Model railroad layouts plans

Ed’s been in touch with is Atlas model railroad:

“I have been reading your blog for several years. I find that it has inspired me to resurrect my interest in model railroading. The photos and stories shared by your followers have provided valuable inspiration and information.

As a child I had a Lionel train set but never had the room or money to do anything more than a simple oval. But, I spent many enjoyable hours watching that train run.

When my son was about 6 we bought him a Lionel Chessie System H O train set and I mounted the track which was nothing more than an oval with a siding on a 4×8 board on hinges in out garage. As we lived in Florida is was too hot on most day to do much wit it. We made several moves and hung that board in the garage every time with the same result.

As I was nearing retirement, I was working out of a home office and my wife encouraged me to start a layout. We were living in a small condo and I researched small track plans in an Atlas publication. I laid Atlas model railroad code 100 track following Atlas’ Twice Around in 4×6 plan.

I collected several locos and cars from the late steam and early diesel era and ran these trains for several years. At a model railroad show in Fort Lauderdale I met an aged (to me then) man who was selling Tillig code 83 track and we became friends. I decided to take down the code 100 track and invested in the Tillig track.

I laid the track following that layout plan with some modification. I wired a few blocks but before I could run trains we moved and bought a motor home and started traveling. The layout was encase in plywood and stored in my daughters backyard she from 2003 to 2019.

Last winter I unboxed the layout and was surprised to find it was in decent shape. I spent some time cleaning track before closing it up and moving it to our small villa in North Carolina. I managed to wire the main line and can run trains around the layout.

Sadly I was not able to install and wire the Lemaco point motors I bought over 20 years ago before returning to Florida. This will have to wait a few months for us to get back. I may need help with the switch motors.

I am attaching photos of the layout after I unboxed it in Florida last winter, and where it currently sits on fold up benchwork in our spare bedroom in North Carolina. Again thank for the inspiration.

Ed”

A big thanks to Ed for sharing his Atlas model railroad.

Atlas layouts always remind me of Ernie’s Atlas N scale post – he left his trains running for two days by mistake.

Richard’s 4×6 Atlas model railroad layout is a very worthwhile viewing too.

“Hi Al,

just posted this video, its just to let all know I found out how to enter new Loco in to the ECOS controller, and a BIG new sidings for my trains (a shelf under the layout).

Also showing a few of my trains running, some I have not shown in a long time, I shall not be posting for a few weeks now, so hope you all can enjoy this running video.

Regards

Dave”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

“Hi Al, my name is Tony.

I live in New York City in the US.

I have a 10’-10’ with a cutout in the middle for accessibility. Here are some pictures of it.

I used 1by 3’s for the frame and 2 by 2’s for the legs.

Then I used 2’-2’ Pink foam insulation for my base. I glued wheels on it so I can move it if needed.

I’m wiring in in DCC Digitrax. I am using Kato track for ease ability.

I’m not a professional so I hope to get feedback on my little world.

Thank you so much

Tony”

A huge thanks to Ed and Tony.

It’s wonderful to see all of these layout slowly come to life.

If anyone has any suggestions for Tony, please do leave a comment below.

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

And if today is the day you press the button on your very own layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

“Hi Al,

this layout was a year in the making with my grandkids.

The kids loved seeing the project grow with their help. They also made some great suggestions for the layout adding some of their Legos to the layout. They so enjoy coming over to play with the trains.

Most of the rolling stock and engines we purchase at yard or estate sales. I even found a hobby shop which was going out of business. Some items were purchase on e bay etc, etc .

I did not use a table for the trains. I repurposed some used kitchen cabinets. Makes a closed storage area.

The scale is o mostly Lionel and MTH.

Although this layout is not as elaborate as most of what I see, it is basic and fun for the kids and us to have quality time together and hopefully produce a younger generation into model rail roading hobby.

Happy railroading!

George”

Really like what George has done, mainly because it seems like he’s had lots of fun with it, and that’s what it’s all about.

Whenever a Lionel layout comes in, I’m always reminded of Michael’s 11 x 27 Lionel layout.

Now on to an observation by Sid:

“Al:

While scanning for layout ideas last eve, and the TV shows in a dead zone, Showtime once again showed “unstoppable” a 2010 movie, of a runaway train. (Based on true events).

While having watched it over and over, this time i got into the shots of the tracks, since this was filmed in and around Pittsburgh,PA and Eastern Ohio.

Suddenly i realized that some of the perfect curves and switches i am trying to make, are not so in real life railroading.

Last was a educational film for me. Strongly recommend anyone who likes trains and has not seen, do so.

Sid”

“Hi Al,

I am wrighting you Belgium. Sorry for my very bad English.

After 35 years I restarted with my hobby Marklin Ho lay-out.

Here by i send 2 pictures off my small new lay-out.

Friendly

Guido

Belgium.”

A big thanks to Guido and George.

George writes that his layout is ‘not elaborate’ but I disagree: any layout is better than no layout, and I’ll bet you’ve made a load of memories with the grandkids.

And Guido – what a start! Well done. I know I keep banging on about it, but making a start is more than half the battle.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today has made you want to start your very own layout, the the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here. Still going strong.

Bill’s been back in touch with some pics of his HO scale yard ballast.

He’s been busy on his scenery. If you missed his last post, it is here.

“Hi Al

I’ve been enjoying adding scenery to my second 4×8 section of my switching layout. I have a fair amount done at this point and it’s coming together nicely.

I’ve adding what is going to be my only major water feature and that is a ditch in which I’ve added Woodland Scenics water as well as some cattails and several HO Scale geese.

Another addition is a small bridge going off scene by the oil distributor.

I reduced the amount of roads I originally was going to add but doing so cut off access to the filling area of the scene so I created a small road coming in from off scene and built a small piece of a bridge where I had added some s energy in the side of the foam board base due to damage to it. I think it works well there.

I’ve done a lot of other scenery too. Pictures are below of the HO scale yard ballast. Still much more to do such as add in people and start to work on the larger buildings for painting and detailing. I’ll be busy for a long while yet and I’m enjoying every minute I get working on the rail road:D

Cheers!

Bill in Virginia”

“Hello Alastair

As a child, I had a Lionel layout, built into an unused cistern in the basement of our house in Wisconsin. A new Lionel layout was created in another basement in the ‘70’s.

However, in the latter part of that decade I visited the UK and made the costly mistake of walking into a British model Railway hobby shop (Howe’s in Oxford).

I was smitten. Since then I have been collecting OO scale equipment, structures and track in hopes of one day having a space worthy of the beauty of British rail in the Grouping Period, well, some of it anyway, because even in my wildest imagination I could not figure out how to justify all four railways in a single layout. I ended up settling for three, omitting the Southern Railway.

Now, at the ripe old age of 77, I am embarking at last on a large layout (22×8), in a new Wisconsin basement. I had an even grander one in mind, one with a huge terminus, but the reality of all the wiring of so many turnouts and crossovers struck home. I looked at what I had designed and experienced a panic, never having moved beyond a three-track format. So, I have changed my plan to be large, but relatively simple and using DCC. That, at least, was a benefit of the delay in building my layout.

I have begun constructing the table sections, six of which will be required. This will allow me to run large rakes of carriages, seven or more, and not exceed the capacity of a single straightaway.

I have completed the first table, just five to go. I have acquired Digitrax electronics and a fully “chipped” locomotive, in this case, the Hornby Flying Scottsman, to encourage me in achieving my goal, including putting chips in the locomotives that I have collected since 1978.

Wish me luck (and long life to complete my project).

Dean”

Well done – it’s all about making that start! Can’t wait to see your updates.

And what about Bill’s latest HO scale yard ballast pics? Stunning stuff as usual.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And don’t forget the the Beginner’s Guide is here it today is the day you grab the bull by the horns.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here. Still going strong.

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