Track: We had a special challenge with the track. The Bachmann easy track system is nice for quick setup and running the track on various difficult surfaces, like the living room rug, but it’s not all that great in providing a method of securing to the train board. We answered this simple challenge by drilling a series of holes in the track and securing the track through these holes to the train board with stiff wire. We twisted the wire under the train board to secure the track tightly.
Tunnels: By far one of the coolest features of this model so far are the tunnels on the upper and lower deck. We used insulating foam board from Home Depot which added various dimensions to the model. Suddenly now, the model looks more complex than it really is. We will simply run the train from two power packs but with the upper and lower decks partially hidden by the tunnels, the viewer of the model gets an artificial complex viewing experience.
Additional Photos of this Phase:
We finished forming and securing the mountain forms with the foam and card board strips. After this step we began laying the plaster cloth on the form. We made a bit of a mess but had a great time.
The upper deck received a new backdrop and mountain structures made from insulating foam. The upper mountain consists of cardboard lattice structure and paper towels attached to the backdrop. The backdrop consists of a tunnel portal in the back for viewing the train coming through the tunnel. After these sections are complete the model will get a layer of plaster cloth.
