plaster of Paris for the next step.





I used a short straight edge to carve down the plaster so that it was level with the rails and slightly below the stones at the front.  I also created a slope at the left to help blend this area into the road.





Next I carved the flange ways.  This is where I need the softer plaster.  I use a small screwdriver with a head width equal to the flange way.  These drivers normally come in sets for doing small machine work.  The heads are cut square and not rounded so they make a good scraping tool.  I hold the head flat and against the inside of the rail and carefully draw it down the length of the plaster.




I use very light pressure so that I remove only a small bit of plaster on each pass.  I continue making passes until the track spikes appear.  At this point the flange ways are deep enough to allow cars to roll smoothly.





I test the flange ways by rolling a few cars into the track.  If you try this be sure the uncoupling pins are set correctly or you will gouge the soft plaster between the rails.





I then used a scribe to carve expansion joints onto the pavement.  In this case 18' by 10' gave me the look I wanted.





Next I carved cracks into the pavement.   This area will see heavy trucks and movement caused by freight cars so I chose to add a lot of cracking.




Here is a gratuitous close up of the cracked pavement.  I went back and added joints and cracks to the section between the rails after I took this photo.




I want to add the ramp from the parking area to the road before I paint it but I'm still not sure I like the road.  I'm considering pulling it up and repaving it.


Cheers!

[Mark Dalrymple]

Looking good, Rodger.

Nice plaster work and scribing around that track. 

You could always try adding a thin layer of plaster and leaving worn sections with the cobbles showing through from underneath.  Might be worth giving it a go if you decide you don't like the cobbled road.

Cheers, Mark.

[Random]

I am not happy with water based paint today.   I always did my street work with Floquil paints.  But that ship has sailed.  I've had good luck with the water based craft paints and artist acrylics on wood and plaster is porous like wood so it should be fine right?

I chose a craft color for a base coat and applied it to the parking lot.





I allowed it to dry then proceeded to clean the rail heads.   That's where the disaster began.  The paint started pulling up along the edges of the rail like a plastic sheet.  So stopped and ran a razor blade along the edges of the rail to cut this film.   Even that didn't solve the problem.  I've got paint pulling up on the cut where the blade ran.  I've got paint pulling up when I clean the inside of the rails.  This is a mess that I never experienced using spirits based Floquil. 







At this point I don't know if I want to continue forward or just rip the whole thing out and start over.   My intention was to weather the surface with artists pastels but now that I have bare plaster again I'm not sure how to proceed.

I used craft paint but I did thin it.   

Very frustrated.

[Keep It Rusty]

Roger, before we tear anything asunder, maybe worth trying to seal everything in with matte medium -- if not Dullcote itself. This should protect your paintwork from being disturbed.

Also, going forwards, you can color your plaster mixes so any and all chipping doesn't leave a white finish.

[Random]

I think the issue is the water based paint just doesn't penetrate like oil based did.   Maybe I didn't thin it enough.   Coloring the plaster would make sense but I don't have anything on hand to do so.   I'm not sure what's best for that.   

So instead of breaking everything out I went into my supplies and found a bottle of oil based rust stain.   





I applied this along the rails to cover the white plaster.   I didn't bother being neat as more "mess" is to come. 





It smells more like the oil soaked concrete of a warehouse lot now.   Fingers crossed.

Cheers.

[Keep It Rusty]

Weathering is a great solution, and would be my go-to (I love weathering).

Your can color plaster with your water based Acrylics

[Random]

How much paint do you need to add to the mix?  I'll have to try that.

I've applied a wash of ink per George's formula.   I think it is going to be ok.   






There will be more weathering, likely with pastels.  I also touched up the cobblestone road where plaster ran into it.   It still needs highlights.


Cheers

[Keep It Rusty]

I think it looks great. Pastel chalks will only add more depth, too.

Add as much as it takes to color the mix without clotting. Start with less, stir it in, making sure it's fully taken in the mix, then add more as necessary.

[Janbouli]

I color plaster with pigment powder , most of the earth tone colors are pretty cheap , luckily we don't need blues , they are the most expensive pigments.