Cheap tricks

[Chuck Geiger]

Don't forget swap meets and clubs and consignment rolling stock at the LHS. Engine House in Wichita has hundreds of $5 box cars with Kadee couplers for sale.

[emdgp92]

Look in the "junk" box at your LHS--you never know what you might find. Mine occasionally has locomotive shells, old RTR freight cars (train set items), and other assorted cast-offs. Quite often, shops will let you have that stuff for very little cash. Many times, those items can be recycled into something new. Freight cars can be repainted, fitted with Kadees and metal wheelsets--once that's done, it's hard to tell them from new cars.

In fact, many of my freight cars started off as someone else's "junk." All have been cleaned up, weathered, and now look pretty good. Usually, I don't repaint the car, unless it's absolutely necessary--usually, the stock paint is pretty good, so I just apply some weathering. Locomotives can also benefit from this. Many times, a little tune-up is all they need. True junk though, can be parked near your enginehouse "awaiting repairs."

 

[SantaFe_RockIsland]

I use a cup of really strong hot tea to paint plaster tunnel portals.

Also, I use a mixture of cocoa and baby powder to weather my cars.  Use a flower mister to wet the car first then brush on the cocoa and baby powder mixture.  Makes the rolling stock look like it has a little rust and was in a sand storm.

[colvinbackshop]

If you or the family drinks tea and / or coffee. Save the used stuff.

Dry the tea bags, cut them open saving to a jar (mixing all the different types of tea; green, black, pepperment, herb....what ever, making a great color mix) and use as a ground cover (especially fallen leaves / forest floor cover).

And....The dry coffee gives a dark, course cover that adds an extra dark color and a good texture when layered with other ground covers. As mentioned by others already, I too use a lot of sifted dirt.

While you're at the Dollar Store...Don't forget to look for white glue there too. I've gotten really large bottles for .50! It is usually a lot cheaper than the Elmer's glue and as far as I can tell (at least when using it as a ground cover and ballast adhesive) it works just fine.

[HHPATH56]

I use old furnace filters for making trees. You can probably find neighbors or friends that would be glad to give them to you. Furnace filters, (or clothes dryer lint), spray paint (or dip paint) effectively.  I grind up the green foam that florists use to support flowers.  Even ground up styrofoam, can be spray painted. I have wood rasped strofoam to make coal pilles, and dip (or spray) painted them.  Thistles make good shrubs when dip or spray painted.  I buy all my HO automobiles and trucks, along with much of my rolling stock, at train shows, at great savings.  Do a little bi at a time, but do it well! Bob

[Magnum019]

Heard or Read a couple that I will probably try shortly, using a furnace filter and a bamboo skewer from the dollar store to make trees..........and to glue/sprinkle the foam-someone bought those colored sponge pads and grinded them up with a blender(garage sale type).......

[gallagher]

Here are a few ways to cut costs:

Visit your local "Dollar Store" for tools, paints, brushes, and other materials for layout building.

Go to your local Arts and Crafts stores (A.C. Moore or Michael's) - they are both on the Web and A.C. Moore's site has a store finder feature.

At the crafts stores, watch for their sales. Buy their acrylic paints for layout and building painting. They are on sale frequently at 3 two ounce bottles for a buck. Can't beat that and those water soluable paints can be mixed, thinned, sprayed, and look great. Overcoat with a spray of Dullcote. Also search craft stores for cheap/on-sale foam board for buildings, backdrop, strathmore board for buildings, and look around for stuff to make signs, details, etc. Be creative. THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT WAY TO DO SOMETHING.

Cruise the neighborhood on trash day and scoop up all of the lumber  neighbors throw out. You can almost build a layout for free. Use money for Homosote for roadbed, not layout framing.

Use expensive model railroad paints only for painting model railroad equipment (locomotives, freight and passenger cars, etc.).

At the dollar store, purchase hair spray bottles (the strongest) for scenery building and placing foliage on ground and trees and bushes. Also purchase makeup kits with colors for scenery and weathering equipment. Have girlfriend accompany you to show you what's available. If friends see you, you have an excuse for being in the makeup area.

I hope these ideas help.

Good luck and have fun.

John

[Chuck Geiger]

Geez uptight model railroaders drive me nuts...Neck' I use to spend a lot on my HO layout and I took a new job and moved my family to California, had to cut back when I converted to N scale. I have nothing but what I earned selling my HO empire to convert to HO. Here are my top tips to save money:

• Go on-line, take digital pictures and make backdrop cutouts of industrial buildings!
• Use real sifted dirt for your scenery base - You may never need Woodland Scenics again.
• Use the dirt or sand to build up your banks along the track and roadbed before ballasting, the ballast will go farther.
• Make trees fron natural weeds, trees and flowers in your area.
• Use cheap spray paint to paint building, why pay $5 for a little can - Also for weathering track.
• Scratchbuild buildings that you want to model. It's pretty easy and cheap.
• Look on this site for more cost-cutting, there are websites where you can cutout windows, doors, brick, wallss, etc.
• You want to blend this with scale models, don't fake everything or it will look like a big cheap toy.
• Make oil tanks out of empty Scotch tape rolls, use sprues for piping and vents.

Email me - I have more....

[RR Redneck]

Seriously, try to do everything  in life properly or don't do it at all.  At the end of the day, cutting corners won't achieve anything at the end.

I think you should change your way of thinking slightly, perhaps get a second job to achieve what you want.

While I do get the message, I just dont have the time for a job. Between the school band, regular school work, and the school paper. I barely have any time to do any substantial modeling anymore. Whatever time my trains dont get usually goes to my girlfriend and friends.

[WCfan]

Someone told me on here you can use drywall compund for grade crossings.

I think that was me. I lay a waxed dress shoe string next to the inside edge of each rail and fill the space between them with drywall compound. After it's dry, I carefullf remove the shoe strings. Works like a charh for HO, I'm not sure about N.

Sorry about that Jeff. I couldn't spell you user name.

[Anonymous]

All I can offer you my friend is some hard earned life experience.  Since you are still young, learning different ways of doing things is good but cutting corners is bad.  Just remember that.

Seriously, try to do everything  in life properly or don't do it at all.  At the end of the day, cutting corners won't achieve anything at the end.

I think you should change your way of thinking slightly, perhaps get a second job to achieve what you want.

Just thought I help you out this way in life.  You may hate me now but hopefully you will thank me in 10 years time.

While some of your advice to the young man may be beneficial, I would say that because he is only 16 years old that his top priority right now should be his education and working hard to achieve excellence in high school.  The hobby is good, but the key focus and time should first be spent on education - that is what his future will depend on.   

The request to accomplish some of his modeling activities inexpensively does not always imply that a corner will be cut and quality or appearance of the final product will be compromised.

RR Redneck, keep up with your schooling first and the rest will follow.  Enjoy the hobby the best way you can and in the most affordable way you can.    

 

[Anonymous]

All I can offer you my friend is some hard earned life experience.  Since you are still young, learning different ways of doing things is good but cutting corners is bad.  Just remember that.

Seriously, try to do everything  in life properly or don't do it at all.  At the end of the day, cutting corners won't achieve anything at the end.

I think you should change your way of thinking slightly, perhaps get a second job to achieve what you want.

Just thought I help you out this way in life.  You may hate me now but hopefully you will thank me in 10 years time.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Someone told me on here you can use drywall compund for grade crossings.

I think that was me. I lay a waxed dress shoe string next to the inside edge of each rail and fill the space between them with drywall compound. After it's dry, I carefullf remove the shoe strings. Works like a charh for HO, I'm not sure about N.

[WCfan]

Someone told me on here you can use drywall compund for grade crossings. I also used it for my roads. You can use sand for gravel roads, Old electiric wireing for air hoses, thread for power lines. You can also use sand paper for asphalt, greese for weathering, straws for large piping, and.......That's all I used on my layout.

[RR Redneck]

In a desprate bid to learn some tricks to save me a penny or two that I could spend on a locomotive or some rolling stock, you fellas got any cheap tricks that you could pass on to a 16 year old model railroader on a shoe string budget? I already use white glue spread with a brush to apply my ground foam, acme pads to clean my tracks, sharpies to "weather" my rails, cardboard to make railroad crossings, duct tape for old asphalt roads and concrete, and electrical tape for new asphalt roads. There anything else you boys got for me to save a buck or two?