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How to Build HO Scale Sidewalks

Most city sidewalk panels are around 5 feet square, and since HO-scale items are 1/87 of the prototype, this means that building an HO-scale sidewalk involves very small parts. You'll need to lay the "cement" panels on the wooden base of your lay-out one piece at a time, gluing them in place. Once done, your sidewalk will add a unique layer of realistic detail to your model railroad.

Things You'll Need

post-card stock paper scissors or paper cutter 12 ounce can of Stone Touch Spray Paint by Plasti-kote ruler sharp pencil old newspaper craft glue round toothpicks

Instructions

- 1
  Draw lines at three-fourth inch intervals horizontally across a page of white post-card stock. If your model city council stipulated that sidewalk panels must be 5 feet square, you are just slightly larger than code because in HO-scale this would be 0.69 inches.
- 2
  Draw a second set of lines at three-fourths inch intervals vertically down the same page of white post-card stock. The result will look like a grid in which the individual cells each have an area that is three-fourths square inches.
- 3
  Cut out the squares. Lay them out so that they do not touch on a piece of old newspaper. Spray the squares with Stone Touch spray paint. This will coat them with what looks like cement.
- 4
  Wait for the paint to dry before gluing each square in place on the base of your lay-out. You can make long sidewalks by laying out one square next to another. You can also make cement patios and driveways by laying the panels to fill those designated areas.
- 5
  Make curbs by laying round toothpicks along the outside edge of the sidewalks. Spray them with Stone Touch spray paint first. Glue them down after the paint dries.

Model Railroads