| More newcomers to model railroading are discouraged | | | | but homemade material will do just as well.) If you |
| by the thought of making scenery than by any other | | | | have none of these, use some sifted dirt itself to |
| aspect of the hobby. They will tackle carpentry, | | | | simulate dirt, or sawdust dyed to the color you want |
| wiring, and complicated layouts even if they've had | | | | with Tintex dye or stain. But don't make the surface |
| no experience before, and will operate a complex | | | | too even; no dirt or gravel parking lot is even. |
| pike like real-life dispatchers. But they keep saying | | | | With a stick or pencil put in a few ruts, especially at |
| that they haven't had time to get around to scenery | | | | the entrance; make a couple of bumps and potholes |
| yet; they want to wait until trackwork is definitely | | | | for cars to break their springs in. Do not make the |
| finished. Since it never really is definitely finished - | | | | edges too even, or the color too uniform. After the |
| everyone plans certain changes ahead to improve | | | | base material is set, add a few drops of adhesive |
| the layout or enlarge it - scenery making is | | | | here and there, where cars would be parked, sift |
| postponed and postponed again. | | | | onto them some black sand or dirt or coffee grounds |
| There is no need to give up. But there are a few | | | | or gravel. Smear it around a little so it won't be too |
| things you should learn before you can approach the | | | | even, and you will have the stains where crankcases |
| making of scenery with the enthusiasm and interest | | | | have dripped oil, as all crankcases do. |
| it deserves, the same enthusiasm with which you | | | | A road may have fences running alongside it, and the |
| tackled layout. First, most of the beautiful pictures in | | | | parking lot is likely to have fences around it, or |
| the magazines show only one small part of a layout | | | | around three sides. A neat, strong fence is simulated |
| that happens to be finished. You can be quite sure | | | | with short pieces of thin dowel for posts, with wire - |
| that the rest of the owner's pike is pretty bare and | | | | not shiny - strung between. |
| much like your own. Why not follow his example and | | | | The posts can be stuck in the plaster or similar |
| make scenery a little bit at a time? | | | | material at the edge of road or parking lot while it is |
| The job can then be a small one. You can finish it in | | | | still soft. If one is a little askew it will look even |
| not many hours of work and gain great satisfaction | | | | better. You can make other types of fences from |
| and encouragement from its completion. And it is just | | | | small scraps of thin wood, such as that used for cigar |
| about the cheapest thing you can do in improving | | | | boxes, cheese boxes, and strawberry baskets. Or |
| your layout - less expensive by far than new trains, | | | | you can buy balsa and other small woods, easy to |
| cars, switches, track, and so on. | | | | work, at a hobby shop. |
| One of the first accessories anyone buys is a station, | | | | With a crossing, you need a warning signal. You can |
| so let's start with that. You have a station of some | | | | make a standard railroad crossing sign yourself, out |
| kind at a point along your track - large or small | | | | of small pieces of wood, and letter the right words |
| passenger station, freight station, or a combination. If | | | | on it, preferably faded. Or you can buy a flashing |
| it is a passenger station in a village or town it needs | | | | signal with lights and/or warning bell, or even a |
| a parking lot near it. | | | | crossing gate, and actuate it automatically with a |
| Draw on the board an area for the parking lot, cover | | | | track trip. |
| it with glue or dark-brown paint, and sift ballast | | | | Such simple additions, yet they can make a real |
| material, sand, or crushed slate on it. (You can buy | | | | difference to the level of your enjoyment of your |
| crushed slate in different colors at your hobby store, | | | | model railroad. |