Superior & Seattle Railroad Build

[deemery]

...
Rock strata can be done after the crunchies by pulling a coarse wire brush horizontally across the area.  One or two swipes and then allow to dry and color later.  Real easy. ...

No strata for granite.  You may see layers in lava flows like basalt from the volcanoes in the west.  Strata usually means sedimentary or metamorphic rock.  You always want photos from your specific area, and Google Maps street view can be a good "substitute" if you don't have your own.


dave (who plans to study geology when he retires - after 35 years working with people, rocks can't be any dumber!)

[bparrish]

Dave.........

Those were two separate paragraphs but either way......... ya got me.

see ya
Bob

[deemery]

Dave.........

Those were two separate paragraphs but either way......... ya got me.

see ya
Bob

Ah, now I see.  What was it I said about "rocks can't be any dumber"?


dave

[S&S RR]

Dave and Bob thanks for following the thread and the modeling ideas. Bob the technique of using up the pieces of plaster that are left over is in use on the layout - it is a great technique.  My idea with the natural talus is to match the colors and then use the natural materials for the fine detailing that really make the rock work pop and look real. I hope to have pictures later on this year to show you what I'm trying to achieve. As I mentioned earlier in the thread I had pictures posted all around the layout when I was doing the rock work. I used them for both the plaster molds and when we were doing the initial painting.  I thought it might be of interest to some if I posted those pictures here. Then in a few weeks I will take a new set of pictures of how the layout looks today.  We can compare the final scenes to these pictures as I complete each area with the natural materials, and then again when the area is complete.

On the subject of the type of rocks that I'm collecting most of the larger rocks are Sedimentary and the "right color".  Sedimentary rocks are easy to breakup with a hammer! As for the Granite, I only use it if mother nature did the work for me and there are no shinny crystals showing.
















I have taken many trips to the area I'm modeling and have thousands of photographs to use as I do the modeling - I find this to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the hobby. This first set of pictures is from the Whistler Train in British Columbia.

[S&S RR]

For those that are paying attention, the last picture was added because I like the tree.

[deemery]

We lived in BC (North Delta, suburb of Vancouver) for a couple of years, and did a lot of day trips into the interior.   You have your choice of rocks there :-), some granite (Stawamish Chief!), a lot of basalt and other lava flows, e.g. on the trip up to Whistler, and then back to sedimentary rocks once you're in the interior.   Somewhere I have some great photos of the Othello tunnels on the Kettle Valley RR, scenery that only a model railroader would dream up (and proof that even in scenery, there's a prototype for everything.)


dave

[S&S RR]

We lived in BC (North Delta, suburb of Vancouver) for a couple of years, and did a lot of day trips into the interior.   You have your choice of rocks there :-), some granite (Stawamish Chief!), a lot of basalt and other lava flows, e.g. on the trip up to Whistler, and then back to sedimentary rocks once you're in the interior.   Somewhere I have some great photos of the Othello tunnels on the Kettle Valley RR, scenery that only a model railroader would dream up (and proof that even in scenery, there's a prototype for everything.)


dave

David

Please post or send me the photos if you can find them.  Sure would be nice to have some prototypical proof that what I've dreamed up could be real!

[S&S RR]

We lived in BC (North Delta, suburb of Vancouver) for a couple of years, and did a lot of day trips into the interior.   You have your choice of rocks there :-), some granite (Stawamish Chief!), a lot of basalt and other lava flows, e.g. on the trip up to Whistler, and then back to sedimentary rocks once you're in the interior.   Somewhere I have some great photos of the Othello tunnels on the Kettle Valley RR, scenery that only a model railroader would dream up (and proof that even in scenery, there's a prototype for everything.)


dave

The variety of rock types and colors along just one railroad is one of the points I'm trying to make. Sometimes you can take one picture and have dozens of combinations.

[S&S RR]

The Durango & Silverton RR Rock Formations (set 1).

[S&S RR]

The Durango & Silverton Railroad (set 2).

[S&S RR]

Durango & Silverton Railroad (set 3) the Talus.

[S&S RR]

I few more rock formations taken along the road in Colorado.  Most of the roads are built on old railroad grades.

[bparrish]

I have long been a conscientious objector of rock molds because neither I or anyone I have been around had a great enough selection that after a very short while they all get to looking alike, even when rotated a bit.

I'm still a window screen guy as you can wrinkle it up and pre set the natural erosion lines and slump stuff.

My dad started me out with wood fiber plaster as it was a base for old lathe and plaster stuff in houses.

Not available any longer that I have found

see ya
Bob

[S&S RR]

I learned to work with plaster in the die making trade. I managed die design, and build, in the Auto Industry for 32 years. When I started out we made full size plaster models that were used to make the machining aids. It is interesting to see the 3D printing find it's way to the hobby, we started using it 20 years ago for die models.  It didn't last very long, we quit using models after a few years and started cutting the dies directly from the CAD model.

[S&S RR]

I have long been a conscientious objector of rock molds because neither I or anyone I have been around had a great enough selection that after a very short while they all get to looking alike, even when rotated a bit.

I'm still a window screen guy as you can wrinkle it up and pre set the natural erosion lines and slump stuff.

My dad started me out with wood fiber plaster as it was a base for old lathe and plaster stuff in houses.

Not available any longer that I have found

see ya
Bob

Bob


The rock mold issue has been solved by Bragdon.  He sells every shape and size you could want. Between his and the other suppliers I probably have over a hundred.  At least I know there are three big boxes full under the layout.