Model railroad layouts plans

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.

Rich (Old Taz) has been in touch with his 8×8 model railroad.

“Hi Al

My lay out started as a 4X8 foot 1-inch blue board and has groin to 5X8 foot with a 3X8 foot Extension at one end. I like depth so there’s a lot of up and down.

The layout is called Whisky run.

It was called Tinkers Ville when Tommy Tinker started the coal mine. Tom put his hole hart in that Mine and made a go of it.

All Tom did was work, He never married. It was just tom the mine, the town.

And Petty his cat. When Tom died, they bearded him and Petty in one of the abended shafts.

He left the mine to the town. I like the late 40s and early 50s you’re going to be able to tell.

Prohibition hit and the town saw dollars. Thay put two stills hidden in the mine, they were making more on Whisky then on coal. They come from all over. (where are you going? whisky run).

Right after prohibitionn the Governor come to town and gave the town it’s new name Whisky Run.

I’ve had those two tables in every position you could imagine and finely came up with this one.

The 4X9 is on wheels and can be moved so I can work on the backdrop. Theirs a slide device on both

That way they will match each time. There is a train or engine at both the coal mine and the sawmill hat will be on its our self-reversing track.

There are three cam fires on the two on the rim and one on the river.

O yes Whisky Run has over 25 miles of the fine’s trout fishing in the north west. (Whisky Run)

A lot of the buildings are held in place with magnets so I can remove them and work on them on the Work beach. At first, I was using two magnets. (expensive) Now one or two. Using a heavily threaded wood screw epoxied to the center of a washer about the same size as the magnet that way you can raise or lower the platform and remove it to be worked on.

I started being every switch I could get my hands on. Rong thing to do not all worked that well or didn’t work at all. The springs didn’t hold or they would open after you went through two times.

Looked at a lot of switch motors. I decided to make my oun to my specks.

Tell the next time some wear in Montana.

OLDTAZ”

My word – what a layout.

Over all the years of posting these layout, the ones that sick out for me, are the ones that have a theme.

Fantastic narrative and fantastic pics.

A huge thanks to Dick for sharing this.

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 stop dreaming and start doing.

Best

Al

Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.