Model railroad layouts plans

For the first time ever, I don’t really know how to start a post.

I have been bowled over by the kind comments, mails and support, after annoucing my closing down sale.

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to express how much it has meant to me. Thank you.

For me, right now, the best thing to do is carry on as normal, and see what the sale has brought in by tomorrow.

I didn’t sleep well last night, and no doubt I won’t sleep much tonight either.

It would be wonderful to keep the doors open and carry on.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the site and grabbed the Beginner’s Guide and the freebies.

And thank you to everyone who has bought it again – I know many of you have. A wonderful gesture.

I really do hope the closing down sale saves the day. I think it was good advice.

But enough of the doom and gloom for now. Let’s see what tomorrow brings. Fingers crossed.

And let’s have a look at Richard’s update. He’s been busy with some fine weathering:

“Hello Al.

I have been tending to some of the minor improvement tasks on my N-scale “Mountain View Railroad” layout since my first post in early August which you so kindly published on your blog.

I have finally received several shipments of trees which were back ordered for what seemed like an eternity and this has kept me somewhat busy planting them. I now have over 6oo trees on my tiny 4 by 7 foot layout.

I have also been a bit busy weathering some of my rolling stock. See pics below.

In addition I have been placing additional N-scale persons and vehicles around the layout. I still need lots more people around “Merchant’s Row” and the train station.

My layout is broken down into 4 basic areas:

The “FARM” area
The “RESIDENTIAL” area
The “INDUSTYRIAL” area
The “MERCHANTS ROW and TRAIN STATION” area

With my limited space of a small bedroom in my apartment, my work space as well as my storage space for my railroad “stuff” and tools was getting to be a bit of a mess. This necessitated purchasing some fabric with a steam locomotive motif print to hide the mess when I am not operating my trains.

My sisterI fabricated a “skirt” for the two sides of the layout that are not up against walls. There are two fabric panels which provide access to the stored “train stuff” and the engineer’s control panel which is mounted on a set of ball bearing slides designed for a computer keyboard allowing me to slide it beneath the layout platform when not in use.

Here’s a couple of pics showing the skirt and the layout in its current state.

Some stats of the layout are as follows:

Approximately 64 feet of Bachmann E-Z track with integrated ballast
6 each right hand #6 Bachmann remote E-Z track turn-outs
5 each left hand #6 Bachmann remote E-Z track turn-outs
7 each Bachmann E-Z track siding bumpers
67 Buildings and other structures
32 Steam and Diesel locomotives
170 Freight and passenger cars
106 automobiles and trucks
30 Street lights

Here’s a few of the weathered rolling stock (there are over 150 more to be weathered) *LOL*

Now that winter is on our doorstep I hope to get a bit more accomplished on my layout………Still lots to do, but it is getting down to the tedious chores that sometimes really tax my patience requiring me to take occasional breaks to maintain my sanity. *LOL*

Thanks for all your hints and tips. Without them I’d be lost. You certainly have done more than your share to support this great hobby. Keep riding the rails.

By the way, do you know of any firms that sell an N-scale powered hand car?

Regards,

Richard
Maryland
USA”

A big thanks to Richard – his pics and narrative were a very welcome distraction from my predicament.

That’s all for today folks.

Please don’t forget the closing down sale. It’s the only thing that might keep my head above water and keep the blog going.

If you want to support the site, it really is a case of now or never.

Tomorrow’s going to be a day I won’t forget for a while.

Best

Al

I have to start today’s post with some news I’ve been trying to put off for some time.

There’s no way to say it, other than I think it’s time to hang up my boots.

Every now and then I have a wobble over the site, but I’ve always said when it starts to cost me money, it’s time to call it a day.

And that day has come.

Perhaps it’s my own fault – I haven’t put the prices up on anything since I started the blog in 2010. Yet every year, everything gets more expensive.

I do love seeing what’s in my inbox each morning, but not enough to pay for the privilege.

Usually, the good months make up for the bad months, but recently, they have all been bad months.

So what to do?

I’m going to make my mind up in the New Year.

But in the meantime, to help ease the pain, I thought there is only one sensible course of action – run a sale for the Beginner’s Guide with a load of freebies.

If it helps keep the wolf from the door it would make a huge difference to me.

Don’t get me wrong, folks, I’m not asking for charity. You can help by investing in the Beginner’s Guide or any of the print-out-scenery.

I’d love to keep it going, but I can’t unless things improve.

I’ve made some wonderful online friends over the years, and it will make me sad to call it a day, but I do know you will all understand.

Anyway, fingers crossed for the sale. Let’s see what happens.

And now on to Eric.

He’s been back in touch after his last post:

“Al,

Thanks for getting my story up so quickly. It was great reading all those wonderful comments!

I’ve noticed a lot of people mentioning getting their start in the hobby way back in their childhood. The same with me. I was about 5 years old when my Grandpa who lived in Germany sent my Dad and me some Marklin HO trains.

I remember my dad starting a layout that we never finished as we ended up moving to Hawaii. This was back around 1965. I remember a photo of my Dad and me working on the train layout and I just happened to find it again! I have attached it.

Might be interesting to see if others may have photos of way back with their original train sets. It would be real fun to see a collection of old photos and you may want to ask if anyone has any they would like to share.

Please feel free to share my photo on your site if you like. It made me feel real good seeing my Dad again in the picture.

Thanks again for everything you are doing to share this hobby with the world!

Eric”

“Good morning Al,

I have sent you a number of emails over the years and you have posted some pictures I have sent you on more than one occasion.

It is awesome to get to see my work on your site for I know how many people, like me, enjoy your site and look forward to opening your emails for motivation, tips, and to see all the great work others are doing.

Recently, you reposted one of my emails with pictures of my N scale layout.

It stated as a 4X8 ft layout 5 years ago and is now approximately 180 sq ft.

I use Kato track and I switched over to DCC last year. I have 35 Kato switches.

The majority of my locomotives and rolling stock are from the US or Holland.

As you can see, not a specific prototype, I just model things I like and know.

I was once told that modeling is what you want it to be and there is no right or wrong way to set up YOUR layout.

Thus, I have a European section, a ski slope, a golf course, a New England fall scene with the leaves changing, a city, a circus, a carnival, fishing holes, beach, military base, and of course Worcester Union Station.

And many of my scenes originated from some of your emails where I liked something that someone else had done and figured to give it a try.

And of course my layout is constantly changing and evolving, however I think I have run out of space in my basement, so it will probably not expand any more. 🙂

I have attached a more recent video of the layout, which you can see has taken over my entire basement. 🙂

Thank you for hosting and sharing all the great “stuff” that is sent to you.

best,

Ray”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

A big thanks to Eric and Ray (you can see one of Ray’s earlier posts here).

I do thoroughly agree with Ray when he says:

“I was once told that modeling is what you want it to be and there is no right or wrong way to set up YOUR layout.” Amen to that.

That’s all this time folks.

You can grab the Beginner’s Guide here.

And thank you all for your support over the years. It really has meant so much to me.

Best

Al

You all know how much I love an update.

And not long ago, Bill sent in this fab update of his switching layout.

But quite a few questions came up – and Bill has been kind enough to record another video to answer them:

“Hi Al

I had a few questions posed in my post from the other day.

I made a video that shows how everything goes together and answers the questions some of my fellow modelers asked.

Thanks!

Bill”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

A huge thanks to Bill!

There are more Bill’s posts here, in the hall of fame.

That’s all this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing.

Best

Al