Lester has been in touch with his model railroad HO double crossover:
“Hi Al,
Here are some pix of one of my layouts.
I have two, this one and a larger one in a shed in my back yard.
This one I call North Division because it is north of my outside building.
What gives me fun is to see trains running around my track. Scenery is my dread !!
This layout table height is 42 inches and is HO scale.
It is a private road name some where in the USA with both steam and diesel with no particular time period. I call it a Miniature Rail Transportation System.
I don’t model any area, time period or railroad.
Pictures are:
1. Track plan
2. Mine
3. Other side of mountain
4. City of Emmaville. (Emma is one of my great granddaughters). The back drop that you see here used to be a piece of cardboard only 5” tall. I had it there because a couple of cars went to the floor and of course the cardboard stopped that from happening anymore. Anyhow it is made with paper buildings glued onto a piece of cardboard painted blue.
5 Another view of Emmaville.
6. Sidings around Emmaville.
7. Sidings around Emmaville.
8. Sidings around Emmaville.
9. More sidings
10. Back of residential
11. Emmaville residential street.
When I learn how, I’ll send a video of this layout.
Lester,
Georgia USA”
A big thanks to Lester for sharing his model railroad HO double crossover layout.
I get lots of mails from folk who say they love running trains, and scenery isn’t their thing – just like Lester.
And unsurprisingly, I also get just as many saying they love to take hours and hours over their scenery and are not bothered at all about their trains.
I think what’s important is that enjoy it, what ever that may be. After all, without that, what’s the point?
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if today is the day you get started on your layout, just like Lester did, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Wow! You did an excellent job!
Couldn’t help noticing that Dave wears belt and braces. Just like his excellent modelling he ensures everything will work reliably.
More seriously, when doing a new layout you must have lots of built up models, scenery and rolling stock. Where do you store it all when remodelling the layout?
Such excellent quality videos as well.
Thank you for sharing it all.
I’m here on the other side of the pond. I really enjoy watching Dave’s videos. The one thing I’ve noticed he makes the track appear to be part of the landscape not just dropped on top. He is a very tallented artist indeed.
At first I thought he was from Brooklyn NY but now I’m sure it’s a Boston Ma. accent? Settle down I’m joking of course.
Keep the videos coming. Is there a spot where I can see all of his videos?
Lester–Georgia USA…..
Love your layout…I am in Lawrenceville, east of Atlanta…Are you close? If so, love to see your layout first hand
I give Dave a lot of credit to start a new layout.But,it will keep him busy and maybe out of trouble!! Like Lester I like running trains but I also like doing scenery which gets me in trouble as to which one I’m wanting to do most.Time will tell! And a big thank you to Al for bringing us all the joys and heart aches of model railroading!!
Lester – so bright and colorful. No wonder you like watching the trains run through it all.
I really liked the coal tipple, very realistic coming out bedside the hill side. Why are box cars rather than gondolas being loaded under it?
To the person who lives in Lawrenceville, I live in Columbus and you are welcome to come anytime.
To the person about box cars at the mine. I need to buy some gondola kits and make them
Am I correct in assuming that the grid squares of your layout drawing are 1 ft by 1 ft?
Well it’s no Surprise that Daves layout already looking really good you really have a Talent at scenery it always looks so good I Love Watching you Vids on your progress
thanks, Dave for sharing with us all
all the best Anthoney – sunny Derbyshire
Dave:
I can’t wait to see your new creation!
Oh my. If I had 10% of Dave’s talent I would be a happy scenery builder.
Once my lay-out has moved to the new “man cave” I will send in some pictures and some text.
If you are into building kit rail cars, Tichy offers a string of 12 shorty wood gondolas at a reasonable price. I built them, and they are really nice. If you want to build them, I suggest you build one all the way. Then build the remaining 11 assembly-line style. When I bought my set, it came with plastic wheels – If they still come that way, I would suggest getting metal wheels right from the get-go. (By the way, you actually build the trucks from many parts, but the details are fantastic – they even show weld points. You might consider buying trucks rather than metal wheels.)
Still In Training,
Carl in Kansas
Great video as always Dave! Can’t believe the speed at which you work and get things done. My OO layout in the loft is very slow progress. Too hot this summer, and will be very cold in winter. Can’t get permission for roof insulation!!!! Will have to get up and see you at some stage once I get my oxygen sorted – haha!!!. Brian (Wokingham down south!)
Thank you Lester for your contribution, looks like you are having a lot of fun on your layout. fun is what it’s all about.
As always Dangerous Dave, never fails to impress. That man is amazing. I assume his wife is happy he spends most of his time in his train room. I really enjoy his progress reports
still working on mine. One day I will be posting some pictures. I will admit that my buildings that I made on my layout so far are pretty well done they seem to be where my talent lies. shame I only have room for a small 4X 8 HO Layout.
what would our fantasy train world be without “”Dave”” tnx henry flprida usa
Nice, Lester. You’ve got some very interesting and unique building structures as well. Thanks for sharing.
Jim AZ
Lester, what is your minimum radius?
To all, my minimum radius is 22″, the grid squares are 12 inches and had a senior moment when I put the boxcars at the mine. I have been alive for 89 years
That’s a great looking layout very well
done.
Building on Al’s comments re: scenery VS running trains, and in general an idea on philosophy as we build our little sections of the world. I see it as several pieces to be arranged as we wish the end result to be. As an example, the Bachman track is not as realistic, but is extremely reliable in running trains. A flat board is a quick and solid base for a layout, especially if moving it or even suspending it is anticipated. Many of us see our worlds as we wish the real one should be, clean crisp buildings, nice roads, and trains free of graffiti. I’m somewhere in between, and when done I hope my trains will run without disasters in the valley, and I hope my buildings are serviceable but “lived” in. One thing I may suggest to those starting out – read Al’s beginners book, and second decide if God made railroads first then the rest of the world, or the other way around. As an example I find laying out a mountain or valley randomly, then have fun figuring how to get my track around, through, or over it next. Just a few thoughts as I looked at Lester’s great layout.
John from Baltimore
Nice looking layout Lester! Although you claim to dislike scenery work, you’ve done a very creditable job fleshing out the scenery on your layout. I actually enjoy both running trains and building scenery, but keep changing my layout plan before I get to the fun of scenicking the layout.
What video are you all talking about? There was no video from Dave by the time I followed this link in Al’s email.
Lester I like your mine. I have been searching for one to replicate. If you don’t mind I would like to use yours as a pattern. Nice layout by the way too. I zm in south Georgia in Douglas in Coffee county. Still have a work in progress. I am now able to run trains and now doing scenery which I enjoy doing.
BTW where is Dave’s video you all are talking about. I enjoy watching and listening to him.
Thanks AL you have been a great help to me with your blog. I have a lot of your buildings and yet to put them together and you ma uz, is great too. All the best to you.
I’m with Will in NM. I can’t see Dave’s video either, which seems to happen from time to time. Is there a trick I’m missing?
Also, Al, while I love that you put up older posts as well as the latest, I’m never sure if the post and its related comments are contemporary or from a while ago. Someone the comments relate to events in the past, but I wonder if it would help to show the difference so we know if we’re looking at, and commenting on, something recent or earlier.
For sure, all of them are appreciated and enjoyed.
Cheers from Aotearoa New Zealand.
very nice job. lots of work.
Looks like Bachmann nickel silver ez track is it?????
Interesting layout design with just the RIGHT AMOUNT of detail. Well done