New Embankment Scenery at the Interchange

Can't see the forest for the trees? Well, that's part of the idea. On this part of the layout, there are four parallel tracks: CP lead and siding, CN lead and siding. Usually, two or three of them are full of cars or a standing train. It looks very....congested. So I wanted to break up the scene visually. After all, several sections of the CN and CP waterfront trackage are surrounded by berms, embankments and vegetation. The best example that comes to mind is the former mainline curve between Elliott Avenue east to the Outer Station. I decided to place an embankment between the two CN and the two CP tracks. A recent purchase of a $5 bag of homemade wire-armature trees at the March Napanee Train Sale was a great bargain. Though pressed flat, I managed to "unwind" some of the branches and place them in front of the CN tracks (above) and in front of the CP tracks (below). An HO-scale hobo was quick to set up his shack.

I'm deficient at taking and posting in-progress photos. I am usually too focussed on completing the task rather than stopping in mid-project to take a photo! Here's a much earlier view of the same scene. For years, I had wood-cutting taking place in the 100% flat/boring area in which I made the embankment:

An overhead view of the new embankment, with two CN tracks at left, and two CP tracks at right:

I also planted a pole line. It's amazing how much our eyes 'tune out' such mundane, though prototypical mid-scene things like telegraph poles. I would never attempt wires on them, but they do help make the scene. Using wood makes the addition of trees and poles as easy as drilling a quick hole. It's important, though, not to remove the drill until ready to place the item. In the midst of all that green, the hole quickly 'disappears' from view!

The embankment consists of two few-inch sections of 1x2 pine lumber. I screwed them to the plywood benchwork, adding some humps and bumps with modelling clay. Then I cut and white-glued 'fairy mat', sold in 1 square-foot sections at Michaels for gnome gardens. I call it the poor man's static-grass! Final touches are some limestone chunks and trees, shrubs and ground foam spread around in white glue. Note the usual lack of ballast, perhaps cinders. If I feel keen, I may cut and glue a few limestone outcrops into the embankment.

The CN Hanley Spur section forces have come to take a look.

The berm regularly provides a backdrop for inbound/outbound cars on the CN interchange siding (right) and spurs (left) loosely modelled on the same tracks along Counter Street (CN Queens). Just a place to stash and display cars on the layout. I really like the look of the area now, wishing I had improved the scene sooner!