South Dakota State Railroad Museum Hill City Diorama

jackanf54's picture

I have decided to help out Rick Mills at the South Dakota State Railraod Museum in Hill City with a diorama he wanted built, to represent Spearfish canyons Sandstone cliffs the dual gauge Ralroads and the Pondarosa, Spruce, paper birch and the scenery of the Black Hills of South Dakota. So this is my begining of the concept all the way to finish. So we have decided to use some models built by past modeler from the area.

The rest of the photos follow below ...

MRH: Really long opening posts don't work so well on this site because the opening post gets repeated across all pages of the thread. You're forcing folks to scroll and scroll and scroll to read subsequent pages of the thread and that's pretty annoying. So we have moved all your great photos to the first comment instead, which is what we recommend.

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jackanf54's picture

The rest of the photos ...

A prototype of the tunnels, bridge, ore bin and a mine shaft head frame with all the workings ... 

With all the foam cut and glues down with a hot glue gun it is ready for plaster cloth

With all the plaster cloth on it is ready to start putting on the soft molds i just made from catings i got from a friend. So this is where it gets tricky i fill the molds with 20 minute easy sand sheetrock mud, mixed to a thick batter and fill the release sprayed molds with the mud and tap repetedly to bring bubles to the surface, than i lightly spray the suface that it will be placed on with a mist of water than apply the mold and push mud out to endges of the mold hold in place till it sticks. Some time after 20 minutes when the mud has lust set slowly peel the mold off. now it is still soft enough to use some clay tools to push things around and remove mud in place you don't want. So sometimes i will set up a series of molds and you can mix up mud and place when the mud has still not cured from the fisrt mold after the short cure time you can peel the mold off and and use those tools again and smoth things in before they cure out. I know that is a lot but follow and ask ?s These techics will not fair well with any other mud. If you need more time they have other curing times. 

 

To Be Continued

JamesWillmus's picture

Say hi to Rick for me

That module is a great idea!  Is it going to be representing the area near Savoy?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

James Willmus

Website:  modeltrainmaker.com

 

jackanf54's picture

Diorama for Rick

So, Yes it is in that area, So the left side has Bridalveil falls on it. I will be posting my progress as i go, Hopefully

JamesWillmus's picture

That should look pretty good when done

Okay, I can see what you're doing now.  That will turn out great once its finished.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

James Willmus

Website:  modeltrainmaker.com

 


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