39 - O Scale Trains Magazine Online

oad, establish the locale, or even the time of year. In other
words, they tell a story. On my layout, as on the prototype
I model, the tracks are laid on the towpath of an old canal.
On the prototype there are several ruins from the old locks
that raised and lowered the water level according to the
terrain. I modeled one of these abandoned locks to the
right of Mill Street. Made from some Chooch castings, it is
right up front where it’s easily seen (Photos 9). The terrain
9
12
here mimics the contour of the former canal bed, further
emphasizing this bit of history.
Another mini-scene on the opposite end of the layout
shows a section of abandoned track. This scene is in the
early stages of development, and will feature a lot more
detail when done. (Photo 10).
10
doesn’t lighten up even when dry. This is fine for wet soil,
but doesn’t look right for dry dirt. The leaves were secured
with the diluted glue and water just like ballasting track,
and since they’re in the bottom of the ditch, the soil might
be damp here, so the darker color is acceptable.
This list could go on forever, but you get the idea. While
some will never think that small layouts are as much fun as
a basement empire, I hope that you found some inspiration
in this series. The series was meant to convey a few big
picture ideas and concepts that can be applied to any sized
layout. Concepts like a small layout can be enjoyable: that
you don’t need a ton of space to model in O Scale. The
idea that scenery is a model too and can tell a story. The
I&W isn’t done. There’ll always be something to add or an
upgrade of earlier efforts as skills and knowledge improve.
The joy is in the doing as much as the having. u
Groundcover and texture are another element that isn’t
given its due. Texture can hold the eye as in the forest
floor in Photo 11. The fallen leaves and other debris give
11
the impression there’s a lot going on here. The texture of
this foreground area is more pronounced than in the background,
which helps to add depth. Same with the fallen
leaves that litter the drainage ditch in Photo 12. I used
real dirt and ground up leaves. I spread undiluted white
glue on top of the painted scenery shell and sifted on the
dry dirt. Doing it this way preserves the color of the dirt.
The traditional method of saturating the groundcover with
diluted white glue and water darkens natural soil and it
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July/Aug ’08 - O Scale Trains • 39