Model railroad layouts plans

Bob’s been back in touch with his HO scale Dairy Queen.

(his last post is here).

“Al,

Here is another kit bash for you.

When I was growing up in the 50s my friends and I would bike about a mile to a soft ice cream store named Dairy Doll.

I had a small space on the layout that was begging for attention so I purchased a plasticville soft serve. It was all one color except for the roof. I painted it using several colors then I tried several sign colors.

I installed lights on the roof and in the roof overhang.

Then I purchased a HO scale Dairy Queen whistle which was a hand out years ago. I installed a slow RPM motor upside down in the roof. It has an 1 1/4 inch shaft that I inserted into the cone and glued it in.

I added chocolate stripes to the ice cream. I put in some patrons and some of my 50s cars. I also added some bicycles since the pictures were taken. The video shows the finished scene.

Bob”

Bob’s HO scale Dairy Queen build put a smile on my face – I loved it.

“Hi AL;

I’ve been reading and enjoying your posts for several years. Finally decided to submit my first post – of a post.

I can’t take credit for the idea, I just put my twist on it.

Looking to add turnout #s to our N scale layout and saw the idea to use ends of popsicle sticks painted white to simulate mileage posts.

Instead of gluing them, I hot-glued a pin on the back so I could move then easily. Then I painted and attached printed labels so the numbers would look better than my writing.

Additional option. I have several turnouts that need to be thrown “together” i.e. a crossing.

For these, I add red underline markings noting that they are part of a group & then a number stripe on top giving them individual IDs within the group, (I, II, etc.

This labeling is repeated under the layout to also give each wire a unique code.

Thank you for providing this site so we can all enjoy the hobby better.

The best to you.

JB & Judy – Illinois, U.S.A.”

“Hi Al.

Quick note from another new guy. Long story short.

Worked in a hobby shop as a teenager and loved all of it but the trains stayed with me.

First Lionel as a kid then HO in high school and in and out of it till a few months ago when the isolation began because of the dangers of the virus.

Jumped into N gauge because I could do a door sized layout in the corner of my shop that is normally full of old Brit sports cars (have about ten of them) mainly MGs but just about all of the 50’s and 60’s over the years and that’s a lot of years as I’m now 82 but still kicking.

Railroad wise I’m well along with my mountain style layout with a lot of scenery in that little space.

Keep up the good work. I enjoy the variety of projects on your site.

Best regards to you and fellow enthusiasts.

James”

“Al

This is a thank you to you and John for all that you have done for everyone.

I started an O scale extension to my layout. The first picture is a pictorial of my basement.

The colored section is the new layout, at 19 inches off the floor. Projected for the future, the HO layout will be above it at 38 inches with the N track (in blue) at 48 inches. I used AnyRail 6 software program to build the design. Sorry if the picture is a bit busy but I have all the layers displayed. I found the software very easy to get familiar with and to use.

But this post is about the buildings going onto the bottom layout instead. ALL the buildings on this layout have been and shall be from your printouts. I have presently built 31 different buildings plus the embankment for the raised section. I am using John’s techniques with a few changes.

I knew I was going to be building a lot of buildings. With the virus causing everything to be closed (craft stores), here in Virginia, and knowing I wasn’t going to eat that much cereal I needed something else for backing.

Wandering the local hardware store (Lowe’s) I found the Ram Board in the carpet area for $30. A soft fiber board that is 36 feet by 3 feet and about one eight thick. Very easy to cut with an craft knife.

My printer is such that I could do the enlargement for O scale as per your recommendation in your Hints document. I cut all the printouts so that I could connect them so that front, back, and sides were separate complete items. The next picture is the only exception.

The printouts are glued to the board with Elmer’s white glue and when dried (under a heavy book, Thanks John) all the excess board is sliced away. It took a couple of hours to ensure full drying (because of the fiber board) and to ensure all pieces were properly flat.

Then copied the outline of the selected items onto another piece of the board and cut out the items again, as shown. This ensured that they will be recessed. Because the items were cut out, they needed backing, as shown in the next picture. But in the meantime, the original piece had all the cut edges painted the similar color as the front edges (thanks John). Once assembled the windows were properly recessed.

On another print out of the same building I used the same technique to cut out the frames to the door and windows, as displayed. The following picture shows the window and door frames positive on the building and the windows negative to the building.

The next picture shows where I assembled the separate pieces one corner at a time. Giving me a good solid 90-degree angle on each corner. The angle iron is 2-inch aluminum angle (3 feet at the same hardware store for $4) cut to 10-inch lengths. After assembly I realized I forgot to paint the sides of the window and door frames.

The next picture shows one side of the finished product. The last picture is the house that took the longest time. The windows are recessed and the building is recessed to all the black trim. Cutting out all the black trim was a real test of patience.

After 31 buildings the cost per building is less then $10. Al’s original print out (if bought separately and not part of a special sale) + nothing for multiple reprints + about two feet of Ram Board + the white glue + a couple of ‘snap off’ blades (to keep the points sharp) + LOTS of patience, for each building.

Worst case = 31 buildings at $10 is $310. At my local train shop the respective size buildings run from about $60 to $150. Average case = 31 buildings at $100 comes to $3,100. After placing the finished items on the layout it looks like I should build a few more of some that I have already built (maybe with a few alterations using John’s ideas).

Thank you, Al and John. And yes, coffee before I start in the morning and a glass of WHITE wine after six in the evening.

Lawrence”

A big thanks to Bob for sharing his HO scale Dairy Queen build, Jb, James and Lawrence.

Lawrence really does show you can pretty much build anything out of the print out scenery – I think that’s the fun of it.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And please don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if you want to make your start without any of the usual mistakes.

Best

Al

See this building in the store.

Dick’s been back in touch with his L shaped N scale train layout:

If you want to get up to speed, his last post is here.

“Hi Al:

For anyone wondering about the size of the layout, it is 8′ long by 23.5′ by 16′ along the walls. Isles are 3′ wide.

Since my last entry, I have added an Oakland California division, so now there is representation of Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, and Oakland.

All areas are freelance so they may not have any resemblance to the 4 cities, this allows fair operations.some layout changes include adding a turntable in Chicago, and Denver, an EL in Chicago to help hide the mainline turns, and a very long legged wye between Salt Lake City and Oakland to turn passenger trains.

One journey around from any city and back now takes about 9 1/2 minutes plus time involved getting in and out of Oakland as it is stub ended there.

The upper level in the Oakland division is Union Pacific trackage, not realistic but this justifies my U P passenger train on the layout so it can run from Oakland straight to Chicgo and back, bypassing Salt Lake and Denver. I may even slip a Santa Fe passenger train in there once in a while.

I have added fascia board to the layout, switch controls will be installed on the narrow plastic boards on the fascia. Simple turnout diagrams will be put on the fascia.

The whole layout is operated by NCE DCC with four electrical divisions.

Also added backdrop board all around, temporarily in place at the moment, still need to add more board at the Oakland end.

All track operates well. The addition of the turntables and stall tracks need to be wired yet.

I’m chomping at the bit to get some scenery work in place along with backdrop scenes.

One thing I did that I would not do again, when I did all my wiring above board, it worked very well, saving tons of backaches and not having to be upside down underneath the layout trying to see what I am doing, but to save time I slipped thin cereal box cardstock underneath the track also to cover the wires. I should not have slipped any under the track. At the time it seemed okay being so thin, but it is still a thickness I don’t like under the track. It leaves mini rise and falls with sectional track to deal with.

That is it for now.

Thanks Al for all your labor of love holding this great online community together.

Be well and safe.

Sincerely
Dick Sr
Hardin Mt USA”

A big thanks to Dick. for sharing his L shaped n scale train layout. As you all know, I do love an update.

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 that first step to making your very own layout.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Bob’s been in touch with his 5×10 N scale layout:

“Al…first let me say how much I enjoy your blog. I owe my love of model railroading to my paternal grandfather.

As a young man he started working for Texas and Pacific Railroad as an apprentice dispatcher. He ultimately spent more than 40 years working for T&P and never left Texas. It is not an exaggeration to say that railroading was his life.

My grandfather’s parents emigrated from the United Kingdom to Texas while my grandfather was still a baby. They came from a small town in Devonshire called Totnes.

My grandfather once told me that there was a famous castle in Totnes and he was certain that it belonged to our family. I had my doubts, but perhaps that is why I have always had a castle on my layouts.

My grandfather was not only my inspiration, but my namesake as well. His given name, which I share, was James Robert. He was burdened with both nicknames and answered to Jim Bob all his life (using two nicknames was not uncommon in Texas at the time…what am I saying? It’s still not uncommon).

Thankfully for me, my parents decided to just call me Robert (Bob). However, I must say my grandfather was philosophical about his double nickname. Later in life, If someone made a disparaging comment about his name he would simply say, “I don’t care what you call me…just don’t call me late for supper.”

Thanks to Jim Bob I have been involved with model railroading for more than 50 years.

Like so many other hobbyists of my generation my first model trains were Lionel. HO scale came later. For more than 20 years, my wife, three children and I lived in a house with a 400 sq ft room over the garage.

My son put a sighn on the door that said DANGER! DAD’S TRAIN ROOM.

MY HO layout eventually filled more than two-thirds of the room. But, then we moved into our new house and I had to start over with no room over the garage.

The only dedicated space I had available for a layout was a corner of my office/library, so I am now an N scale modeler.

My current layout is approximately 5×10 N scale layout and built on a movable table for access.

Because of limited space I decided to build up instead of out as you can see in the photographs. I typically run four trains…a mix of steam and early diesel locomotives. I hope you enjoy the photographs and thanks again for your hard work and dedication to this marvelous hobby.

Bob (not Jim Bob) in Texas”

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A big thanks to Bob. Loved the way he built up instead of out, and what a super narrative too.

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Bob’s N scale reminded me of Steve’s 5×7 logging layout.

Here’s a quick pic if you want to refresh your memory:

“The Ohio Western & Lima Shortline (OWLS) layout is in N Scale and designed to fit into a spare bedroom with about 2-1/2 feet walk-around space – so it came out to 5’ x 7’.

It is loosely (OK, very loosely) modelled after my hometown, and set in the late 1940s to early 1950s.

Choosing this period allowed me to use early diesel powered and steam powered locomotives.

The track is Peco Code 55, with Peco Code 55 Electro-rail turnouts. Power to the rails is DCC supplied by a LENZ 100 system.

Steve”

You can see all of Steve’s N scale here.

And if you’d like to see how Steve’s layout turned out, here it is:

“It’s hard to believe it’s been over 3 ½ years since I sent my original email regarding the OWLS (Ohio Western & Lima Short line).

I continue to plug away, focusing on the scenery, landscape & buildings. Alas, age has taken it’s toll and the old hands aren’t as steady as they used to be!!

Here are recent photos of the OWLS Short line, mainly the progress I’ve made with the above mentioned areas.

Again, THANK YOU for all you do!

The layout is from about the late 1950 – 1960 time period and centers around a local logging/ lumber industry.

Steve”

You can see Steve’s N scale update here.

I’ve lost count of all the N scale layouts on the blog – here’s a small collection of them.

I’m going to finish with Hall of Fame member, Arnie.

He’s sent this video in a while ago now, but I still love it. If N scale is your thing, it’s very much worth watching.

“Hi Al,

I finally finished my video on the American Freedom Train (AFT). I created my own replica in N scale of the original 1947 AFT locomotive and added to it 6 passenger cars of my own original paint scheme and my custom designed decals.

(These cars have their own Freedom Train locomotive I designed to complement them in the style of the 1947 loco. But, if I can find the time, I am now thinking of creating a loco using a more modern diesel style.)

But here is my video of the newly created AFT loco of 1947-1949. Once again, I am continuing the story line of Heritage celebrations and having the restored 1947 AFT loco lead an Excursion Train on a one day run through the Susquehanna Valley region.

I hope you will find it interesting and enjoyable.

Thanks again to you Al and the readers for all the support and encouragement to continue my modeling efforts.

Arnie.”

(Here’s a load more N scale layouts if you’re after those).

That’s all for today folks.

A big thanks to Bob for his 5×10 N scale layout, Steve for his logging layout, and Hall of Fame member, Arnie.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here if today is the day you are going to plan your own masterpiece.

Best

Al

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

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Download this buidling here.