I would like ideas or suggestions how to make realistic looking train tracks.

My DH works for the railroad and a guy he works with is retireing. To shorten a long story...this guy and his crew fell asleep one night in the engine and wore grooves in to the tracks. Hubby wants me to make a duplicate of the grooved out track on a cake for him. I'd like it to be edible if posible.

Any and all ideas are welcome!

How about sugar wafers cover in chocolate or fondant so you can carve out the grooves?

I'm trying to picture this in my mind. There are the cross ties and then the rails. Where were the grooves worn? Also, how far apart will the rails on the tracks be 1" wide, 2" wide? That will help with what materials could be used. For instance you could use string licqorice or the twisty kind for rails or just royal icing piped. I agree with the previous poster chocolate covered wafers would make excellent cross ties or Twix sticks might work.

Pretzel sticks work well too.

Thank you for your replies and suggestions.

I think the sugar wafers idea might work for the ties.

meharding...the grooves were in the rail. Not sure yet of the spacing for the ties...maybe 2" apart.

I've never worked with fondant...how hard does it get? Can you cut through it when you cut the cake?

I was thinking about maybe trying fondant for the rails. Any other suggestions??

It'll get pretty darn hard if you give it time to dry. You can use gumpaste as well. I think gumpaste dries harder.

Elle