The train was a total of 3 cars: the engine, a boxcar, and the caboose.
The Engine:
2 boxes
the smaller one, I added a large piece of cardboard to the top to get a rounded shape
cut out the door opening and some windows
tape them together
I wrapped the train in wrapping paper because I don't have a big enough space or area that I wouldn't mind having paint everywhere as a result.
The Box Car:
a box - cut an opening in the side...
...and wrapped it. this was the easy one!
The Caboose:
2 boxes
closed the big one up at one end
cute a semi-opening and some windows
cut some windows out of the top window
put one on top of the other with the openings facing the same way
wrap it up
Other stuff:
The Cow pusher (snow plow) I took a rectangular peice of cardboard and semi-cut two triangles and folded them together and taped them. Then I fully cut two traingles from the remaining corners. Then covered it in foil.
The wheels:
I have to admit this was my husband's genius. I had decided to use black paper plates, however, i didn't know how i was going to attach them as well as the cow pusher. He suggested pipe cleaners. So I took a knife, and while holding the plate up against the box, i punctured 2 slits and then used half a pipe cleaner to secure it. Slipping it through both sides and twisting it like a twist tie in the back. The technique worked on the cow pusher as well.
Front walk - Just a train track on the sidewalk made with black duct tape. Came up easily afterwords.
The cake: Used mini loaf pans (5 in a pack at walmart) for the train cars. Got a board from the garage and covered it in foil. Then I used those astro-belts or sours strings, whatever your local store calls them, to make a track. Just used a little icing to glue them down. Then on each cake, i just iced the top, not the sides, then we put different candies on each on. I put the "3" candle on the front car. Each kid got to pick a car to have a slice from. 1/3 to 1/2 of each car is an adequate piece for a kid.
