Model Railway Locomotives

How to set up landscape and water features for model railway trains
If you are starting to get involved with model railway trains then you need to know about building landscapes and water features. These are two of the essential elements in any great looking Model Railway Layout. Even a great track layout will look bland without the correct landscape in place.
It is quite easy to get inspiration for the options available to you. You can look at your fellow Model Train hobbyist’s layouts and see what they use. You can also browse through magazines and look on the Internet for ideas.
Another great idea is to just observe the countryside as you travel around. There are so many ideas to be found if you keep your eyes open and take notes. Often you will start to create one layout and then find yourself moving onto another concept that involves more water features or different landscapes.
It is best to set up your layout on paper first. This will give you the best chance of making accurate measurements and placements first time around. If you just try to set up the landscape without planning, you are likely to run into a number of problems.
Firstly, you want to organise the railway track. Ensure that you have enough track to create loops, ovals or whatever your design may be. This will ensure that your trains can run continuously, even as you reorganise the landscape.
If the landscape is crucial to a certain area of the layout then you should leave that area until last. For example, if you are using a bridge in the track layout, I would create and build the rest of the track first. You can then add this section last so that you have some of the track already running and operational.
You can then add the bridge and take time to ensure that everything runs smoothly. From here you can add more water features and other landscape options. One of the most popular sections of landscapes is a mountain. These make great additions to the track layout and provide a great spectacle to the overall scene.
Other good option for landscapes is hills, prairies, fields, tunnels and people. It’s always good to have some model humans involved in the layout. Again, this brings the realistic element into the layout.
When you make use of the trains and scenery in the right way, you will create a setting that will be unique and very interesting. Once you have more experience in building track layouts you can start to add more complex structures.
For example, you might want to add an end-to-end track section, or a loop to loop. Another great spectacle to add to any scene is a multi-level track system. On top of this you should think about creating a nighttime scene by adding lighting. Oftentimes, an average looking layout really improves when it is seen at night with lights and the headlights of the locomotives running around the track.
Don’t forget that you can have separate sections of track in different areas of your baseboard. This means that you can create different landscapes in different areas and really enjoy your hobby to its fullest extent.
About the Author
Philip Redfearn is an avid model train enthusiast. For more great information on Model Trains, and to sign up for a free Ultimate Model Railway Secrets 11 lesson mini-course, visit http://www.ultimatemodelrailway.com
Model Railway Exhibition 2009 Part 1
![]() |
![]() Model Railway Locomotive Building on the Cheap by Ken Chadwick $9.48 Time Remaining: 29d 22h 21m Buy It Now for only: $9.48 Buy It Now |
![]() 1910 Model Railways Locomotives Rare Model Railroad Journal Hardbound $130.00 Time Remaining: 55m Buy It Now for only: $190.00 Buy It Now | Bid now |
![]() Peco Lectrics PL 40 Wheel Cleaning Brush Scraper for Model Railway Locomotives $14.14 Time Remaining: 1d 23h 5m Buy It Now for only: $14.14 Buy It Now |
![]() 1925 LOTTS BRICKS MODEL RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE RAILROAD AD BRITISH $6.29 Time Remaining: 6d 7h 14m Buy It Now for only: $6.29 Buy It Now |
![]() Railways JOB LOT Trains Tenders Locomotives Japan Germany USA Models N Mounted $34.87 (6 Bids) Time Remaining: 21h 30m |
![]() TRIANG HORNBY OO 00 GAUGE MODEL RAILWAY BLUE TANK LOCO LOCOMOTIVE TRAIN 7178 $28.42 Time Remaining: 26d 1h 52m Buy It Now for only: $28.42 Buy It Now |
![]() LIMA 205260 OO GAUGE MODEL RAILWAY BR CLASS 47 305 47305 TRAIN LOCO LOCOMOTIVE $45.80 Time Remaining: 26d 1h 6m Buy It Now for only: $45.80 Buy It Now |
![]() H0 Gauge Model Railway Locomotive Roco 4130 DB E144 Green Electric pantograph 1 $11.85 (5 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 23h 23m |
![]() Lot 7 magazines Model Railroader Garden Railways VTG train railroad locomotive $12.47 Time Remaining: 27d 5h 48m Buy It Now for only: $12.47 Buy It Now |
![]() Lot 7 magazines Model Railroader Garden Railways VTG train railroad locomotive $9.95 Time Remaining: 3d 2h 19m Buy It Now for only: $9.95 Buy It Now |
![]() TRIANG OO GAUGE MODEL RAILWAY TRAIN LOCO LOCOMOTIVE BR D5572 4C01 4CO1 R357 RUNS $45.01 Time Remaining: 26d 1h 52m Buy It Now for only: $45.01 Buy It Now |
![]() H0 Gauge Model Railway Locomotive Piko Old shop stock Taurus 57421 Cargoserv 39 $8.69 (3 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 23h 5m |
![]() GARDEN RAILWAYS MAGAZINE MODELING YOSEMITE LOCOMOTIVE LIGHTING BASICS BRIDGE $10.95 Time Remaining: 29d 1h 26m Buy It Now for only: $10.95 Buy It Now |
![]() Antique Marklin Model Railway Silver Steam Locomotive Advertising Pin $19.99 Time Remaining: 9d 14h 34m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 Buy It Now |
![]() H0 Gauge Model Railway Locomotive Roco Old shop stock SNCB NMBS 53430 2 $30.02 (7 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 23h 37m |
![]() HISTORY OF MODEL MINIATURE RAILWAYS 13 LOCOMOTIVES $9.46 Time Remaining: 27d 13h 44m Buy It Now for only: $9.46 Buy It Now |
![]() 1913 SCALE MODEL RAILWAYS 6 30 DOWN BRITISH AD TOY LOCOMOTIVES WAGONS $6.29 Time Remaining: 6d 7h 14m Buy It Now for only: $6.29 Buy It Now |
![]() Antique Fleischmann Model Railway Silver Steam Locomotive Die Modellbahn Pin $19.99 Time Remaining: 9d 14h 38m Buy It Now for only: $19.99 Buy It Now |
![]() H0 Gauge Model Railway Locomotive Roco Old shop stock OBB 63603 40 $55.81 (12 Bids) Time Remaining: 3d 23h 39m |
![]() 1952 TRIX Scale Model Train SET TOY AD RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE CANADA RAILROAD $6.29 Time Remaining: 6d 7h 14m Buy It Now for only: $6.29 Buy It Now |
![]() 1925 LIONEL SCALE MODEL TRAIN TOY AD RAILWAY CENTURY LOCOMOTIVE CANADA $6.29 Time Remaining: 6d 7h 14m Buy It Now for only: $6.29 Buy It Now |
![]() AIRFIX RAILWAY 00 Gauge AIA CLASS 31 MODEL DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE SIMTRIANG HORNBY $15.78 Time Remaining: 3d 23h 4m |
![]() 1939 LIONEL SCALE MODEL TRAIN ENGINE BOYS TOY AD RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE THRILL $6.29 Time Remaining: 9d 3h 3m Buy It Now for only: $6.29 Buy It Now |
![]() 1948 LIONEL SCALE MODEL TRAIN ENGINE SANTA FE TOY AD RAILWAY CENTURY LOCOMOTIVE $6.29 Time Remaining: 15d 2h 56m Buy It Now for only: $6.29 Buy It Now |
![]() LOCOMOTIVE TRAIN RAILROAD MODELS VINTAGE RAILWAY GRAPHIC MAGAZINES LOT $31.99 Time Remaining: 4h 34m Buy It Now for only: $31.99 Buy It Now |
![]() N Gauge Model 2 67 4 British Railways Locomotive W Box Wrenn Lima $12.00 Time Remaining: 4d 22h 44m |
![]() Model Train Book Model Electric Locomotives and Railways Henry Greenway HC $29.95 Time Remaining: 5d 1h 12m Buy It Now for only: $29.95 Buy It Now |
![]() MATCHBOX YAS01 STEPHENSONS ROCKET RAILWAY LOCOMOTIVE DIECAST METAL MODEL TRAIN $63.18 Time Remaining: 11d 1h 25m Buy It Now for only: $63.18 Buy It Now |
![]() Thomas Friends Wooden Railway Locomotives Cars Trains Model Rosie Charlie Milk $0.99 Time Remaining: 4d 5h 5m |
![]() RAILWAY MODELLING Norman Simmons HB DJ Locomotives Gauge Track Operating $18.96 Time Remaining: 23d 13h 4m Buy It Now for only: $18.96 Buy It Now |
![]() RARE AOSHIMA 1 50 SCALE JAPAN GOV RAILWAY ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE MODEL KIT NEW MIB $125.00 Time Remaining: 9d 21h 3m Buy It Now for only: $125.00 Buy It Now |
![]() MODEL RAILWAY KIT BUILDING trains locomotives diorama $21.78 Time Remaining: 6d 17h 44m Buy It Now for only: $21.78 Buy It Now |
![]() Southern Railway Locomotives Models Hornby Bachmann Dublo Tri ang etc $9.99 Time Remaining: 3d 22h 55m Buy It Now for only: $11.99 Buy It Now | Bid now |
![]() JNR JR Japan Railway EF66 electric locomotive model kit ARII HO 1 87 motorized $49.99 Time Remaining: 7d 17h 39m Buy It Now for only: $49.99 Buy It Now |
![]() JNR JR Japan Railway EH10 electric locomotive display model kit 1 50 aoshima $149.99 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 24m Buy It Now for only: $149.99 Buy It Now |
![]() TRIANG MODEL RAILWAY TRAIN LOCO LOCOMOTIVE PRINCESS ELIZABETH 46201 BLACK R50 5 $56.86 Time Remaining: 6d 1h 27m |
![]() JNR JR Japan Railway EF65 electric locomotive model kit ARII HO 1 87 motorized $49.99 Time Remaining: 25d 15h 59m Buy It Now for only: $49.99 Buy It Now |
![]() JNR JR Japan Railway EF65 electric locomotive display model kit 1 50 aoshima $149.99 Time Remaining: 22d 17h 23m Buy It Now for only: $149.99 Buy It Now |
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.






































