Model railroad layouts plans

John’s been in touch with his ho scale switches and turnouts:

“Al, Copy-cat John here.

I want to share with you a test project I just completed to insure it would work as planned.

I have two turnouts on my yet to be finished HO layout. I decided to use manual Caboose throw switches. Boy they look so much bigger on the Internet. The two turnouts must coincide with each other. I was concerned at a distance how would I know if the two turnouts were in sink with each other.

I watch westerns on TV where the train man comes out to the track and moves the switch handle for the on coming train and then he goes back to where ever he was. I always wondering how did they know if the track was set correctly for the next train, without going out and looking at the switch. I devised a system using LED lights, a push-on push-off switch and a 12 volt automotive Relay.

I made a cabinet to house the push button switch that I hope looks like it belongs next to a train track. This cabinet in two parts, the bottom has the push button switch and the top slides over the bottom with an aspirin like button in the under side of the top which makes contract with the push button switch.

A 12 volt adapter provides juice to a particular terminal (#30)of the Relay and comes out of another terminal (#87a) which in my case goes to a “green” LED light beside the turnout indicating that the turnout is in the straight position.12 volts is also going to the push button switch and when the switch is activated it sends juice to terminal (#86).

When terminal #86 receives juice , terminal #30 is no longer connected to #87a (tuning off the “green” LED light) but instead it’s now connected to terminal #87 which in my case turns on the “red” LED light..The concept is that if I see a “green” light at one turnout and a “red” at the other I need to change one of them.

I hope the pictures below will make this a little more clearer.

The first picture is the test project using a 9 volt battery. On the left top corner is the second switch cabinet. The top is upside down to show the aspirin like button that touches the push button switch, You have to assume I have thrown the Caboose throw to move the turnout to the straight position and pushed down the cabinet to turn the “green” LED light on.

The second picture shows me changing the position of the Caboose throw to change the turnout to the curved position.

The third picture I am pushing down the cabinet to change the light to “red”. I plan to have these LED .

John”

A big thanks to John – his last post is at the bottom of this one.

Now on to Rob:

“Hi Alastair,

Thought you might like this video. I go into the various parts of a point, turnout, switch which some of your subscribers might find interesting.

Rob”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

A big thanks to Rob and to John for sharing his HO scale switches and turnouts.

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.

Dominic’s been back in touch with a Brick school building HO scale to add to his layout.

You’ll remember his last post – what a church! (You can see it here.)

“I recently found a used school building at a hobby store. I don’t know why I bought it, but I did.

After studying it I knew this would become Saint Isidore School and be part of the Saints Peter and Paul Parish, along with the Basilian Fathers Monastery.

Then I thought: “where’s the convent?” So I totally scratch built the convent named Blessed Josaphata Hordashevska Convent for the Sister Servants of Mary Immaculate.

This order of Ukrainian Catholic nuns ran the hospital and the orphanage in Mundare, Alberta. which is where I lived for two years back in the 1950’s.

They were just a great bunch of God-dedicated women. Among them was Sister Isidore. She was a friend to me and I’ve never forgotten her. This is why my school is named for Saint Isidore.

I need to remodel a small portion of the layout just north of the big church and monastery to accommodate the school and convent.

I still owe some refinements to both buildings such as rain gutters, electric and gas metres, some nice benches for sitting, and a bevy of nuns and children.

I also need to install LED lighting in both buildings, which are divided into floors and rooms.

The little Siamese cat in front of the school is my George Frederick!

Dominic”

“Hi Alastair,

I have been sending photos periodically of the progress on my East London harbour rebuild on my South African railways layout.

Here is a youtube video of the completed rebuild.

Regards from Sunny South Africa

Henry in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal”

You can see Henry’s last post here (it’s at the bottom).

Thanks to Henry, and to Dominic for sharing Brick school building HO scale.

That’s all for this time, folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here it today is the day you start your own model railroad journey.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

jay’s been in touch with his American Flyer model trains – what a collection!

“My grandfather’s 1939 American Flyer train set.

Back in January I got all of my HO train stuff out of storage to take inventory. That included my grandfather’s 1939 American Flyer O gauge 3/16 scale prewar era set.

I contacted the Train Collectors Association – Western Division and they sent me the information about the train set (see below). I learned that I was missing the baggage car to the set.

After taking inventory of all me HO trains I collected over the past 60 years I decided to put my grandfather’s set in a display case. At this time I have no room or any space to setup my HO trains.

So the 267 pieces of rolling stock went back into storage (neatly packed this time). When I finish remodeling the living room I will have half of my double car garage empty and decided I will use it to set up my trains.

Since January I have been watching several different websites for HO model trains and learning about DCC controls. Hope to have the HO trains setup by end of year. Right now I plan on setting up the Atlas HO bookshelf Plan # 17 in my office.

Back to American Flyer; I don’t even know if engine works.

First I had to fix the rear truck on the engine. Luckily I found a person on eBay that had parts for these old trains. I wanted to put people and lights in the cars. I made bench seats out of balsawood and bought some O gauge people and some two rail O gauge track.

After sealing the bottom of the cars and end door openings I glued in the seats and the people. Then I wired in LED lights, 3 per car & 1 in engine compartment. I also lined the inside cover of the cars with aluminum foil to enhance the lighting.

The base of the display case is a piece of 2 x 8 lumber routed on top to seal the acrylic case and grooved on the bottom to run wiring.

The cars and engine are held in place with springs so they won’t move around. I then added some scenery and rocks. I installed a 9 volt battery and switch in a box to operate the lights. I had the acrylic case made to fit.

I also order a name plaque to honor my grandfather. Unfortunately it got damaged in shipment and they are sending me a new one. Then it will be finally finished.

THE PLAQUE READS:

‘In Memorial of Grandpa
STEPHEN F. PIOTROWSKI
26 Jul 1898 – 24 Mar 1958’

Thank you Al for a wonderful blog.

Jay”

Love what Jay has done. And here’s another American Flyer model railroad if you’re after more.

“Al, I am a copy-cat, yes I am.

I copied Roger’s chair which I added tool trays and a arm rest with a trough to catch dropped items.

At 80 years old the arm rest gives me needed support for soldering and other duties under the layout. (see pictures of my chair).

Also, does everyone at near 80 years old drop everything they pickup or is just me? I also copied from someone else, I don’t remember his name , a throwaway razor bridge which I added leftover parts from two Central Valley bridges.

The ladder is an almost exact copy of the one someone else sent in pictures a while back.

Included is a picture of a trestle bridge I built from scratch. The trestles are spaced 1 3/4 ” apart which may not be to HO scale. There is a cat-walk with step-outs for the workmen to step into when a train is coming. Again the cat-walk and railing may not be to HO scale.

Al thanks to you and all the guys I copied from, and I don’t plan on stopping this habit.

John”

A very big thanks to Jay for sharing his American Flyer model trains, and to John.

I do live John’s razor bridge. How on earth did someone, look at a disposable razor and think, “That would make a great bridge…”

I will never tire of sharing your wonderful layouts, memories and inventions.

I really do look forward to my inbox each morning, just as much as you all.

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

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.