DIY rock molds from Play-Doh

Hands packing Play Doh into rock mold

Use this quick tip to make custom rock molds for realistic model railroad scenery Want to make unique rock castings? Here’s an interesting method that was featured in the March 2002 Classic Toy Trains. Play-Doh, a children’s modeling toy, is a great one-time-use mold-making material. It’s water-soluble, easy to work with, and reproduces crisp details […]

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How-To Library: Spaces To Places II: Building Eagle Lake, Part 3 Road Construction

Gerry Leone working on street details.

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page   Gerry Leone is back on the streets again. In this episode, he shares how to scribe cracks into concrete roads; apply a realistic, aged concrete color; include brick pavement; and add a dirt alley between buildings. […]

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Simple mountain backdrop painting for your toy train layout

Simple mountain backdrop painting for your toy train layout

Creating the scene The examples shown here are from the backdrops on my O gauge layout, which is set against distant hills. I broke each sketch down to three levels of scenery: the foreground (tree line), the intermediate level (nearby hills), and the background (mountains). I needed to use only three colors, one for each […]

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It’s My Railroad with Steve Brown: Scenery-making marathon, Ep. 13

It’s my Railroad with Steve Brown Part 13

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Host Steve Brown truly covers lots of ground (pun intended) in this episode! Watch as he uses “Regular Guy” techniques to add color, texture, and even trees to work along and above the banks of his N scale layout’s harbor scene.   […]

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Let’s Make A Scene: Episode 16

Let’s Make a Scene with Kathy Millatt Part 16

Having trouble viewing this video?   Please visit our Video FAQ page Now that Kathy Millatt’s HO scale (1:87.1) wintry diorama is frozen in time, she can turn her attention to adding frosty features to a freight car! Check out Kathy’s techniques for layering up realistic snow and ice effects, using commercially available products. […]

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