by Matt Woods/photos by the author
As a prolific diorama builder focusing mainly on structures and scenery, I often get asked whether I have an operating layout; unfortunately, until recently, the answer was no. Although I have written multiple magazine articles featuring dioramas of a consistent theme and scenic treatment that imply an actual functioning layout, people are disappointed when I tell them that these are static dioramas.
A chance meeting with Chris Schmuck at the Midwest Narrow Gauge Show, where he was in attendance with his wonderful HOn30 micro layout, became the impetus to give building a micro layout a try. Also in attendance at Gary Kohler’s annual narrow gauge festival was Chris Bohn of Full Circle Models. Chris has devised an excellent tight radius system of laser-cut tie strips and pre-curved Code 70 rail. The tie strips can be configured to an 8” radius and the rail need only be spiked down. This coming together of factors convinced me a micro layout would be doable and I had the perfect base and framework already built to get the project started. I chose On30, which means using HO track to simulate narrow gauge in an O scale (1:48) world.
The Layout
A number of years ago, I had built, with my father-in-law’s assistance, a lightweight 2×4’ module for a planned transportable tabletop layout. The project, although largely completed, never really functioned as planned. I knew I could pop out the original 1” foam sheet and replace it with two 2’x2’ one-inch XPS squares and have a clean slate to work from. As I completed the new foundation, the excitement grew and the vision of an operating layout was going to be a reality.
Thematically, I had done multiple dioramas focused on a fictional narrow gauge short line in Central Ohio in the 1920s, and I wanted to expand upon that concept. I had a supply of previously built structures, including a small barn, some dilapidated shacks, an outhouse, a flagstop station, a small water tower, and some small water tanks. I felt that these structures could be the basis for a small hamlet in the Ohio hills that had an Appalachian quality to it. My previous freelanced short line is known as the Killbuck Valley Railroad and I wanted the scenery to represent the actual Killbuck Valley, which is a deep geological formation that runs for more than 50 miles through the heart of central Ohio. This particular valley contains many stratified rock faces and hemlock trees which are an evergreen indigenous to that environment. The valley has significant agricultural activity and, at one time, small-scale coal mining and logging took place.
A 2×4’ footprint is not a lot of space in On30, and I wanted to keep the track plan simple and have a high scenery-to-track ratio. As I played around with different configurations of layered 1” foam, I settled on a raised plateau that would have rock carved around the edges dropping down to the base level. The track would be on the plateau and an additional layer or two would make up the center of the layout. This would also provide the space for structures.
Although the layout is a series of foam layers, I wanted to avoid the “wedding cake” appearance and create a natural transition that would disguise the obvious makeup of the terrain. The problem with micro layouts is the limited real estate makes separation and individual scenes difficult. I knew some strategic placement of vegetation and sight-line-altering fence rows would make the scenes more interesting. As with any layout, choices had to be made and many in-process photos were taken during the planning and building stages.
Rock Work
One of the key modeled features of Hemlock Hill is the extensive stratified rock faces which help disguise the layered appearance. These rock faces were achieved by carving the edges of the 1” foam layer with horizontal cuts and selectively chipping away portions of the foam until a convincing shale-type rock face was achieved. This carving requires some practice, but any inadequacies in the carving can be addressed with good paint coloration and disguising through vegetation.
Although I had done some carving of foam on other projects, this layout had a significant amount of carving to be done. Nearly the entire second level contains rock faces, talus slopes or more gradual inclines incorporated in places. As with all my scenic projects, I extensively use DAS Air Hardening Clay to eliminate completely flat areas and to help smooth the transitions from one foam layer to another. Air hardening clay is a very pliable material that can be textured with a cut-off china bristle brush to aid in the painting and create a more natural surface texture…
