I hear so many people complaining that model railroading is expensive and it doesn't need to be.
Most of the time these model train beginners are walking into their local hobby shop and paying the full retail price for everything they "think" they need.
Watch any expert model railroader and you will notice that they never throw anything away.
They have jars, boxes and containers full of bits and pieces that will be used one day on their model railroad.
They have a wide range of tools that are used to create different aspects of their model railroad scenery.
An example is having a metal comb to create wood grain effects.
By running the comb across wood or a softer plastic in the direction that the wood grain would follow in its real life environment, can be very effective.
Ground cover can be created with sawdust or tea leaves and colored with a fabric dye from your local supermarket.
You mix up the dye in a plastic container and then add the sawdust to the dye.
You can dry it out in the sun or in a oven on low heat.
Making your own ground cover looks much more realistic and will save you money.
The mass produced ground covers in the hobby shop are for the lazy beginners.
Make your own and enjoy telling your friends and family how you made it all yourself.
Match sticks are great to make sign posts and bamboo skewers make great telegraph poles.
Use black thread or cotton for the telegraph lines.
Model railroading is so much fun and is only as expensive as you want it to be.
I have many other tips I'll share with you in my next articles.