50 Ways to a Better-Looking Layout (Modeling & Painting)

A good book for information about detailing ideas that will turn your layout from modest completion to a more sophisticated level of detail. No it is not about how to super detail a particular structure, piece of rolling stock or specific scene overall, more like a collection of ideas that you will be able to expand on and delve further when and if the inclination takes you.The topics cover structures, streets, vehicles and people, track side and rolling stock.No one idea is overly complex. but it is a good start in getting you thinking about how to achieve a level of completion on you layout that goes "beyond the box" of a kit. For example, finishing the roof of structures with tar paper and vents, interior details and shadow box to open up doors to add interest to a scene.None of the techniques are difficult to complete but they do lack some additional guidance on how best to achieve the results. especially when discussing weathering of rolling stick, you may want to consider some additional books (weathering freight cars/locomotives, scenery, etc) to complement the ideas contained within this book.Some cool ideas like the cat-tails and sign-age are covered nicely. If you have run out of ideas on how to complete a scene and or improve its overall appearance, this book is a handy reference and kick starter.

This volume is typical of a number of Kalmbach model railroad books, well written and effectively illustrated. In this case the central topic is a number of relatively easy projects to improve the visual appeal of your model railroad. Some of these are basic and some are a bit more obscure. Some are new some are "classics", but the overall idea is to make your model train look more finished, more dtailed and more appealing to the eye. A lot of these can be accomplished in a weekend. For the price this book can inspire a lot of fun projects for the novice or for the experienced model builder.

I like this book because it shows what can be done with a little imagination. Some of the projects are only sutable for HO Scale. However with a little initative some similar things can be done in other scales as well. The book is intended for modelers who are at the 'detailing' stage of building a model train layout, however there is nothing to say that 'armchair' modelers won't enjoy this book equally as well.

This is a very good resource for any model railroader looking to improve a layout. The paperback book is printed on quality glossy paper with excellent color photos. The ideas are grouped in five categories; Buildings, Streets Vehicles and People, Trackside, Scenery, and Locomotives and Freight cars. The projects are relatively small scale jobs that can be completed without a lot of special tools. I recommend this book to any modeler who wants to increase the realism of a layout by adding details.

This covers it all. It focuses on HO scale but most of the projects will translate to other scales as well. The articles are short and well written. This practical book will help improve anyone's layout. My favorite articles concern weathering and detailing freight cars.

Good information in one place. These articles have appeared in Model Railroader magazine over time but it is nice to have this collection.

provides a very good set of explanations for a person who is building or wants to build a model railroad

I very much enjoy these updated and reprinted articles in one volume. I really DO'NT go back to those piles of stored magazines - this series gives great info, tips and photos within a theme. Recommended.

What I like about this book is the "drop in" nature of it. You've got fifty chapters (about two pages each) on a wide variety of subjects--all of which will improve your model railroad and trains. They are simple ideas that you can use to add a little focus to different areas on your layout. It might be a bit of detail behind a building window, it might be turning wheels on a car, it might be useful pavement markers.There are a lot of good ideas that could help anyone.

It is a "how to" but also "what to do" your layout look more realistic. The step from the "toy-like" aspect to "close-to-reality". Few of the 50 ideas (each exposed on 1 or 2 pages) apply only to model trains, most are suitable to any kind of modeling. Ideas are simple, involving average skills and do not take a lot of time to do. If you are an experienced modeller you will still find some new ideas, but even for the obvious ones it is worth to remind them, more like a check-list. I do recommend this on your bookshelf.

Lots of good info and helpful tips