| Model railroading (like any hobby) can be expensive, | | | | and cooled down. Use white PVA woodworkers glue |
| but there are lots of ways to save money. Making | | | | to stick the colored sawdust to the ground or on tress |
| your own scenery props is a good example as I will | | | | etc. |
| explain. | | | | 2. Make Telegraph Poles |
| 1. Make Ground Cover | | | | Use small match sticks to make sign posts. |
| If you want to avoid paying retail prices for | | | | Matchsticks are very inexpensive and work well. Just |
| commercially made ground cover, then have a go at | | | | cut each matchstick to the desired length. |
| making your own. Some inventive model railroaders | | | | Bamboo skewers (from the Supermarket or Walmart) |
| use everything from coffee grounds, tea leaves, to | | | | can be used to make telegraph poles. They only cost |
| ground-up fresh mulberry leaves. They use their | | | | a dollar or so for about one hundred. You can cut |
| microwave ovens to dry the leaves out, before putting | | | | each one to length and file down the end. Then drill a |
| them in a blender. They often combine different leaves | | | | tiny hole to attach some black thread for the wires. |
| to get the desired color and texture. | | | | String your telegraph poles in a row. |
| Sawdust is also an inexpensive material for making | | | | 3. Simulating Wood Grain |
| ground cover. Fabric dye (from the supermarket) can | | | | Many people scratch build their structures using balsa |
| be used to color the sawdust. Mix up the dye, following | | | | wood. To add a wood grain effect, use a metal dog |
| the directions on the label, and carefully add it to your | | | | comb, and run it along a test piece of balsa. This |
| sawdust. You need to keep adding the sawdust until | | | | should produce marks on the balsa like wood grain. |
| there is no more liquid. Pre heat the oven. Then put the | | | | The trick is to use a comb that is the correct scale |
| colored sawdust on some baking paper (as it will stain | | | | width. |
| anything it comes in contact with). Make sure it is | | | | Visitors to your model railroad layout will not always |
| spread out evenly and not just in a big pile. Put the | | | | spot the little details straight away, but the longer they |
| baking dish in the warm oven, for an hour or so, to | | | | watch the trains operate, the more chance they have |
| allow time for the sawdust to dry out. DO NOT cook | | | | to notice the elements that add amazing reality to your |
| the saw dust as it could catch fire. The oven should | | | | layout. Their faces will instantly light up, as they |
| be warm enough to dry out the sawdust, not heat it | | | | suddenly spot something interesting that captures their |
| up. You can bag the sawdust when it has dried out | | | | imagination. |