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Where to donate model trains

Frank’s been in touch with an excellent idea for where to donate model trains:

“Hi Al,

I am retired from the heavy highway construction business and we performed asphalt and concrete work for states and the government.

The layout was modeled after small but upscale village in Plainville Connecticut where the concrete plant was located, and the quarry was also there.

We have since moved to Florida full time.

I since have elected to build small layouts and donate same to children’s hospitals. They will illustrate the North Pole , winter, and Christmas.

Before we moved, most of the layout was dismantled and donated to the Torrington Connecticut Model Railroad club youth program.

Can’t wait to see what these creative young modelers come up with.

Love your emails and tips of the trade.

I guess at 78 year’s old ,i am just a guy with a schoolboy heart.

Be well,

Regards,

Frank.”

A big thanks to Frank – and what a wonderful thing to do with his layouts – I’m sure they are very much appreciated by the kids in hospital.

So if you ever find yourself wondering where you should donate model trains, now you know!

Also, don’t lose site of the fact that for most of us, it’s memories of playing with trains as kids that keep us all interested.

We may not think about them for a few decades or so, but the magic never leaves.

So who knows, a layout donation could be planting the seed for the next generation of model train enthusiasts.

What’s more, I’m sure it’ll make you feel good about yourself for quite a while.

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

And don’t forget, the Beginner’s Guide is here if you want to take your first step towards your own layout.

Best

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

Old West model trains

George has been in touch with his Old West model trains:

He’s a man of few words, but his pics made me smile:

“My 1st humble attempt at a HO layout…all scratch buildings.

George’s layout reminded me of Mike’s Wild West model train layout.

It’s another example of how important it is to choose a theme for your layout before you get busy.

I know I keep saying it, but the layouts which have a clear theme from day one, are always the ones that turn out the best, by a country mile.

For me this hobby is all about picking a theme and making a start – that’s it!

It doesn’t matter how much you mull over and ponder your layout, unless you roll sleeves up and get going, nothing happens…

A big thanks to George for sharing his Old West model trains.

Whenever I see a wild west layout I always think of the Saloon in the printable scenery, which is at the bottom of this post.

If you’re not familiar with the printable scenery, you can view some of it here, and more of it here.

One day I’ll get round to putting them all in the same place. It’s been on my to-do list for a year or two now.

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

And if all these posts have got you itching to start your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

PS Don’t forget the latest ebay cheat sheet is here. Still updated daily.

10×14 HO scale layout – John’s

John’s been in touch with his 10×14 HO scale:

“Hi Al,

I was made aware of your site from Hall of Fame member Bill, and have enjoyed all the updates!

I thought I ought to give back, and share some updates as well.

I am currently building a 10×14 HO scale layout set in Richmond, Virginia in the late 1950s.

I focus on freight operations, with a medium sized yard in which all trains originate and/or terminate. I’ve also got a focus on realism, from the track and structures to the backdrop and scenery.

The layout started as a small shelf designed for switching, and my own experimentation with various modeling techniques, built on 18” bi-fold closet doors.

One 18” panel serves as a shelf for the layout; folded and fixed to 90 degrees, the other panel serves as the backdrop.

When I decided to expand, I designed the yard and incorporated my previous switching layout as a local destination serviced by trains from the yard. I’ve used multiple bi fold doors similarly as the layout has expanded. These are all simply anchored to the wall using fairly heavy brackets.

If you think your viewers would be interested, please do share with them. The short video linked below shows the progression of the layout from the original shelf, through the expansion into much of the rest of the room.

This shot shows the bi-fold door forming the original shelf and backdrop, with 1” insulation foam installed on the base.

After a year or so, I’d been running trains, ballasting track, and had been building a few structures. Others still mocked up.

These next two shots show a small embankment I made on the end of the shelf nearest staging.

This is a scene showing my scrap yard, kit bashed loading dock and crane and scratchbuilt scrap pile.

These next two shots show the shelf as it looked when I decided to expand the layout, and re-locate the original shelf to some new benchwork.

These shots show the new home for the original shelf, on some open grid benchwork with room behind for staging.

Rock face is in and some landforms are ready for trees.

The beginnings of the scenic forms here tying into the original layout and hiding the entrance to staging through the backdrop.

The onus of the expansion was the yard. I laid track pieces and templates on the floor in the space and designed the layout around this yard. During construction, it became obvious I needed a bit wider of a shelf for the yard and while I was at it, I went from 5 to 7 classification tracks. By this point, I’d also repainted the sky a lighter shade of blue.