Creating Figures on Ron’s Five Model Railroads

In this video, Ron Kuykendall speaks on the figures and vehicles in the scenes of his FIVE model railroads with Allen Keller. Ron enjoys placing figures in scenes that are common and basic to life. One such scene is a small cabinet shop he created. By removing the roof of the structure, the scene is revealed underneath. The shop has many machines and the scene gives modelers like Ron the chance to show off his skills in areas such as weathering, debris, wall equipment and more.

Another scene depicts a group of kids flying kites with a father calling out to them to no avail. A pair of dogs play and the wife hangs laundry in the back of the house. The houses in the scene are modified and kit bashed. Next is a scene showing the mix of inner city traffic typical in a small or medium sized town. A profusion of traffic or vehicles creates a nice effect.

The finishes on most of Ron’s vehicles are glossy to appear more realistic. He paints his own vehicles with spray paint and hand brushing, using tiny bottles of hobby paints. Contrasts with flat paints are added to the cars such as the inside of radiators. Ron even goes as far as giving them all a license plate. 12 by 6 inches is a scale plate and he carries this to the layout with surprisingly effective results. As always, browse around the website for more tips on creating realistic scenery or adding structures to your layout.