Model railroad layouts plans

Steve’s been in touch with his OO scale layout:

“Hi Al,

Wondered if you guys might be interested in a smaller 00 British layout project that I’ve been working on.

After a house move I down-sized and have very limited space. This layout is about 6’6″ x 3’6″, so VERY compact for 00 Scale. Some would say too small for a viable layout.

I considered N scale but I have so much investment in 00 with DDC sound locos, rolling stock and buildings etc. that it was too expensive to change from a OO scale layout.

The layout is very much a work in progress and nothing is fixed down because I need to dismantle everything when I need the space. The board is in two pieces, made of 9mm plywood and 2″×1” bracing.

It’s far from perfect but gives me a lot of pleasure with plenty of running options.

Hope that you like it.

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OO scale layout:

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That’s pretty much it so far. I’m married to an American girl so live between the two countries. Its been interesting looking at the HO layouts and comparing them to my 00 things. Considering a HO layout for our US base now.

There’s often a lot of negative comments on other forums dismissing anything small as insignificant so I’m hoping that it may buck the trend.

My previous garage layout was 12’x12 sort was a real challenge.

This project is limiting because it has to be packable when my wife needs to invite dinner guests !!

She’s a very tolerant and patient wife but she has her limits 😉

I’m in the US at the moment but will be back in England in a couple of weeks.

Thank you for all your hard work. The site is fascinating.

Regards

Steve
Withernsea, East Yorkshire”

A huge thanks to Steve for sharing his OO scale layout – it’s another one that just goes to show lack of space is never a problem with a bit of thought.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, 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.

Joesph has been back in touch – he shares his take on how to make HO scale utility poles with wires.

“Hi Al; It’s been a while and I don’t remember where I left off but here goes. I know I didn’t send these.

I spent most of the year finishing up my lighting projects.

Below is the Power Generating plant for the Saw Mill and Planning facility.

Saw mill

Overview of “San Juan Creek just past twilight

Inside detail of the San Juan Creek station.

A lot of action around the saw mill and planning facility.

Another look at the planning facility.

Looking westward to United Cold Storage, Ochs tank farm, the local church and Ochs Oil office. (Since this picture, power poles have been installed and the office has a light on the platform).

Another “touch’ was tp extend the background beyond the layout so it doesn’t mess up the photos as much. This is the west end.

This is the engine yard with lights installed on the coaling tower and looking at the the background extension to the east. (Power poles have been installed since this picture).

Another shot of the background to the east. This shot also shows the interior detail of the fire station.

“New” forklift at the Grants, NM passenger and freight terminal.

Downtown at night.

The San Juan Mountains area of NM has its own short line, the San Juan and Central. I needed to have a mainline pass through the area and the closest is the Santa Fe, hence, the depot at Grants, NM. I “re-branded” this Berkshire to Santa Fe 4113 (making all my own number board decals) as Santa Fe did use Berkshire locos for freight.

I also “re-branded” a Pacific loco to pull the Santa Fe passenger consist.

Another addition is “Sonny’s Texaco service station. Again, power poles and an additional sub-station have been added.

Twilight at the Grants, NM station.

Power poles serving the San Juan Coal Co. mine.

This is how I put the power poles together. Rix cross arms on 7/64” dowels.

Power poles installed at the engine yard

More poles installed.

And more.

The owner of “Ma’s Place” has a new, custom Chevy truck. It is larger than HO Scale but in the background, looks ok. And, yes, it IS out of era.

Jospeh”

A huge big thanks to Joseph.

If you’d like to see his first post – the very start of his HO scale, it’s here.

Joseph’s pics on how to make HO scale utility poles reminded me of one of Rob’s: Model railroad electric utility details.

And one of John’s too: John adds a substation.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get stuck in, the model train Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

And there’s the Silly Discount bundle too.

Gary’s been back in touch with his Atlas HO flex track layout, which is 17×17 (well it’s not exactly square as you’ll read…)

“Hi Al

It’s been over a year since we last spoke.

Been working on it now for eight months. Finally was able to run a train around the room, last week.

Right now it’s just a Plywood Pacific. But I’d like to share with you some photos of the future CSX Monon Division Railroad.

To give you a little history of what I’m doing. This is a Prototypical freelance Railroad. Not modeled after any specific place just kind of a general area.

I am modeling modern times. The train layout sits in a 24 x 20 detached building. The actual layout is built in a trapezoidal shape. 17 1/2 feet across the bottom, 17 feet up the right side 12 feet up the left side. In 19 feet across the diagonal.

I’m using code 100 atlas flex track. Most of my switches are Peco and Shinahara. Merry With a few Atlas mixed in.

I am running Digitrax DCC system. Plan on setting up so I can have occupancy detectors in the lower staging yards. I’ve already to these tracks individually to be able to do this down the road when I’m ready.

Unfortunately with no place else to store all my trains, buildings and scenery the room is a little crowded and stays messy I apologize for the disarray. But I wanted to share a few photos with you.

I will check back in periodically and let you know how the progress is coming.

My Layout is being featured on our division eight NMRA zoom meeting next Saturday, so I’m trying to get as much done before then as possible.

The beginning with no room to work!

Laying out the lower staging yard.

To the left goes down to the lower staging yard.

Layout starting to take shape. Working on the swing gate to get into the center peninsula.

Atlas ho flex track layout:

Was able to complete the swing gate with the help of a very good friend a retired Air Force Colonel Bruce Sanders. He has been instrumental in helping me design and create this layout.

By using brass tubing and nails with a spring he was able to make connectors for me to transfer power from the main Layout over to the swing gate without any wires hanging down. I simply solder a wire on the backside of these. And then there’s another nail on the swing gate that is stationary that I solder the wire onto there.

Laying out the main yard. You can see the swing gate at the bottom of the picture.

Laying out the town above the upper staging yard.

I hope to have more updates for you soon.

Thanks again for all you do for the hobby I always enjoy looking at your post. And Marvel at the workmanship of all the Modelers that you share.

Gary
Sellersburg Indiana.”

Now on to Wayne.

He’s living proof that where there is a will, there’s a way:

“I came up with a very tight hole that I needed to work from.

Due to my Parkinson I don’t have the strength to lift myself up in that small hole. My work back there came to a holt.

About the same time I broke my elbow. This put me in the hospital for a week.

This gave me time to think of a way to get up in that small hole.

I bought a 1/4 ton elect. cable hoist. I got it mounted it to the ceiling on rollers with unstrut channel.

All I need to do is push a button and up I go far enough to stand. Now I can get back to work.

Something to think about for us old guys and the cost was less than $200.

Thanks Al”

(You can see Wayne’s last post here.)

That’s all for today folks. Let us know your thoughts below.

A big thanks to Wayne and to Gary for sharing his Atlas HO flex track layout.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you poke boredom in the eye, 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.