Orange Empire In N Scale
Phase 1: Visalia Electric Railroad post Electrification.
In order to model the citrus industry, you first have to figure out how to model the principle revenue generator, the
Orange Tree. There have been many articles on how to do this, most of them involving starting with an armature
and then adding flocking or scenic foam clumps. Seemed like too much work to me, so drawing on my experience
with architectural and landscape models in Southern California and Florida, I took the easy way out. While sculpting
some rock work for a small Disney layout for my daughter, it dawned on me that foam was the material to use.
Again, carving each tree was not much better than building each on. Casting seemed the answer
I've used a number of different types of Polyurethane foams, some flexable and some ridged...in this application I
guess either would work making this project pretty straight forward. Simply, carve a master, make a mold and cast
an orchard in an evening. Follow along:
Orange Tree. There have been many articles on how to do this, most of them involving starting with an armature
and then adding flocking or scenic foam clumps. Seemed like too much work to me, so drawing on my experience
with architectural and landscape models in Southern California and Florida, I took the easy way out. While sculpting
some rock work for a small Disney layout for my daughter, it dawned on me that foam was the material to use.
Again, carving each tree was not much better than building each on. Casting seemed the answer
I've used a number of different types of Polyurethane foams, some flexable and some ridged...in this application I
guess either would work making this project pretty straight forward. Simply, carve a master, make a mold and cast
an orchard in an evening. Follow along:
"And on the first day".....
My Material of Choice: Smooth On products are the best in my book offering a full range
of resins and RTV Molding Material. In the photo is one of their "Foam It" products....5lb
density seems the best compromise between structure and light weight. I also used some
of their "So Strong" pigments...green so I don't have to paint the forms first.
of resins and RTV Molding Material. In the photo is one of their "Foam It" products....5lb
density seems the best compromise between structure and light weight. I also used some
of their "So Strong" pigments...green so I don't have to paint the forms first.
The pattern is made from a small styrofoam ball I got in a craft shop. A file works
best to scratch some irrigularities in the surface...a finger works well too. Cut the
bottom 1/6th off to get a flat undersurface to work with. These trees come in all
sizes and shapes...best I could come up with via the internet was about 20'
across and planted 20' apart.
best to scratch some irrigularities in the surface...a finger works well too. Cut the
bottom 1/6th off to get a flat undersurface to work with. These trees come in all
sizes and shapes...best I could come up with via the internet was about 20'
across and planted 20' apart.
I took the pattern and made a mold box from styrene and poured Mold Max 30
RTV over it all. In a few hours I had finished molds ready for production.
RTV over it all. In a few hours I had finished molds ready for production.
Following the instructions I mixed the pigment with equal parts of A and B until I felt the
material beginning to warm. This stuff grows about 10 times it's initial volume so only
about a table spoon in each mold is enough. Wait 15 minutes and then pull the part out.
material beginning to warm. This stuff grows about 10 times it's initial volume so only
about a table spoon in each mold is enough. Wait 15 minutes and then pull the part out.
Here are some parts pulled from the mold. You can see where the material
expanded outside the mold. Cool thing about this, the parts I saw off will work on my
Disney Layout in the Alice in Wonderland section :o) I used a Zona saw to cut the
material apart and then sanded the bottom flat.
expanded outside the mold. Cool thing about this, the parts I saw off will work on my
Disney Layout in the Alice in Wonderland section :o) I used a Zona saw to cut the
material apart and then sanded the bottom flat.
Here is the pattern, a casting and a semi-finished part. The fuzzy one one the right
was mounted on a toothpick, sprayed with adheasive and then coated with
Woodland Scenic's Blended Turf with some Orange foam mixed in. The purist can
add individual fruit...I believe they also make oranges for HO scale...beads might
work too. For me, the effect is convincing, and quick. Once I have all the trees
covered, I'll drill holes in the base and insert dowels to simulate trunks...epoxy the
trees in place and move on!
was mounted on a toothpick, sprayed with adheasive and then coated with
Woodland Scenic's Blended Turf with some Orange foam mixed in. The purist can
add individual fruit...I believe they also make oranges for HO scale...beads might
work too. For me, the effect is convincing, and quick. Once I have all the trees
covered, I'll drill holes in the base and insert dowels to simulate trunks...epoxy the
trees in place and move on!
Work in progress on the left end of my module. The building at the bottom is a
Smudge Oil Depot...a nice little industry to service with all the tank cars I've been
collecting. Across the tracks is a portion of an orchard...one of many on the layout.
Smudge Oil Depot...a nice little industry to service with all the tank cars I've been
collecting. Across the tracks is a portion of an orchard...one of many on the layout.
Image edited so as not to offend the
Railwire Forum folks.
Railwire Forum folks.
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