Hiding a Hole in Your Model Railroad Backdrop

Oftentimes, holes and gaps in a model railroad backdrop are essential in order to have a train end up somewhere else in the scene. These holes in a structure help give it more depth and add to the aesthetic appeal and realistic nature of your model. However, when left exposed they can have the opposite effect, taking your viewer out of the scene and causing them to look for other imperfections. To avoid this happening, all you have to do is find creative ways to hide any holes in your model railroad backdrop.

In this video, expert modeler Tom Lund introduces some of his favorite methods for covering those unsightly holes in your model railroad backdrop. He briefly explains why holes and gaps are a blemish to your scene, and then walks you through his thought process for quickly and effectively hiding these unwanted eyesores.

Hiding holes in a model railroad backdrop

Have you ever run into a situation when building a railroad scene where you needed to create a hole in your model railroad backdrop? Maybe you’re changing the level of your track from high to low, or you need to exit the scene in order to span a great distance and have the train reappear on the far side of the setup. Whatever the purpose for creating a hole in your model railroad backdrop, it’s important for the aesthetic of your scene that you find a good method for covering the hole back up after the fact.

According to Tom, the right solution can be as simple as using a tunnel entrance to give the illusion of disappearing into a mountain or hillside. If this option isn’t viable for your model railroad backdrop, there’s no need to panic. Tom has a few simple fixes you might implement on your unique setup to seal up those little gaps. See how he uses clever placement of a landmark to give his blue sky model railroad backdrop the patch job it needs to look completed, and discover the expert insight you need to hide the holes in your own model setup.