Luis has been in touch – he’s shared pics of his 2 level model train layout:
“Dear Al,
My layout is 5.83′ x 19.62′, I already installed 2 circuits of track on different levels with the intention to include some bridges and tunnels.
I also built 10 Spanish colonial houses, 1 train station. 1 church, 1 gas station, and 1 wood water tank. The scenery is intended to be during the 1960’s in a Mexican colonial style.
Now I am guessing where to locate the buildings, mountains, bridges, tunnels, and the orography in general, that’s why I wanted to see pictures of other layouts to take ideas from them.
Here you can see some pictures of my layout in progress as it is today, remember the dimensions of the layout surface are 1.78m x 5.98m :
Thank you very much.
Luis”
A big thanks to Luis – there’s quite a few multi level layouts on the blog, here are a few:
“Hi Al..long time no see…as you know this time of year it’s busy in the garden time for me, added to that my wife has had a new hip and is just starting to get around again, so not had any time for my railway, but just to prove Im still here and alive ….her we have a bit of a run around ..well had to blow the cobwebs off first.
Ned’s been back in touch with an update, and added to the collection of model railroad wooden bridges:
“Alastair,
It is summer so my progress has slowed a bit. Most of the tables are in place and I’ve begun scenic work on the upper level of the layout.
I figured setting the bridges and therefore the dioramas for the bridges is the logical next step.
This is my first time creating any of these types of scenes, it has been a learning experience.
The seasons progress as you rotate around the room so there is a bridge in late winter/early spring, one in late summer and then one in fall. The only issue I have not been totally happy with is the static grass. Not quite as vertical as I expected.
The next step will be a base coat color on the upper level tables – lay the track – finish the upper level diorama. I’ve run power drop points around the upper level tables so getting the track operational should be quick and easy.
Enjoy”
Ned”
A huge thanks to Ned for adding to the collection of Model railroad wooden bridges to the blog.
If you have a look at his last post, you can really see how his layout is taking shape:
Arnie has been in touch with his N scale Bachmann track plan – and a few variations too:
“Hi Al
Arnie here from across the pond.
After buying and looking at the layout plans I thought I’d submit a few of my own including the one I am running right now.
Attached are 6 plans that I designed in case I wanted to change my layout.
This is the layout I am currently running with a 2% grade and 12.5 radius curve n scale track from Bachmann.
All the lay outs are e-z Bachmann track in N scale.
I hope your readers enjoy them and maybe modify them for their needs.Please keep the blog going as it is the first e-mail I read each day that I receive one.
Something about each plan.
Copy 2 was a inside and outside could reach the yard.change from the original so that both the yard.
Copy 3 added more layup tracks to the yard. The dog bone is just made for one continuous long run.
Untitled 11 is just to see if I could run more than 2 trains at one time.
Loop de loop was just fooling around and I came up with that layout.
Foolin mod. 1 is the layout I am currently running and I am planning to build a mountain over the tunnels. The trolley runs back and forth thanks to a reversing power supply I got off E-Bay. Like I said earlier I am using 12.5 radius track for the circle.
Last but not least is untitled 12 which is a copy of 11 with the trolley running on a straight track.
Thanks for your hard work in keeping the blog going.
Arnie from Florida”
A huge big thanks to Arnie for sharing his N scale Bachmann track plan – I do love seeing how a layout starts, even before there’s track on the bench, because it’s all about making that start.
Next, on to Mike, who has also made that all important start:
“Finally built my train room in my shed. Call it my scrap wood setup. I used scrap pieces of wood in my woodpile to build the table and room.
I have a 14×20 shed in my back yard. It has two 8×14 lofts, one in the front and one in the back with a 4×14 opening to the ceiling in the middle.
I was noticing sag in the back wall and decided to put up a cent wall in back creating two 7×8 rooms. After completing construction, I decided it would be a good train room.
I ran electric throughout the whole shed, then insulated the back area, put in an air conditioner, and drywalled the area.
I then, with the help of a friend who helped me build the room, built the table. As we stood back, we started staring at the other room and have decided to make it a train room also (future photos when its done).
Going to do a 4×8 table in the middle of the room with a 2 foot section connecting it in the back by cutting tunnels through the wall and connecting the two rooms.
Thanks to Mike for sharing his start – because that’s what it’s all about, making that start.
That’s all for today, expcept for one thing – the future of the blog.
Thanks to everyone that has supported the blog by buying the track plans PDF, and especially to those who jumped straigt in with membership too.
Long story short, it has found me enough breathing space to carry on while I make some drastic changes.
Fortunately, the drastic changes won’t affect anything you’ll see because it’s all the behind the scenes stuff – mainly the software behind the site.
Basically, doing this will make considerably savings, so that’s what I’m doing.
And it’s possible I won’t be able to mail as much.
There might be a few hiccups along the way, but that’s the nature of the beast when you make big changes.
I did try my very best before running this ‘promotion’.
I thought another related blog would help, so I started a forum type thing, modeltrainanswers.com.
But you know what? There were so few questions posted I lost the will for it. Should I carry on? Please leave a comment below and let me know…
