Woodland Scenics


R

Rain87

New Member
So I am doing some research on building a layout and came across Woodland Scenics. Does anyone use there products? Do you like them? Are they worth the cost? Also what do you think of the Mod-U-Rail system they have? I know that's a lot of questions but I would appreciate any feedback or experience with them you can share.
 
Does anyone use there products?
I've used several of their products. Mainly ballast and foam roadbed, but also ground covers and trees and some of their pre-made plaster tunnel entrances. They are one of the leaders in model railroad scenery and their products are sold at many local hobby shops.

Do you like them?
For the most part I like the results I get using what they offer.

Are they worth the cost?
Sometimes, it depends on the product as there are sometimes cheaper alternatives that give the same or even better results.

Also what do you think of the Mod-U-Rail system they have?
It looks nice, but not sure it's worth the cost. Don't have any experience with it.

I'd suggest asking about the different products that you are interested in and explaining what you plan to do with them. I'm sure you'll get some more detailed feedback and maybe even better suggestions.
 
I've been using Woodland Scenic products for a long time, almost everything they sell. A few years ago I tried their rock molds and got good results so now I have 4 different types. I also use ground cover and trees from Scenic Express and I'm happy with their items also. Like Brian points out there are more universal products that are cheaper than either WS or SE, namely glues like Elmers that are just as good for sticking down ground cover as what the hobby manufacturers offer and if you run out some late evening you can pick it up at the local supermarket or all night big chain drug store.
 
Thank you Brain and Mike for your feedback and Brian your right, I probably would get better feedback if I were to ask about specific products. I'm not even close to beginning to put my layout together (I graduate from college in May) just trying to get an idea of where I want to focus my research. I kinda had the idea that some of their stuff is great but there may be better ways with other things. I just wanted to hear from those of you who have used it thanks! Once I have more specific questions I will ask don't worry!
 
I use a lot of Woodland Scenic stuff. In many cases I'm outraged over little annoying things, like... it shouldn't cost $5 for a little packet of field grass.
Aside from that, I like almost all their stuff.
I didn't have good results with the Road kit, where you paint the road an asphalt color, then scratch the dashes in the road. Not happy with that.

EZ-Water... I highly recommend staying away from that, unless you want to model a scummy pond (add RIT blue clothing die to it to make a scum pond). And I'd recommend having windows open, and a couple of candles lit to burn off toxic fumes. One of my cats got VERY sick from the fumes.:mad:

The subroadbed system is great. I love that.
Lightweight hydrocal, rock casting molds, all that... great. i'm very happy with.
 
I am not a big consumer of Woodland Scenic because of the fact alot of thier products are super expensive compared to home-made or other manufacturer options.
 
And, um, Brian, judging by your photo album you are not a major purchaser of railroad scenery products.
 
John P said:
And, um, Brian, judging by your photo album you are not a major purchaser of railroad scenery products.
Click to expand...

Those photos are over a year old, I have done some more work since then. Haha, but you are correct, I dont have much scenery going on. :D However, I have bought some scenery product in preparation for working on my layout and when i go into the store I try to go "cheap" since I am on a tight budget, and Woodland scenics isnt exactly "cheap"
 
Rain87 said:
So I am doing some research on building a layout and came across Woodland Scenics. Does anyone use there products? Do you like them? Are they worth the cost? Also what do you think of the Mod-U-Rail system they have? I know that's a lot of questions but I would appreciate any feedback or experience with them you can share.
Click to expand...



To Rain and other forum members,

I've been in this hobby a long time and started, 'Foothill Station Model Railroad Supplies' business a while back and have the full line of Woodland Scenics products available that I can offer you guys & gals at some really good discounts on any of their products, as well as those from other suppliers too!

The difficulty right now is in my determining the most economical way to allow you to buy through me so that I can offer the best prices to you. Possibly a direct connection/payment from your bank to mine would be the most cost effect for all concerned and I would ensure the product would be shipped to you plus you would have a positive record through your bank of the transaction. No middle man such as the credit card Co. just a secure direct payment process with our email communication of product wanted and shipping confirmation, What do you guys think? I need to bring in some extra money and would really like to help you guy/gals out if you live in the contenental U.S. and I might possibly be able to ship to Nova Soctia too?



Using their products?
I have used many of their products, such as their ground foam for both ground cover as well as making trees and adding highlights here and their, etc. Also I've used their ballast too which works very well.
Their rock castintg supplies are also very good but I can also show who to make your own rubber molds easily and inexpensively too for even a greater variety also even if you want to use their Hydrocal casting mix. All their products do work well though!




How do I feel about them?
They have many nice products to add to the MRR experience.[/SIZE]



Are they worth the cost?
They are, especially if you can get them at a considerable discount that I can give you.



Woodland Scenics Mod-U-Rail System?
I'm sure it should work very well but being that I am building my layout on a wood L girder base with wood risers and OSB track base with Sound board on top of that to glue my wood ties down on about the only thing I might use is some of WS's foam road bed in place of the cork I have used.

All and all they have a very good selection of products available to aid in the building of your railroads.

The main thing though I'd like to mention is to take advantage of what is available to you in you area such as sifted dirt and small rocks and pebbles left over in the sifting process or if you lucky enough to have decomposed granite like I do that's another option for use and as natural as it gets!

Also twigs and braches from local trees and bushes can also be very effectively utilized.

If you don't have much available to you I have hundreds of Oak trees on my property and can supply you with all kinds of branches and bark off the smaller branches for added scenery effects and you also get the small Oak bits that fall off to use for added effects.

Also if you want to make a stacked cord or two of real oak for your various homes or work sheds wood stoves to burn the small Oak branches work perfectly for that and can be split too for even greater realism as most Oak used for burning in homes or older business came from larger sections of Oaks that were cut to about 24" width rounds and then split using wedges and a sledge hammer. I've done that exact thing many times for fire wood and have even modeled it too with an oak stump and a tiny wedge in a split and sledge hammer leaning against he stump [not sure where the sledge hammer is?] with some other small split branch sections around and maybe even a stack of oak wood started. Nothing says realism like the real thing especially in miniature!




Split_wood_splitting_wedges_on_stump_and_stacked_cord_wood_-_shrp_crvs_-_Reszd_1004x669_DSCF5434.jpg
 
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I use woodland scenic stuff, from glue to water to turfs and ballast. They make really good stuff with a wide variety and are carried in every hobby shop I've been to. As for the cost, they're a little pricey but worth it. I've never used their mod-u-rail system so I can't comment on that. I've always gone with atlas code 80 track and some kind of road bed depending on the area. If you haven't begun construction on your layout yet, look into track first and worry about scenery last. My rule of thumb is to lay all the track, wire up the layout and run it. Use all your rolling stock forward and reverse to be sure the track is all good. Then start the scenery. Good luck


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I'll also agree with Jim above, only place your track and grade stuff temporarily till your sure it not only works properly for you but has the operational aspects of delivery & pick-up of cars to be moved to other locations and droped off. That makes things a lot more realistic at least some of the time other than just watching them run by giving some purpose for having some of the various businesses and industries. The same goes for passenger service to get people to work in the morning and home at night!

Once you have the bugs worked out and everything is working as desired and the operation, delivery etc, is to your liking then it's a good time to start putting ballast & scenery down. That's not to say things can't temporarily be placed to check out the effect of a certain tree etc but leave things easy move able at first.

Hope that helps?
 
Trussrod made a great point there, make everything temporary. That's what I was trying to get at in my other post above. I've even seen guys use card board box mock ups of the buildings to help get an idea of how things will look and operate. Those are good incase you have building in the front of your tracks. It helps you determine the amount of clearance incase you ever have to reach around or over a building. I hope this all helps and doesn't make things more complicated

Make things as easy to change as possible incase you're not pleased with the results

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- Sent from my phone
 
An additional pointer from recent experience...
Woodland Scenics needs to be a little more truthful on how to use their products. The videos are always brief and make it look like, "gee, I just sprayed glue and placed the scenery on there! Then I went on a vacation..."
Their Scenery manual tries to give the same impression.

Look, if you have to make a mini-lake of scenic glue to hold down snow, then sprinkle the snow on and make another mini-lake... TELL ME THAT! Don't make me endure frustration with your products. TELL ME the ugly truth, and I can work with that!

I actually ended up ignoring the Woodland Scenic method of attaching tunnel portals because... it didn't work that well. I relied on the John Olsen "runny hydrocal and brush it on" method. That worked wonders.

Give me step-by-step detailed information in your scenery manual. That's what I need. I'm not a "Model Railroader from the old days looking to do it better", I'm a "Only 4 years in the hobby" railroader.

Now, the manual is VERY good at explaining rock coloring, and things like that. But please... don't gloss over difficulties, just give it to me straight.
 
OCN Guy has a good point about some of woodland scenics directions being vague. However, real life tress aren't placed in a particular way and grass doesn't grow in any formula that can't be described. What I mean is, take the ground cover and throw in on. Have a plan but don't be picky about having everything placed a certain way. I randomly use various colors of grass mixed and place it on the layout. Then add some other colors randomly over that to add more variety. Make your scenery flow so it looks real and not like a toy


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- Sent from my phone
 
And as for glue, I buy the Elmer's gallon and apply it with a paint brush. Then put down my scenery then use woodland scenics spray glue over it to really hold it down. And when you spray it, make it kinda like a pond. That way if it's ever bumped or hit its not gonna move


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- Sent from my phone
 
Beginner loves Woodland Scenics.

I am new to actually building a layout, im still working on my first 4x8. But I used to watch my grandfather build his HUGE layout when I was a kid. I love woodland scenics sub-terrain system because it makes it pretty easy and I get good results. But I have never tried anything else. I also love all their scenery such as grass, trees, shrubs, and ballast. The biggest downfall is the prices. They are outrageous! $20.00 for a pack of styrofoam inclines!! But it has saved me a lot of time and possible headache!
Happy Modeling!
 
I think something worth mentioning here is an alternate way of going at it, namely getting either a boatload of back issues of model Railroader, Model Railroad craftsman, mainline modeler, etc. there are books from Kalmbach that focus on scenery which are really "greatest hits" articles. All of those give genuine alternatives to simply buying woodland scenics which can get pricey in not too long a time. You don't have to buy Hydrocal in a milk carton. Don't misunderstand me, they make nice stuff but there are a lot of ways to build a railroad.
 
MOD-U-Rail

My entire layout is Mod-U Rail. I've got 4 straight and 4 corner modules with 5 of them being completed. I did end up with a lot of extra materials from the kits, but I suppose it depends on how you design your layout and choose to use the materials. I am also using the stands designed for them. Fortunately, I was able to get almost all of them for 1/3 the regular price when Hobby Lobby decided to cut their railroad sales. I wouldn't have bought them at the full price. I'm very happy with the way things turned out. I'm working in N scale if that is a factor.
 
I agree that Woodland Scenics makes great scenery materials. But I also like

* Scenic Express

* Timberline Scenery

* Arizona Rock and Mineral

My two cents worth...

Regards,
Tom Stockton
 
If your a model railroader then its almost impossible to not use at least somthing from WS. I think a lot of thier stuff is overpriced but they do make nice stuff. The trick is not to pay for things from WS that you cant obtain at a grocery store or some other source. A lot of the stuff they sell is just re packaged stuff from something else. Then, your really just paying a premium for a different package and smaller quantity.
 
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