Winter Layout Party, week 2

During the second week I ballasted the horseshoe curve and added a basic vegetation layer to the background rocks. It's easier completing these steps now before the foreground hills are in place.

The hills around Callender are generally greener than typical California golden grass, but I will add some yellow static grass to the scene above with the Noch GrasMaster. So far I just used Woodland Scenics fine turf in Green Grass (T45) and Burnt Grass (T44) shades.

Here is a close up of the ballasted track, not yet weathered:

Next I continued working on the hills along the Callender siding. After laying the plaster mix I applied the powder dirt mix. More on this topic in the post "Covering the scenery base".

Here is the same scene after the ground cover has dried and mess cleaned up

Next step is building the foreground hill that hides the horseshoe curve. I've used foam board which I shaped with a sharp cutter.

It's important to check clearance before gluing all down. Note also the track have been weathered with a 1:1 mix of black powder pigments and plaster of Paris as described in the post on ballasting and weathering track and as shown in this video howto. Here is another Helicon Focus processed photo:

After checking if clearance was OK I applied a layer of masking tape

Then I hot glued some carboard strips to the foam...

... and completed the masking tape layer.

Then another layer of plaster mix as described in an earlier scenery base post.

Here is a "satellite" view of the horseshoe curve right after the plaster mess :-)

I let the plaster mix dry for about 24 hours, then I painted a base coat of brown

While the paint was still wet I sprinkled on the dirt powder mix

And here is another Helicon Focus magic, showing a train partially hidden by the hill covered with basic Woodland Scenics fine turf. Next week I hope I can add some static grass and trees.