| Here are 3 quick tips you might want to consider for | | | | For yards you may want to use a finer grade of |
| your model railway layout: | | | | ballast to give the impression of more lightly laid lines, |
| Model Railway Tip #1 | | | | while on the mainline you might want more coarse |
| Shiny surfaces can spoil the realism of any model | | | | ballast. |
| railway. Shiny surfaces can make buildings and trains | | | | Model Railway Tip #3 |
| look fake. You do not want everything to look as | | | | Sawdust can be an inexpensive material for making |
| though it has come straight out of its packaging. A | | | | ground cover. Buy some fabric dye from the |
| simple way to remove that shine is to spray over the | | | | supermarket or craft store. Mix up the dye according |
| structure or cars with Dullcote (Testors #1260 clear | | | | to the directions and start adding your sawdust. Keep |
| flat lacquer overcoat). You can buy Dullcote at most | | | | adding the sawdust until all the liquid is gone. Preheat |
| hobby stores and comes in a small spray can like | | | | the kitchen oven and then turn it off. Then put the |
| many other model car paint colors. | | | | colored sawdust in a baking dish and put in the warm |
| Model Railway Tip #2 | | | | oven for an hour or so to dry it out. Be very careful |
| Ballasted track adds more scenic realism to a layout. | | | | you do not start a fire. You should only be drying the |
| However, you need to make sure that the electrics | | | | sawdust out, NOT heating it or cooking it. Safety first! |
| are all sorted out and that all the rail joiners are tight | | | | Once it is dried and cooled, bag it up to store it until you |
| fitting before you start ballasting your model railway | | | | are ready to use it. You can apply it to the ground with |
| track. Otherwise you may find that after you have | | | | white glue and to trees with spray glue or hairspray. |
| ballasted your track, some sections of track will not | | | | Have fun on working and operating your model railway |
| work properly. | | | | layout. |