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Playing God - Landscaping Your Model Railroad Layout

Landscaping and picking out the scenery can be one of the more fun things that you can do with your model railroads. You are the person who gets to decide just how you want it to look.

You can make it look as realistic or imaginary as you choose. Creating your display just takes an idea, supplies and a little time.

The first thing you need is your idea or plan.

- Do you want to duplicate an existing landscape?

- Do you want a faithful historical recreation of a place now lost in time?

- Are you more likely to create a one of a kind scene to delight your viewers?

Once you've decided on your theme and to be successful, you will need to make sure you don't stray from it. There will be inconsistencies if you change or mix styles in your project and that will detract from the overall impact.

Staying consistent will enable the people.who are observing your project to find all the small details that you have added to make it so special.

Once you have picked your theme you need to work on where you will put your tracks and the landscaping. It can be more advantageous to first put in your turns or switches and then add your terrain than vice versa.

Your next step is to collect the items that you think you will want to use. Some you may already have around the house, others you may want to purchase from dealers or even a local hobby shop if you have one near. Just remember what your original design plan is so you don't stray from it. Just because you like the look of something doesn't mean that it will suit your project. Some common materials that you can gather are:

1. A Table or Stand 2. An outdoor grade plywood sheet for the base of a stand 3. Glue 4. Crushed stone, dirt or gravel as well as well as twigs and plants for ground cover 5. Touch up paint and paint for the background and the base 6. Poster board, papers etc for texturing 7. Blocks and sheets of Styrofoam for shaping things like mountains

Some other items you may include:

8. Plaster of Paris and / or fiberglass 9. Talcum powder, pepper and salt, cayenne pepper " for texturing and colorants 10. Corkboard and cork 'paper' 11. Roof repair tar (for road surfaces etc.) 12. Paintable caulks and adhesives for securing items in place

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