Hello,
something I never liked about my layout was the area between my two "mainlines." It never looked realistic. And I had to space them far apart so my curves and tunnels would work on a small layout. I used some fall lyncin in the rear, butI want to do something different in the front. Thanks for any suggestions.

I would say add more ground foam. Maybe a little bit of course burnt grass and a lighter fine foam to give it more texture and color so its not jusut plain perfectly mowed grass. I bought some of the silfor bauffalo grass and used that on the outsides of my ties and on my ballast. The stuff is expensive but worth it.

How about some bushes or tress, I also use the rock molds for mountains on the ground to create rocky formations and add some fine ground foam for moss.

It doesn't look realistic because there is no variation in the ballast or in the ground cover. Also, the transition from ballast to non ballast area is stark. You need smooth transitions and subtle blending so you can't tell where one ends and the other begins. It appears that you've used grass paper and placed everthing over it. I suggest you take your camera to the nearest railroad and snap away. I'm reasonably sure you won't find perfectly manicured green grass between the tracks. I typically use photos for reference. There's really no better source material.

Also, check out the photos in the "Merging scenery and ballast" thread on this forum for inspiration.

PRRfan,

Like Dennis, Eric and stevin said, variation in ground cover in both texture and color is the key. Check out the Woodland Scenics and Scenic Express varieties of coarse turf, clump foliage, Silflor, etc.

There are lots of scenic materials available to add interest to areas like this.




Jim

As I ride trains on Metro North in the NY area, I notice lots of railroad materiel alongside and between the tracks (extra ties, rails, electric boxes, etc.). As long as they look like they don't interfere with the right of way, you might consider these.

Some telegraph poles would look nice in there!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by David Baran:
Some telegraph poles would look nice in there!!!!

Just shameless

(kidding aside.. your products are great)

The vinyl grass mat is a great way to start because it gives you a solid grass covering on which to build. But as others have mentioned, building on it is the key to keeping it up, satisfaction-wise, to your expectations.

I'm doing the same thing with my parents' layout: grass mat and track only, which they thought looked great when it first went in. Next is the ballast - which you already have. The lichen you mention having elsewhere also makes a good early addition, but it will look better still when it's blended-in with other varying flora. Then comes the ground-foam and paint or dye to discolor and blend the ballast into the grass mat. At the same time or sometime in the future, adding the variations like tufts of stand-up grasses, clumps of foam or lichen, and the inevitable ties/tools/pipes/etc will all help a lot.

It looks like you have a bit of the toy-train/tinplate thing going on, which is a great way to model. They key, I think, with a tinplate layout is to keep the scenery simple and clean, which you've done. In keeping with your current look and the "tinplate way", I'd go easy on the additions and take it slow, just one or two techniques at a time.

Breaking it up with color and texture will keep it from looking like a mowed lawn...

Siding separated from main line with trees and bushes

I've also done the same. Added various color and sizes of ground foam, some molded rocks and the new tufts from scenic. Some small trees in the larger areas add further variety.

Just added some drainage areas (low lying water) using he Scenic Express Cat Tails kit. Came out excellent, really makes the in between area look like the real thing!

Well I did some experimenting tonight. I'm trying to fill it in with grass, but I have it comming out too thin. I'm using the loose Woodland grass. I tried some trees, but my area is too thin. What is ground foam? - I'm not farmiliar with it.

Thanks for the suggestions and keep 'em comming!

quote:

What is ground foam? - I'm not farmiliar with it.

Ground Foam is small pieces of foam the have been shaved down to coarse or fine. Look here http://www.sceneryexpress.com/products.asp?dept=1034

Scenic express has there own line. There are tons of colors to chose from.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Policastro:
PRRfan,

Like Dennis, Eric and stevin said, variation in ground cover in both texture and color is the key. Check out the Woodland Scenics and Scenic Express varieties of coarse turf, clump foliage, Silflor, etc.

There are lots of scenic materials available to add interest to areas like this.




Jim

Jim is that buffale grass in the picture or did you do that with the seperate strands of grass that scenic offers?

quote:

Originally posted by PRRfan:
Well I did some experimenting tonight. I'm trying to fill it in with grass, but I have it comming out too thin. I'm using the loose Woodland grass. I tried some trees, but my area is too thin. What is ground foam? - I'm not farmiliar with it.

Thanks for the suggestions and keep 'em comming!

You might want to try some pine trees instead of maples trees.

quote:

You might want to try some pine trees instead of maples trees.

Something like these

quote:

Originally posted by stevin:

Jim is that buffale grass in the picture or did you do that with the seperate strands of grass that scenic offers?

It's a combination of Silfor products from Scenic Express and the Woodland Scenic tall grass. I spray the WS stuff with hair spray first and let dry to make planting the individual clumps of weeds a little easier.

The Silflor comes in a mat. I pull tufts out with tweezers and plant with full strength white glue.

Jim

Thanks everyone.

So this is where I ended up tonight. It still looks a little "empty", but it was all I had for materials. It stinks that the closest hobby shop is 40 miles away. So anymore suggestions would be great.

One of the advertisers here is Scenic Express. Their catalog is VERY comprehensive.

Look outside to proverbial box for landscaping materials also. If you have a stream close by scoop up a coffee can of gravel. You'll find all sorts of small stones. In the winter after all the folage has dropped their leaves you'll find all sorts of twigs and things that make wonderful tree frames. Just snip them off and put them in a trash bag. The under growth is a gold mine for this stuff. Even pieces of dead tree bark can be interesting. If you have a local fishing tackle shop stop by and look at their deer bucktails. It's used for making lures but is great for tufts of weeds and grass. They come in al colors such as this.

It's amazing what is available with a little imagination and most of it is free from Mother Nature.

Well, the weeds and rocks really look good but I think it might be better with less ballast. A low spot between the tracks where the water collects and so the weeds grow. More completely ballasted would be around the signal base and at the tunnel entrance.

And, um, some of those weeds and rocks and ballast might look better between the track and the edge of your table

Just MHO,
Rand

quote:

Originally posted by Rand Fredricksen:
Well, the weeds and rocks really look good but I think it might be better with less ballast. A low spot between the tracks where the water collects and so the weeds grow. More completely ballasted would be around the signal base and at the tunnel entrance.

And, um, some of those weeds and rocks and ballast might look better between the track and the edge of your table

Just MHO,
Rand

I haven't glued the ballest yet, so I can move it around. What would look good at the low spot?

I used some ground foam from Scenic Express and some deadwood and talus. I also used a variety pack of mountain flowers to add accents here and there. It doesn't show up very well here.



Rand

Great ideas!