Snow Scene

[Tony Galiani]

Inspired by some videos of the Soya line and Hokkaido in general, and as a test for a potential scenic concept for a layout, I decided to do a small snow scene.

 

Initially, I was going to attempt to model Hokusei station (recently closed) on the Soya main line.  Several of the lines in northern Hokkaido have simple, easily modeled stations.  At Hokusei, there was a short platform with a ramp but no steps, a sign, and small station shelter about 50 meters away, with a gravel path to the ramp.  Low shrubbery on each side of the track and that was pretty much it.

 

I thought scratchbuilding the platform would be easy until I realized the only piece of sheet plastic I could not find in my stockpile - the only piece I could not find - was the sheet scribed with planks.  Three searches later I decide to use the Sankei kit  MP03-81 by reducing the length and leaving off the railing and the station shelter.  Unfortunately on the very last step in the assembly, I put too much pressure on the platform, collapsing it and ruining the supports.  (I think I can still salvage this but decided to do that another time.)

 

So on to Plan C or Plan D - a simpler scene using a Tomytec building, some pine trees and some lichen to represent the bare bushes typically seen in the winter.  I used a snow kit from Deluxe Materials.  Results are okay but I think the snow is a bit too coarse for N Scale - I plan to go back and reread Tom C's Akita Mountain thread as I think that snow looks much better.

 

As I got home, we were hit by a thunderstorm so I took advantage of the dim light to try and get a picture with a winter like effect.  For the second picture, I used a light to try and show up some of the detail.  I find snow scenes where the rolling stock is totally clean to be a bit jarring.  So I used my lightly weathered DD-13 and a Kato ToRa wagon with some cornstarch dusted on to try and make them look as if they had been out in the snow.

 

Ciao,

Tony Galiani

[Szdfan]

Maybe it needs more snow? Those snow piles on Hokkaido are huge!

[Kiha66]

Nice work Tony, that looks great!  You really nailed the look of snow up to the rail tops that seems so common in Japan.

[Tom C]

Hi Tony,

 

The internet is our best friend for finding photos of what we are wanting to model. Not all snow is deep. It could be the first snow of winter and there for just a dusting ? Think about what you want and then find and study photos.

 

I so totally agree about the Delux snow. Since when have snow flakes been the size of footballs ? Sadly it's much the same story with almost every other snow product on the market. I spent a fortune trying as many as I could afford (over ten different makes) and not one of them came close to looking realistic. Ok for 1/35 scale but not 1/150. My all time favorite (not) is Kato fluffy snow. How thay can market that junk is beyound me 🤣 

 

I like medium deep snow but, if I wanted a light fall, I think I would try using an airbrush with white wall paint to dust it on. Sprayed on paint is the only thing close to getting scale snow in N

 

So, my advice is, save your money and make your own. The only prodect worth buying is Faller snow paste to use as a watered down top coat. Over deep snow. It gives a lovely spakle. 

 

Snow can give a nice clean back drop to set off our creations. Art gallary walls are always (?) white. 

 

Do ask questions. I don't bite !!!  (much) 🤣🤣

 

Good luck and keep us posted. 

[Tony Galiani]

Thanks for the feedback!

I can recommend Nimo5's recent snow videos as well as ogogogjwe's videos at Engaru which show the changing snow scene on he Sekihoku Main Line.

Lots of inspiration and ideas.

 

Ciao,

Tony Galiani