I am looking to get a scenery book to help me with my layout. what is your favorite scenery book of all or one that you think covers ground work, grasses, trees etc. ?
Thanks
Corey
Check out MR author, Dave Frary, at his MR Scenery website.
The Pennsy Middle Division in HO Scale (hardcopy) is out of print, but covers building a layout from start to finish. The PDF-download is only $5.95.
Also, review the library of PDF-downloads at Kalmbach’s Information Station, and; the Model Railroader Magazine Special Issues.
well if you’re thinking of foamboard or equivalent,I’m a big fan of Pele soeberg and "essential model railroad scenery techniques"by kalmbauc, this is the best for me ,a beginner. He takes you thru 4 scenes complete step by step 1 rural grain,1desert,1mountian,and 1 city/town resadential…his work is top notch and he makes it quite easy looking
Ive got at least 6-8 scenery books this one is my goto book…Jerry
I’ll 2nd Dave Frary’s materials and methods, they are excellent. I happen to like his scenery book How to Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery, Third Edition (Model Railroader Books) which can be found discounted on Amazon.
Thanks guys, good info, i appreciate it!
Corey
Personally I use a mix and mash of whatever chacthes my eye. But i do suggest Dave Frary’s book, even if you don’t use a single tip Its just fun to look at the photos. Pelle Soborg’s book is also good one, but most of my basic scenary was learned from a free DVD from The World’s Greatest Hobby organization. Yuo will find it under free online video on this link http://www.greatesthobby.com/ . There are two parts to the scenary section and it takes about 20 minutes to watch. then as you read more and more add more advanced techniques to your skills. Good Luck.
The Lou Sassi book is what got me started. What I did was to go to my LHS and look through his books until I found one that seemed right to me. The others mentioned are sure good. The best one may be the one you can open up in the train room and look at as you go.
Some of deciding which is best, depends n what you want to do. Also depends on your skills and materials available at reasonable prices to you.
The idea of looking at several books is good. If your local library has a collection, take a look at what they have. If you can get to a train show there are often used copies available. Old copies of model rr magazines also have articles on scenery that may be a little different than something in a strict scenery book.
You can’t really say there is a right or wrong way to do something. You are after an end product that looks good to you. I know I have a number of scenery books, each a little different, allowing me to choose the best method for the occasion. You will find that often one method fits a certain situation better than another that might have been best for another.
I have Dave Frary’s video on scenery, which I find helpful, being able to watch as he works. It is on DVD available from Micro-Mark.
Have fun,
Richard
Thanks Art and Richard, not looking for the best just a good all around one but i think i will look them over at the library and see if one or two i might want to buy. Thanks for the feed back guys.
Corey
My three favorites in my little collection are ‘Model Railroad Scenery and Detailing’ by Albert Sorenson, ‘303 Tips for Detailing Model Railroad Scenery and Structures’ by Dave Frary and Bob Hayden and ‘The HO Model Railroad Handbook, 3rd Edition’ by Robert Schleicher. These are old hat to most modelers my age but the techniques discussed in them are still very much in use today and still form much of the backbone of scenery and detail work.
Thanks Jeffrey, I am doing the download of the 303 tips one for the 5.95.
Corey
I thought Linn Westcott’s scenery book back in 1960 something was glorious, glorious, glorious.
But I stopped up the drain at my friend’s house where I was building a layout. Old plastic techniques. More modern water soluble methods and foam scenery are more forgiving and lighter.
But oh that Westcott book was an inspiration!!!
How To Build Realistic Model Railroad Scenery, 3rd Edition, Softcover… very good book.
Your LHS should have a bookshelf full of books at the ready. Don’t stop at just one either. Not every book covers every single detail or technique. You’ll want a wide range of ideas and methods to construct scenery. Heck, I’ve got books still that I purchased in the very early '70s that contain relevent information today.
Knowledge is power, you get it from books, not from Google.
-Paul
The books mentioned are all good but I like video! The scenery set from Model-Trains-Video.com is my favorite. Free shipping right now and videos are available for download for as little as $2!