Model Trains

Adding People To Your Model Train Layout – How To Make Sure The People In Your Layout Look Realistic

Detail is the key to the most realistic model train layouts.  That detail can be found in the scenery, locomotives, rolling stock, or even in historical realism.  All of these things are important, but without people, your layouts will still look flat and lifeless.  Take a look at model railroad magazines or at the photos and videos you can find on the internet and the most realistic ones will all be populated with people doing something relevant to the scene. You should seriously consider making people a part of your model railroad scenery.

People can help make your scene more realistic and interesting if done correctly.  One thing to consider is what your scene is trying to convey.  If it is an industrial building, the people are going to be dressed differently and be doing different things than if those people are waiting at a train station. Another consideration is historical accuracy.  If your scene shows a day at the beach in 1920, you are not going to find a lot of bikini clad bathing beauties if you want your scene to be realistic.  Also think about grouping your people.  A single person may get lost in your scene depending on its size and scale, but a small group will remain noticeable.  If you do use just one figure, place them in a spot that makes sense for just one person, like entering a bathroom, sitting on a park bench, or fishing by a stream.

In addition to the figures, your model railroad supplies will also need to include glue and paint for those figures.  You may need sandpaper to help make the bases flatter since many plastic molds leave the bottoms of the figures feet less than flat.  Glossy paint or flat paint can be used, but I think that flat paint is more realistic.  When was the last time you saw a shiny person walking around!?  Good old Elmers white glue can be used to keep your people in place.  You may need to find a way to support them until the glue sets, but that is usually only an hour or so.

Pay attention as you walk around in your daily life and notice where people congregate and what they do when they are there.  Are all of the people waiting for a bus facing the same direction or are they talking and interacting with each other?  Do they stand close together or far apart?  Are they standing in some sort of pattern or is their position random?  As you take note of these things, transfer those attributes to the people in your scene and you will be surprised at how much more realistic they appear.

The addition of people to your model railroad supplies and to your model train layout can be one of the most fun parts of the hobby.  Looking in your local Hobby Shop or at the swap meet for the perfect person in the perfect pose can become like a treasure hunt.  Finding those personalities that fit, can be very satisfying and will also make people wonder why your layout looks so much more realistic than theirs.  So go forth and multiply!

About the Author

Henry Michael is a model train enthusiast who enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with others to help them get the most out of this exciting hobby.  For more information on  model railroad supplies, visit my website at http://www.modeltrainenthusiast.com/ and learn how easy it is for you to get involved with Model Railroading.  It will help you to avoid mistakes that most beginners make.  If you are more experienced, it will give you a different perspective on things you maybe doing or would like to do.

MTH train layouts

Dixon Ticonderoga 464-88815 888-B Blue Railroad Crayon Chalk $13.08 464-88815 Features: -The smooth marking chalk is ideal for bright temporary marks.-Coated for clean handling.-Dia.: 1 in.-Shape: Round.-Usage: Metal, Wood, Stone.-Price is for 1 Box there are 72EA/BOX. Dimensions: -Length: 4 in….

SceneMaster Grain of Wheat Bulbs $5.09 Package of 2 grain-of-wheat light bulbs….

G-R-S Micro Liting – Ultimate Arc Welder $38.22 Adjustable action and brightness to model the color and sporadic action of an actual arc welder. Great in railroad shops like Allied Rail Rebuilders. Includes full assembled driver, blue- and rose-colored lamps (can be viewed directly or indirectly) and mounting Velcro for driver. 12-20V AC/DC required….

Trainz Simulator 2010, Engineers Edition Deluxe, US Edition $49.46 If you love trains, then Trainz Engineers Edition Deluxe for PC is for you! Starting with the interface which has been thoroughly overhauled to provide a more user-friendly and intuitive interface. Along with the usability improvements, content creators can also create their own menu items for their routes and sessions. Along with speed improvements to get you moving faster than ever, a large vari…

Trainz Simulator MAC $43.31 Trainz Simulator Mac includes everything you need to build and operate your own dream railroad. You can build a fun layout in minutes faithfully recreate a steam railroad from days gone by or develop a fully fledged 100+ mile prototypical route; the choice is yours. Drive… Steam Diesel or Electric trains (and even trams boats and cars) Operate… a plete working rail line with interactive indust…

Train Engineer Deluxe Control weather, time of day, terrain andmore. Use the schedule clipboard to plan pickups and deliveries. Race to deliver cargoes to their destination on time. Plan carefully to avoid collisions. A must have for any train hobbyist or enthusiast! By Abracadata…

Great Lionel Layouts, Parts 1 & 2 $9.48 Great Lionel Layouts, Parts 1 First stop is the layout and collection of Fritz Von Tagen. His collection features just about every known variation of the Lionel Hudson (and one that isn’t known) plus a number of prototypes. The train action features rare Hudsons (including three passenger sets at one time!), the UP M10,000, Williams Southern Pacific steamer, Lionel Halloween Set, a Standard Gau…

Building An O Gauge Layout – Beginner & Advanced $14.95 Building an O Gauge Layout – Beginner & Advanced You’ve got your train set. Why not build a permanent layout? It’s fun, creative, and you learn the basics of carpentry, electricity, and making scenery. And you can get your entire family involved. There’s something to do for everyone. Lionel’s® FasTrack® has emerged as the track of choice among a new generation of layout builders. FasTr…

Celebrity Train Layouts, Part 2 – Tom Snyder $2.00 Tom Snyder has the only multi-level, scale-detailed Standard gauge layout we have ever seen, and it’s gorgeous. Never before have classics like the 400E, Olympian, National Limited, and the Hiawatha pranced about in such realistic scenery – mountains, groundcover, tunnels and trees. Accessories include the Power Station, Hellgate Bridge, Terrace Station, and many more – even two loops for the Lion…

LABEL 0.75 X 2.5 450 ROLL LABEL 0.75 X 2.5 450 ROLL…