More Model Railroad Tips & Ideas
Quick Tip #1
Shiny surfaces can spoil the realism of any model railroad. Shiny surfaces can make buildings
and trains look fake as though they have just come off a shop shelf. A simple way to remove that
shine is to overspray the structure or rolling stock with Dullcote (Testors #1260 clear flat
lacquer overcoat). Dullcote is available at most hobby stores and comes in a small spray can like
many other model car colors.
Quick Tip #2
Ballasted track adds more scenic realism to a layout. However, you need to make sure that the
electrics are all sorted out and that all the rail joiners are tight fitting before you start
ballasting. Otherwise you may find that after you have ballasted your track, some sections of track
won't work properly.
For yards you may want to use a finer grade of ballast to give the impression of more lightly
laid lines, while on the mainline you might want more coarse ballast.
Quick Tip #3
Sawdust can be an inexpensive material for making ground cover. Buy some fabric dye from the
supermarket or hobby store. Mix up the dye according to the directions and start adding your
sawdust. Keep adding the sawdust until all the liquid is gone. Preheat the kitchen oven and then
turn it off. Then put the colored sawdust in a baking dish and put in the warm oven for an hour or
so to dry it out. Once it's dried and cooled, bag it up to store it until you're ready to use it.
You can apply it to the ground with white glue and to trees with spray glue or hairspray.
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