SCENERY WORKSHOP

Model Railroad Scenery Materials Guide

Realistic scenery comes from layers of varied texture and color, not one material spread uniformly.

Terrain shell

Foam, plaster cloth, lightweight filler, cardboard webbing and other methods can create landforms. Prioritize light weight, access and compatibility with your room.

Ground texture

Build from earth tones to fine turf, static grass, weeds, bushes and trees. Vary height and density. Nature rarely forms perfectly even carpets.

Ballast

Use a size appropriate to scale, keep grains out of turnout points and moving parts, and shape shoulders consistently with the track you are representing.

Water

Good water scenes begin with the painted river or lake bed. Resin or acrylic water products add surface depth, but color underneath often creates most of the visual effect.

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