How to Build an Abandoned Freight Train Station

Hello. This is how to build an Abandon Freight Train Station in HO scale. This diorama took me a total of 5 days to complete.

The supplies you will need are as follows.

*Styrofoam sheet 1"thick and 11.9" X 27.9"

*120lbs heavy cardstock (In my case I used the back of a notebook)

*Tite bond 3 wood glue

*Pastel set

*Plaster of Paris

*Pencil shavings

*Extra Styrofoam piece

*Foam core sheet

*Finely sifted dirt

*Sand

*White craft glue

*Hobby cutters

*Pencil

*Model Master train color paint set

*Mod Podge Dimension magic

*x-acto knife

*Bright green acrylic paint

*Sap green acrylic paint

*White acrylic paint

*Black acrylic paint

*Raw umber acrylic paint

*Burnt umber acrylic paint

*Burnt Senia acrylic paint

*Dark brown acrylic paint

*HO scale track of your choice (I used 3 straits, 1 curved, and 1 switch)

*Woodland scenics course light grey ballast

* Woodland scenics fine medium cinders ballast

*Drafting triangle

*Clump foliage

*Fine ground turf blend (I got mine from Hobby Lobby)

*Dark brown wood stain (I used Hunterline stain)

*Cordovan brown wood stain (Hunterline stain)

*Small scale balsa wood strips (I got from Hobby Lobby)

*Hot glue sticks

*Hot glue gun

* Wood burning tool with knife blade attachment

*Various paint brushes

*Isopropyl alcohol

*Wire brush

*Scalloped Craft edge scissors

*Scenic glue (made from white craft glue, water and splash of Isopropyl alcohol)

*Pipette

*Sage brush (or something similar to use as trees)

Using the foam core board and the track trace out a base that the track will sit on with an additional 1/2cm on each side. Cut out using x-acto blade. Using the x-acto blade cut the 1/2cm on each side at an angle. Using wood glue, attach the cut-out track bases to the Styrofoam board in the wanted orientation.

Cut out the extra piece of foam into a block shape of your wanted rock shape. Use the wood burning tool with the blade attachment to cut out a rough shape form your rock. After that use the side of the blade to add texture to the rock. Use wood glue to attach the rock to the Styrofoam base. Next plot out where your pond will be. Use the x-acto knife to remove about a 1/2cm of foam to create the base for your pond. Mix your plaster according to the directions (mine was 2 parts plaster to 1 part plaster). Pour and spread the plaster on your Styrofoam base covering everything but the track base.

After letting your plaster dry use, the dark brown acrylic paint to make a base coat on the plaster. Paint the pond by using the Burnt and Raw Umber acrylic paint to add depth. For the rock start with a base coat of black acrylic paint. Then mix the white and black acrylic paint to create a dark grey paint. Dry brush the rock with dark gray. To Dry brush put some paint on a brush and wipe must of it off on a paper towel until there is not mush paint left on the brush, then brush the rock to add highlights. Dry brush the rock with a light gray and then a white. Using a brush paint spread glue onto everywhere but the rock, track base, pond, and where you want your station to go. Sprinkle the dirt onto the glue. after covering everything go back with a brush and put glue on top of the dirt. Let dry.

To build the station start by measuring out foam core board to make 2 rectangles that are 9 1/2" X 2 1/2". Use the heavy cardstock to create the sides of the platform, cut out 2 9 1/2" X 2cm rectangles. Cut out 2 2 1/2" X 2cm rectangles. Use the x-acto knife to cut 4 small scrap pieces for support. Hot glue 2 of the scrap pieces on top of each other, to make 2 supports. Use the hot glue gun to attach the supports to the 9 1/2" X 2 1/2" rectangle. Glue the other 9 1/2" X 2 1/2" rectangle on the supports. Next Glue the heavy cardstock to the sides of the foam. Hot glue a boarder of balsa wood around the top of the platform. Sand top of your platform for better paint adhesion. Use the Model Masters aged concreate paint and paint the entire platform. Make a wash using water and black, dark brown, and burnt Seina acrylic paints. Brush the wash over the platform. Take a bit of the wash and add a touch more, dark brown acrylic. Then using a small, bristled brush create oil stains on the platform (add some oil spills running down the side of the platform for more visual interest).

Using the x-acto knife cut out the foam core board to make 2 2" X 2 1/2" squares. Cut out 8 small strips of foam core board to 1cm X 2". Cut the heavy cardstock into 2 2" X 2" squares. Cut the cardstock into 2 2" X 2 1/2" squares. Hot glue 2 of the 1cm X 2" strips together to make a support (repeat 3 more times). Hot glue the supports to one of the 2" X 2 1/2" squares, making sure that the support hangs out about the thickness of the foam core board (if the foam support is too small for the heavy cardstock sides.) Hot glue the cardstock to the sides of the foam supports, making sure the 2 1/2" square goes on the foam support side that is 2 1/2". Out of cardstock cut the pieces for the roof. Cut out the card stock into 4 rectangles that are 10mm X 23mm. Glue 2 of the rectangles on top of each other (repeat for the other 2 rectangles). Using the x-acto knife add door details. Glue both doors to cardstock sides that are 2" X 2 1/2" (one door on each side). Using a wire brush create wood grain in the strip wood by pulling the brush over the top of the balsa strip wood. Using wood glue, glue the wood to the side of heavy cardstock. Using the balsa wood strips outline the door frame and trim of the building.

Create a wash with water and white acrylic paint. Using a brush spread the wash over everything but the doors and trim in (3 coats). Paint the trim and door frames with dark brown acrylic. Dry brush a light brown over the top of the trim and door frames. One the sides of the building stain the wood using the dark brown wood stain. Using the dry brush method add white paint chipping on the building sides. To make the roof glue the roof pieces together. Using craft edge scissors make shingles. Using clippers cut the shingles to separate them; BUT keep them together in a strip. Using wood glue to glue the strips on the roof, trim any excess. Dry brush with a light brown to bring detail to the roof.

Glue the roof on to the station building. Create a clock from cardstock and paint white. Add the clock details and brush with wash made with water, Black, Dark brown, and burnt Seine acrylic paints. Glue on to the station building. Hot glue the station building in the middle of the concreate platform. Make old newspapers from white sheet paper. Add details and cover with the wash used on the clock. Glue the newspapers onto the platform with white craft glue.

Hot glue the station to the Styrofoam board 1/2cm away from where your track will be. Using a brush apply white craft glue where your road will be, add sand on top of the glue. Use pipette to drip the Scenic glue on the sand. Let this dry. Using wood glue and thumb tacks, glue the track to the track base. Let that dry. After drying remove thumb tacks. Paint the rail ties using Model Masters old rail tie brown. Paint the sides of the rail with burnt Sienna.

Take 2 pinches of the pencil shavings and add the sap green acrylic paint to them. Mix and let dry. Hot glue a small rock in the pond. Place a bead of hot glue around the rock and sprinkle the pencil shavings on the glue. To make the water, pour in the mod podge dimension magic into the created hole. Add brown, blue and green pastels to add speckles in the water. Next add a drop of green, blue and brown acrylic paints to the pond and mix. Sprinkle the painted pencil shavings in the water to act as pond scum. Let dry.

Start by using a brush to apply white craft glue to the dirt. Shake the blended turf mix over the applied glue. Using the pipette drip the scenic glue over the turf. Let all of this dry.

Mix together the course light gray ballast and the medium cinders ballast (till you get your desired mix). Using a kitchen spoon, spoon the ballast over the track, clear the tops of the ties using your finger. Apply more ballast on the sides of the track. Using a foam brush move the ballast off the ties. Using the foam brush at an angle push the ballast to the sides of the track. Next, with the pipette apply the scenic glue over all of the ballast. and let it dry.

Using the sage brush, Select the wanted size of tree. Next using hot glue attach some of the clump foliage to the tree. Apply the scenic glue over the top of the clump foliage. Sprinkle the blended turf mix over the top of the glue. Let the trees dry. Using the x-acto knife drill a hole where you want your trees to go. Fill the holes with hot glue and press the trees into place. Hot glue bits of the clump foliage to the Styrofoam base to create bushes.

You have completed building this diorama of an abandoned freight train station. If you want a more finished look

paint the sides of the Styrofoam base with the black acrylic paint.