Picture: If you have a restaurant on the layout, you can also serve your favourite foods for a bit of surprise.
There are five senses. Experts claim that the more of the senses engaged at one time the more memorable the experiences. Your layout is amazing. You added scenery (sight), all kinds of noise (sound) and, of course, you are in control as you handle the throttle (touch).
Now let’s go a little further. We still have taste and smell.
While my dog does not mind chewing on any train that derails and hits the floor, (he wags his tail happily as if to say he is just picking it up for me) let’s just experiment with taste.
The dog is right – we cannot taste the train. But how about a bite of pizza as we pass the pizzeria; or some cake or a cookie as we pass the bakery? Over there is a hotdog stand. I like mine with mustard. There are also mobile food trucks that offer a variety of dishes ranging from shawarma to fajita. If you’re modelling a town in the states, how about a doughnut shop?
There is a candy shop... perhaps a bite of chocolate. I see a vending machine. Need a coffee or a coke? And then, there is smell. Anyone who has been near railroad tracks, must have noticed the smell of creosote – the brown oily substance that helps prolong the life of wooden railroad ties.
The only problem with creosote is it is toxic and considered carcinogenic – not something you want in the house. How about a few drops of diesel fuel dripped on the tracks? Nope. Diesel is listed as bad to inhale too. Some model railroaders have experimented with kerosene and many Caribbean homes have kerosene lamps for when the power goes out... but even kerosene is listed as not so good to breathe and should be used outdoors. Now you can get special nontoxic lamp oil – unfortunately, it is odourless. So, what is a modeller to do?
How about fresh flowers at the flower shop; or orange scent to simulate an orange grove? A food platter with a bunch of snacks laid out will make the running of trains more interesting by not only filling the belly, but I can almost smell the pizza from and the fresh baked cookies.
There could be a backyard BBQ in progress right by the train station.
What else can you smell, taste or drink in the train room?
Until next time, hope to see you around the tracks.
