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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: Can you use real wood (branches, twigs, etc.) and dirt for scenery? If so, what do you have to do to prepare it so it will last? Are there any downsides to using natural scenery?
Figure 1: Nick Biangel used natural twigs and ground cover materials to create this scenery on his friend Jerry Diaz’s layout in Hialeah, FL. filings that can be attracted to the magnets in a locomotive motor. Also note that if you use dirt with a high concentration of clay, it can crack as the glue dries.
A: Yes, natural materials can be used on a layout as scenic materials, with some caveats.
Another natural material trick is to grind up dead, dry leaves for use as forest floor deadfall. Be careful, however, to make sure such materials are completely dry.
Twigs and branches can make realistic tree trunks and dead logs. Dirt can be used for ground cover. It is a good idea, however, to briefly microwave any natural materials to eliminate any “little critters” living in them.
Damp materials can encourage unhealthy mold and mildew growth, and can attract things like small bugs and spiders. Some natural greenery such as lichen can be treated with glycerin to preserve it (more on this later).
You should also run a magnet through any dirt to make sure it has no iron
You can also use real rock and sand for talus. See MRH Jan 2011 article, Fun
Page 16 • Issue 11-11• Nov 2011
MRH Questions, Answers, and Tips, page 1
with Talus - model-railroad-hobbyist. com/magazine/mrh-2011-01-Jan/ fun_with_talus.
To keep natural materials such as lichens soft and fresh looking, you can apply a glycerin solution.
To eliminate any “little critters” living in the natural materials, heat them in a microwave. Place the items on a paper towel, and put another paper towel over them to keep any boiling moisture bubbles from splattering the inside of the microwave.
Mix 4 ounces of Glycerin with 8 ounces of 70% Isopropyl alcohol then pour the mix into 1 quart of boiling water and stir. Allow to cool then pour into a gallon bottle.
Microwave them for 30 seconds; allow everything to cool for a minute. Put the items on a fresh paper towel, and also put a fresh paper towel over them and microwave them another 30 seconds. This is long enough to take care of any “critters” in the natural materials, yet is short enough to not do damage to most natural materials.
Place 6 ounces of the mix into a plant misting sprayer. Spray the natural materials periodically (once a year) to keep them soft and fresh looking. Alcohol will make the water/glycerin mixture flow better but will not speed up the evaporation of water. The stored mix will last about 6 months on the shelf – shake before each use.
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