Model railroad layouts plans

Rob’s been in touch with his N scale freight depot:

“Hi, Al —

Here’s a little progress update on my N scale layout in my NYC apartment. The first is the main freight depot, which I’ve gotten cluttered up a bit.

Here is another freight facility, using a print-and-build building with platform and details added

And finally my hobo hangout, with a furious checkers game in progress. And a dog. Another of your structures in the background, and the beginnings of a scratch-built engine shed. It’s a de-commissioned baggage car, muddied up a bit, with the deck added.

This might be the “Ironwood Redruth Railway”; I’m still contemplating names. It would be quite a railway, as one of those towns is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the other in Cornwall!

Rob”

And now on to Rod:

“Here are a couple of photos of odd jobs done during the great shutdown.

Firstly, a Fordson tractor with Chaseside loading shovel framework, from a whitemetal kit by Langley Models, who I had a lovely chat with while sourcing a replacement shovel bucket, the folk who run these artisan kit firms are really making a labour of love and deserve our support.

The second and third pic show a Foden six-wheeler cement mixer truck, also from a Langley kit and a joy to build, I did quite a bit of it with low melt solder which makes it all a bit more solid than the cheap supermarket superglue I’d been using. Both these models are for a cement batching works we’re making on the local Arriva staff model railway group.

Finally, a batch of British Rail ‘Dogfish’ ballast hoppers from the Cambrian plastic kits, these were a bit of a swine as the hopper body sits within the frames and is supported mostly by the vertical angle irons off the solebars. Usually with a plastic wagon kit you can assemble the chassis flat on its back to get the running gear square and level, but not with these as the solebar castings include both the W-irons below the solebar, and the hopper support angles above them.

I used a piece of nice flat ply with a batten across the end and a grid drawn on it, which I put together for getting brass loco frames square for soldering. I set the solebars upright on this using Blu-tack under the W-irons, which allowed me to attach the headstocks square across the ends to form the frames.

They all run true, thankfully. I think I may be overdoing the weathering a bit though!

Rod”

“Hi Al… well after a bit of consideration… Dangerous Dave has struck again… yes time for a few changes… not absolutely sure what the outcome will be, but after watching same layout for 18 months now, its time for a change, just uploaded this video, and maybe you will get some idea of what I intend doing.. least give me something to do on these wet days.. and well thats what the hobby is about, building a layout.

Regards

Dave”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

A big thanks to Rob for sharing his N scale freight depot. And to Dave and Rod.

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 make that start.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming

Best

Al

Brian’s been in touch again with his HO scale waterfront layout:

And it’s a good job too, because it’s all getting very thin on the ground this end (if you have anything to share, now would be a great time).

His last post (the barge) is here if you want to get up to speed.

There’s also these stunning pics of his waterfront.

“Hi Alastair

I found some suitable doors, windows and scraps of wood siding that was useful for building small buildings. I decided that they could be used for some small waterfront types of interesting industry along the waterfront (still to be cut out)

The blue one on the left will be a small boat rental Pier. The other one still to be decided what it will be, will find a place close by.

This is the area below that I plan to put them once I have cut out the waterfront and lowered them to the correct level. They are still in the original wood color.

Added a coat of thinned out paint to them.

Below, added some details from my “bits” boxes as well as some detail inside the building.

Below, I have added fuel pumps, bollards, oars and “marine paraphernalia” as well as a boat with outboard motor also from the “bits” box. The bottom of the boat was sanded flat as well as the outboard motor had the propeller section cut off at water level to give the impression that it is in the water. The deck has been roughed up a bit and weathered accordingly.

The boat rental building on its pier completed and photographed with the boat in place(On a piece of “water” from a leak previously which I will not mention now).

Hoses added to the fuel pumps, the all important life jackets, tool trolley for minor repairs and the ‘big’ sign. The first customer is being given the rundown on the use of the boat and outboard motor.

Next job is to cut out the next section for these buildings.

Everyone will have to be prepared for the earthquake that will happen once I start using the jigsaw for cutting both on the surface and the front edge.

That’s all for now.

Brian

The HOn3 guy – knysna RSA🇿🇦”

A huge thanks to Brian for sharing his HO scale waterfront layout. You can seem more of his posts in the Hall of fame.

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

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here if today is the day you stop dreaming, and start doing.

It’s the start that stops most people… don’t let that be you.

Best

Al

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

Steve has been in touch with his Hornby Thompson coaches:

“Hi Al

I have read a lot of discussion of the Hornby Silver Jubilee coach sets and how unrealistic they are.

I did think of buying a set to go along with the ‘Silver King’ that I purchased last year but they usually sold at very inflated prices.

A couple of weeks ago I purchased 3 Hornby Thompson coaches for 99p each (+postage!) on Ebay.

They are quite easy to dismantle and probably would have made one complete coach from the unbroken parts.

I decided to repair a coach side, a roof and the delicate parts of the bogies. I also needed some new buffers and coach wheels to replace those that were missing.

All 3 coaches are near completion. I am just waiting on the delivery of a set of coach wheels and some more buffers.

I am please with the result even though they are not that realistic compared to the actual Silver Jubilee coaches.

One day I might venture into building some of those articulated coach sets!

Steve”

“Hi Al;

I read your posts every day and have to tell you, there are some very clever model railroaders out there. I really enjoy the tips from all who contribute.

I have a little something that may be worth something to someone. I make my own N scale coal loads, here’s how I do it.

First I take a piece of sandpaper, cut it to fit inside the hopper, paint it black and sprinkle some real n scale coal on top. I think it makes a pretty convincing load, It’s quick, easy, and inexpensive.

Chuck M. USA”

Now on to Paul who has thought of a fun way to annouce his ripping up part of his fab layout, which you can see here.

“Hi Al,

It seems that an asteroid is coming and my Jurassic Adventure Park is right on the path to destruction. The demise of the dinosaurs is imminent. I guess I will have to put the land to better use so over the next few months I will expand my layout to make use of the new found area.

Paul”

That’s all for today folks.

A big thanks to Steve for sharing his Hornby Thompson coaches. And to Chuck and Paul.

Please do keep ’em coming – I’m running out of stuff so if you have anything to share, now’s a great time.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here if you want to stop dreaming and start doing.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.