Build A Diorama In Z Scale | Step By Step
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- Опубликовано: 16 июл 2024
- Here's a follow-up video to watch where we dress up the fascia and add a backdrop made of little freight crates:
• Ztrains | Z Scale Dior...
Here's a great project for getting away from the TV for a few nights, build a Z scale model train diorama! All the techniques and materials used here will of course work for any diorama. At the center of this build is our use of OrthoTape plaster cloth. This is a great alternative to some of the hobby plaster cloths currently on the market.
A project like this is perfect for those new to the hobby or for the more experienced modeler looking for a cool way to display some trains and to try some new scenery techniques.
Music: www.bensound.com
OrthoTape Plaster Cloth
bit.ly/2SA8lM8
Ztrains Grassinator
ztrackcenter.com/ZTR-400
Ztrains Castings Used In This Build
bit.ly/38kZepo
Woodland Scenics Bushes
bit.ly/2ON7d6I
Scenic Express SuperTrees
bit.ly/2tLxhrA
Scenic Express SuperLeaf
bit.ly/2uvfg1k 
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Honestly, I didn't anticipate so remarkable an outcome. Great work
Thanks so much for watching and for the nice words!
I never thought after the beginning the end would would be so dramatic. Great job.
I really appreciate that, thank you! I am criminally behind in getting another build done here, but have another Z scale project video upcoming using the Rokuhan Shorty chassis and a trolley shell... I am REALLY looking forward to that build.
Never mind my smart alec remarks I like the finished product it looks amazing 😊👍👍
This type of video really puts building a shadow box and ultimately a small layout for a marklin set possible. It is simple enough for anyone wanting to try building to just follow along with the various steps. One of the better building videos I have come across.
Wow! Beautiful diorama! 😍🚂🚃🚃
Thanks very much! We've got more current pieces coming out soon... if I get my new Sony cam to play nice for me :)
Excellent commentary- and that’s coming from a Brit. Thank you.
Thank you very much, I do appreciate that! Now I REALLY need to get myself in gear and do more of these.
Absolutely amazing!
Thanks very much!
Right up to the point where you started adding foliage I was expecting to see at least a road runner if not a Coyote!!! 🤠👍
LOL, I'll have to check that for another project!
I just accidentally found this video. Using the OrthoTape (a medical industry product, used for casts) as opposed to some modellig-specific product is WAY cheaper, and an absolutely brilliant tip (well, brilliant for us modelers, not so much for the companies making the plaster cloth).
It is good stuff and yes, the cost is a factor! I like the widths it's available in as well. I always keep a pretty good supply on hand at this point.
This is amazing. Excellent attention to detail and passion in your work. Very inspiring!!!
Very nice of you, thank you!
Great work, Loaded with lots of good ideas and beautiful results.
One thing I found visually confusing though was the abandoned track. I’d suggest making the rail ends different lengths and sink into the surrounding dirt. Also maybe fill in some dirt over the ties in spots and lower the ballast profile as if the track hasn’t been maintained in many years. I think of it as “lowering the contrast.” Thanks again.
Thanks, and you bring up a good point on the abandoned track! I'm glad to see these little details get noticed, and suggestions to improve them!
Amazing and creative!
Thank you! I do need to get my tail in gear on new work.
Very easy to listen to. Great video thank you
Thanks, and I'm glad you liked it!
Excellent
Thanks!
Thank you for doing tutorials in Z scale. 🚂👍
More than happy to, I really do enjoy Z. A little obsessed with it actually! Thank you for watching!
Amazing result. Greetings from the Netherlands.
Greetings Jef, and thank you!
So many ways to do this stuff, and you've given me a couple of new ones. Thanks!
Agree 100%, thank you.
Watched this till the end with wide eyes and a notebook haha. Subscribed immediately afterwords then hit replay! Awesome video, amazing tips and tricks, and beautifully explained and executed. I couldn’t ask for a better reference or starting point to begin my journey with a Z layout! PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING! Thank you!
Thanks so much for the nice words, it's definitely appreciated!
I love your flow of narration. It really made it easy to follow. You forgot to cover how you painted the rocks though.
I was sure I did... just went through it quickly and you are correct!!! Thanks for bringing this up to me. Around the 14:53 mark I do hit the rocks with a bit of weathering powder but I should have shown more. On these rocks, all the castings really, I usually use 99% isopropyl alcohol mixed with weathering powders and dab it on with a brush. I use this high alcohol content for no other reason than it dries much quicker than even the 70% alcohol variation.
Here I used a light grey gypsum so things already have a subtle color to them, this way thinned washes add subtle extra color. I also tend to go with muted colors in all my builds. I've found it I go too vivid at this size, it can be too bright. Of course this could just be my lack of control with brighter colors as I've seen other makers' work with vivid colors to great effect.
Also I just now realized I didn't so any dry brushing on the rocks to add highlights. Ok, I have a list of things for the next build. Again thank you very much for pointing this out to me, I genuinely appreciate it! John
@@Raildig wonderful! Thanks for the clarification.
@@12InchFigureFanatic Absolutely, glad to add this!
You could always sprinkle some sort of dry food product on there and it might mold or turn to moss and maybe look like grass😁
Okay I was within minutes of ordering a Noch diorama and I think for the money I'd much rather do what you showed me here you broke it down into very simple steps and you have inspired me 100% to make my own diorama for my z-scale trains!... thank you so much!
This is great news, really excited to hear this! The NOCH stuff is terrific but there's something special about building your own. Also, if at some point you do want a NOCH, you're customizing skills will be high. If it's going to be a running layout just make sure things like the track and lighting are 100% solid before going on with scenery. Nothing worse than going too fast because you're excited, then realizing you have to later dig things up to fix them.
This sounds like a fun project you're starting on, I wish you all good luck and drop back here and let us know how it's going!
Scenery has become my favorite aspect of the hobby. Thanks for a very educational video! Very good tips and ideas!
Thank you! Scenery is my favorite bit as well, probably the frustrated artist portion of me!
Superb!! I just started in Z scale; wonderful instruction, I learned a lot..
Thanks - Frank
Glad it was helpful!
Without the grass it was reminding me of Mars 😁
7:35 I liked the hills, more, when they were rocks....looks like Moab, Utah. Great palette of colors, too....👍👍
Thank you! An upcoming project is the Red Rock layout we show in an earlier video on the channel. The red soil I have on that layout I collected from Sedona, Arizona... very similar in it's red color to Utah I think.
Excellent job as always John!
Thanks Charles!
Most enjoyable and instructive. Very easy to listen to presentational style.
Thank you, I appreciate hearing that!
Right on, Raildig! 😀👍Cool stuff!
Thanks!
EXCELLENT VIDEO THANK YOU
Thank you, glad you liked it!
Thanks for sharing this information, great ideas and techniques!
Thank you for watching this one! I'm looking forward to doing more of this build-style video going forward.
This blew me away! Wonderful lesson. I learned so much. The foil and Ortho cloth are a super idea, along with your applications of materials. Thank you so much!
I really appreciate you watching and the nice comments, thank you!
@@Raildig Thank you for thanking me!!!! I'm sure your methods will work well on my small N scale layout. I've always cut foam (what a mess!) or used paper towels dipped in goopy plaster on top of balled up newspaper. No more! Can't wait to use your method.
What brand/kind of knife are you using? I want to buy one, but am afraid I'll make a bad choice if I don't ask the experts first. Oops, ignore all that. I just found your Olfa knife review. Just what I was looking for! Thanks again.
I've wanted to get into physical model making for so long, and I always thought it was so daunting. I've been using this video to help me get started, and I'm well-into my first diorama. Thank you so much for showing your process and breaking everything down into easy-to-swallow steps!
Wow, this is great new Joseph! I think we all feel the same way at first but as you say, once it's broken down into smaller bites, it's not so bad at all!
Also remember you can always, always rework any areas as you go... or the next day. Just relax and have fun with it. Thanks for letting me know you've taken the plunge :)
Great video. Soothing... 🙌
Makes the build easy to follow. I'll be using the ideas myself soon. Thanks!
Thanks :)
Great! I just got some really useful tips and ideas from this video. Thanks.
Thank you DadCooks, I really appreciate this!
Me too
Great presentation and tips. Thanks!
I'm not sold on the foil super structure. I think solid foam with a cheese grater rasp to shape it would would make it easier and stronger. However, the texture and colors are remarkable; up there with the best I've ever seen. Very realistic and convincing. Well done. Thanks for the video.
The foil is interesting, but like almost all methods it's got it's pros and cons. It's lightweight and handy. Also once I glued on the soil, that added a really nice extra layer of strength. Maybe still my favorite, though time consuming, is the expanding foam in a can (Great Stuff), carved with a razor knives and top coated with Woodland Scenics Flex Paste. Near indestructible and it remains mildly flexible. It was weigh quite a bit though and it's kind of pricey.
I think the next upcoming project I may use Sculptamold mixed with a little PVA for strength and flexibility. In these smaller scenes, it's interesting to try these different materials. Thanks for the nice comments on the textures and colors! That's usually where I really have fun!
I have an upcoming appointment in Smithtown!
I see the ads on the paper and the area code😎
And I was just about to delete this comment thinking is was spam, then I realized the newspaper I used on the table...LOL. Good catch there auxmike718!
I don't have the time Space or momey for any trains at present however as a Miniature Wargamer I love watching people like you becaause you always have grreat ideas for making Terrain that I can use in my games.
Brilliant work!
New subscriber here...I found this video to be immensely entertaining and informative. I'm new to the Z-scale world and plan on doing a coffee table layout as my first project. The most daunting prospect for me was how to figure out how to make lifelike terrain and this video literally washed all my worries down the drain. I've shared this on a couple of Facebook pages and bookmarked for future reference. THANK YOU!
Awesome! Thank you!
Great video and tutorial of your diorama! What an awesome job you've done and looks so real. The static grass looks amazing with just doing random areas. Thanks for sharing this video with us and I'm viewing it from Delmar, Delaware.
Thank you Shawn, and very glad to hear you enjoyed it! Funny, I had looked at some houses further down on the Delmarva Peninsula... some nice looking areas!
Very nice colours!!!!! Congratulations
Thank you, it's very much appreciated!
Stunning work! Watched and immediately subscribed. I'm about to build my first ever Z gauge (we tend to say 'gauge' instead of 'scale' in the UK for some odd reason) layout so I found this very helpful indeed! Thank you so much.
Thank you! Yeah, the scale and gauge reference gets switched back and forth over here quite a bit as well, one of those fun little differences I think.
On that fun note, definitely have fun on your first Z layout, mostly take you time and don't get frustrated over the small hiccups that are inevitable regardless of the size of the trains :)
This is great. Can't wait to try it.
These are great test beds to play with new materials and techniques plus...nice pieces to display some trains when finished! Have fun if you do build one!
Great tips! Thanks!
Glad you liked it, thanks!
Très beau travail ! Bravo !
Thank you!
Too bad somebody doesn't make extruded plastic code 35 or code 40 rail that can be used for abandoned trackage . . . agree with others that the tunnel/mine rail should be rusty, of irregular length and with ties embedded in the soil. Maybe a little heavy on the foliage atop the tunnel --- overall, though, a nice diorama with good use of materials and techniques. Thanks for the upload.
one of the best instructional videos i have ever seen! Well done! thanks for posting it!
Very kind of you to say, thank you!
Very nice!
Thank You, I appreciate that.
Nice job
Thank you!
Beautiful. Amazing work!
Thanks!
Nice and great direction!
Thanks!
Outstanding. Very talented. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Excellent video!!! 👏👏👏
Thank you!
Amazing! I am building a basic layout Marlin 81785. This has given me so many ideas. Thanks.
Cool, glad it could be of help. Have fun!
I just stumbled on the link here John, and found your methods are so, so much like I have been using, so it's nice to see it in a video. It's no wonder I always thought your Diorama's were the best! I have not however used the construction adhesive for mounting my rockwork, but after seeing it in action, that, as well as switching to foil instead of newspaprt clumps for faster drying, and the Supertrees/foilage shrubs will be added to my own bag of tricks. All this just in time too, as it's been about 10 years since I built anything new, so it's both a refresh as well as method update.
Thanks Robert, big, big fan of your work! The only potential downside of the adhesive is weight, possibly. It's remarkably easy to go through a tube quickly and a few tubes can add up in the weight category. Aside from that, I do like this brand as it skins over fast and doesn't (or isn't supposed to!) shrink. Would really like to see you do more, your stuff is amazing. Kits in particular would be nice, the Waterfront series were yours?
@@Raildig Yes, I designed and cut all the MTL kits till the Military stuff came out. Karin Snyder started doing some kits for MTL then, and later MTL bought their own laser's andJoe D'Amato started doing the kits.
Mine were all made out of micro plywood, Karen's and Joe's were made out of cardstock I believe.
@@Robert_Ray_Z I was (am!) crazy about those kits. I still get emails from people asking where I can buy them! To those who aren't familiar with them, here's a link to our site that shows these kits: www.raildig.com/?s=waterfront+project
Just great kits, making these the center of a large shadow box project video is on the list.
Great video John!
Thank you! Working on more now :)
Simple and realistic........simply realistic👍😊
Very kind of you, thanks!!!
wow this was awesome!!
Thank you Tony, I appreciate that!
Supervisor 👍 🤝
Sick!
Very nice and actually inspiring!
Very kind of you, thanks!
Wonderful job!
Thank you!
I would like to see a 6 by 12 foot layout in Z scale , modular design
That's ambitious! I tend to build small desktop pieces but plenty of folks do the big modules. You can check out the main AZL forum to hunt around and check out some of the bigger work there: azlforum.com/
It looks so realistic very nice
Thank you!
That is so cool! I have a friend who retired from CSX.
Thanks! We get a lot of model fans who worked or are still working on active railroads... I guess that make sense of course, still cool to hear about it though :)
Looking good.
Thanks Fred!
very informative from beginning to end in detail yet made simple.. really enjoyed the tutorial.. thank you! :o)
Glad you liked it, and thank you for letting us know!
So creative
it looks really nice great work
Thanks!
Very nice 😮😮😮😮😮
Thank you!
I love using tin foil for certain projects BUT a I never use plaster cloth... I use a glue/water mix with paint and use paper towel. Cheaper and gives the same goal achieved
You make an good point here, whatever works...works! Thanks.
@@Raildig I picked this one up on a craft channel and thought the technique would transition well to bases for terrain and worked way better than I was hoping for.
Takes a bit longer to dry than player paper BUT man does it ever grab well when flocking over it wet, pretty much one can get away without sealing flock. I found I saved 3/4 of the cost when I was using plaster paper
@@thehastyterrainmaker9485 It does show that you can pick up ideas all over the place, not just model train-centered sites and videos. I'll have to remember to give this a try!
@@Raildig I started out with War Gaming and WarHammer table top base/features building, and finally got into the train hobby a few months back. The terrain background came in handy, and learned some tricks from the train guys now that I am into this hobby. :)
Awesome information , Thanks
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Really great work thank you
Thank you for the nice words!
Nice job. Nice narration. 🚂
Thank you very much! I'm trying to get more comfortable speaking into the mic... I find it's a process for me :) Makes me appreciate people who are really slick at this kind of narration.
Very nice. I'm working on an N scale layout, and I, too, have an abandoned tunnel (mine tunnel) on my layout. To add to the abandoned effect, I also bent the track rail a bit, putting in a wobbly look, as well as removed and broke some of the ties. ;-)
Great minds think alike :) I often try to add something abandoned in my pieces, gives a sense of history or purpose to the scene.
Those large garden wood chips, painted as you wish (I did black for a coal mining operation), make great mountain side rockface. Glued to your tin foil or paper mâché with greenery between the pieces.
Interesting idea! They'd certainly be lighter than gypsum and you'd likely have a wide variety of looks, thanks!
@@Raildig Your Welcome. I laid them out, spray painted them a satin black. Not as messy as a mix either... talk about realism. You can do a nice granite gray too. If you change dioramas, jus' peel 'em off, put 'em in a box for nex' time. Stay cool.
@@ronaldstokes4841 I'm going to have to give this a try. Lots of folks have trouble with rock work and this could be a great solution. I like the idea of being able to break them up to fit too. Like lots of model railroaders (I guess any hobby really), you work on this stuff for years and you think you have it cracked... then you hear about a new idea! I'm looking forward to trying this out.
I've done another video using just foam and a razor which works out pretty well: ruclips.net/video/XqRNq5mORFU/видео.html, and I'm anxious to see if this wood chip idea works for me too! Again I really appreciate your input here. John
@@Raildig I do 'N' gauge and love to do everything as 'scratch' built. I have a bush in my yard that provides the tip of a branch to make great evergreen trees. No two are alike. I began dioramas as a kid building WWII model tanks and jeeps but wanted the reality of a battle scene (Mom didn' like the reality of stuff I set on fire for that reality). Thanx and keep up the great videos.
Very Great! Greeting from Austria
Thank you, I appreciate that!
Great video, Inspirational and informative :-)
Thanks Peter, I'm still really new to the video work but trying to improve!
looks great! didnt know you can use orange rust powder to look like irons in the rocks
Thanks Matthew! On the powder... I tend to try anything at least once when it comes to scenery. Sometimes it works and when it doesn't, I learn what not to do the next time! The powder does seem to do a pretty good job.
Beautiful work! You just got a new subscriber!
Woo Hoo! Thank you, and thanks for subscribing... we'll work hard at growing!
👍👍👍great video😀
Thank you!
"Hey boss!! How ya like our tunnel?"
"Quit clownin' around and run those tracks around this little hill. "
You could also make some automatism and the Loc could go up and down. But anyway it is AMAZING!!!!!!
Thanks! I am looking forward to more of these fun little projects, and some automation will likely be involved. Sort of makes these little things feel more alive I think.
@@Raildig I have a 310 cm X 50 cm shunting layout H0. It makes ne fun a bit similar to yours. It is illuminated with leds As you mentioned at the end of your video. I have an automatism in it. The trains go up and down and you can ért how much time they have to wait on each endings. Sorry for my english... greetings from Hungary.
Correction: you can set how much time......
@@joeweider4896 Hey, your English is 100% better than my Hungarian, so thank you :)
There really are lots of possibilities in these smaller boards. If nothing else they are a great place to test and play with new ideas!
👍
Thanks!
Great tutorial! A new subscriber here. Looking forward to future videos.
Thanks Douglas!
Nice work i need to see this i like this.it help me to see what i could do thank you for this keep up the nice work.
😊❤😊❤😊
Very nice video seed 😊
Thanks!
A Z scale layout module . I gonna doid a Z scale small layout witha manual swich how exhibition in vitrine with a diesel engine , 2 boxcars and hopper .
Moc pěkné 👍.
Krajina moc nádherná 😍😍😍.
Ale koleje jsi měl použít bez štěrku, kámen 😖.
🖖
Looks amazing, quick question, what brand soil did you use ?
Thank you! The soils are from two sources. I visited a friend in Arizona near Sedona and was so taken by the soil color, I grabbed a bit and brought it home to New York. As a supplement, when passing by a local baseball field, I was again taken by some fresh infield soil and grabbed a few small Ziploc bags of the stuff. I always keep Ziplocs in the car just for this reason.
Great video what brand of track do use? Thanks!
Thank you! This is all Rokuhan Z scale roadbed sectional track.
Very nice
ABO and LIKE
Thank you!
Really nice. Inspiring. One question though. How do you keep it clean and free of accumulating layers of dust? Thank you much.
Thank you for the nice words, I appreciate this! Scenes like this really are dust magnets, as you probably know. I live in a very old carriage house (think of a 120 year old barn) and like fresh air, so there's always a window or two open, even a bit in the winter. What this means is my whole place is a dust magnet / generator, as dust just appears through the walls, windows and floors... LOL.
Often when I build, I sell my pieces and have to ship them, so I tend to over-glue almost everything so it'll survive shipping. This also has the benefit of being able to take a good cleaning. What I'll do a few times a year is a good spring cleaning, starting with some VERY low powered air using my compressor and a blow gun attachment. Yeah, you're going to lose some foliage and ground cover but go really low pressure and it can be almost zero loss. Here's the kind I use, a cheap Harbor Freight version that works well:
tinyurl.com/clean-diorama
On the track area if there's ballast, I usually go with the watered white glue, so it's going nowhere even with air pressure on it. Also (and sometimes I do this before the air pressure blow gun thing) I do use vacuums, though I'm still looking for the perfect one that will strike a balance between sucking scenery up vs being so weak it does nothing! Here's a video I did on a little USB vacuum that actually surprised me... it's not half bad!
ruclips.net/video/1olBhnBERLo/видео.html
Last, depending on what kind of scenic area you have, I keep a selection of cheap chip brushes around from 1/2" to 2" wide. Great little dusters. All these techniques really do a fine job of keeping the pieces looking good for me.
Ok, I'll stop here as I don't want to make this novel length :)
Thanks again for watching and for your comments, it is truly appreciated!
@@Raildig Wow. Thank you! That is the most thorough, thoughtful response I've ever received to a RUclips question. I actually don't have a set up of my own but your video has nudged me in the direction of making my first. Thank you very much for sharing your experience.
I just happened onto your channel, nice! I was wondering do you ever do Dioramas in a shadowbox?
Thanks! I did build a Halloween shadowbox but this was before I had a RUclips channel. I do have a few videos here where I tweak it a bit though. Also on this Halloween piece, I have a full series of articles on our website:
Short videos here on RUclips:
www.youtube.com/@Raildig/search?query=shadowbox
Articles on our website:
www.raildig.com/?s=shadowbox
Hi very nice congratulations!! Can I ask what is the brown powder that you put on the top?
Thanks! I often use Bragdon weathering powder to add color to my rocks castings and soil, I think this is what you were referring to. Here's a link to their site: www.bragdonent.com/weather.htm
I want to get started in this but dont have a ton of room so I was thinking about z or n scale, then i saw the clubs that make sections of track and join them all together, could you do that with these sections? Make little modules and put them all together on a table top?
I tend to lean towards small, small scenes, not the modular system but I'd suggest you have a look at the T-Trak-Z group over on Facebook for some good information: facebook.com/groups/ttrakz
Looks great but sadly I could never do it.
Thanks Lenny, though It's really just lots of little steps and a bit of practice. I always suggest folks try something like this around a holiday... this way even if you don't enjoy the process, you can always add some decorations and make it a holiday piece! Seriously though, it's not that tough once you get into it!
@@Raildig Much thanks
Awesome! Could you please tell me where to find the Z scale train sets?
Thanks! For full sets, I'd recommend:
ztrackcenter.com/
www.zscalemonster.com/
Can you add any coloing to the warm water to make the hills brown instead of white?
Not sure, never tried that as I find it quick enough to just paint the plaster cloth.