Model Railroad Terrain - Rocks and Outcroppings

Once you have your model railroad terrain created, using whichever method from our last post, you are ready to add some rocks and/or outcroppings.

When initially creating your terrain, I find it's easiest to plan ahead a little and create some flat surfaces to add my rock outcroppings to when I reach this stage. (More on this a little later on)

Using Commercial Rubber Molds

Material needed:
* Rubber Rock Molds
* Hydrocal
* Spray bottle with water and a couple drops of dishsoap

Rubber Rock Molds are available in a variety of styles. Choose the ones that work best for what you plan to do, simple rock outcroppings in a hillside, mountain face outcropping, or a rock wall. Try and match the molds design to the area you are modeling.

Here's one example Woodland Scenics Rock Mold Facet Rock

You can also make your own rubber molds, I've outlined how to make your own molds in an article here. You don't need a large number of molds, you can turn them upside down, rotate them a little, distort the mold when casting the rocks, etc to create a varying rock face using only a few molds.

Hydrocalis a plaster-like material that is used to make the rocks. I have used simple Plaster-of-Paris, but I think you get better detail using Hydrocal. It's also lighter than plaster, a factor if you ever need to move your layout.

The spray bottle of water and dishsoap is used to lightly spray the molds before you pour the Hydrocal. It helps makes freeing the rock from the mold easier, once it has dried.   

Steps to making rocks:

* Prepare the rubber mold by lightly misting the inside with water that has a couple drops of dishsoap added. Don't douse the mold as you don't want bubbles remaining in the mold as this will decrease the detail of the mold. As I stated the water and dishsoap makes it easier to remove the rock from the mold.


* Mix the Hydrocal according to the directions. I actually make it just a little thinner as I feel it gets in the finer detail of the mold better. Don't make it to soupy or the resulting rock will be brittle.

* Pour the prepared Hydrocal into the mold. I try and "tap out" any bubbles by lightly tapping the mold on a solid surface.

* Allow the Hydrocal to dry. I've seen examples of the molds being applied directly to your terrain before the Hydrocal is dry. I haven't had the best luck with it, but, the idea is to wet the terrain you are applying the mold to so the mold sticks better. Allow the mold to dry right on the terrain, and gently peel the mold off leaving your rock face.

I have good luck thoroughly allowing the rock to dry and then securing the rock where I want it. I wet both the backside of the rock and my terrain which is usually plaster cloth or something similar. Wetting both surfaces helps the plaster adhere much better. Once applied, simply let it dry. I then use some Hydrycal, Scuptamold, or plaster to blend the rock into the terrain as needed. This is why I try to create flat spaces where I know I'll be wanting an outcropping when I'm building my terrain, as eluded to earlier in this post.

That's it. It's a very simple way to create great rock outcroppings and doesn't take a huge amount of artistic talent. Until my next post you can catch of preview of how I paint my rocks in an article here.

I do like to wait and paint my rocks after they are applied. I find it's easier to blend the colors by painting the rocks at the same time I paint my terrain. Pre-painting the rocks makes it more difficult to get a good match with the terrain. But it can be done either way. Try this technique out let me how it works for you!

Model Railroad Terrain Methods

Sure your trains will run just fine without scenery, they just won't look very realistic. Terrain and scenery just bring the whole layout to life. Everyone want realistic looking terrain.

We’re going to be talking about terrain in this article. Your terrain will include mountains, cliffs, rocks, valleys, rivers and riverbeds, foothills,  rolling hills, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

There are, of course, complete kits you can buy to create model railroad terrain. However, If you want total control, pride of doing it yourself, or if you’re budget conscious there are several methods for creating realistic terrain:

Wadded Newspaper Method
My favorite method is the wadded newspaper method. It’s as simple as wad up a half sheet of newspaper and stack the wads in the basic shape and design you want your hill or mountain.

My favorite way to “wad” them up is start rolling the outer edges underneath themselves until you have created a wad resembling a small pillow. Hold the wads in place with masking tape.

Once you have the wads stacked in a manner that you like, it's easy to then cover them with Plaster ClothPlaster Cloth is simply cloth covered in plaster that you soak in water a couple of seconds - just long enough to wet the plaster. Remove by holding two corners and lay over the newspaper wads starting at the top and overlapping by half of the prior sheet. Continue until all of the newspaper has been covered.

In a pinch, I have used paper towels soaked in a very soupy mixture of plaster of paris, with a little practice it works just as well.

Hint - One of the best ways I have found to make a low rolling hill is to slightly dampen a full sheet of newspaper, hold the newspaper from the long ends and “loosely” roll the newspaper (much like you wring out a wet towel) into the shape of a long rolling hill. Try it out, I was amazed the first time I tried it.


Foam Sheet Method
Foam sheets or extruded foam board is very easy to cut and work with. One easy way to create hills or mountains using foam sheets to cut out a piece of foam board in the shape you want the base to be. Then cut a second piece in “nearly” the same shape and just a little smaller. Cut a third piece in a similar fashion until you have the hill or mountain the height you want it.

Once you enough sheets laid to reach the height you want, simply glue the sheets together using Liquid Nails or something similar, just be sure the glue you choose is rated for form board. I learned the hard way that contact cement melts the foam board.

Once stacked and glued you can cut and trim the edges until you have the basic shape you want. I’ve found a cheap wallboard saw works great. You can nip and dig at the foam board using any number of hand tools and create a very realistic look to your mountain.

Many railroaders simply paint the foam board at this point, and it works ok. I prefer to cover the foam board with Plaster Cloth or the paper towels soaked in plaster of paris. I think the plaster allows the paint to blend better. Practice both ways and see what you like best.


Ceiling Tile
If you want to create a cliff or rock wall is to break up old ceiling tiles. The rough edges can be arranged to appear like a cliff face. A little shaping and breaking of the edges will have it looking like layers of rock have been displaced by earthquakes, glaciers or whatever it is that causes those neat looking rock layers.

Once you have it looking how you want it, simply glue the tiles together. Airbrushing the edges is my way of painting the tile, but simply brushing works fine too. The flat tops of the tiles will need some type of covering with scenery.  You can always just keep building with the tiles until no real top exists. Once again, try different approaches and see what works best for you.

Screen/Chicken Wire Method
If you have some old chicken wire or window screen lying around you can employ one of the oldest methods for creating model railroad terrain.

Cut the screen into manageable sizes to work with, attach the bottom edge to your sub roadbed, and attach the top edge to a wall or support structure attached to the edge of your benchwork.

The screen can be manipulated into almost any shape you wish. Use newspaper wads, foam board, or scrap pieces of lumber to support the wire where needed.

Then cover the screen with Plaster Cloth or paper towels soaked in plaster like discussed above.

Cardboard Strip Method
All you need for this method is an old box and some heavy duty scissors. Cut the box into 1 or 2 inch strips of different lengths based on the size of the hill or mountain you want to create.

Once you have several strips cuts attach one end of the strip to your sub roadbed and the other end to the wall or support structure attached to your benchwork.  Once you have a few upright strips in place apply some horizontal strips and tape them to the upright pieces. Once you have this lattice work in place you can bend the strips into the shape you want and secure them.

Once you have the design you like, cover the strips with Plaster Cloth or paper towels soaked in plaster like we have discussed.

No matter what method you choose, keep in mind when creating model railroad terrain that it doesn’t need to be perfect. It’s probably better if it’s not perfect.