Q: I have a question regarding using lichen to simulate vegetation on a layout. My basement is clean but unfinished, so the wood floor joists overhead and the concrete walls are all visible. The basement isn’t particularly humid, but it isn’t climate controlled either. There are the occasional spiders and cobwebs, as is normal in any unfinished basement. What I’m wondering is if lichen, over time, becomes an attraction to spiders? Do you know if there are any long-term issues with using lichen? — Brian Watson
A: I’m not sure if lichen becomes an attraction to spiders. However, I can speak to the pros and cons of lichen on a layout. In the early and mid-1990s, lichen was used to scenic some locations on the second Milwaukee, Racine & Troy, our HO scale staff layout at our former headquarters in Waukesha, Wis. The model railroad was in a finished, climate-controlled interior room with a tile floor, suspended ceiling, and fluorescent lighting.
By the time I joined the staff in 2002, the lichen was already starting to fade after years of being under fluorescent lights. When David Popp wrote “Lake Beulah makeover” in the February 2007 Model Railroader, he reported the lichen crumbled to the touch. He removed the aging scenery material and replaced it with ground foam, Woodland Scenics Clump-Foliage, and real pieces of deadfall.
If you’re a fan of lichen, you can keep it looking good by spraying it with Glycerine. 100% Pure Glycerine Concentrate is sold by Scenic Express as item number EX0070. The concentrate needs to be mixed per the instructions listed on the bottle, which are also available on the company’s website. The web page for the product states “It is recommended that your scenery be treated periodically with Glycerine to retain its original suppleness and color.” A 16-ounce bottle of Glycerine retails for $10.49.
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