4 I cut three Walthers single-track concrete bridge piers and
5 To make the piers and abutments more visually interest-
two concrete abutments to the right height. Using a paper template of the lake bottom as a guide, I cut 1" extruded foam for the banks. I used my no-mess jigsaw blade from Episode 27 of my “Off the Rails” series on Trains.com to cut the foam.
ing, I scribed lines with a modeling knife. These look like the lines that would have been left by the wooden forms when the concrete was poured.
6 I used a Woodland Scenics hot wire foam cutter to create
7 I mounted the piers to the lake bed with construction
the banks on both sides of the lake, then glued the pieces together with foam-safe construction adhesive. I then sealed the lake edges with silicone caulk.
adhesive. To create a slightly uneven surface for the bottom of the lake, I poured a thin layer of Hydrocal and used a gloved hand to create contours and smooth it out. I was careful to avoid getting the plaster on the piers.
8 After the Hydrocal had set, I used Sculptamold to create a
9 After painting the Sculptamold with brown latex paint,
smooth hillside on both sides of the lake. To help ensure the Sculptamold would stick to the extruded foam, I mixed it with water and a small amount of white glue.
I airbrushed the lake bed with three shades of brown, using a lighter shade to represent shallow areas and a darker shade for deep areas. I’d wrapped the piers and abutments with Glad Press’n Seal plastic wrap to protect them from the paint.
10 I used a tea strainer to spread some fine sand along the
11 I added a bare Timberline Scenery evergreen armature,
shoreline. Gently tapping the tea strainer produces a very even layer of any fine material.
painted gray, to look like a fallen tree. I also added small pieces of assorted debris to the shallow areas. I secured the material to the lake bed with diluted white glue.
8
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