Model railroad layouts plans

“Hello Alastair,

I know your fans like ideas on how to start model railroading so here are some photos that might start some ideas.

The plan shows an area where you can walk through shown in purple.

The blue lines show what happened and the new area for a turntable.

The main section has two main line tracks with a double crossover and the back had a siding from the bridge along the wall.

There were also two sidings that had short number four switches to the front but these will not accommodate large locomotives so the plan is to remove the sections and be able to turn the main section over and install number six switches and a track to the new turntable. This will require moving the switch machines and changing the section.

There are two photos taken long ago looking at the wiring under the control panel and under the main section where you can see the levers for the switching of the double crossover using only one switch machine.

The main idea was to have the return track be hoisted to the ceiling so you can walk through the area when the layout was not being used. The other parts of the modules would not move.

You can see the modular section taken out ready for the changes. The figure eight layout was once my main track and it was totally raised to the ceiling when not in use. Once it was abandoned you can see the photo of the old table resting against the fence where it was cut up and fed to the fireplace.

To make this I used a boat winch any hardware store sells. The winch wraps around a small spool so I made a wooden spool and cut it in half to mount it on the steel shaft and glued it together again so it would give a larger diameter for the fifty pound steel fishing line I used to crank the layout up and down.

Building it was not hard as each line went around the spool through a set of home made pulleys and then attached to the layout section at the lowered height. I made sections about four feet long and did a section at a time. I used steel loops you can buy and the fish line was secured by pinching copper tube a quarter inch long using diagonal cutters.

I like the modular idea as often you can see it at train shows where the layouts are brought in pieces to the shows. I could never be able to flip up a section to change it if it was all attached to a ten foot train table. Possibly this might help some people fit a table where they could not see possibilities before.

I started this hobby in the fifties where Gordon Varney kept telling everyone that model railroading was fun. It is.

Take care,

Bob”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Some wise words from Bob.

He looks like he’s been having a lot of fun with his trains over the years too. Great stuff.

I’m all for publishing half finished layout – becuase it gets the point across that unless you start, nothing happens.

Bob’s pictures made me think he’s started and finished a hundred times. Loved seeing his set up on the video too.

Now on to Guenter.

The pics he’s sent in look quite old because I suspect they probably are.

But it’s still a fine layout:

“Hello Alistair,

It is always a pleasure to see pictures from other modeler’s layouts. So I thought that I could share some pictures from my own.

It is a freelance layout depicting features from Southwest Germany.

The size of the HO layout is 8.5 x 4.5 meters.

One feature is a model of the grandfather of all freestanding towers. It was built in 1954 on a mountain outside of Stuttgart. It is 211 Meters high. The top of the model is made entirely from brass. The transmitter tower is made from 1.6 mm brass angle, cut to length and painstakingly soldered to form the mast. Scale of the tower is 1:200, normal scale of 1:87 wouldn’t have fit in my basement.

Track and rolling stock are from Märklin.

I hope you and your viewers enjoy the pictures

Guenter, Hilton NY”

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if you want to make your start today, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

Eric’s been back in touch, this time with his model train foam mountain:

If you missed his first post, where he starts, it’s here.

“Al, how’s it going?

Been spending time on lower expansion completing board expansion and getting ready to cover with insulation foam board.

Then I began laying track out again with a few changes.

I had to make a cut out in the one area due to reach and needing to get to upper ceiling layout but I have a plan for that. It will follow with pictures.

I decided to use Woodland Scenics grass mats to cover areas and then I will came back and filled in with a few more grasses out of shaker dispensers.

I have also cut in an over size creek and will use realistic water with the normal creek garb.

I hope to moved track off in sections to lay mat, then trim off access.

I have attached some photos of the model train foam mountain build.

It started with insulation foam cut and glue gunned together with a lift off top for easy access. Next is to cover with Woodland Scenics plaster cloth.

All of you have fun out there in trainn land.

Eric the firefighter from St. Louis.”

“Hi Al Robert here from Florida.

Coal load made easy.

Looked at prices of coal load couldn’t find size, so being frustrated I made my own with cut to size corex board.

It’s stryene board honey cone comes in white,black or blue. I get it locally from a sign shop.

Cut what you want to size. my case a 54′ coal hopper then i purchased a bag of black cinder from a fabric / art store (Joanne Fabrics).

Pour some on the coal car with corex in place (painted black) Spray 75% water 25% alcohol as a wetting agent like you do for ballast now elmers white glue same ratio.

I also seen the corex on ebay and if they have black ballast that would work. what i bought glistens in the light. looks like real coal.

Bob”

“Hello Al:

I am a big fan of the Gn15 scale.

My friend John Zareva converted this HO engine I bought for little money at a local show in New Jersey into a Gn15 locomotive.

He cut out a part of the roof of the F7 A-Unit and fitted a driver’s compartment complete with a driver in G-Scale.

The result is a loco such as exists in virtually every country in the world in amusement parks and many other venues.

The interesting thing is that the loco can be converted back to HO simply by taking the engineer out and putting the hatch back into place !

Next we will do some cars and put G-Scale passengers o them.

All of this can be had for little money and it fits perfectly with existing G-Scale structures..

Best Regards

Thomas”

I haven’t stopped smiling since I saw Thomas’s pics. Brilliant.

And it proves the rule: your layout is whatever you want it to be – there are no rules.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

A big thanks to Eric for sharing his model train foam mountain, and to Bob and Thomas too.

And if you want to make a start, just like they did, 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.

In the blizzard of emails I get each day, I missed a really important one from Dick (I posted his layout yesterday). He shared his N scale track on foam board – the very start of his layout.

You can see it here.

Well, it turns out, there is a back story behind the back story.

Here’s his first email which I missed:

“Hi AL

I live down the street from the Zephyr. Dick and I met several years ago and have been close friends ever since.

I was restoring cars at that time. My health went south and I had to quit and sell everything that had a stick shift.

I’m no spring chicken either Al. Some new parts some rebuilt, some added, some removed and some we are watching.

My dad and my wife’s dad both worked as switchmen dowering the WW2. One in Minnesota and in Montana.

When my dad was building the trains longer, to come across the plains, her Dad was taking them Apart to make up shorter trains over the divides. Then vice a versa.

I have been following Al and the rest of you for about five years or more trying to absorb what I can.

The first train I can Remember having, Dad and I had to save five box tops off a chocolate drink mix and send them in with a Dollar. You could order a “A” unit (no motor). Then five box tops and a dollar baggage car and so on. I drank a lot of chocolate that summer. I got the motor for my birthday! No track! That came At Christmas.

That was it for trains till I went to work at The Toy Chest (age 22). Engines passenger cars, box cars, Buildings, track, all N GAGE. My first wife said I was nuts. It all got packed away.

Around 70 I decided I could not restore cars any more. When you can’t feel with your fingers you need to see what your touching.

I met Dick down the block and seen what he had as a hobby. Dick is a close friend we bounce ideas off each other all the time. Mine are better!

Here are some pix of my start, my N scale track on foam board.

It started in the garage on a pace of cardboard.

Then to the basement, gluing down my first piece of blue board I dislocated my new right hip.

It all went down hill from there!

Richard from Montana (Old Taz)”

You know how I’m always banging on about making a start?

I think Dick’s pictures above show in spades all layouts start with a single step. Look at how his finished. Amazing.

So make that start! All you can see in this post is N scale track on foam board, but look how it turned out!

Now on to Linda. Way back, she sent in pics of her wonderful train room. Well look at it now:

“Hi Al,

I really appreciate you publishing my train depot and especially all the kind remarks and comments given.

I thought I would send you some updated pictures.

This project began when we purchased a headlight from a train steam engine at a flea market. Well right around the corner from my Train Depot I had a frame made to mount the light on. From there I got a sheet of plywood and cut out the shape for the front of the train. I painted it black.

I found an old tool box of my fathers and attached it to the front. I came across a plastic “half barrel” that had a beer insignia on the front. I turned the beer ad around so there was a flat surface. I found a Pennsylvania Railroad sign on eBay which fit perfectly inside the center of the barrel.

To make the “rivets” around the front of the body of the train, my husband suggested to get carriage bolts which I did. I measured and drilled holes which the bolts fit nice and tight.

A friend gave me a grill from a 1949 Packard. I also had some metal bands from wooden barrels to use for the cow catcher. Another friend welded these together for me and we bolted it on the front.

I got some wide sturdy cardboard from the local Electric Cooperative where I had worked. It was used to wrap around the large electric wire that comes on large wooden spools. I cut it to the correct width then stapled it around the sides of the train and painted that black as well.

I put a light in the headlight and under the cow catcher. Then I set a lighted train switch beside it.

Over time we found a PRR step stool. Also found various train schedules from different lines, a small section of rail track, and some authentic cast iron signs to add to the collection.

I tried to show the various stages as it was built.

Hope you will enjoy this.

Thanks again.

Linda”

A huge thanks to Dick for sharing his N scale track on foam board, and what it morphed into. Thanks to Linda too.

It just goes to show whatever you are doing, it’s all about making that start.

And if you want to make your start today, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

That’s all for today.

Please do keep ’em coming.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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