Excellent article

It's stuff like this that makes this a great mag! I've been trying to figure out how to make an extra wide tunnel portal for my N scale layout, I bought Woodland Scenics double track portal and it wasn't wide enough, can't find a wider one, this might be just the solution, a portal built from foam! Will also be using this method for a needed retaining wall.

Apple Barrel was at one time

Carved Foam details

Dave,

Thank you for your comment.  In addition to the carved foam retaining wall I also have a N scale vehicle portal (red structure left side of picture) that I carved from foam for the mountain scene  I believe that you will find that you can make what you want.  I did have a few "practice" items that ended up in the garbage before I got the hang of it, to keep at it!

Rick

Exactly!

I've got a lot of retaining wall to build and I've been wondereding how to do it.  Now I know how!

Thanks!

Carved foam walls & things

Blue,

I'm glad that you found the article helpful.  I've also used foam to model huge concrete blocks to make the sand bin for my sand drying house.  Check is out on my latest blog entry on this site at:  https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/matthews-freight-yard-12186178.  Please be sure to post any pictures of your work so that we can all enjoy your layout!

Rick

Taking a slight detour

This looks like a great way to think about doing a cast-in-place concrete retaining wall for adock scene that's in my future.  Any suggestions on how to simulate the board used for such work vs the stones you call out here?

Creating cast-in-place concrete retaining walls,

Phillip,

You raise a good question.  When you refer to "how to simulate the board" am I correct in believing you mean the boards used to make the forms into which they pour the concrete?  I believe that the foam could be used to model the basic concrete walls including where there are protruding lines where the concrete "oozes" between the boards.  The lines could be done by sanding or possibly embedding a thin strip of styrene at a right angle to the wall into slits cut with a hobby knife.  To simulate the grain of the boards on the surface I suppose that a stiff brush could be drug lightly along the surface at an angle.  I've never tried this method, so I don't know if it would work, or if it is the best material to use.

Instead of using foam, what about making a "form" the correct size out of wood with the boards the width & size of standard lumber used to make real forms, say 4' x 8' scale feet?  When making the form, bevel the inside of the wood pieces slightly where they meet so that your will get "raised" lines.  You could grain the inside of the wood with a wire brush to get the desired "wood" appearance.  Once created, lubricate the form with a mold release and mold the wall either with plaster or another molding compound.  You could use the form over and over to make a number of sections.

Just a thought.

Any other thoughts out there?

Rick

Nice article

Nice article. Two other tricks that I used to use while making stone walls for wargaming. 1 try a ball point pen for "carving" rocks. The shape can leave a nice beveled edge on the stone "cuts" 2. Paint the foam with a coat of thinned white glue prior to painting, this can protect the surface from being attacked by some paints (spray paint especially)

Good hints on carving foam

Scarpia,

I'm glad that you enjoyed the article.  Thank you for your valuable hints.  I have also "poked" the wall with a stick with rough edges to texture the wall.  I especially like you hint of coating the wall with white glue to seal it from damage.  If you've got any pictures of your creations, please post them as I (and the other readers) would like to see them.

Rick

I'll see what I can find

I'll see what I can find, Rick.  The work I was doing was in a larger scale (approx 1/38, or 25mm) than most of us model, but I think I still have some pictures somewhere.

Great article - so simple (I think)!

It's articles like this that I really appreaciate - conceptually the idea presented is so simple, and I think even I could follow along ang get some good results.  Again, great food for the imagination - and more ideas are put forth by other's comments.

Foam walls

Boatman,

I'm glad that you enjoyed the article and I agree that it's great to see the additional ideas that come from the reader's comments.

Rick

Pink Foam Retaining Walls

I am modeling a city scene based on ideas from the excellent book by John Pryke's "Building City Scenery for Your Railroad".  He has a picture of a city scene with a foam retaining wall but doesn't discuss in detail how it was made.  Now I know thanks to your article.  I need a section 2" x 60".  You have just saved my about $100 by not having to buy the commercially available plastic molded pieces.

Lclarke1959 - that's great!

I'm so glad that you found the article helpful!  I hope that you will share pictures of your layout with the retaining walls you fabricate.