Chris Walas.... Quick foam logs..... Here's a pretty easy way to load up all those empty skeleton cars and logging flats. You can use real wood logs, of course, but if you want a little more control of the look and size of your logs, give this one a try. They are also quite light so you'll be able to pull a long load of these. The technique uses blue high-density insulation foam. This is available in varying thicknesses in 2'x8' sheets at most insulation supply houses, check the yellow pages. I've used the 2", 3" and 4" for my logs. Step 1. Cut the foam to length. I use a bandsaw, but a jigsaw or handsaw will work as well. The 2' width is great for the Bachmann skeleton cars as it makes two 11" logs (you have to cut them down a little!). If you're making big 4" diameter logs, you should get 23 or 24 per sheet, 32 of the 3", and 48 of the 2". Cut the foam to the same width as the thickness of the sheet. If you're using 3" thick foam, cut it in 3" wide lengths so that it is relatively square in cross section. It should look like this: Step 2. Trim the corners down. This isn't absolutely necessary, but if you've got a bandsaw it'll cut down on the elbow grease needed. You should now have something that looks like this: Step 3. The secret…. a wire brush! That's all! Try to find a nice, heavy duty, long bristled one like this: Now simply rasp away at the surface and viola! Tree bark! It's best to practice on some foam scraps to get the feel of it, but it won't take you long. There's no real learning curve on this technique! I do this step over an open trashcan and 90% of the shavings fall in, but the rest wind up on the floor and clinging to my clothes, so keep a vacuum cleaner handy! I usually do one half first; the upper half and then the lower. After doing both halves I run the entire length of the log to keep it even. The harder you rasp, the deeper the texture. You can vary each pass for different looks. Curve strokes in short, opposing strokes for more of a broken bark style; or just long, deep rasps for a straighter, rougher bark. The amount of pressure you apply will define the roughness of the bark texture. Brush and vacuum off the log when you're done. If you're doing a heavy texture like these redwoods, you'll want to even rub them down with your hand or a rag to knock off the loose bits. If you want a finer texture on your logs like this: Use a finer, softer brush like this brass one: Step 4. End grain. This finer brush also works very well for the age rings at either end. Simple hold end of the brush at the center of the end and twirl the log around. Not too much pressure, better to go round a couple of times. Another technique for wood grain is to use a water-based wood patch material on the end of a stiff brush and just brush it around, letting the bristles define the rings. Step 5. To protect the logs (and the redwood texture is particularly delicate if not treated), I'd suggest a coating of water-based, flexible polyurethane like Delta Ceramcoat's Matte Exterior/Interior Varnish available at craft stores. This can be thinned and airbrushed or brushed on. Be forewarned though, that airbrushes and brushes need to be immediately and v ery thoroughly cleaned after using this stuff or you'll need to use a strong solvent to clean up! This is pretty tough stuff and will reduce the nicks and dings from derailing and falling over! Two or three coats will make a big difference. Step 6. Paint. An airbrush works best to get into all the texture, but thick washes work almost as well. I usually use a very dark brown as the base and drybrush a warm gray color over it. That's all. Of course, colors vary and you will want to match whatever your lumberyard is harvesting! For my Redwoods, I only used one main color, a medium reddish brown. I'm going to add a light coat of a dark wash (raw umber and black mix) to knock down the color value a little. The deep texture of the redwood creates such strong shadows; the highlighting is not really necessary. Ends should be brushed with a light wood color and covered with a thin wash to define the rings. A little drybrushing of the light wood color will bring the texture out even more. A finale coat of sealer will help as well. Step7. Forget it! There is no step 7; you're done! This is a simple and quick way to make your own unique logs. The foam is very light in weight so it's important to use a sealer on the foam not only for protection, but to add a tiny bit of weight! With some fiddling around, different textures can be achieved. And while this technique doesn't exactly match scale texture, it looks pretty good using the ten-foot rule!