The hobby of collecting model trains or locomotives includes building railroads and the scenery. Many people find it stressful and a lot of work but it actually is a lot of fun. Building the railroad and the scenery for your train set is a perfect chance to let out your creative juices. Also, a permanent railroad is a one of a kind house decor you can show off to your friends.

Building the bench work for the railroad will consume a lot of space. Plan carefully where the location of the railroad will be because you are building a permanent foundation for your model trains and landscape. Other people buy this as a kit instead so that they can uninstall the whole thing when they want to move it or when bringing it to shows. These kits are also precut and predrilled and are sturdier then a piece of plywood on two sawhorses.

Other people prefer to build their own bench work than buying a ready made one so they can apply their ideas and vision to the whole thing. Building one is a little complicated, takes a lot of work and also consumes time but is worth it when the finish product is done.

In building a home-made model foundation, you have to know how large it is exactly. You have to know if there is space in your house for a large landscape or a smaller one. You also have to decide on the shape; it can be either square, rectangle, oval or circular. The legs of the tables are regularly 28 inches long but can be altered according to your vision. Make sure that what you are building is solid and can bear the weight of the locomotives and the railroads. A high-quality platform is a 3/8 inch or ½ inch thick piece of plywood. Other people build their own portable platforms so they can disassemble it easily just like the ones that come in kits.

In creating the scenery, you have to know your perspective and visualize it as you build everything. The trick is to make your layout appear larger than it is. Diversity is the key to having a nice combination of sceneries.

Placing larger trees in the foreground and smaller trees in the background or on top of the mountains is a good example. Bodies of water like ponds, rivers, streams or even waterfalls also give the whole thing a relaxing effect.

Also, you have to have a theme for the whole landscape. If you are conceptualizing a logging train, the landscape should include rugged mountainous areas covered with trees and you can even put intricate details like sawmills or lumberyards. You can also put tunnels, grassy meadows, fields, rock formations, roads, bridges, towns or villages, houses and buildings to the scenery to make it even more lifelike. Some people like adding really fine details such as signs, telephone poles, fences, underbrush, bushes, flowers, hedges, people, and animals.

Building the railroad and the scenery is one of the most enjoyable parts of the model train hobby. It might take a lot of time and money but is worth every penny.

Related Articles:

1. Model Railroad Scenery; Building Scenery On A Budget
2. Model Railroad Scenery: Building Placement
3. Model Train Scenery – 10 Tips for Realistic Model Railroading Scenery Design