Building a Diorama - Part #6 - Rough Terrain

Rough Terrain:
Now is the time for all good modelers to lift their Dioramas high and note how light they are.  This is the main benefit of using Foam-Core Board.  You have now created a very strong, but light weight structure, at a cost of somewhere between $3.00 and $9.00.

This is also the time to install the Roadway Board into the roadway cut into the Profile Boards.  Dry-fit the roadway into the cuts and check the ends.  If too short you may need to add a small piece of foam core board on the inside of profile #1 and #4, even to the cutout.  Trim the roadway to suit, add glue to the edges of the profile boards and press the roadway into place.

Over the years modelers have used a number of ways to produce the base for terrain, card strips, wire screen, wadded-up newspaper balls, etc.  As you can see from the picture I went my own way and used twine.  

This picture shows my roadway in place and the twine laced between the Profile Boards that will support the Plaster Cloth added in this step.




You might choose to use some type of tape or paper strips glued to the boards to produce the base for your rough terrain.  I would suggest stuffing wadded-up newspaper between the boards to better support the twine or whatever you choose.  These can be removed after the plaster cloth has set.  And remember, you can always change your mind.

This is what mine looked like after applying the plaster cloth.

As you can see by the picture you will need a shallow pan or dish for water to dip the plaster cloth pieces into before spreading them on the support forms.  If neatness counts you may want to place a plastic table cloth under this operation.  Start by cutting about 10 or 12 pieces of plaster cloth about 8" long.  Briefly dip a piece into the water until wet, let it drip a second or two and lightly place or drape over your structure.  Repeat with additional pieces, overlapping them about an inch, until you have covered an area.  You may smooth the cloth with a wet finger or bristle paint brush.  Add a second or third layer to achieve a strong, firm base for your scenery and ground cover.

After the cloth has dried and you are satisfied with the firmness of your scenery base, you may notice a grid like pattern of the cloth.  You may try to smooth it out with a wet bristle brush or paint it with a couple coats of latex house paint.  Try to choose an earth like color.

You now have a lightweight structure with a thin shell form that is ready for your basic ground cover.  For that we will go on to Part #7 - Basic Ground Cover.

Building a Diorama - Part # 5 - Erecting The Profile Boards

Erecting The Profile Boards:

Now that we have our Base Board, Profile Boards and related Gussets, Front & Rear Edge Boards cut we are ready to begin building the diorama.  Get your #1 through #4 Profile Boards oriented to the #1 through #4 positions on the Base Board.  Glue 2 Gussets to each Profile Board at the bottom edge where they will meet the Base Board, located about 2" in from the rear and about half way front to back.  Be sure that on Profile Boards #1 & #4 the Gussets are located on the inside surfaces.  Note:  These pictures are from my early version.  Yours will be slightly different

Beginning with #1, apply glue to the lower edges (not sides) of the board and gussets and locate to the #1 location at the edge of the base.  Hold in position for a moment until the glue gets tacky.  You might need a box or similar item to help hold the board upright until dry.  Proceed for #2 and #3 using the lines drawn on the base to roughly locate the boards.  The #4 board is set at the edge similar to board #1.

To attach  the Front Edge Board stand the completed assembly upright on the back surface, apply glue to all the upper edges of the Base and Profile Boards and place the 2" wide board in position.  When dry we will proceed to the Rear Edge Board.

Now lean the assembly upright with the rear surface up.  Place the Rear Edge Board about 3" or 4 " below the top edges of the Profile Boards and mark the boards to show the upper and lower location of the Back Edge Board.  Apply glue to the board edges between these lines and place the Back Edge Board into position.  When dry you have completed the assembly for your Diorama.

Now on to Part #6, completing the Rough Terrain for you Diorama.

Building a Diorama - Part #4 - Locating Your Path or Roadway

 Path or Roadway:  This will provide a stage to place your model for show or photography.  In my case it was a railroad track so the roadway was only 3" wide for HO scale, and I wanted it to be a little slanted front to back and higher to lower.  For your diorama it might be a path through the forest, a highway along the hillside or simply a stage area in your scene.

Below are some pictures of my creation using a sky board and mountain cutout to enhance the view.  These tricks and others will be discussed in future posts.  Remember, you can always change your mind.
 
 

 


This is an early version of the diorama with lightweight spackling rock formations.

The early version with some additional rock formations.

The present version after cutting the ravine, adding a small stream and wood trestle.  Notice the neat work area.
(Guess what,  I changed my mind.)

This is how I used the revised diorama to display a wrecked caboose. 












 I cut my profile boards to create my "slightly slanted" railroad roadbed.  I cut the first, #1, profile board with a 3" flat location for the roadbed.  Then I used the first board as a template to locate the other cuts by moving it over and up 1/4" for each progressive cut in boards #2, #3 and #4. 

 

  
Shaping the profile boards:  I used my small band-saw to cut the rough terrain shape in my boards, but you can use a coping saw or other tool to shape your boards.

The next step Part #5 will be erecting the profile boards and front and rear stiffener boards.

Building a Diorama - Part #3 - Cutting the Foam-Core Board

I built my diorama on a half sheet foam core board, 15"x20", but have found it a bit small and limiting in photo angles, so I will be giving instructions on a full 20"x30" base.  This will require (3) boards, 3/16"x20"x30", one for the base, one for the profile boards and one for miscellaneous pieces.

Picture #1 The three foam core BOARDS

The Base requires no cutting, only drawing two locating lines for the #2 and #3 profile boards  The #1 and #4 profiles boards are simply located to the edge of the base board.  The numbered locations will be used after each profile board is altered slightly to produce a path or roadway across the diorama.

Drawing #2  Foam core BASE BOARD

The four Profile Boards are cut from the second sheet of foam-core.  The actual shape of the sloping profile will be determined later  Use a steel  rule to guide the knife blade and remember to keep the knife  perpendicular to the board and use several light strokes so as not to crush the foam core.  With the profile boards all in the same orientation number the boards #1 through #4.

Drawing #3  Foam core PROFILE BOARDS

The third board is used for Miscellaneous pieces, 2"x30" Front Edge Board, 4"x30" Rear Edge Board, and 4"x4" Gussets.  Save the remaining board material for future needs as required.

Drawing #4  Foam Core MISCELLANEOUS PIECES

The major cutting is now complete.  In Part #4 we will locate the path or roadway.

Camp Swampy

Camp Swampy:
What do you do when you find some plywood, 1"x2"x48" sticks, 1" foam and assorted model railroad stuff?  Well, I built a model railroad.  It was only four feet square, the track went round and round with a few turnouts and absolutely no purpose.  Enter the Light bulb (Ford's Better Idea), a slightly twisted mind and a rich slathering of well fermented words.  What came forth was "Camp Swampy - The U.S. Army National Railway Test Facility".

History and Purpose of the National Railway Test Facility

During the late 1930’s, as rumors of impending war in Europe circulated in Washington D.C., Congress, in its infinite wisdom, and following its successful takeover of the railroads during World War I, sought to bring prosperity, through regulation, to the South.

Their search for a problem needing regulation eventually brought to their attention the absence of any nationwide system to address the testing of any and all railway equipment.  As Chairman of the Senates Committee for Transportation, Senator Chuck Skeemer, lead a select panel to develop plans and solicit bids for the construction of such a facility.

After a series of smoke filled, backroom meetings, a plan came forth:

• Location to be level, requiring minimal earth movement.
• Ready source of treatable water at the site.
• Remote location so as not to annoy neighbors with sounds or smells.
• Facility daily operations to be handled by a reputable railroad.
• Facility to be under the overall direction of the U.S. Army.

As bids were received it became apparent that many had to be rejected because the location sloped toward a river.  The facility was in jeopardy if an appropriate site could not be found.  A fellow member of Congress recalled that the pyramids were built using a water level system and suggested they use such a system to find the final location for the facility.  They needed to find a location that did not slope toward a river.  A half brother of Senator Skeemer, John Dealer, owner of Honest Johns Used Cars, declared that he had the ultimate location, and, for the right price, he would be willing to part with it as his patriotic duty.

Mr. Dealer submitted his bid and when opened, the Committee found it to fulfill all the requirements.  The location consisted of 800 acres of land, dead level, unlimited treatable water, 20 miles to the nearest neighbor and included the services of a reputable railroad.  To prove that the railroad, yet un-named, was reputable Mr. Dealer included two shares of stock for each member of the Committee.  The bid was accepted and the House directed to appropriate the $500,000.00 to purchase, construct and begin operation of the facility.

Mr. Dealer notified his second cousin twice removed, Melvin C. Chew, owner of 4 x 4 Lines, a kiddy railroad of good reputation, to prepare to go big time.  At the same time the U.S. Army was directed to find an appropriate commander of General rank to oversee the operation of the facility.

So it came to pass that on April 25, 1939, the newly named U.S. Army National Railway Test Facility was dedicated at Camp Swampy, under the command of General Halftrack.

Building a Diorama - Part #2 - Finding YOUR Setting

My original diorama was set in Southwest Arizona, low elevation dry desert and bare rocky mountains.  Sage, cacti, sand and rock provided a dusty, arid local for my efforts.  Since I was using materials that were new to me I proceeded to build my example through it's first, simple version before showing it to the newer modelers at the club.

Over the next several meetings I progressed, adding more color, ground cover, texture and rocky areas.   It was at this point that I sensed a collective feeling of fear, a fear that maybe they couldn't do as well and that they might be dissatisfied with their results.  New modelers seem to think that what they see on a layout is the outcome of months of thought and lots of effort by skilled people.  They fail to grasp the idea that a layout is often an ongoing expression of an incomplete vision, the vision may change, skills are learned and mistakes are made.

In desperation I grabbed my scissors and to their shock violently stabbed them through the center of the diorama and ripped the scenery from top to bottom, almost yelling at them, "Don't be afraid to make a mistake or change your mind.  See, change is easy, just do it!"  The next week I arrived with a ravine spanned by a wooden trestle, an almost dry stream trickling below.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to select a location that interests you, mountains, farmland, desert, seashore, prairie, forest, whatever lights your fire.  Think of a place that would be a great setting for your models, whether trains, cars, boats or buildings.

Now go out and buy several sheets of foam core board, some plaster cloth, lightweight spackling, glue and the several tools you might not have in your toolbox.  See the several previous parts #1a, b, c for what I used and hurry back.  We are going to Build a Diorama.

Me and Model Railroading

I guess I don't rank very well with real model railroad modelers.  I don't have a favorite road, or era, location or scale.  I do like to see favorite engines or trains, UP Big Boys, ATSF PA & PB War Bonnets, CB&Q Pioneer Zephyrs and others.  I am not into fine scale modeling and I like to collect some things I can't run, UP Big Boys.  I do like steam engines, billboard refers, ore cars, colorful trains of all kinds and have some engines that never ran on the road painted on the tender.
Our little club, Rail Roadrunners of Yuma, doesn't have a layout of our own so we setup our portable layouts where invited and able.  Most people who view our trains are not too sharp on prototype so enjoy seeing a variety of trains, Red ones, Holiday ones, Freight ones, Passenger ones, Old ones, New ones--I think you get it.  My fellow club founder, Marvin, will be disgusted when, not if, I get Thomas the Tank Engine.  Marvin is Pennsylvania, PRR, through and through, knows diesels beyond 4 axle or 6 axle, and steamers by builder and railroad.  Me, I like trains.  If I see something I like, or think is different, -- or even "cute", -- I might buy it if it is cheap.  Marvin likes Homosote and I like extruded foam with cork.  Marvin is N scale and I am HO.  One thing we are together on is that we are both sarcastic and grate on each other.  Oh, Marvin is a Democrat and I am a Republican.  We suffer together for the sake of the group and even work at the same place 2 or 3 days a week.
I know I had an idea in mind when I started typing, but old age and time have stolen it from me.  I guess the theme would be that model railroading can be almost anything you want it to be and we can still be friends even if our desires are different.

"Suffer your elders their ramblings as their fate will soon enough be yours."  WOW 101:1

Armchair