Start

The cut is on the curve that goes through a small ridge between Elsmere and Montchanin.  It visually separates the two scenes.  The cut is on the left, with Kentmere Jct in the center and the south  end of Montchanin in the lower right.  I used 1.5" blue foam to build up a "wedding cake" ridge  and then put some trees on it to test the concept.  Looks great.

A NWD passenger train leaving Elsmere going into the cut.

The really cool thing I liked was that as the train moves through the cut, there is enough space between the trees that the train has a "dappled" look of light and shadow, but there are enough trees that you can't see through the "forest".

Looks great!

You've got to be happy with that. What is the area around the trees? I see a cattle ranch, perhaps, or rows of corn and a farm house scene?

I really need to paint some of my foam. Even that tan is better than pink, white, and blue (although putting it that sounds strangly patriotic). 

Wilmington & Northern

Dave, I really like your fall foliage. Does your version of the Reading include the steel mills in Birdsboro and Coatsville?

Well done!

Dave - you have captured the look of that part of northern Delaware with the trees. I look forward to more pics of your progress.

Fran Giacoma

Mills

Thanks all.  Coatesville will have a lot of the Lukens (and other) mills, Birdsboro will have the Brooke Iron Works, Diamond Drill works and Birdsboro Foundry.  It will not have the blast furnace near CP Bird because I don't think that was built in the 1900 era, it was a little bit later.

Landforms

I started by removing all the trees.  Neked hillside.

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The ridges on some of the layers were trimmed off and it was smoothed a little.  Then a coat of "ground goop", (Celluclay, water, latex paint) was applied. If you use Celluclay, be willing to wait a LONG time for it to harden and dry.

Backdrop

I use acrylic craft paints to paint the back drop.  Blobs of barn or brick red, dark green, golden yellow, yellow, cream, orange and brown are put on a pallette and then applied with a dabbing motion with a stiff narrow  brush (1").  Also touched up the bridge, added a bit of "road" on the backdrop side of the bridge at Elsmere and on the backdrop on the other side of the bridge, so if you peek under the bridge, it looks like the tree line continues.  The rees turned out a bit more defined on the new portion, but most of them will have 3D trees in front of them. 

NICE!

I see that "wedding cake" and think that would be the perfect candidate for water putty!

The Celluclay works just as well!

Love it!

Looks great, can't wait to see the finished version.

Great transition to the backdrop on the left corner, too.

I wonder why anyone would still use plaster and forms for scenery after the 'foam revolution' within the hobby!

Plaster scenery

Because it's actually more flexible.  I really prefer the cardboard web with paper/plaster coating.  Its way easier to get curves in multiple dimensions, shallow slopes and gentle curves.  Since this is such a small hill I did it in foam.  Actually the ramp up the bridge is foam formers with masking tape web and covered with newspaper dipped in plaster. 

paper & plaster

We have had success using lightweight burlap from JoAnn's instead of paper over the corrugated web. It's much cleaner than shaving away insulation foam, and doesn't leak on the floor like plaster paper. We got the idea out of an article in the January 2015 MRH.

Making Hills

I've also had great luck with plaster wrap over a cardboard web, then a top coat of Sculptamold. I like Sculptamold because when it dries, it has a textured appearance. You can get the same textured appearance with plaster if you stipple it with a paint brush before it dries, but with Sculptamold, it naturally gives you a stippled appearance. 

Rockin'

Once the land forms were in, I started on making rocks.  I decided that the quickest and easiest method was "aluminum foil" rock castings.  Heavy duty aluminum foil was crumpled up linearly so the crinkles formed lines parallel to the length (vs wadding it up in a ball).  Then it was unfolded and fitted to the embankment.  Plaster of Paris was mixed to a creamy consistency and spread over the foil.  The foil was placed against the embankment and pushed in just enough that the plaster touched the embankment.  When it had solidified enough that the foil could be pulled away, but not completely dry, the foil was peeled off.  Any glaring voids were patched.  Then I took a chip brush (the cheap ones with the white bristles, my weapon of choice) and brushed dry plaster over the surface.  The foil can leave really smooth shiny places and the plaster powder gives the rocks tooth.

The tin foil was held over some news paper and smoothed out, all the little bits of plaster stuck in the crevices popped off, giving a nice batch of talus, that was put in the ditch at the bottom of the cut.  I also make talus by mixing a batch of really thin plaster and spreading it over a piece of plastic wrap.  When it dries I rool up the plastic wrap and crush the plaster into little bits, giving not only blocks but som flatter slabs of "rock".

I then painted the rocks with craft paints, mixing a dark grey with some streaks of brown and dark green.  The talus was hit with a thinner wash of the same paint and then scenery cement (white glue, water and rubbing alcohol).

After that dried, I dry brushed a lighter coat of grey (with a little brown) and then after that dried a light dry brush of a very light grey on the edges of the rocks.  The soil color was touched up.

Vegetation

Once the rocks were done, it was time for foliage.

I started with some light green ground foam, and then applied a mix of red, orange and yellow ground foam to represent fallen leaves.  Static grass (a mix of Woodland Scenics, Noch and Peco) was applied over that.

Then various ground foam underbrush was added, along with some twigs to represent fallen trees.  When that dried I started applying the goldenrod trees.  Finally in the ditches I added some ground foam bushes, foliage and taller weeds from a wisk broom and Woodland Scenics fibers.

After the track areas were sceniced, the foreground got the same treatment.

A view from a hot air balloon (helicopters weren't around in the 1903).  Pay no attention to the scenery materials by Elsmere.  I think it turned out pretty well and will make an effective scenic divider. 

Stunning

That came out really well. The mainline looks very well maintained and the shadows give it a lot of character. 

Dave, I can't wait to see a

Dave, I can't wait to see a train go through those trees and rock face. Nice work.

Excellent

Those dark rocks, thin soil, and bright fall trees sure like the northern end of the Appalachians. Nice job.

actually unrelated

Although I like your fall foliage!

Dave could you please try contacting me direct?  I don't seem to be having much luck from this end

Thanks

David RT