Model railroad layouts plans

Anthony has been in touch with his Kato HO scale Unitrack:

“Hello Al.

My name is Anthony. I live in Pittsburgh, PA – USA.

On January 22 of this year, I started building a platform for a train layout in HO scale.

I am using Kato Unitrack. To this date, I have 4 lines of track on the platform, three of which are connected, and one is separate.

The platform is 10 feet by 13 feet. The HO track is all completed and laid out, but now I will spend the next several years laying scenery and will be trying to add some realism to the platform.

I will try to send you 15 pictures of my current Unitrack layout.

Again, just started on this Kato. Feel free to use my pictures and layout in your circulation. Take care.

Anthony”

Kato HO scale Unitrack:

I love what Anthony has done with this HO scale – he’s made a start and that’s what it’s all about.

There’s quite a few Kato Unitrack layouts on the blog now.

HO scale Kato model layouts

Kato Unitrack HO

Kato track plans

Now on Wally:

“Al: I thoroughly enjoy all the videos and tips. I would like to pass on an observation on a recent video.

The HO loco being cleaned on the Trix wheelcleaner is going to have contact problems. The brushes clean the wheels, but also leave microscopic pits. This happens with any scale. A better method is alcohol on a strip of paper towel. This cleans the wheels without wearing them down. I use this myself, and it works great.

Thanks for the listen.

Wally”

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“Hi,

I saw the post on moving the small scale 3X4 layout. Easy. Nail or better yet screw some 1X4 strips on the outside, then a ¼ inch of plywood cut to the size of the layout screwed to the top. Another piece of plywood on the bottom to protect wiring and then it I ready to move. And stack where ever by the moving company. A couple 1X2 cross braces can be put on the top to protect but as small as these is they may not be needed.

Bruce”

A big thank to Anthony for sharing his Kato HO scale Unitrack. Thanks to Wally and Bruce too.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, whatever the scale may be, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Remember, it’s the start that stops most people.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

Dan’s been back in touch with more of his train layout HO scale:

“Al, this set will wrap up my layout. I have a gazillion photos of my layout. As I said, I have completed several other layouts. I would be glad to share them with your readers.

HO Bench work completed

Gold spike. I used gold paint on a rail spike.

The monument for all to see. I have done this to all of the layouts I have built.

Some night views. I do not normally run in the dark. Looks like someone in in the bank after hours.

Railroads are a 24/7 operation. The engine house is no exception.

Another view of the engine house on the layout.

Train layout HO scale:

Looks as if there is some overtime work to be done at the welding shop.

At work late at the layout freight house.

Dressing up the shop windows. The mannequin in the left window, in white, has been cut off at the legs to show just clothing item to be sold.

I often put a figure in a window.

Something that does not exist today. Full service gas station. That is a Walther’s cast metal kit. The “oil” cans are short lengths of dowel rod.

A rail fan at a tunnel. In this photo I used a kicker incandescent light for a little shadow and again warmer look. My layout is considered flat lighting with very little shadowing. I did this on purpose so I could add shadows where I wanted them.

The higher the layout bench work the more light you need.

My HO layout uses florescent lighting. I used a strip of “GE Light Sticks” for the section of the layout with the

The GE lights were a redder, warmer, light. In this photo I used a kicker incandescent light for a little shadow and again warmer look. You can see these in this photo. They were 24 inches verses the 48 tubes.

The basement had a strip of 3 foot ceiling panels rather than 4 foot panels. The room is 15 feet wide and not 16 feet.

This wraps up photos of my home layout. This has been a great pleasure sharing my layout with you. I have four others I hope to share with you. Al has some video of the layout.

Dan*”

A big thanks to Dan for sharing more pics of his train layout HO scale.

You can see more of Dan’s work in the Hall of Fame.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

PPS More HO scale here if that’s your thing.

Brian’s been in touch with a blast from the past – his old HO scale 8×4 layout:

“Hi Alastair.

As mentioned in my previous post, I said I would find the photos of the 8 X 4 display that I made for the Hobbies fair after the previous one.

This layout below in the second photo loosely resembles the late John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid 6 X 4 layout shown below. (Courtesy of Benchmark publications). it was modified to fit on an 8ft X 4ft board.

The photo below shows where I needed help to get the board Into my friends workshop to continue with the build of my version of it.

Below is a view from the opposite side of it showing the cork roadbed.

Here I was testing building positions to what would be a good solution for them.

Foam and plaster work started and the wooden trestle in place. All the tunnel portals we set in place.

Cork roadbed was used under the track to raise it and partially deaden the sound.

Woodland Scenics ground was used to give me the look of greenery where needed.

Continuing with the foam and covering it with plaster.

Adding plaster to the opposite side.

More green woodland scenic ground foam added as well as the base of the lake bed.

The cast in place plaster arch viaduct has been painted.

Here the water (resin) has been added to the lake. Trees have been added around the layout. I stopped using resin after this as there is heat involved during the curing process and when it cools down, it shrinks. I then had to repair the edges to hide where the resin had shrunk. Woodland Scenics realistic water was not available at that time,

An overall view showing a train crossing over the wood trestle bridge.

A station and water tank was added at the top section and more industry added on the right hand side below the hill. Bushes and shrubbery was added here also on the left hand side of the layout

Final placement of the town and the roads. Everything was glued down including the vehicles in preparation for the move to the hobbies fair.

This stand was double the size of the previous one and was 20ft 10ft in size. Because of its size, a young friend of mine who also had an interest in model trains asked me if he could display his small finished HO scale layout on the stand

His HO scale well detailed layout can be seen below and also received a lot of comments especially when told that a 15 year old kid built it. He was on the stand with me for the duration of the show to answer any questions about his layout.

The main 8ft X 4ft layout was also sold at the hobbies fair which was a week long from Monday to Sunday during school holidays. The small layout was returned home again.

This was my last foray into HO scale standard gauge (1:87 and 16mm track gauge).

From here on it was all HO three foot narrow gauge – HOn3.

A big thank you to Alastair for all the hard work that he does in keeping this site going. A great round of applause for Al.

Brian – the HOn3 guy in Knysna RSA.”

A big thanks to Brian for sharing his HO scale 8×4 layout.

That’s all for today folks.

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.