Rainbow Peak Micro Layout Complete Build!

Here's the full build of the On18 scale Rainbow Peak micro-layout that I built between January and April 2025 as part of Gary Beatty's "Paint Bucket Challenge." Just 12" in diameter, this tiny layout was inspired by Cascade Peak and Rainbow Caverns on the old Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland attraction at Disneyland. The ride is long gone but the good memories live on, and I do my best to recapture those with tiny layout. The mountain itself was built from floral foam and the little On18 train uses rechargeable battery power to run so the entire thing can be self contained with no wires sticking out. Waterfall modeling, rock carving, scenery painting and more in this fun build!

Dave
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In this video:
PWM controller: https://ebay.us/m/b74Ra7
12v rechargeable Lithium Ion battery: https://a.co/d/hX7baVh
Mini pine trees: https://a.co/d/1dDxMQ8
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:32 Disneyland inspiration
2:03 Base, roadbed, track and wiring
4:28 Building mountain scenery with floral foam
5:57 How to do scenic painting
8:19 Creating forced perspective with trees
10:08 Simple wooden trestle bridges and track ballast
15:35 Modeling creeks and big waterfalls
24:43 Rotating base, battery power and PWM throttle
29:35 Modeling Rainbow Caverns blacklight effects
33:15 On18 locomotive and cars
39:56 Final finish and wrap up

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