The Diecast Zone · Model Car Club Since 1994
Diecast Collector Forums
Eight forums, every scale, and thirty years of shop talk — new arrivals, restorations, reviews, and the finds you won’t see posted anywhere else, with the full archive back to 2002 restored and searchable. Free to Register.
8Forums
195,000+Topics
1,276,000+Posts
10,000+Members
Notifications
Clear all
Forum 43
12
Posts
4
Users
0
Reactions
24
Views
Topic starter
29/01/2008 8:25 am
More Diorama help needed. road width?
Hi all, just a quickie, can anyone help me out with road widths for 1/43 please? Found a great site called Scenic Express which does some way cool diorama bits. they also produce a vinyl matting printed up as USA highways and as i collect brooklins and other USA cars seems perfect. The only problem that this is for O Scale railways and i know O Scale is not quite 1/43. the road width is 4 inches, 2 inches per lane. This seems mighty narrow for a US highway. Can anyone enlighten me.
Cheers Mo..
29/01/2008 8:35 am
Road width, You are correct Mo, 2" would calculate to 7.16 in 1:1, about the width of a standard single garage door.
29/01/2008 8:54 am
More roads
A tip the model railroaders know about, If you want to create an unpaved 'gravel road' get some fine sand from a building supply store, lay out your road, mix any dish washing detergent somewhat strong with water and sprinkle/spray the surface. It sets up very nicely leaving a hard surface and it's the real deal.
29/01/2008 11:38 am
I had great success (PIC) with 6" wide balsa painted with textured paint (I got mine at a crafts store). I put curbing on it by glueing a furring strip, painted beige, to the edge. I got these ideas from Mike DeTorrice and Eddie over on Forum 18.
29/01/2008 1:37 pm
Mo you are right here and US 'O' Gauge is 1:48th .....
scale. So this miniature roadway would be perfect for Dinky American cars made in the Meccano years (prior to '64).
Chris
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK
Topic starter
29/01/2008 2:55 pm
Thanks for all your help here and i have racked my brains continuously about creating my own roads, but you see them done for you and you feel its better if they look more pro. Whats everyones opinion here? would these 1/48 roads look ok or am i wasting my money.
Cheers Mo..
30/01/2008 5:23 am
Is it really that simple? I've been using dilute elmers glue to mix with my gravel.
30/01/2008 5:25 am
That textured paint is perfect for 43rd roads! What do they call it?
Topic starter
30/01/2008 6:33 am
Thanks John, can you remember the name of the textured paint.
30/01/2008 7:08 am
Scott, I got the idea from a modell RR magazine several years ago. It worked very well, I don't recall the dilution rate, trial and error I guess.
30/01/2008 9:43 am
I actually got the paint from a hardware store
It's Rustoleum and the lid on the can looks just like the paint. There were a few other brands there, I just chose the least expensive one.
31/01/2008 2:33 pm
Mo IMHO the 1:48th scale roads would look to .....
small with a 1:43rd perched on top! But it could be a country lane US style! And I have driven on 'A' roads in North Wales that are almost single track in places! So who knows!
Cheers Chris
Autominologist residing in the Robin Hood County
Nottinghamshire England UK