Model Railroad Tips and Techniques

How to Create Mulch for Your HO Scale Model Train Layout

July 20, 2011 By Model Train Tips 3 Comments

Josh sent in this tip for using pencil shavings to model mulch for your HO scale layout scenery: If you take a pencil sharpener and empty out the shavings into a plastic bag or Ziploc bag and crush them up it makes good mulch for your HO scale train set or any scale if it matters. Have you used pencil shavings in other ways on your model train layout? Share your technique in the comments area below. Do you have a tip or technique you’d like to share with Model Train Tips readers? Use the contact form on the Contact Model Train Tips page to send it in. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scenery Tips Tagged With: ho scale, layout scenery, mulch, pencil shaving

Developing a Paint Scheme for Your Model Railroad

June 15, 2011 By Model Train Tips 2 Comments

By Mike Rountree If you're the creative type who just has to model a railroad that never existed, rather than adopt a specific prototype, then sooner or later you're going to need to invent a color scheme for your fictional pike. How do you come up with something that looks plausible yet unique? While it may seem that you have a blank slate to work with, and can do anything at all, you would do well to restrain yourself based on some research and understanding. Otherwise, you can end up with a fairly outlandish scheme that doesn't feel right, as much as you might like the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Freight Car Tips, Locomotives Tips, Passenger Car Tips, Scenery Tips Tagged With: accent color, color scheme, field color, paint scheme, trim color

Model Railroad Scenery: Building Placement

June 9, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Mike Rountree Model railroaders often focus on scenery in terms of rocks and trees, without considering how the built forms, especially commercial and residential architecture, will fit into the scene. In the real world, much of the scenic context is determined by the houses, roads, stores, other man-made features. These can look out-of-place or otherwise wrong if they are just dropped onto a layout without proper planning and understanding. Selective compression is a familiar term to most model railroaders, referring to our need to retain the distinctive character of a building … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Scenery Tips Tagged With: architecture, buildings, foundation, houses, roads

Tips For Using Block Foam in Your Model Railroad Layout Scenery

May 30, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Jim Hardwick One of the most often used items in model train scenery is Styrofoam. It is so light it doesn't add any weight to your setup, and that comes in handy when you move your layout around for display. The composition makes it very easy to whittle into any shape you want for rolling hills, mountains, cliffs, and all sorts of items that require bulking up. There are two drawbacks to Styrofoam. First, it doesn't hold up to certain chemicals and can dissolve under the right conditions. Don't even think about touching it with fire because it produces a deadly gas. The second … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Scenery Tips Tagged With: cliffs, foam, hills, mountains, styrofoam

Mountains and Ground in Your Model Train Scenery

March 30, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Reynolds Maxwell Mathes-Redd When a hobbyist can put track, scenery and structures together in an engaging design, the magic happens. The model train scenery transforms the railroad into a miniature world often depicting an historic scene. The enjoyment of your miniature world of working railroad and realistic scenery spreads to all who see it. What a sense of fulfillment you must have. Anyone who sees your work will know it took planning and lots of study of the real world to make it as realistic as possible. For purposes of this article landscaping and scenery are used … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scenery Tips Tagged With: ground, mountain scenery, mountains, scenery, scenery element

Weathering Your Model Trains and Scenery

March 23, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Dan B Morgan Why should you weather your model trains and scenery? Whether you are just getting started with model trains, or you have been enjoying this hobby for a long time, there are many different things that you can do to make your model train layout look more realistic. You may have already spent a lot of time making sure that your models are to scale, but if you want your model railroad to look real, you have to avoid it looking too new! Having objects in your train set look too shiny or too new can be quite distracting. This is why you need to think about how to weather … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, Scenery Tips, Weathering Tips Tagged With: brick, distressed, rustall, scenery, weathering

Model Railroad Scenery; Building Scenery On A Budget

March 13, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Dan B Morgan Model trains can be an expensive hobby, especially the model railroad scenery. This is usually the case if you source all your materials from a hobby shop where you end up paying full retail price. But, if you keep a keen eye on expert model railroaders, you will observe that they have a tendency to keep every little thing as opposed to throwing them away. Jars, boxes, cartons and little bits and pieces of almost everything has potential to be used in one way or the other as part of their model railroad scenery. They make use of a wide range of tools to create … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scenery Tips Tagged With: model railroad scenery, model trains, scenery, scenery on a budget

Model Railroad Wiring; A Basic Understanding Will Take You A Long Way

March 1, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Dan B Morgan Being able to set up model railroad wiring is an extremely important part of being a model train and railroad enthusiast. It is also an exciting element of the hobby as you are able to control the stops and runs of the railroad set. Trains are meant to stop at each station and gradually decelerate on tight corners and junctions. In order to make this all possible, you should have at least a basic knowledge of model railroad wiring. Model railroad wiring is the aspect of railroading which involves making electricity flow so that the engine is able to pull its cars and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Wiring Tips Tagged With: dcc, model railroad wiring, wiring, wiring tips

Model Railroading Scenery: Buildings

February 18, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Johan Bentley A model train display's scenery is greatly enhanced by realistic buildings. Whether the theme is New York City or a small village, the model railroad buildings you use will illustrate all that is human about any landscape. If you are modeling a prototype scene, then you most likely will want to find or to make specific buildings for your display. If you are "freelancing," or making up, your cities and towns, then you can choose whatever buildings you want. Hobby shops provide pre-made and ready-to-assemble kits for all kinds of model railroad buildings. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Scenery Tips Tagged With: buildings, model railroad buildings, model railroading, modeling, prototype scene, scenery

Model Railroad Wiring Basics

February 4, 2011 By Model Train Tips Leave a Comment

By Johan Bentley Model railroad wiring is what makes the electricity flow in your train display so that the engine can pull its cars and so that houses, buildings and streetlights can glow with warm, realistic lighting. Modern wiring is even so sophisticated that it can run a miniature camera atop the engine as it chugs through your display. The possibilities are endless: Just think of all the electronics in real life and integrate them into your display. Wiring Basics Model railroad wiring can be a complicated endeavor; therefore, if you are new to wiring, it's best to consider … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Wiring Tips Tagged With: controllers, dcc, digital command control, electrical mishaps, model railroad wiring, voltage, wiring basics