Model railroad layouts plans

Eric has been in touch with a wonderful model railway diorama.

And have a look at his weatering work too:

“Dear Al,

Here are some pictures to illustrate the work I’m doing here in Belgium. Actually I’m planning a small portable layout based on the GWR in early 1944 (with US & British troops waiting for D-Day).

But I already have done several dioramas based on the Belgian Railways prototype. Photographs shows a diorama of a Belgian Railways goods shed (with interior details)

Also, you’ll find pictures of a scratchbuilt Belgian Railways signal box (who could be found in Liège) with the interior fully detailed (model now displayed on my club layout)

The last pictures shows the weathering I’ve done to my Airfix BR “Royal Scot” steamer and two “Hogwarts Express” based LMS coaches from Märklin.

You can publish them on your website, just indicate that the models were made by Eric Sainte, from the Liege’s Train Fan Association (ALAF Asbl) in Belgium.

Best regards,

Eric.

P.S. : If you’d like, I can send you an article about how I weathered the Marklin LMS coaches and my Airfix steam locomotive in PDF format (I’d just have to translate it in English)”

Amazing pics, Eric, I’d love to see your weathering guide!

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“Hi Al, few picture for you , just a couple of handy tips , a piece of garden trellising from the big D.I.Y. Store , cut a few cuts off, and ready made Logs , for the log carriers , then a new light for the buffers , it just clips on to the rail DCC or DC and it light up and at only £4 , If any use to you pick out which could be useful, will post a video within the next week or two featuring these two new additions

Regards

Dave”

“Alastair,

A few weeks ago, someone suggested using real rust for modeling rust. He suggested scrapping it off of some rust metal he had found laying around.

A better way is to take some fine steelwool and soak it in plain vinegar for a few minutes than remove it, apread it out and let it sit for 12 – 48 hours. All of the steel wool will turn into rust which easily crumbles into rust dust. This works well in the desert in Phoenix, Arizona. I assume that it will work even better for people who have relative humidities in the high two digit range.

Bruce”

“Hi Al,

See attached images, recycled tracks used for modelling.
Hope you like it.

Roberto”

“hi Alister i have been working on my laout for a year all my pics are work in process i have many more thats if you want them the cemetry is made from ice lolly sticks i an trying to keep it as a Welsh theme.

All the best from Gwilym”

A big thanks to Eric for sharing his model railway diorama – and to Gwilym too.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

If you’d like to share something, just hit reply to any of my mails to get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.

Don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here if you want to get going on your own layout.

Best

Al

PS Have you had a look at the new ebay cheat sheet yet?

Dick’s been back in touch with his battery powered G scale:

“Hi Al:

I have been doing as much as possible before the 27th when I have my first of 3 surgeries on my neck and back.

So working hard to do grunt work that I will not be able to do for quite a while.

For power I have the two Plum Cove Studios “Generic Electric” diesels. They were patterned after a GE 25ton boxcab. I had charged up the 4 batteries only to find that the diesels would not run.

I took the batteries to the big city. Interstate Batteries tested them to find out 3 were totally shot.

So I bought 4 Optimum Batteries and brought them home. It is an extreme struggle to lift anything over 20 pounds and these new babies are 60 pounds each. Finally got them in the garage, and found that they are over 3″ wider than the old deep cycle batteries.

So I had to build two new floors for the diesels, which means I will need to alter the bodies to fit, or build new bodies.

Anyway nothing exciting here except we will be able to have our first train party before winter hits.

For anyone interested, these diesels are wonderful little tanks. Mine are just over 16 years old now and they are as new, no wear and have plenty of power.

Pictures show original size of floors, and the new floors mounted on the frames.

Tomorrow I can start re-assembly of electronics and hookups, batteries and test run.

Then get the bodies built.

These pictures just show the size comparison of old floors to new floors I built yesterday and today.

The bodies long sides are fine for size, but the ends will be widened and the roof also widened. If this doesn’t work out well, then I will build new bodies.

If I can’t get them built before Friday, they will have to wait until next Spring before I can do much.

Thank you Al, nothing exciting as I mentioned already but boy they sure are fun to ride.

This is it for M. E. RR pics and info.”

A huge thanks to Dick for sharing his battery powered G scale.

Dick also kindly sent in an update on his N scale too. If you want to get up to speed,his last post is here.

“This past few weeks I have spent tons of hours on this layout, hopefully some will notice the changes. I have until Thursday the 26th to get anymore done, then I will have the first of 3 major surgeries on my neck and back. So progress will be pretty slow for quite a while.

For anyone wanting to see a layout diagram, look back at my old posts to see it.

Since the last update, I widened the long narrow stretch connecting Chicago to Denver by 1.5 inches and removed the white plastic runners from the fascia board that were 1.5 inches wide so my aisle way is still the same width.

Next I did more work on the backdrop building flats, still more to do before I affix them to the backdrop.

Next I planned where I could have the roads for each of the 5 towns and built them along with nearly 50 crossings. Aging and striping is next on the roads. added a few more buildings, a lot more autos and trucks.

Then I began painting the backdrops, first establishing a horizon, then adding features. This was quick and fun. Details can be added when the mood strikes. Paint, I hate to waste paint I have mixed to use, so when I finish with some aspect of all this scenery, I find places to use up the balance of paint either as is or change its color and use up.

My Grandson Hector is pleased to see that Hectorville California has grown so much.

Also I have been doing more work on the mountain that has the road with a school bus parked most of the way up. more color added features etc, it needs more but I am happy with it.

There was mention of this mountain being out of scale, I believe he was referring to it looking that way because it is not yet finished for detailing, carving, etc. As far as scale goes, from floor to peak is only 250 scale feet high. We have lots of examples out here in the West of steep roads, huge walls of rock and very large rock.

Very soon I can begin adding ground cover, ballast, trees, shrubs, telephone and power poles, and people will come last as I am pretty clumsy right now, and have to be careful what I am doing with my arms and hands.

This is a huge project and sometimes it seems as though there is no progress, but when I look through older pictures I can see lots of change.

I am including a picture of a train pushing one of those little SQ12 mini cameras resting on a depressed center flat car, being 25mm cubed this is the largest camera I can use that will fit through the Kato single track truss bridges.

Thaks again so much and stay well and safe.

Every one else’s entrees sure help to keep me going, I truly enjoy them all.

Dick”

A huge thanks to Dick. It’s wonderful to see a layout grow and come to life – whatever size they may be.

And I wish him well and a speedy recovery for his surgery.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if you want to get going on your very own layout.

Best

Al

PS Seen the latest ebay cheat sheet yet?

Joe has been in touch, he been busy building a HO layout.

“Hi, several years ago i sent pix of my old layout, I have since moved and building a HO layout. I have less than two months into it so here’s some early pix.

All the buildings you see except for the one with the shops below and apts on top I built myself using balsa wood and pix taken from the internet via google images.

The roadway is convex using wall compound spread with a 3 inch blade. I still have to add an oil streak down the lanes.

The background views were taken from the internet and expanded using print shop as a banner.

The train station I built is in the middle of two 3ft passenger platforms.

I would estimate that after just 2 months work i’m about 20% along. Hundreds of trees to be added and more people. Street lights and telephone poles will be added soon.

System runs on dcc with Bachmann locos.

I will send more as it progresses!

Joe”

Jeff’s a man of few words but look what he’s put together in such a small space:

“Here are some pictures of my layout.

As you can see I don’t have a lot of space to work with, but I made the best out of what I have.

Jeff”

“Hi Al ,

just bought a new mini cam its the Mobius, and just a bit better in clarity than the old one, but after having that for 6/7 years now its given up the ghost (as they say ).

So splashed out and bought a new one, same camera but as viewers will se maybe that bit better than the old one.

No doubt will be spending more time in the loft with my Railway and making use of this little Gem…

Regards

Dave”

A big thanks to Joe for building a HO layout and sharaing, and to Jeff and Dave too.

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.