Adding Dents

At some time or another we’ve all stopped at a railway crossing and watched a train go past and probably noticed varying degrees of denting on the cars. Replicating dents on a model train can add to the realism, but be warned, this is not easy to do and there is the risk of causing unintended damage to the cars. If you are going to give it a go, start by removing the trucks and couplers from off an old ore car, gondola, or steel boxcar. Remember, the idea is to give the impression that the car has been dented by cargo falling against the inside wall of the car.

This effect can be achieved by using heat to deform the plastic outwards to simulate denting from the inside. Again, I warn that this can be tricky and the result is not always as planned. So, be warned, you might want to try out on an old piece of plastic before working on an expensive car. Use a soldering iron (not set too hot) to gently press against the inside of the walls. You could also use a heated screwdriver, but again you need to take care and don’t break right through the plastic.

You may be best to test different techniques on an old train/car before doing any permanent damage to your best rolling stock.