Paul’s been back in touch with a an update on his stunning OO scale locomotives and layout:
“Alastair,
Thanks for posting some of my previous contributions of my OO layouts in Canada.
I have added some more detail to my 2nd layout and replaced a few of the cheaper figures with more realistic ones from Modelu and Bachmann.
I’ve added a few pics of some of the additions and also a short YouTube link of running two of my favourite locomotives.
City of Bristol reminds me of my birthplace and the Winston Churchill was my very first purchase while in England on a visit in 1960’s.
Many thanks,
Paul”
A big thanks to Paul for sharing his update – his OO scale locomotives are a joy to watch.
If you’d like to see the start of this stunning layout, and the back story behind it, it’s here: Steam model railroad.
Now on to Kerry:
“Hello Alastair: I’ve watched many of the contributions of others. I have an HO layout 5’ x 9’ I started 30 years ago, but didn’t really make alot of progress until the last 8 years.
Converted to DCC last year. Modeling the early 50’s.
I used Atlas track and turnouts as that’s all I could afford 25 years ago. They still work, even with DCC technology.
Kerry”
I do love it when I receive stuff about 30 or 50 year old locos or track working just fine. Just makes me smile.
Dick’s been back in touch and added to the basement N scale layouts on the blog.
Embarrassingly, his mail has been in my inbox for a while.
If you’ve mailed me anything, and not heard back from me, please do get in touch.
Here’s what Dick sent:
“This past year has been eventful to say the least here. It has been about a year since I last sent in anything about all of my little railroad worlds. Going on 85 years old now It takes much longer to work on and complete projects on the railroads.
I sure do appreciate all the effort Al puts into his labor of love on his site.
I enjoy seeing everyone’s entry, I believe each and everyone of the contributors on this site love this hobby and each has their own way of enjoying the hobby.
About two years ago it was time for me to re-energize so I made huge changes, as mentioned in earlier posts, the G scale layout came out of the basement train room and went into the garage.
The gigantic N scale California Zephyr Route was dismantled and brought down to the basement train room which actually created less clutter and more space. So in the 16’ by 22’ train room I now have 4 train layouts to showcase 4 different scales of trains I have collected over the past several decades.
This post is about the newest N scale layout I am content with.
This new N scale layout is the very first one I started building without developing a story first.
My intention however is to use the California Zephyr Route story modified to justify the use of the equipment available.
The layout is freelanced, I decided that due to various serious disruptions to the regular California Zephyr Route from Denver Colorado to Salt Lake City Utah, that all trains have to be re-routed to Cheyenne Wyoming onward to Laramie, and on to Rawlins, Rock Springs, Green River, Evanston Wyoming, and finally coming into Ogden and Salt Lake City Utah.
This is probably a weak excuse to run my CB&Q, D&RGW, Western Pacific, Union Pacific, and even Amtrak equipment on this layout but it works for me. I can choose to use different time periods as well depending on what equipment is run.
This layout has a double track mainline throughout plus another separate single track route with some industry. No yards though, if desired at some point in time I can add an extension just for that. I mainly like to watch the trains run rather than do a lot of involved switching maneuvers in N scale. My HO layout will take care of that urge to do a lot of switching.
With everything I build, I repurpose everything I have stashed from prior dismantled layouts.
So the included pictures will show what I have done so far. All track work is wired, control system is built, all trains run well, no derailments, all turnouts are powered and are controlled at the control station.
With 3 main lines to run on, I can choose to run each line with DC or DCC independently, being careful not to allow any train from leaving its designated route if the routes are not all running DC or DCC.
No scenery yet, many buildings are on the layout but will probably be moved around or changed out to fit in okay. While the two outer mainlines are for running between Denver Colorado and Salt Lake City Utah the center portion of the layout is planned to be Medicine Bow Wyoming where the famed Virginian Motel is located, this being an alternate route connecting to the outer mainlines in real life at Laramie and Walcott Wyoming.
Enough for now along with the included pictures.
I am still working on doing a good video to show some trains running.
Dick Chapple Sr
Hardin Montana USA”
Basement N scale layouts:
Next up is Jim.
“Al, it’s been a while a while since I made a post about my layout.
I was going through my previous posts and found a question about the raised area of my layout from Jim Robinson a while back. Jim, the raised area is what I am calling Heart Mountain Park. This photo is the Entrance and overall view of the park.
This photo is the actual Heart ( I owe Gerry a Big Thank You for the Heart design that I saw on his layout that I copied and made for my layout).
This is Ma’s Place Restaurant and General Store for Food and Supplies.
This is the Rock Face for mountain climbing and the River for fishing and canoeing. Fed by the waterfall from the Lake.
This is the Lake at the top of the mountain which also feeds the Waterfall.
This is one of the campsites
I hope that this explains the area. There are a lot more scenes up there but I couldn’t get the rest of the pictures to go through right now. I will try to send another post later.
Thanks Al,
Jim”
A big thanks to Jim, and to Dick for adding to the basement N scale layouts.
“Hi Alastair, herewith an article on an HO scale working lighthouse for model railroad.
I sat at my layout’s harbour and looked at the current lighthouse with just a blinking light that went on and off at intervals and thought to myself that I should be able to scratch build a working rotating one with the technology that is available today.
I asked for an Ai (artificial intelligence) sketch of a lighthouse and I thought this one might be appropriate as seen below.
I asked my friend with the 3D printer if he could print one for me. The final product, off the printer is seen below. It is hollow throughout.
The next question was to see if the motor and gearbox seen below could be housed inside close to the top and how to mount it.
Different ideas were thrown around and a few 3D printed parts used to get the whole rotating system with the attached motor and gearbox to work.
A top base was printed as a test and inserted the LED to see if it would rotate without any obstruction. Unfortunately the inner workings below the LED could be seen and had to be covered somehow.
Windows were also printed and test fitted as well as a door.
Again, a test fit making sure that everything fitted and worked.
Below is a 3rd print of the top “base” with a “wood” simulated deck.
The top section (LED housing) 3rd print (first two did not come out the way I liked) had the surrounding bottom piece above the wood deck done to hide the workings that otherwise would have been seen.
At the bottom just under the lighthouse base is the power module that both, adjusts the incoming transformer 220v and connects it to 12v down to 3v to the LED and the speed control knob which rotates at – Currently (3RPM). This will all be hidden under the layout with just the speed control knob on the front facia.
Below, video of the rotating “beacon” in action…
A very successful and rewarding project. (3 weeks from R&d to final finished product)
Next is to mount it on my new layout to be featured soon.
Once again Alastair, thank you for all the work that you do for all the Modellers around the world.
That’s all for now.
Kind regards
Brian – the HOn3 guy in Knysna RSA”
A big thanks to Brian for sharing his Lighthouse for model railroad – I really can’t wait to see it on his layout, I do enjoy his stuff.
(His last ‘lighthouse’ post is at the bottom of this one: model car light kit.
