Model Trains
Actual trains never really exist in isolation, they are part of a city or country infrastructure. Models trains layouts reflect this. Hobbyists spend considerable time building realistic layouts for they trains. This is a major aspect of the hobby.
Model Train layouts are not difficult; the basic woodwork and electronics is often reasonably simple on most home designs. But the layouts have no end of details. A model train layout is a large accumulation of small details – tiny trees, buildings, figures and other aspects of the physical world.
This accumulation of small details is a mixed blessing. On one hand we can just add a few details at a time, as the budget allows. On the other hand it takes years to build up all the details we might what for a realistic layout.
If we want to finish out layout in minimal time either we need an inexpensive way to produce all the tiny details like buildings and vehicles, or we need to be satisfied with a train that only moves through a desert scenario.
3D Printing and Decals
We can save money by building scale models and buildings ourselves, but this is time consuming. We might think that it is better to just earn more money with a second job rather than spend so much time on scale model building. But if we can find a quick and useful way to build small models then we can actually come out ahead. And we gain a lot of satisfaction through building and designing our own models, which is really the whole point with hobbies like model railroads.
3D printing on a computer can produce almost anything we want. So it is ideal for scale model work. If we can produce a 3D design on a computer then we can print anything we want.
But tiny models also require tiny details. This is hard to produce with paint, but quite easy to produce with decals. Like 3D models a decal is easy to produce on a computer and printer. In fact with inkjet decal paper it is very easy to produce tiny signs and emblems, no harder than printing on paper. If you can scan a design into the computer or create a design on a graphics program then you can print this for use on scale models.
Model Trains
Use inkjet decal paper to create the tiny printed decals for model train and scale models, and add the extra touch or realism for you train layout.
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