Roundhouse Interior
Martin TärnrotDescription
To detail or not to detail? MRA Contributing Editor Martin Tärnrot answers this question with a resounding yes if we’re talking about a roundhouse interior. Every time an engine goes in or out, the doors of the roundhouse open. Martin even has a roundhouse whose doors are open all the time. Let’s detail it!
Before we start, if you have not made a roundhouse on your layout yet, watch our video on creating a roundhouse first, then come back to this video.
WHAT’S INSIDE A ROUNDHOUSE?
Martin toured some roundhouses that are still in operation and took photos of their interiors for reference as to what items are stored inside. Martin shows some of these photos, which include lots of steel shelving, tool boxes, boxes of bolts, bent pipes, cones, blocks with holes, and many other parts. It’s possible to buy these at dealers, or you can 3D print them using 3D-Model Set “DET-0007” from cgtrader.com.
THE DETAILING
With a 3D-printed set, you can print as many items as you need. Martin prints lots of shelving, then sprays them with a layer of fine surface primer in light gray color to give them a good foundation for the paint and to prevent moisture from warping the plastic. Next he adds a black wash to the shelving.
For the cardboard boxes that will be placed on the shelves, Martin mixes flat earth and white acrylic paints and adds some thinner. For items that are supposed to be made of metal, he adds a high-gloss varnish on top of the paint to simulate the metal shine.
After the paint has dried, it’s time to place the items inside the roundhouse using tweezers. Affix them to the floor with fast-set glue. When everything is secured, place the roof back on the roundhouse.
For modelers who enjoy detailing, Martin has a full class on the subject: Super Detailing a Layout.