What is between no scenery and woodland scenics?

[jimhaleyscomet]

Hi all,

I run toy trains. I want to add a little scenery so they look better. I do not want to paint buildings and cars as I have no air brush. I noticed when I landscape using woodland scenics techniques and supplies that the unweathered trains and plastic houses look out of place. If I do not use woodland scenics then it looks like a flat table with some stuff thrown on.

What kind of scenery can I add that will maintain the "toy" theme without looking like just a bunch of stuff thrown on a table?

Jim H

[cnw1995]

Jim, my suggestion - and preference - is to live with a toy train theme and acknowledge some incongruities in exchange for my happiness with the overall effect. For me, that means laying down LifelIke grass matts - essentially green colored sandpaper. roof shingles I've cut up for roads, hanging airplane models from the ceiling above the airport, using a mix of flat press metal trees and Lifelike ones - using easter basket 'grass' for heavy shrubbery - experiment with paint. I want to add a tunnel using LifeLike's tunnel paper and then farmland - I'm experimenting with gluing green pipecleaners to cuts outs from brown paper bags - I am deliberately staying away from scale scenery because as you noted, either the trains or scenery looks out of place - to me - and I'm running much more toy-like than scale things.

[Anonymous]

Hi Jim

A friend of mine who is a painter once said “If you close your eyes it all looks good.”

I was tackling the same problem about a year ago that you are now. I looked at pictures of Lionel layouts form the pre war era (CTT had an article a few months back about a guy who built a pre war display layout). That helped me go beyond the basic table painted green. This worked well for combining real aspects of landscape and toy like models. By the way, I would recommend buying an air brush. There is so much more that you can do with one.


Matt

[FJ and G]

Jim H.

It's all a matter of individual preference. Everyone has his unique tastes and we all get along like one happy family (a-hem).

Suggest looking at some books and magazines to get a style you'd like to emulate. Also, hundreds of web sites. Just put toy train layout in Google and look and see.

Unless your question is more specific, we cannot anticipate the look you want. To me, toy trains look good with 100% prototypical scenery or on the carpet.

[3railguy]

I have seen toy like looking trees in craft stores like Hobby Lobby.

[wrmcclellan]

I know what you mean. Use the bright colors and avoid the subdued realistic colors.

We sort of resolved the problem on our portable club layout by using the brightest WS color foams. So the grass is fairly uniform and one bright green color (thus it looks like the grass mat). Roads are simple gray paint.

As 3RG suggests, a few Life-Like trees (bottle brush pines with plastic trunk bases) also help the toy train layout look. For shrubbery, use plain old Lichen.

Regards,
Roy

[jimhaleyscomet]

Thanks all. I will stick with one color of green and avoid the use of layering burnt grass all over everything to make it blend. Any more suggestions will be appreciated!

In detail I think I am looking to avoid the "realistic / natural imperfection" weathered look so many wifes do not like.

Jim H

[Anonymous]

Jim, All of my surroundings are weathered and the trains are untouched, i like the look.

[ben10ben]

Green saw dust for grass gives you a partially scenicked/nonflat appearence while maintaining a toy train look. Plasticville buildings can also add a whole lot.

[Anonymous]

Jim: A lot of good suggestion's, But remember a blind man will be glad to see whatever you choose. Regards Steve

[pbjwilson]

Hi Jim,
I've found some nice old plasticville trees on e-bay. They're made out of plastic and have a "vintage look". Also the Marx tunnels are nice with the lithographed scenees on them. Any pre-war tin structure looks toylike. Heres a pcture of my toy train.

It's a start anyway.

[railfanespee4449]

I am using grassmat for my d-264 dealer display. I stopped using ground foam after i got it all aver my new cameblack!!
[banghead][banghead][banghead]

[wrmcclellan]

Hey RFSP4449,

You are supposed to glue the foam to the table - not the train [:D].

Roy

[SPFan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 3railguy

I have seen toy like looking trees in craft stores like Hobby Lobby.

Also the Dollar Stores. Dollar Tree was selling street lamps, figures, and trees for a dollar that look identical to the Lemax brand items that sell for 5-6 times that.

Pete