HINTS AND TIPS - THE FOLLOW ON
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Winter Scenery - Icicles
From Several Modellers
Winter Scenes are not often modelled and classic snow scenes are difficult but some areas can be made fairly easily including the presence of ice. Melting Ice can be represented by PVA glue left in larger drops at the sides of roads and between tracks. Icicles from buildings can be made also with PVA glue squeezed into thin lines on plastic and allowed to dry. They can then be peeled from the plastic and suspended from the eaves of buildings, mouths of tunnels (but not too long… trains would break them on the way through and Canadian and Alaskan trains specifically have icicle breakers on the tops of locomotives) and other areas.
Last edit: by xdford
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Modelling Weeds, Straw and Hay
From Terry Lee Rouhier
To model weeds, hay, straw, and grass get some "binder twine" from a farmer/horse owner. If you can, get both new and old twine. The twine is a natural (make sure that you do not get the new plastic stuff) material that takes paint/stain well. It also weathers naturaly. Hang some outside for a year and it will look like autumn weeds, let it lay on the ground and it will get a grayish color. It can be cut in very short lengths and used as some ground cover.
Last edit: by xdford
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Urban Junk
From Glenn Atherton
When modeling an urban scene , never forget the garbage that you see every day . It can range from an old news paper here and a rundown shack there , to piles of junk and scrape outside of major industry or railyard. One of my personal favorites is the broken-down car halfway in a body of water. But look around you and come up with your own ideas.
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Tyre Tracks
From Christopher Taylor
You can make it look like a car has driven through the dirt or grass. After you have put down the grass, take an eraser and rub off some grass to look like tyre tracks.
Last edit: by xdford
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Modelling Wind Blown Snow
From Tully Turney
I have a winter layout and model a lot of snow. Here is a tip for modeling wind-blown snow that has fallen over a plowed right-of- way. Pour a thin sheet of plaster into a bucket. When it hardens, chip it out and break it into suitable sizes. Scatter the chips along the right of way and pour over them a very thin wash of plaster and water. Let the material flow naturally through and around the chips. When that thin wash finally hardens, it will have thin "striations" throughout the mix that looks for all the world like wind-blown snow snaking in and out about the frozen hunks of previously plowed snow.
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FIREWOOD
From Pat Ward
If you need an inexpensive stack of firewood, simply go outside find a small dead branch on a tree, cut into small pieces, and use PVA glue to create a stack as large or as big as you need. This method could also be used for a pulpwood load. In less than five minutes you have a load for a bulkhead car and money not spent!
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Free Loads for Hoppers
From David Viner
I made up a imaginary cement factory for my layout operating scenario that the company used the cheap reliability of the train to ship its giant boulders from its mine to the factory. So, I went to a nearby park and picked some very rough pebbles and small rocks for HO scale (pick them out to fit your scale). I loaded my hoppers and gondolas. They look very realistic, and it was absolutely free! I didn't have to ruin my cars by gluing it, so next time I will pick up materials for a whole new scenario
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Derailments on Points
From Jim Wald
If your trains consistently derail on a point, try slightly bending the points slighly to fit hard against the rails. Sometimes the point rails bend out or in and either narrow in gauge and catch wheels or widen and drop wheels between. Adjust the points to fit tightly against the outer rails and adjust the point rails by gently bending until they are in gauge.
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Varnishing and Weathering with various Paints
From Marc Smith (Cardiff)
It is a matter of personal preference, but I like to weather all stock. I just prefer it that way. If nothing else, I would reccomend toning everything down with matt varnish. To me, models out of the box tend to look a bit "plastic" - which is after all, what they are.
I use Humbrol Matt varnish aerosol. Keep the can a good distance from the model and spray several coats of varnish. Remember to apply small amounts, as if applied copiously it can "run". Spray in a relatively dust-free environment - dust can settle on the model and look awful. Remember for safety sakes to wear a mask!
For further weathering, I have found that the Games Workshop line of paints are good. I especially like "Ultramarine Blue" because it makes a good faded BR blue. "Graveyard Earth" makes a good dusty colour too. And the various shades of brown are good for rust.
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Hints & Tips No.760Improving Car Models
From Several Modellers
Many model Cars tend to be a bit “toy like†when first removed from the package. Their appearance can be improved by painting the wheel trims/front lights/bumpers silver, and the rear lights red.
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Gluing Peco Fencing
From Richard Johnson
If you want to glue Peco's lineside fencing to make it more coninuous, many solutions will not work. Loctite make a prep coat to be put on difficult surfaces before glueing. It works extremely well as it creates a (very thin) "undercoat" layer on the slippery plastic part that is optimised for using any cyanoacrylate (superglue) on the surface. Fallers Expert glue seems to be useful for the purpose.
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Weathering Steam Lcomotive Running Gear
From Several Modellers
There are various ranges of 'stains'..ie chemical blackeners which cover different types of base metals. ''Gun blue''….is one such chemical….sold mainly via gun shops. These chemicals can be applied all over the wheel, including treads, as it does not interfere with electrical pickup.
Achieving the 'oily sheen' appearance of side rods and valve gear can be difficult. Humbrol produce a paint range called 'metalcote' which can be applied, then burnished with a fibreglass pencil which achieves a 'sheen' on the surface.
Remember that frames need attention too with powdered colours to represent the texture of heated steel.
Failing that you could use acrylic paints thined with alcohol and a bit of touch of chalk powders of varying colors for the shades on the rods & wheels.
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Mass producing consistent Grab Irons and Stirrups
From Des Tierney
Making wire grab irons and stirrups is fairly easy, Take a piece of brass strip that is the width you require for your grab iron or stirrup. Take a short piece of the same material and double the thickness of your bar for a short length. Now using a hardened piece of wire to the thickness you require and wrap around your bar. Now turn your bar with the wire warp side on and cut your narrow edge in half.
You would then have a number of uniform number of grab irons ready for installation on your rollingstock. Doing a similar operation using thin shim will yield a number of stirrups to enable your scale workmen to climb your rollingstock.
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Reducing Derailments
From Richard Johnson (Western Australia)
Layouts often run badly because the stock is not to a common set of standards. Looking at the wheelsets, they are more often the problem than not. Often they are not properly spaced in back-to-back (the distance between the backs of the two wheels).
Presuming your models are all less than ten- twelve years old with current profile hornby/bachmann wheelsets, strike a back to back of 14.5 and make sure ALL of the wheelsets meet this standard. You can pull/twist each axle set to adjust. If you have some of the heavier/thicker wheels, make those wagons 14.3mm back to back. However for consistency it would be better to replace those older wheelsets with current ones. For those of you in HO, an NMRA standards gauge is an invaluable tool with the wheel gauge built in.
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Making Tee Junctions on Bus Wires Pt 1
From Trevor Gibbs
If you run a bus wire under your layout as I do for the house lighting in buildings, you may need to be able to tap wires into the bus for extra lighting. To split your wire simply grip your wire firmly with a pair of sidecutters but not to the extent that you will cut through the insulation. Now holding one side wth your non preferred hand, move the sidecutters and maintain your grip on the wire. The insulation will fatigue and split in the area you want the split to occur but your conductors should stay intact.
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Making Tee Junctions on Bus Wires Pt 2
From Trevor Gibbs
I tend to avoid soldering for safety reasons underneath the layout (see Hint 730) so any wires that meet the bus wire are simply wrapped around the newly bared wire which I find is mechanically strong enough. Any excess or slack in the wire can be taken up by coiling the wire wrapping it around a screwdriver like a telephone receiver cord. This looks neat and saves the crowded bowl of spaghetti appearance of a bundle of wires under the layout.
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Making a Cart Track
From Several Modellers
You can use plaster of Paris for the lane/track though it does no have a long working time to model it. Another way would be to use a water based filler having plenty of water to hand, if you have got a cart measure the distance between the wheels …. using a piece of plasticard stick two cocktail stick with the ends rounded off on it and use it as a tool to create your track.
You could also cut a piece of block of polystyrene to your basic shape of the track,follow the polystyrene block with a covering of plastercloth pushing it into the ruts of the track with a blunt tool, a soft paintbrush and plenty of water will give you time to put any final shape to it, I find a sponge dipped in water a good way to smooth off plastercloth … the plastercloth will meet the walls if you have them and be ready for paint.
A range that is good for giving earth effects is Woodland Scenics pigments … a word of caution when using plaster/plaster cloth do not sand it smooth otherwise the pigment will not take as well.
While you are making your track, a puddle in it would add interest. You could actually run the appropriate size vehicle which has revolving wheels over the nearly hard plaster/filler. Nothing looks more like wheel ruts than actual wheel ruts. The hard bit is to get the medium at the right consistency to take the rut and not cling to the wheel. Have plenty of water handy to dip the wheels in so they do not stick to the plaster.
Last edit: by xdford
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Making Plaster Cloth
From Bob Finch and Tom Statton
- Dip used fabric softener drier sheets in plaster and apply them to the scenery. They hold the wet plaster better than paper towels, And as a bonus, they do not rip like paper towels do.
- Just dip a doubled piece of cheeze cloth in a thinned plaster mix and apply with no more mess than the expensive stuff. I have tried both and now save my money.
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No room under the layout for a Point Motor
From Josh Baako and others
If you are like me, space is a limiting factor in positioning switch machines or solenoids under the layout, a simple trick is to put them on top of the layout but hide them inside a lineside structure. That way, if you get a problem you just lift the structure and you can get at it without any fuss.
To make the connection from my solenoids to the turnout tie bar I use 1mm MIG welding wire bent to suit the location, it works fine for me and costs very little.
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A simple way, to create a beat up, warped freight car, without scorching the plastic.
From Josh Baako and others
In the past I have used a grill lighter to warp a few freight cars, to get that beat up look. But I found out the lighter would heat it too fast and scorch or catch the plastic on fire. As I wrote this, I had a "vision" the previous day since I have an electric stove, it would create controllable heat, and has no flame!
WARNING!!! The grill gets HOT and so does the plastic! Use extreme caution!!!!
I used a grill price on top of a metal grate from a pizza stone, to create a work area just above the grill.
I removed the weight, although I would suggest leaving it, as it creates a minor heat sink in case you leave it too long. I had to re-heat the car and press the weight in to get mine to fit again, as the heat warped the base of the car, creating a sag look, but messing with the weight & under frame. DO take the under frame off, as you do NOT want to warp the mounting holes for the trucks or couplers! Just keep in mind during the heating, that the under frame has to fit afterwards.
Work slow, heat only long enough to be able to still grasp it with your hands, if you cannot pick it up, turn the heat down, and get it away from the heat, as it being too hot to handle is a sign that you'll end up ruining the project. Again, work slow, one panel, or a small bend at a time. If you plan to warp the sides outward, slowly do so, don't try to go the full length of your intended warp at the start. In the case of sagging cars, I suggest pre-bending the weight to the sag you want, and after the heating process, glue the under frame in, to that it sticks to the sag.
There is a lot you can accomplish here, and it may end up being a trial and error process, so I suggest using a cheap freight car or goods wagon the first time.
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