Model railroad layouts plans

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

Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the store.

They are great fun to make and great value too.

Dean’s been in touch with another instalment on his Scenic Ridge layout:

“This is the seventh video in an 8-part series discussing my construction of the N-Scale Scenic Ridge layout (kit from Woodland Scenics).

The layout is 3 feet by 6 feet in size.

In this session, I will discuss the buildings I’m adding to the layout and construction of roads and streets.

We’re coming to almost the end of this series as I plan on having only one more main video on final scenery (grass and ground cover, trees, coloring rocks, ballast the track, etc).

Here are some photos of the overall layout and of the buildings.

Al, thanks for all your support and help in this endeavor. Cheers!

And, finally, the video.

A big thanks to Dean for sharing his update on his Scenic Ridge layout – I know a layout is never finished but it looks like he’s getting close.

If you want to see his last post (on mountains), it’s right here.

Or if you want to fast forward and see the one after this, it’s here:

Woodland scenics ridge layout.

Now on to Ross:

“Hi Alastair,

Attached photo is a S-534 Locomotive ‘Bakewell’ on static display, since 1976, at the Perth Western Australia Rail Terminal.

The loco was built in 1943 (with 9 others) at the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) workshops in Midland Junction where my father worked for 44 years only interrupted by 4 years in the UK during WW2.

Just 3 remain in static condition around Australia.

With best wishes

Ross”

Now on to Nick – who sent this track plan in after a post – but it got lost in the cracks:

“Alastair

Many thanks for your kind comments!

Please post the following replies to comments posted:-

To Roger: Thanks for your comments. I am in fact English from the London area but now live in Canada.

My son was a train fanatic, never missing an opportunity to travel on real ones, so the rolling stock I bought represented trains he had travelled on – Network South East and Eurostar!

To Michael: Thanks for your comments. Hornby track plan attached

To Dangerous Dave: I do have a bit of a derailment issue at the bottom of the short gradient.

I didn’t have enough room to put in the correct gradient angle so it will only allow a small tank engine with one car to travel on it, otherwise rolling stock derails! Any advice would be much appreciated.

Best regards.

Nick”

You can see Nick’s post here

That’s all for today folks – please do keep ’em coming.

Please just email me if you’d like to share anything.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here if today is the day you start on your own layout.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Dave’s been in touch with more on the thorny issue of magnetic couplings:

“Hi Al,

just bought some of those Hunt magnetic couplings again, but these are the Elite, a new batch with square magnets each end that can be fitted either end of the rolling stock.

The older ones used to only work with different ends after they had been matched up (as explained in the video ), its a subject that is never solved with some saying the Kadee or the D type are all better than one an other.

After this trial I think the same there is non which I can say are 100% best.

Some pics and of course I have shown a few trains running.

Regards

Dave”

(If you’d like to see Dave’s last post, his loft railway is here.)

Over the years there’s been a few posts on couplers:

Here’s Paul’s magnetic coupler.

And here’s Peter’s take on Kadee couplings

And Alan came up with a very clever solution without using magnets at all:

You can read Alan’s post here.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do leave a comment below if you’ve got something to say on these couplings – I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Please do keep ’em coming – it’s all rather thin on the ground at mo.

And if today is the day you decide to get started, I suspect you’ll love the Beginner’s Guide.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.