Scrounger's Scenery & Structures Corner

I, and I'm sure many others here have dozens of "scrounged" items repurposed for the model train realm. I wonder if a repository thread could be started for folks to list their repurposed items? I have posted photos over the years of many I have used.

I use the icing container from Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls and the containers from Crystal Light drink packets for a variety of things including creating screens for motors in diesel engines without cab interiors.  I've printed out pictures of engineers that I paste onto the screens cut out of these.

I've even used the smaller one to make my Union Terminal Information Booth modeled after the one in GCT.

Not sure if it's scrounging or a tip, but to make the inside of your tunnels look realistic, cut a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil (not the flimsy standard kind) to just slightly larger (1/8") than the inside height and length of each side of your tunnel walls.

Crumple up each sheet and then uncrumple, leaving each sheet relatively flat. Spray paint each sheet lightly with flat black paint so that a little of the silver shows through. Glue each sheet to the inside of the tunnel walls and trim, as necessary.

When a train goes through, the headlight and other lamps shine on the tunnel walls and the crumbling effect creates all kinds of angles that makes the walls look like cut rock faces with some metallic impurities shining through.     

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Here is my ceramic double track tunnel portal after some touch up painting and adding some lichen, which I did this evening:

I think it's better, but looks a little contrived. It looks like I added the lichen to hide the seams, which is, indeed, the case. I will let it rest and revisit it in a day or two.

For my next project, I have another pair of ceramic single track portals. They will be used to replace the plastic red brick portal shown in the photo below:

  Looking at the lichen Arnold , I would probably start from the greenery on the hill and work to a larger pattern at the tunnel.   Then maybe a few more hanging greenery pieces on the face of the portal. 🤔

It's always fun to work on things like this.    A little at a time to see what is taking shape..    I worked like that when I had a lot of  landscaping to do in the yard. 

Have fun

The oldest trick in the book:

Take some leftover ceiling tiles and break them into pieces by hand. Glue them together lining up the broken edges. Instant rock strata:

Another Arnold classic thread!  Thank you!

It’s been a while since my last post…April of this year…but hey, it’s time to get back to the layout.

Lots of great ideas presented.

Here is a pavilion that I crafted from a bird feeder and left over doll house parts.  The musicians on the layout needed a place to jam.

Fendermain

@Avanti posted:

The oldest trick in the book:

Take some leftover ceiling tiles and break them into pieces by hand. Glue them together lining up the broken edges. Instant rock strata:

Great looking rock strata.         Great weight savings over some of the conventional methods.     Great savings in time .       Great savings cost wise using the ceiling tiles  (  as long as the little lady doesn't spot the missing ones from the ceiling 🤣😃😅😄😂  )             

Great idea Pete. 👍

@Avanti posted:

Awhile ago, I built a little diesel engine shed entirely out of stuff from my junk box. The victorian window muntins were tricky:

Really nice Pete.

Even though the inside isn't paid much attention to on regular running of the trains , this interior is too beautiful to miss.     Maybe an enlarged poster photo of the interior hanging near the layout would be great. 🤔

These trees were made from sedum plants harvested from my home,  dried 6 months over the winter and spring. Then I spray painted them black.  I hit them with cheap hair spray then sprinkled crushed leaves I gathered and dried.

Wow Bill ..

After spending time seeing the woodlands around here near central Pa. , I have to admire your  representation of this scene.                                                                               I never thought of using sedum for the trees.  I've tried some dried wild flowers that were given to me in a commercial kit, but they always seemed too fragile and would fall apart.

Nice job Bill. 👍

Thank you.  How about some scrap metal gondola loads.  Regular aluminum foil balled up then formed into a cube with a hammer.

Painted some with black and rust colored acrylics.

@third rail posted:

Thank you.  How about some scrap metal gondola loads.  Regular aluminum foil balled up then formed into a cube with a hammer.

Painted some with black and rust colored acrylics.

Another good look Bill. 🤓

Never saw this done before.    It certainly doesn't have the appearance of my OEM scrap loads .  You definitely are having fun with your creative approach to the scenery and accessories.     Nice 👍

@third rail posted:

Thank you.  How about some scrap metal gondola loads.  Regular aluminum foil balled up then formed into a cube with a hammer.

Excellent idea , I'm stealing this !

Painted some with black and rust colored acrylics.

@Dallas Joseph posted:

Another good look Bill. 🤓

Never saw this done before.    It certainly doesn't have the appearance of my OEM scrap loads .  You definitely are having fun with your creative approach to the scenery and accessories.     Nice 👍

Thank you.

I think I found the ultimate scroungers product.  I'm building a steel mill layout so I need a number of different scrap loads for the furnaces and gondolas.  After finishing a box of shredded wheat,  there's plenty of crumbs left.  If you looked hard at the texture,  it kind of resembles shredded scrap metal.  I'm away from home right now but when I return,  I'm going to try making a scrap load by gluing it to some foam then spray painting it silver.

@third rail posted:

Thank you.

I think I found the ultimate scroungers product.  I'm building a steel mill layout so I need a number of different scrap loads for the furnaces and gondolas.  After finishing a box of shredded wheat,  there's plenty of crumbs left.  If you looked hard at the texture,  it kind of resembles shredded scrap metal.  I'm away from home right now but when I return,  I'm going to try making a scrap load by gluing it to some foam then spray painting it silver.

OH  BOY , .........now I'm going to have to go buying cereal again Bill !!!  😁

@Dallas Joseph posted:

OH  BOY , .........now I'm going to have to go buying cereal again Bill !!!  😁

Good for the heart,  good for the layout.

Power tools indeed do need 100% of the user’s attention. Always wear eye protection when grinding, or sawing or hammering any metal or wood. That goes especially for anyone who does their own gardening. Easy way to sustain an eye injury is to use a weed whacker without protective eyewear. Have seen this over and over. Never managed any model train related injuries, though!

@third rail posted:

Thank you.

I think I found the ultimate scroungers product.  I'm building a steel mill layout so I need a number of different scrap loads for the furnaces and gondolas.  After finishing a box of shredded wheat,  there's plenty of crumbs left.  If you looked hard at the texture,  it kind of resembles shredded scrap metal.  I'm away from home right now but when I return,  I'm going to try making a scrap load by gluing it to some foam then spray painting it silver.

DO NOT DO THIS!!!

I few years back to took some uncooked rice, painted it yellow and made a corn crib for my farm.  It looked awesome until the mice invaded.  They ate the painted rice.  Never found any dead mice from paint poisoning either. They are probably mutant mice living in the sewer now ready to attack.

See my post on this thread about half way down.  All of the rice is gone.

O Scale Chickens? | O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum (ogaugerr.com)

No food products on the layout.

Have Fun!

Ron

@third rail posted:

Good for the heart,  good for the layout.

I'm assuminng you aren't referring to SUGAR  FROSTED varieties  Bill  !?!

Great advice Ron.

Ordinary mice will eat through a plastic bucket to get to grain inside. 

And, once you get mice in your house, they are there virtually forever.  You will never be able to trap or capture them all.

They love attics and they love basements.  And, they love to create little cities underneath your tub, in the hollow space between the tub and subfloor, because it is warm there.

Mannyrock