Model railroad layouts plans

Bill’s been in touch and added to the 4×8 layouts for model trains on the blog:

“Hi Al

Been awhile since I sent anything in. As the summer has been busy I’ve been making slow progress on my second 4×8 section of my switching layout.

As was the case for the first section I’ve quickly grown tired of looking at pink foam board everywhere. Just like the first section I decided that adding in the gully was where I wanted to start.

With pink foam board it’s easy to cut and pry out small pieces to contour shapes below grade. Once I had the basics in I built firms out of balsa wood to frame up for the concrete abutments. I line poured plaster and pulled the forms out once the plaster was firm.

As I did for the maintenance buildings floors I then used a metal putty knife and shaped the plaster into its final shape. I scraped and cut until the 30 foot thru girder bridge sat where it needs to be to keep the track smooth over it.

I painted the abutments a concrete color and the rest of the exposed foam board a mix of tan and gray acrylics.

Next I added in two metal drains coming out of the factory complex. For them I found a bolt that had a coarse thread and cut a strip of heavy duty aluminum foil about 3/4 of an inch wide and about 1.5 inches long. I pressed hard as I wrapped the foil around the bolt to get a good pattern. Once off the bolt I used liquid super glue to hold the layers together and give it a little more strength. These I inserted into holes I put in the foam board.

Next was adding in the bed of the gully and vegetation. I used shifted dirt and woodland scenics products. I always like to add a base of coarse foam then soak it in diluted glue then add in less coarse material of varying shades of green to build up depth on the vegetation.

All in all a fun little project as I tinker with other things on the layout.

Thanks

Bill in Virginia”

A huge thanks to Bill for adding to the 4×8 layouts for model trains on the blog.

His switching layout is quite something – I can’t wait to see it progres.

His last post is here if you want to pick up the thread.

When it comes to 4×8 layouts, I always think of Cal’s: 4×8 HO train layout.

I do love all these updates, where I can, I always link to the previous post, so you can follow the process and progress. Everyone has a different style and pace, but that’s what’s makes this hobby.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, 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.

And there’s the Silly Discount bundle too.

Brian’s been tinkering with his model train track design and has now taken the plunge:

“Hi Alastair, an article on more work done on the lower level of my layout.

After viewing the temporary track layout in this area of the lower level of my layout, the decision was made to fix the track permanently in place.

This is after months of procrastination and moving / adding buildings and track.

Here is the temporary track in place. This photo is before the turntable was put in place. (Top right) and before repainting the facia to the current grey.

Here the track and points are being cut and positioned.

The turntable has been put in place. This is where I noticed that the track leading to the freight house on the wharf side was, 1 – the curve was too close to the turntable and 2 – the curve radius was too tight for a locomotive and to deliver freight to the wharf side. Therefore it had to be relocated.

This point shown below had to be moved about two inches to the left to be able to increase the radius to allow locomotives and freight cars to be delivered to the wharf side and freight terminal.

Another view before moving the point and track. This move also entailed moving the Blue Point motor under the layout to its new position.

Model train track design:

This view showing the new track layout leading to the freight terminal and wharf side.

Another view showing final placement of the track and before placing sleepers in all the gaps under the rails.

This photo below shows the small engine facilities for refuelling the locomotives for the return journey to the yard at the other end of the ‘U’ shaped layouts lower level.

Will need to do some minor adjustments to the building placement for clearances.

Moving around to the next section behind the freight terminal, there was a lot of empty real estate and decided to add another point and track to some new industries. Here it is shown in it’s temporary position.

It can be seen here how much space (real estate) can be used for industry. This would allow for a lot more operation.

Now to find some appropriate industries for this location. At least materials can now be delivered to the small wharf by rail.

13Track work has been temporarily placed to see if it is workable.

Track and point has now been fixed in place and all electrics connected.

A view from the opposite end.

An overall view of the new area on the lower level.

A more closer view of above. Nice and busy.

Temporary positions of buildings to see what would work or won’t.

Same again (excuse the arm) used to take the photo.

Some of the industries and more modern equipment (later era than my layouts era) shown was left over from a small modern layout that I helped build for a friend and he kindly donated the leftovers to me.

The next project here is to start with all the ground cover and scenery before I move onto the next and last section of the layout.

Still a lot of work to do and as they say – a layout is never finished.

All the best and a big thank you to Alastair for keeping this site going.

Brian – the HOn3 guy in Knysna RSA”

A big thanks to Hall of Fame Brian for sharing his model train track design update. Can’t wait to see how this one progresses.

Here’s some more posts on the thorny topic of track planning:

Model railroad track planning

Model railroad design

Model train track planner

Model train track plans

Track plan layout – do you need one?

I know some of you like to plan your layout, and others just jump in (Wayne’s always springs to mind).

Just remember, if you’re having fun, you’re doing right. It’s as simple as that.

One last thing – I’m going as fast as I can with the new store, until then, I’m putting these bundles together for a short while.

Here’s the silly discount bundle for just $29.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, 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.

Dan’s been back in touch with more HO scale background scenery tips:

“I began working on a model railroad for a friend in 2014. It was one of three I was working on at the time.

The layout was to be two levels with storage tracks and a run-through mainline. The lower level was to be sceniced as well as the top level.

The national NMRA convention was going to be in Indianapolis in 2016. By late-2014 or so we knew I could not get the “top” level ready by the convention. The lower-level track and wiring was in place by then.The footprint of the layout was done. None of the scenery had begun at that time.

It was decided that he would hire a company to design and put in the basic track. No scenery or wiring was done by them. I took them to my house to see how I did my scenery work. They were unimpressed with my work. They especially did not like the ceiling tile rocks.

This will be a series showing the progress of the layout and how the scenery progressed.

Take a close look at the upper-level track plan and see how difficult some of the scenery projects turned out to be. It was a challenge because they never asked how we wanted the scenery to look when finished.

The double tracked mainline was at different levels. At one point, one crossed under the other. Also, there turned out to be a place where the scenery could be seen from both sides. We elected to have a duck under rather than a lift out to get from one side to the other.

This layout was fun to do, and I got to try some new scenery techniques I hadn’t tried before.

The owner wound up wanting to add a town later. So, it became 2021 and a town appeared. I will show you that later.

I hope you will like the Unnamed Railroad. So named because he runs all kinds of railroad locomotives, and he never came up with a name.

This is the upper or top level if the track plan the company did.

The part in this installment showing half of the layout with the dimensions of this portion.

The helix. It is single track. The track on the gypper level is not part of the helix.

The approach to the helix on the lower track and the upper level trackage. Look closely and note that the company chose to make the double track mainline become different levels.

HO scale background scenery:

The two bridges show the separation of the two mainline tracks more clearly. This separation will make the scenery a very challenging project. (This will be in the next post.)

Well along in the basic construction. The part that will be viable has the ceiling tile rocks in place. The super structure of the mountain has begun.. A requirement of the owner was, he had to be able to stand up inside the mountain for ease of maintenance.

The other side. The tunnel portal is for the helix. I used cardboard strips woven together and glued with a glue gun to hole the shape.

There is a coal mine as part of the helix area.

The cardboard strips have been covered with plaster cloth. I use just one sheet with the next sheet overlapping about an inch. This has always been enough for me.

The first application of sculpta mold. The sculpta mold is repainted a “dirt” color. If a spot happens to be missed, when applying the ground cover the spot is “dirt.” You will notice that the far side is already finished.

Progress.

The sculpta mold is done. Notice the circled section. This shows where some earth has eroded down and filled this spot. Details often overlooked.

Overall look.

Finished look of this side.

Hikers on the hill side.

Before the trees were “planted.”

One of the “problems” caused by the company separating the mainlines. It required separate tunnel portals. I found a prototype situation like this in Virginia.

The coal mine in place.

The fire tower. This is an N scale structure to suggest height and distance. You can get a glimpse of the Other side of the mountain.

I use the scenery application as I have described in past posts. To get the ground cover to stick the hill side I covered the sculpta mold with a generous (but not thick enough to slide down the hill) amount of white glue. Then with a stiff piece of paper with ground foam on it, I gently puffed the ground foam on the glue. I VERY LIGHTLY MISTED water over the foam to soak up the glue into the foam.

Santafedan”

A huge big thanks to Hall of Fame Dan for sharing his HO scale background scenery tips. How anyone can be unimpressed with his work is beyond me. It’s a strange old world.

Here’s a few more scenery links for you, some are Dan’s, some are others:

Model train backdrop scenery

HO scale scenery

HO scenery for model trains

Model train Sant Fe scenery

HO model railroad scenery

model train mountain scenery

O scale scenery

HO scale scenery ideas

Model railway trackside scenery.

One last word on scenery – I’m putting together a new store at the moment, so everything is in the same place. I’m going as fast as I can, but in the meantime, I’m putting some silly offers together for the printable buildings, like this:

Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle for just $29.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout, 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.