Model railroad layouts plans

Ray’s been back in touch with his 4×8 N scale:

“Hello Al,

I have been a fan of your blog over the past seven years and have found the emails, videos, and “tips and tricks” extremely helpful and informative.

I find myself looking for your email first thing every morning. Thank you and keep up the great work.

I am attaching a video of my N scale layout, updated less than a year ago.

I think I have mentioned in an earlier email that I started with a 4 x 8 layout on a piece of plywood placed on top of the pool table.

The pool table is now gone and N scale trains have since taken over my entire basement.

This video shows the accumulation of trains, rolling stock, and scenery over the past 7 years.

My layout is not a specific prototype and may not make sense to your viewers.

I have a fleet of 10 plus Dutch locomotives, because of the time I spent in Holland after college and since my wife is Dutch.

I have locomotives from different eras and road names. I have modeled a collection of places and activities that I have enjoyed over the past 60 plus years, including an amusement park, circus, fishing holes, lakes for swimming, water falls, mountains. a variety of wildlife, a scale model of Worcester Union Station, parks, European outdoor market, windmills, a gondola lift, and much more.

Although I have basically run out of space, I am sure there will be additions, and adjustments in the years to come. As we know, our layouts are never really finished.

Wishing you and all your followers a very happy and healthy New Year!

Best,

Ray
Massachusetts, USA”

A big thanks to Ray for sharing his 4×8 N scale.

Of course we all know this hobby is about making a start – so if you want to see Ray’s start, his first N scale post is here.

Ray’s pics also remind me of Bruce’s layout: N scale 8×4.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you leap out of your chair and start laying track, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

PPS More N scale layouts here if that’s your thing.

Frank’s been in touch with his 12×8 O scale:

“Al,

Thoroughly enjoy your sharing of so many layouts of others. I usually take away at least one item or new idea for my railroad.

To that end, here are a couple of pictures of my O gauge railroad.

It was designed to be whimsical and fun to operate.

One of the construction goals was to make it easy and not complicated to achieve a task.

For example, the power drops to the 186 foot mainline, which runs three trains at one time. And the 75 foot trolley line.

There are about 30 power drops, but no bus line under the table. We came up with a much easier way to ensure power everywhere.

Also all the rocks are real, except the mountain which is fiber glass.

The river and lake is printed on mouse pad material, and took about 20 minutes to install, instead of all the set up work and the estimated 7 to 8 bottles of Woodland scenics water.

Quite a savings there, and looks pretty good.

So, if there is interest I would be glad to share some of the tips that we used to build the 12’ x 8’ railroad.

I am certainly open to any guidelines that you require.

Hoping to hear from you.

Frank”

A big thanks to Frank for sharing his 12×8 O scale.

When it comes to O scale do you remember Peter’s?

I know I say it often, but I’ll never tire of seeing what’s in my email each morning.

As long as the keep coming, I’ll keep posting.

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 More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.

Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.

Rick has been in touch with is Christmas tree train layout.

I think there’s something quite special about it – you can tell he’s having bags of fun with it and spreading the joy of a train layout. And that’s all that counts.

“Al:

My Brother-in-Law Fred Hughes from North Carolina brought your website to my attention.

He recently suggested I send along some photos of my multi-gauge Christmas layout, which changes thematically over a three year period.

This is the year of the 1960’s aluminum trees (three of them on my platform) circled by O, O-27, S and Classic HO trains dating from that era and various Plasticville and tinplate structures.

The layout is basic and pure fantasy with trains running via conventional power.

I set it up purely for the joy of running classic model trains – some old and some new – for me and for guests visiting over the Holidays.

I offer the following tour of this year’s Christmas layout.

I have 3 ovals of track for the trains and a figure-eight for a trolley winding its way through a Plasticville village, and an Alpine village I picked up real cheap at a tag sale. The kind of “eclectic” arrangement my Dad would have made back in the day!

I change the trains throughout the season and even have a special Christmas train for the grandkids on the big day. On the O Gauge loop I am currently featuring the sleek Lionel Santa Fe train I received when I was 5 years old. I still remember that Christmas morning and how stunning the train appeared then (it still does). It is great to have enjoyed something as a little kid that I can still enjoy as an old man.

The Lionel Trolley I received when I was 6 or 7 years old negotiates the sharper O-27 curves in the figure 8, serving residents and businesses of the villages.

I use Gargraves S Gauge track for the middle loop, running vintage AC Gilbert/American Flyer trains I have acquired at swap meets and train shops over the last 25 years. I love this GP-7 that is pulling some classic cars that likely saw action under aluminum trees in the 60’s.

Last but certainly not least is a classic HO Revell yard switcher pulling five equally classic Revell freight cars that I acquired over the past few years from eBay. I am sure these gems also ran under aluminum trees 60 years ago. I will also run some classic Lionel HO, Fleischmann, Gutzold and others over this inner HO loop this Holiday season.

By the way, I reserve realism and rivet-counting for my year-round, always under construction, HO layout in a converted bedroom.

Not sure if this simple Christmas layout is of any interest but feel free to share if you are so inclined. Pardon me but I must go back and run some trains.

Rick
Johnstown, PA USA”

A big thanks to Rick. It reminded me of:

Christmas model railroad.

And this one: Christmas layout.

Now it’s my turn to spread a little joy.

I know this is a time when many of you start or plan your layouts, so I thought I’d do some of the print out scenery at a very silly price for a few days.

How silly? How does $1.45 a building sound?

Yup, it’s a very silly deal, and you can grab it here, for the next few days.

Please be quick though, it’s just a quick flash sale to say thank you.

And of lastly of course, Merry Christmas!

Best

Al