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HO scale model train scenery

Hall of Fame Dan has been back in touch with some more pics of his HO scale model train scenery:

This is the basic track plan. There is a lower section, also. It is nearly finished with scenery and switching going on.

This Blog will concentrate on the middle section of the upper level.

In late 2014 I had the lower level track in place and beginning the scenery for the lower level. However, the NMRA convention was going to be in Indianapolis in 2016. The owner of the layout wanted the “top” in place in time for the convention. He hired a professional designer to come in and get a plan and all track in place for the convention. This is his work. I just had to do the scenery before visits.

Here is the mid section. The purple section is on the lower (base) level and goes to a helix where it goes under the upper track. At the top of the photo the purple track make a “Y” with the mainline.

For what ever reason the designer decided to separate the double mainline into two levels crossing with one going down and the up again. My challenge was to make it look right and it had to look right from either side.

It is a good thing I like challenges.

This view is away from the helix.

This view it toward the helix.

This view is away from the helix. I have now put most of the scenery in place. My past posts show how the ceiling tile was done.

This view is toward the helix.

Some views from one side.

From the opposite side and not quite finished.

Nearly finished look.

The river.

This was a challenge and it was fun.

Dan”

A big thanks to Dan for sharing more of his HO scale model train scenery pics. Stunning stuff as usual.

You can see more of his posts in the Hall of Fame.

That’s all for this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you decide to join in the fun, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

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.

Model car light kit

Brian’s been in touch with a nifty little model car light kit:

“Hi Alastair,

been keeping myself busy with small projects because both levels of my current 14ft by 10ft shelf layout have been sold and the projects below will be for my new layout when it gets built.

In the meantime I have been putting LED lights into some of my HO scale resin cast vehicles, compliments of Temu. (China)

I ordered some very small LEDs from them and started putting them in as headlights.

They are powered by a ‘buck’ module. The ones that I use can be adjusted down from 12 volts input voltage. I set the output at 2.7 volts to give me the correct brightness .

A buck module (shown below) is a step down converter for DC. I think I paid about ZAR13.00 each on ordering 5 at a time.

The small silver screw at bottom right is where you adjust the voltage.

Below is where I did a test run in one of my resin cast vehicles. I drilled out the cast headlight through to the inside of the wheel well in order for the wires to come out underneath before painting it.

Testing the headlights below.

Below, the LEDs are connected via the buck module (shown below)at the bottom and will be mounted under the layout.

Some more vehicles done the same way.

The buck module can power up to 12 LEDs at a time.

A night shot with the headlights on at 2.7 volts.

I did not stop there, being happy with the success so far that I decided that a bulldozer needed to have lights as well to be able to work at night.

I will also put a LED in the cab so that the operator can see the controls.

I will hide the wires once placed on the layout.

Not to be outdone by the above, I got both my lighthouses working and flashing. A marker bouy was next, added to the flasher unit. The lighthouse and the marker bouy flash at the same time once placed in the harbour.

But now I needed the LED light above the door to be constant. Another buck module was added and reduced the voltage down to 2.7v for the correct brightness shown below above the door. The flasher unit is set at 6 volts. Buck modules are cheap enough to use plenty of them under the layout. The green buck module is shown between the lighthouse and the flasher unit.

Unfortunately I cannot show a video of it working.

One thing that I dare not do is spend a lot of time on the Temu website as I see too many things that I want.

I have always treated my hobby with – it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Till next time.

Brian – the HOn3 guy from Knysna RSA”

A big thanks to Brian for sharing his model car light kit.

It reminded me of another Hall of Fame post from Taz:

N scale car lights.

That’s all for this time 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

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.

N scale shelf switching layout

Bob’s been in touch with is N scale shelf switching layout:

“Back in 1958, I got interested in HO trains. Dad gave me his workshop (he wasn’t usingit) to make a layout.

I created an 8×12 dog leg, basic design. No pictures, just memories. I later added on a “yard” (that’s what I called it – a place to store cars)., WA.

Never once did I think of model railroading.

Fast forward to 2016, and my life changed forever. I lost my wife of 40 years, and I was lost myself.

In 2017, I started to think about model railroading again. Wondering where I could build one. I had taken up another hobby of Radio Control Airplanes so that took up half of the garage, nothing in the house seem to fit so I decided the other half of the garage would be Bob’s Railroad.

The room size was 10 x 20, some things were (and needed to be kept in the room) so I ended up with 5’5” x 16 of usable space.

Now I was looking around a lot, looking at some shows and reading magazines. I felt the usable space was too small to put up an HO layout, so I chose “N” Scale. So not to jump into it with all four feet, I decided to do a ‘test’ layout of 2’x8’ a little switching setup with 4 industries.

So, after checking various software packages, I chose ANYRAIL to design my layout. Then I ordered what track I needed (decided on KATO just because of my age) and while that was getting started I learned about “on-line’ auctions, so I found that I could purchase some used pieces to start and not get invested with a whole lot.

Well I set that up and switch (operations) was fun, I knew I wanted more, but before I do that I decided I should get some industries, road and other things in place along with some landscaping to see if THIS IS REALLY WHAT I WANTED TO DO.

This is what the workbench looked like before I prepared it for my “industrial” beginner layout.

And this is what it looked like AFTER I cleaned it off.

This is the “workbench” I cleaned off and painted brown (I did put 2” foam down too) – as you can see there is a LOT of JUNK under and around the place for my industrial layout.

Using ANYRAIL I designed the industrial layout – in the center are 2 parallel tracks, for my purpose I designated the top to be outbound and the bottom to be inbound. Although I was not hooked up to any railroad I needed to add description to my madness as I would create outbound trains on the upper track … then later move them to the lower track as inbound that needed to be put away.

Track and rolling stock arrived with 1 ATSF switcher

Then I started to lay track down, following my ANYRAIL plan.
Industries:

1) Far left – freight warehouse
2) Far Right – container yard
3) Front left – lumber
4) Front right – oil

This worked out for operations (switching) however, I knew I wanted more. However, I needed to complete this piece first with roads and landscape to see how I do with that.

I added a ‘local’ freight station.