Thank goodness for abunance of scenery materials

The thing I didn't like running my 2026 around the tree at Christmas was the metal tinsel that would fall on the tracks. It shorted out my train. Don

I've used plain natural lichen material for shrubbery on my HO layout. Yeah, it dries out and gets dusty eventually but I figure I can just pull it all off and use more free new material to replace it some day.

rrman posted:

This topic might be better suited for landscaping forum maybe, but figured majority readers come here.

Re-reading 1949 Instructions for assembling and operating Lionel trains, a page entitled how landscaping will make your layout more realistic.  Landscapes made of natural and green dyed sawdust sprinkled over water glass solution (?).    Shrubbery is Norwegian Lichen (no details that it is to be soaked in glycerin to prevent dry outs).  Rivers are blue construction paper with painted white streaks.  Bridge pilings made from wood blocks .  Roadways made with crushed stone, fine gravel, or dried coffee grounds spread over sodium silicate (?) to anchor it (imagine that getting into motors and bearings).  You could paint background hills, buildings and clouds for perspectives.

So if you grouse some over expensive shrubbery, trees, landscaping materials, ready built buildings, or real photo backgrounds, think how much more fun it was back in those good old days!!

Note that water glass is another term for sodium silicate solution. Not sure of the benefit of using it as an adhesive. Where's our chemists?

Lou N

Here's an idea I'll share, which some of you may find interesting, helpful, and enjoyable to try. I have used "3M" tape, specifically a stair-tread tape, that works nicely for roadways. I get it in large rolls.  It peels off well, cuts easily, has a temporary paper backing which is pealed-off when desired for permanent emplacement of the tread-tape as roadway, and once it is applied, it stays put, very tightly.

But, judge for yourself, via these photos of my use of it as pavement in a variety of neighborhoods... - in situ, as it were.

FrankM.

Now that's a great idea "Moonson".

That looks great. I got to get some. Don

I used the same stuff (well, I don't know if it's 3M or not) on my modules when I built them 5 years ago or so. The stuff is just now starting to come undone on the edges. It's pretty heavy duty.

J White

I've used dyed sawdust with great effect on my old layout and we use it at the club as well.  You can mix different batches in different shades of green-to-yellow for variety.  Cheap too!

The mountains are the old cardboard-strips covered with torn paper bags, house latex paint sprinkled with the sawdust mixtures 

Moonson posted:

Here's an idea I'll share, which some of you may find interesting, helpful, and enjoyable to try. I have used "3M" tape, specifically a stair-tread tape, that works nicely for roadways. I get it in large rolls.  It peels off well, cuts easily, has a temporary paper backing which is pealed-off when desired for permanent emplacement of the tread-tape as roadway, and once it is applied, it stays put, very tightly.

But, judge for yourself, via these photos of my use of it as pavement in a variety of neighborhoods... - in situ, as it were.

FrankM.

FrankM. Vero nice idea. Thanks for sharing.

-Johan