Model Train Set Giant Boulders

Its not enough to be a train enthusiast - someone who just enjoys owning, watching, and running model trains. Anyone who really loves the hobby is also interested in miniatures and scenery to make the setup look as realistic as possible. A hobby store often has a huge selection of tiny guys who run the train, little houses along the trains route, and even a backdrop that might make you think the train is leaving a dark tunnel. Now, a train enthusiast can purchase those things - many train accessories are quite expensive - because he doesnt know how to make them, but some scenery can be easily created by the average person. If you could use some rocks around your train set you should know that theyre extremely easy to make.

One way to make a huge boulder is to just wad up newspaper. Shape it, not so that its a perfect ball, but so that it has facets and many sides. After you have it shaped the way you want it, simply paint the ball black, brown, or gray. Use double-sided tape to hold the paper boulder in place at the train scene.

Another way to make a giant boulder is to use a large Styrofoam ball. Its really easy to shape Styrofoam when you use sandpaper or even an emery board. First, cut a thin sliver off of any area of the ball to make a flat bottom for the rock to stand. Then, sand the Styrofoam here, then there, to make many facets around the rock. A quick scrub in that particular area is all thats needed to create a faceted side to the rock - over and over again - until it looks the way you want. Paint it but be sure to use paints that wont melt Styrofoam, like tempera paints. Make a different type of boulder by using spray foam insulation. You can find it in a can at most any home improvement store. You spray it onto something, like a piece of foil, then let it set up to become hard. With this product you dont have to go with a rounded shape for the boulder; you can create a large rock, with smaller ones attached to it, and you can shape it any way you want. Just spray it out to create the basic shape, allow it to dry, then shape it with sandpaper. Its similar to Styrofoam when it dries and that makes it easy to shape. Paint the rock using paints that wont melt Styrofoam. The giant boulder or other rocks can be just set around the track or can be glued in place with hot glue or another adhesive. Once you make a rock or two for your train set youll become addicted to creating other accessories. With that in mind, lets talk trees