Hittin' (Well, Paving) The Streets...

I'm currently planning out the roads for the RF&L project, and I'm currious to know if anybody here has ever used the Woodland Senics Paving tape and either the concrete or asphalt road surfacing material they offer to go with it?

That's what I'm thinking of going with for the roads on this layout project.

I'm going to put down some 3/16" thick gatorboard for the roadbed, and then I'm going to do the Woodland Senics material over that.

Unless someone has had some major issues that they would disuade me from going that route?

I suggest the Smooth it carton they offer. It works very nicely.

NOCH and BUSCH make a roadway tape which is relatively inexpensive and can spare you a lot of aggravation.

If you want to do it the way we used to do it -- try household PLASTER. It always CRACKS and you go over the cracks with a black acrylic pen and it looks just like roads did in the late 50's/early 60's. It looks incredibly real, the only problem is getting the surface even.

D/

On our modules, we have used regular plaster of paris. We mix it to a soupy consistency, then pour it into pre assembled forms (we have used strip styrene and square styrene for these) and then level it using the edge of a metal scale ruler. It also helps to put down a bed of screening to pour into to strengthen the plaster. To paint the roads, we found that Ace Hardware has a paint color called "asphalt" which works very well.
Pictures of some of our finished roads can be seen on our website
http://www.amherstrail.org/DHMRRC/index.html
Jason
Dry Hill Model Railroad Club

One thing worth mentioning at this point for anyone new to the hobby since the late 1980's / early 1990's;

Using plaster versus foam adds a significant amount of WEIGHT to the deck of a layout. Many published plans for benchwork using light weight materials frequently show the use of 1" X 2" wood for legs. If you want to use a significant amount of plaster and real rocks, your benchwork should be held up by good old 2"X4"'s for sturdy support.

Also, if you live where you can get it, and can break off pieces with convincing surfaces, there's nothing like integrating REAL rock on a layout.

Another time-tested material for blacktop roads (rooftops too) is emery cloth cut to order.

D/

I've used both the Woodland Scenics Road System and plaster. I like them both and they both give very good results.

I generally use Plaster of Paris and mix in some gray color. Then I level it and sand it.



Tom

FiatFan,
How do you get the proper space between the plaster and the inside of the rail?

BTW it looks great.

Tanks, Crabman.

After the plaster sets up I use a hacksaw blade to create the flangeways.

Tom

FiatFan, that looks GREAT. Sometimes there's no substitute for the old methods.

D/

Wow, Tom, your roads look excellent!

On my last layout, I used the WS Smooth-It and was pleased with the results.

On my current layout, I'm waffling between the Smooth-It again or the Busch foam roads. Maybe I'll give the Busch stuff a shot.