Scenery Rework -- II

Actually, the MR Virginian project layout is by no means the first MR project layout that's inspired me. I've been inspired pretty frequently by other MR project layouts. I've done a lot of real-world railfanning in recent months, and then I saw the video for the new MR Eagle Mountain project layout, which gave me a lot of food for thought.

Here's a still shot from the MR site. Although I never made it to Eagle Mountain or Ferrum as a railfan (a little too much Indiana Jones to that trip), the landforms on the project layout are a lot like what I see on Cajon or Tehachapi. The scenic treatment, steep slopes forming vignette scenes, is something I've already used, as well as the cardboard-lattice-and-plaster-cloth technique. On top of that, scenery slopes simply increase the surface area of the layout -- not an illusion, just a fact. I won't have desert scenery, although I may try less-green areas in the lower levels inspired by the Powder River area in Wyoming-Nebraska. (I got a couple of videos on Powder River and Crawford Hill as part of my renewed BNSF interest lately.)

So, inspired at least some by the Eagle Mountain project railroad, I started new cardboard lattice.

I had most of a roll of plaster cloth on hand, and I applied as much as I could:

Here's how the cleanout fits in. I won't cover it up, and I hope if it needs to be used at any point, I can remove layout items from around it and possibly cover the layout area with plastic sheet:

Next I'll add more webbing and fill in a few areas with the little bit of Celluclay I have on hand. Then next week I'll get more plaster cloth, Sculptamold/Celluclay, and craft paint.