@trumptrain posted:Another great thread by the one and only Arnold!!! Thanks Arnold!!
In the photo below I used real rocks which I got from the river near my home. I glued them together with Sinbad glue and made this rock cliff for my rock climbers. The only cost was the glue which I already had and the Woodland Scenics rock climbers.
In the background you will see part of a canyon wall to the left of the bridge pier. I made the entire canyon wall from heavy gauge aluminum foil. First I crumpled the foil. Secondly I attached the foil ( using a staple gun ) to the upper and lower wood surfaces which were already in place. Next I painted the foil with a couple coats of cheap black spray paint, followed by spraying some cheap green in splotches over some of the black, then used some cheap brown spray paint ... a squirt here and there. Once the paint was dry, I sprayed the entire surface with glue. Next step was to through scenic material at the wall. What scenic material ( such as tallis, soil, grass, sand, etc.) did not stick fell to the bottom just as it would in nature. Since I had already purchased the spray paint and glue for other layout projects, why not use those materials on this project. The only real cost was the roll of heavy gauge aluminum foil which was about $3.00 back in 2015 when I did this project.
In the photo below I used a real rock to create a steep cliff. I hauled rocks from the nearby river. The rock is seen just to the left of the K line double tunnel portal on the lower level. It stretches from the base of the lower level to the top of the side of the portal and is bracing the smaller rocks in front. Again, I used Sinbad glue to adhere the rocks to one another. I used real stones on top of the wooden tunnel portal as well ... just behind the aircraft beacon. At first stages of creating scenery for the layout I would go to a place on the river where a dam once stood and walk along the banks and choose stones and rocks that I thought would be a good fit. I looked for rocks that had the right texture, size, shape, and color wise ( although I'm color blind ... lol ! ) I would fill my back pack and walk the mile home ... great exercise too !! Cost zero. Loss ... lots of calories.
I needed to do something creative with a corner of my layout so I solved the problem by using this big rock in the above photo ... again hauled from the nearby river. I thought the shape, size, lines, and smooth surface of this rock would be ideal. Once in place the rock looked out of place ... so I added some scenic material around it and the rock looks right at home sitting in the northwest corner of my layout. The little guy sitting on the rock playing his guitar is my one and only " rock guitar player" bada boom!! The cost of the scene was only for the surrounding shrubbery, the fencing I purchased for about $1.00 at a train show, and for the Artista guitar player probably came in for about $6 -7 bucks back in 2015.
Outstanding scenery and structures, Patrick, and you have provided a wealth of information to help others adorn their layouts beautifully and inexpensively, as you have. Arnold
