Rob’s been back in touch, this time with his scratch built model railway signal box:
“Hi Al,
I finished my new scratch built signal box which controls my Howe Street Station. I am pleased with the result.
I intended to build this ever since I put in the new cross-over from freight siding 1 to the goods line. 10 points are controlled from this location plus 12 signals. It is a busy location.
I used Tichy Train Group windows and also the door.
The interior levers, instrument shelf, instruments, and other furnishings came from a Severn Models etched brass kit.
The brick plasticard is Wills, the clapboard siding is Evergreen Scale Models styrene.
The stairs are Walthers,and the railings, catwalk and platform are scratch built.
Rob”
A big thanks to Rob for sharing his model railway signal box – his scratch builds really are top notch. You can see his last post here:
Hall of Fame Rob has been back in touch, with his scratch built model railroad church building:
“Hi Al,
I hope you are doing well.
After spending many happy hours conceiving, planning, and building, I then created a home for it on my layout. The St Breock church project is complete. It turned out okay.
I have learned a ton from it, and this knowledge and skill will carry on with me to the next project I work on. I have started a new signal box for my layout—more on that in the next submission.
I did smile when Rob wrote his Model railroad church building ‘turned out okay’. I think it looks amazing.
Now on to Dean:
“Al, cheers from Dean in New Mexico.
With summer upon us, it’s time for me to start back on my latest N-scale Model Railroad, the Santa Fe Northern, an N-scale L-shaped model layout.
The first step was to build the baseboard and movable table. Here’s a photo of the completed support.
Rather than plywood, I used two sheets of 2-inch purple foamboard, cut to size and glued together with Liquid Nails. The edges of the foamboard were surrounded with 1×2 boards which were cut and glued to the foam with Liquid Nails and screwed together at the joints.
These boards strengthened the foam assembly and also give something to fasten the backboards and facia. After assembly I let everything set for several days. The assembly was very strong as I was able to move it around safely by myself.
The table support was put together with 2×4 legs and 1×2 select pine boards. I’m going to use a 1-inch foamboard (indicated) to hold the track and cut and support it on blocks so that the track can rise and fall. The 1-inch board is also shown, again two foamboards.
Here is the layout diagram. I used SCARM software as always to plan and print out the layout.
Here’s the cutting schedule for the lower 2-inch foam.
And the upper 1-inch foamboard
Here I’m gluing a side piece to one of the boards. I used shipping tape to tightly hold the board and foam together.
I also used tape and Liquid Nails to hold two boards when gluing them to the foamboard
This photo is of a completed legs assembly. Two more sets were made to size.
And here is the table partially assembled.
I used swivel wheels on each table leg to make the assembly easy to move.
Here’s the completed table
The 2-inch foamboard was screwed to each of the 2×4 legs to hold it down.
Stef’s been in touch, he’s added to the Lionel train layouts on the blog:
“Hello Alastair,
And greetings from Middleton MA, just north of Boston.
I, as all of your subscribers do, truly enjoy and look forward to your postings from araound the world.
As with many of your readers, I too enjoyed my first Lionel set from Santa back in mid fifties…a #600 MKT diesel switcher and , of course, a Baby Ruth box car/still own the set today and will send photo in next communication.
It appears that many of your postings involve HO and some N scale and the occasional O gauge which I really look forward to viewing.
I am an original ‘Lionel guy’ and I hope our other Lionel enthusiasts will especially enjoy this posting and photos as well as your other subscribers.
Actually, I was going to wait until I nearly completed my layout before contacting you, but, as I have seen many postings sent in at various stages of completion, I thought it appropriate to send in my photos at this time to share with others. Will follow up again as the layout achieves more completion.
I am a ‘non technical’ enthusiast and stay with the ‘basics’ and I guess I am ‘old school’ as well and age 77; so, my power connections and future lighting and accessory connections will be as they were way back then!
Since I still maintain my retirement financial planning practice and have for many decades both here and in SWFlorida where we also reside and travel back and forth each month, I cannot devote
‘full time’ to the layout; after all, it is a hobby! In addition, I host and produce a weekly financial information radio show heard in MA and FL and have done so for nearly 25 years.
After my wife and I ‘downsized’ from our much larger home with a very large Lionel multi train layout [12 train operation] about twenty years ago after our children married, I sold almost all of my Lionel collection.
The thought was to switch to HO in our new home attic where I started to build a basic layout. After buying a good deal of HO ‘stuff’, I realized that Lionel was truly what I enjoyed and started to restock with Lionel, original accessories along with some Williams and Kline from the internet and some local MA purchases.
I then set up the current 13.5’x6.5′ layout seen in these photos. My intention was to operate as many lines as possible given the confined board area and add some basic landscaping which I enjoy and find very soothing and satisfying.
So, I now have a 9 train operation and two bumper tracks for the Lionel gang car and the ever present Lionel trolley.
Many of your readers often comment about offering ‘space’ on a layout; so, they may not appreciate as much what I have created with limited board space in the lower level of our home which also serves as my home office and repository for my many collectibles; however, I do think there is much to view and, ultimately, I will send in photos and video of the entire operation.
Also to note, that my rock facing is actually spray painted aluminum foil that, when crinkled, resembles craggy rock facings, in my estimation. It still needs some detail, but I have found the foil to be next to zero cost, but, most importantly, easy to work and not requiring plaster and multi course rock work.
I agree that is not as perfect as many of your layouts viewed; however, it serves nicely for me. Additionally, there are on line videos that show rock wall formation with foil and then applying loose plaster for even more realism.
Hope you all enjoy the various views and from above
Hopefully, what I have sent and the photos attached will be received by you and suitable for posting soon, especially as you have asked in the past for more O gauge layouts.
Again, to mention, there is still much to complete and therefor, photos will show some incompletion and detail yet to be performed.
Alastair, with thanks and appreciation for your efforts from ‘across the pond’.
Sincere regards,
Stef”
A big thanks to Stef for adding to the Lionel train layouts on the blog.
Whenever it comes to Lionel layouts, I always think of Tom’s: Lionel O scale trains.
