| Model railroading is a fun and exciting hobby, because | | | | before you get started. Decide and era and location |
| it involves so many different skills. You will get to work | | | | you want to model and focus on replicating it in |
| with your hands, work solving problems with your mind, | | | | everything you buy or build. |
| and apply your imagination creating something uniquely | | | | Quick Tip |
| your own. The hobby is creative, practical and mentally | | | | Here is a quick tip for creating realistic looking concrete. |
| stimulating. | | | | As soon as you paint the base color of your concrete, |
| The hobby has been described as "the worlds | | | | lightly dust some baking soda onto the wet paint. This |
| greatest hobby" (and I agree), because it involves | | | | gives the surface some additional texture and the |
| everything from: carpentry to electronics, model | | | | weathering will have more depth. Test a small area |
| building, painting, engineering and even historical | | | | away from your layout first. |
| research planning your layout. | | | | Model railroading is a fun and exciting hobby, and do |
| Get started by collecting images of model railroads | | | | not let anyone tell you it is not a creative use of your |
| and real railroads and other scenes that you like. What | | | | time. It will keep you active and busy for years. And, |
| type of scene involving trains interests you most: the | | | | although it can be expensive, it is probably not more |
| wild west - maybe British trains from the 1930's, a | | | | costly than golfing or smoking. You can also get |
| WWII scene, a mining town, a modern container port, a | | | | involved with your local model railway club and get to |
| scenic railway through valleys and mountains, | | | | meet people who share similar interests. Club |
| commuter trains? There are so many different | | | | members can also be very helpful with assisting and |
| possibilities. | | | | advising when planning and constructing model train |
| The important thing is to make the concept decisions | | | | layouts. |