Best pre-made trees

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

I’ve made plenty of super and sage trees for my layout, but I want a few very high quality “show” trees for the foreground. I’m curious what people feel are the best looking/quality pre-made trees that can be purchased? I have found a number of websites, but many of them lack high quality pictures to help decide. In particular, I’ve found Grand Central Gems, Minature Tree, Timberline Scenery, and Canyon Creek Scenics. CCS definately seems like the highest quality trees, but they are also the most expensive. What are your thoughts/opinions about this?

Thanks.

-Tom

2

If you truly want the best, go with the Canyon Creek Scenics. Their background trees (cheaper than the foreground trees) are, in my opinion, nice enough to place right up front on your layout. If you purchase one of the 5 packs, you’ll save a little money over individual prices.

Don Z.

3

Yep! Some of the finest made. Don’t get sticker shock. Best=$$$!
http://www.canyoncreekscenics.com/

I just saw some of Bachmanns Scene Scape trees at a show. I thought their pines looked really good for the money.
http://www.hobbylinc.com/prods/upj_bac.htm

4

In this photo, there are both Canyon Creek Scenics and Bachmann Scene Scape conifer trees:

I used hairspray and ground foam to improve the look of the Bachmann trees.

Don Z.

5

I can’t speak on any of the others but I have quite a few Grand Central Gems on my layout and they look GREAT!

6

I don’t know how to define best, so I’ll just share a story.

The person who did the most dramatic scenery on our club layout eventually went full time into the scenery business. He became Timberline Scenery Co. Despite 18 years of pretty hard wear, dust, and fading, people who come to visit still go ga-ga over this section of the layout.

I would also think that it would depend on what type of tree someone is talking about. In my opinion conifer trees are a whole lot easier to make good looking than the deciduous are.

7

Absolutely! The Bach deciduous trees look really cheap and crappy compared to their conifers.

8

Thanks for the replies everyone. Alternative viewpoints are always appreciated. Perhaps a sampling of all is in order [:D]

-Tom

9

Those Grand Central trees look awesome–I’ll have to check them out. And what I’ve seen of the Bachmann conifers look pretty darned good, too.

Generally, I hand-make my evergreens, but I just bought some packs of ready-made conifers from Timberline Scenery, and they look pretty darned good. I don’t think I’ll be embarrassing myself to use them as foreground trees. I think I’ll also check out the Bachmann and maybe a few Grand Central. I still need a LOT of mountain forest! [:P]

Tom

10

Just stay clear of the Bachmann deciduous trees. My son wanted some Scenescapes for his layout and I couldn’t talk him out of them By the time I got done doctoring them with paint, poly fiber and ground foam to look even halfway realistic, it would have been far easier (and better looking) to make it myself out of sedum, poly fiber, and foam.