20 tips to improve your layout

3. Paint the inside and outside of the rails.

4. Use the best turnouts you can afford.

5. Have fun – just go ahead and run trains from different eras.

6. Install miniature drivers in automobiles and as passengers in trains.

7. Check out all the great features – lights and sounds – added to the latest locomotives.

8. Ballast main lines and yard tracks – and be sure to use different colors and textures.

9. Try making your own trees and ground cover – it’s easy and saves money.

10. Stick HO structures on your layout to create a sense of forced perspective.

11. Fill up your cities, railroad stations, factories, and more with figures that represent your friends and members of your family.

12. Experiment with scratchbuilding – start with a model of your home.

13. Buy inexpensive brands of latex house paint for a scenery base.

14. Reduce the amount of noise produced by trains with the roadbed you install.

15. Dye sawdust and sponges for inexpensive scenery materials.

16. Remember there are so many different approaches to this hobby – and all of them are correct, just as long as they bring plenty of enjoyment.

17. Inject memories of your life and family into your model railroad.

18. Share your layout with others and thereby pass along your love of trains.

19. Patronize a good local hobby shop that can supply quality merchandise and advice.

20. Freely share your information and hobby experiences with others.