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Making scenery for your model railroads from scratch requires
a lot of time, patience and will power. It can only be done if, and only if,
you are interested in this hobby of yours, and if you like to make everything
with your own hands. The end result and feelings of elation on the completion
of such a task give a great sense of contentment and fulfillment. If you have
been thinking of making your own N scale buildings from scratch, you would need
to do a little planning. This article will help you start your
project.
Planning and Researching
If you go into the construction process without thinking of
how you plan to go about it, then you might end up with a failure. Therefore,
decide the following things first:
• What is the era and
what was the material used in those times for
buildings?
• How many towns,
cities or farmlands would you need?
• How much train track
will there be in relation to the scenery, and where will everything fit into
the design? How much space is left for buildings?
It would be great if you
draw the plan of your model railroad on a piece of paper. This way you would be
better able to imagine the layout of the buildings.
Getting Hand on
Materials
Even though you have lots
of choices when it comes to materials, one of the most commonly used products
is styrene. This material is very durable and though might not be easy to cut,
will last a long time. If you want to use wood, balsa wood is best. Gel foam or
matt boards (foam core, cardboard, or core flute sheets) can also be used to
make buildings. Another thing that you can use to make structures is
Laserboard. Another popular choice is model railroad buildings made from cereal
packs.
If you have decided to use
styrene, use one that has a thickness of 0.040 instead of
0.060.
Making the
Structures
To cut styrene for your
building, use a scribing tool and metal straightedge. It’s not too difficult to
do; just a little practice will get you the perfect shape.
To make doors and windows,
take a solid sheet and cut required measuring holes in it. This can be the wall
of your building, which you can glue on top of another plain sheet. If it’s a
house you are making, you can glue an embossed vinyl or plastic sheet on all
the walls to make it look like wallpaper. Don’t forget to cut the holes for
doors and windows.
For windowsills and door
handles you can either make them separately by cutting thinner stripes of
styrene or simply paint them. For the glass in your windows, you can either use
clear plastic or acetate cut to accurate sizes.
For the roof, you can use either styrene or matt
board/cardstock. All work well. If you want to make a shingled roof, either buy
them from the store or make your own by using gummed paper. This will easily
stick onto most materials. Make any designs you like.
Once you have completed
your building, add the smaller interior details like lights or people standing
outside the porch.
Always remember that if
it’s your first time making a model
railroad, the N scale buildings won’t come out looking like
miniature architect created masterpieces! That will take time and practice.
So pat yourself on the back for the completion of a job and continue making
models, getting better and better with every one you
construct!
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