Modeling Abandoned Track

Abandoned track is not only sad to see, but a waste of real estate in many modelers' minds. However, it is a fact of life, and it can add a great deal of realism and believability to a layout, particularly one that is set in modern times. The WR&N IV featured a considerable amount of abandoned track, probably a lot more than most modelers would care to create.

The upper double-track mainline, representing abandoned CNJ right-of-way, was actually only "half-dead," since the WR&N used one of the two tracks for part of its run (as seen at left). This is one way to model abandoned trackage without consuming lots of valuable layout space; it also affords opportunities to add interesting and (for layouts) unusual details, such as small trees sprouting between the rails, a half-dismantled steel trestle, or a disused signal bridge like the one below.

At the back of one corner of the layout sat the town of Newton. And along the rear edge of the layout ran a former industrial branch, long since reduced to a strip of weeds. The line was elevated, so it provided an ideal way to keep the streets of the town from running into the backdrop: each street ran under a bridge—and right into a mirror. Thus the abandoned line not only served to add interest and realism, but it provided a practical solution to a common layout problem. By the way, such lines frequently have small coal trestles (see image below), which consume little space and add even more interest; still populated by ivy-encrusted concrete bents, they are often used as storage areas for nearby businesses—a perfect place for piles of palettes and other appealing junk.

Bridges with mirrors underneath	Retaining walls	Former coal trestle

Modelers like myself who are not into operation might like to try what I did on the WR&N: create an impressive—but completely non-functional—industrial switching complex. The back streets of Penwell were lined with run-down factory buildings—an all-too common sight in the Northeast. The track disappeared under asphalt in places, re-emerging in the weeds next to crumbling freight docks and passing through rusting transfer cranes. Many people remarked how realistic this area of my layout was, and I believe the abandoned track and buildings were the reason. The yellow lines trace the barely-visible trackage through part of the Pennwell industrial complex below; the inset is a view of Spano Recycling Center.

At the opposite end of the layout, nestled in bucolic farmland, was an abandoned rock quarry—another ubiquitous feature in my part of the country. Naturally I modeled a siding that once served the quarry. Since the location was the front edge of the layout, the siding received a lot of detailing. To get it right, I worked from reference photos of abandoned trackage (now completely gone) near Trenton, New Jersey.

Starting with a piece of Railcraft Code 40 flex track, I cut away the connective bits between the ties on the underside of the rail, then moved some of the ties around in irregular patterns. The track was airbrushed with roof brown, followed by various thinned gray washes brushed on the ties. After attaching it to the layout with small pieces of double-stick foam tape, I poured on a thin mix of Sculptamold, pre-tinted with a mud color, and worked it down into the ties with a stiff brush. As the Sculptamold began to set, I carefully shaped it to represent earth that had been washed out from under parts of the track and down a short slope. When dry, I applied vegetation. Here is another view.

So, next time you're trying to come up with a way to enhance a scene, think about adding some abandoned track. Since nothing will ever run on it, it doesn't need to be your best trackwork—it doesn't even need to be in gauge!

Return to Chapter 6
Return to Clinics Index