Model railroad layouts plans

Gary’s been back in touch. He added some HO scale engine yard buildings to his layout. It’s really taking shape now!

“Hi Alastair.

It has been seven months since I sent you the first pictures of my layout of the PRR Sunnyside Yards in Queens, New York.

At that time I had completed the first phase of my project which was the track work and signal work on the passenger yard. My next phase was completing the track work and signal work for the engine yard.

Yesterday, I finally completed the track work, switch work and signal work and blocks for the engine yard.

I don’t know if I am just slow or if it takes a long time to work on a model railroad but it took me five months to complete the engine yard. I learned a lot.

All my signals are synced up with the switches. I installed a Circuitron Auto Reverse circuit (AR-2) that controls the polarity of the tracks that my engine for my work train runs on, which you will see running in the short video.

I also installed an under table magnetic uncoupler that is on the rail right next to the two main line rails. This is so I can uncouple the GG1 engine from the passenger train, run it into the engine yard, park it on one of the spurs and run another engine out to hook up to the passenger train and then run the train out onto the main line.

I also built my first SCRATCH building, the engine house.

I lost two months’ time in June and July due to knee surgery and I could not get under the layout table. So during that time I worked on building a scratch engine house which closely resembles the engine house in Sunnyside Yard and scratch built yard lighting towers.

I had to build the engine house from scratch because I could not find any model buildings that resembled it.

Here is a picture of one the HO scale engine yard buildings; each of the doors has an overhead lamp that light that you will see in the video.

All the switches have either a dwarf signal or upright signal that is controlled with the same switch controller that throws the switch; so when the switch is heading straight, the signal will be green; when the switch is diverging, the signal will be either red or yellow depending on what color I used.

The engine yard has two main tracks going through it up to a slip switch which has a double signal (see pictures 2 and 3).

All of the seven spurs off these two tracks are blocks which have their power controlled by a toggle switch on my panel (see picture 4).

I have left a lot of space on the panel for future phases of the layout. All of the signals and switches are labeled and numbered, just like on a real railroad, and the panel toggles are labeled and numbered for the corresponding blocks and or switches. Those are the white markers you will see in the pictures.

Now that the track work is done I have to complete the following:

finish the ground work

complete the ballast

install a scene on a crew that is doing track work

install a scene for fuel and oil track for the engines

scratch build a railroad yard office to cover the Circuitron circuit

install switchman shanties throughout the yard

install electrical relay cabinets and boxes for the signals and switches

install a maintenance crew working on a GG1 engine out of the engine house

install maintenance platforms around the yard

add some ground cover around the yard

add maintenance waste and trash around the yard

add any more scenery scenes that would fitting for an engine yard

install main line crossing signals for street traffic into and out of the yard

When that is complete, here are the next phases:

add and complete to the center of the layout the commissary buildings with delivery trucks for products needed for a passenger train

add power station, yard master towers to the center of the layout

complete the center of the layout with main road for traffic, yard crews, passenger train crews and appropriate scenery details

complete the lighting for all the passenger cars

make up the trains with GG1 engines for the passenger yard

install service crews throughout the passenger yard working on the trains

Main Line improvements:

install blocks on the inner main line so that I can control trains for crossovers

install main line signal bridges over the main lines with working signals

Outside the yard:

build a garage scene in one corner of the layout

build a Harley Davidson motorcycle shop in one corner of the layout

scratch build a White Castle Hamburger restaurant in one corner of the layout (when I worked the night shift at Sunnyside Yards we always took our lunch breaks at a White Castle that was open 24 hours)

Engine Yard from the North Side:

Engine Yard from the South Side:

Panel:

Here is an overhead view of what the layout looks like now:

I know I have outlined a lot if not an enormous amount of work but I am having a ball doing this.

I welcome any suggestions from other model railroaders. As I finish each phase I will send you updates and pictures.

I also have drawings of the electrical projects I use for the layouts such as Tortoise wiring and voltage reduction. One fault I have is not knowing what resistors to use with what LEDs.

As you can see in the pictures some LEDs are brighter than others. If any of you former or current electricians out there can direct me to how I can get information on working with the intensity of the LEDs…….. I will be forever grateful.

Alastair, keep the emails coming; I enjoy reading the articles and pictures and tips you send from the other modelers.

Thank you for this opportunity.

Gary M from Long Island”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Well, I think it should be me thanking, Gary for sharing his latest missive on his HO scale engine yard buildings. What an update and what a layout. Can’t wait to see the next instalment.

If you missed Gary’s previous posts:

Here’s the first.

Here’s the second.

Here’s the third.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming, and don’t forget, it you want to start – just like Gary did – the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

Paul’s been in touch with his magnetic coupler – or should that be uncoupler?

“Hi Al,

My new video showing installation of permanent magnets for uncoupling in a switching layout.

This photo shows the slot cut in the bottom of the screw to allow adjustment from underneath the baseboard.

This photo shows the cars being uncoupled.

This shows the partially finished switching layout.

This photo shows the finished product.

Paul”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

You may remember Paul from his last post, where he enlarges his waterfront.

That’s all for today folks. A big thanks to Paul for sharing his magnetic coupler.

It’s funny, couplers come up so often on the blog because a lot of the time they are the cause of derailments.

Some folk simply solve the problem by using a different brand, and there’s one that always comes up time and time again, as the one to go for, which is Kadee.

Please do leave a comment below if you’ve found the same.

That’s all for this time 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.

Dan’s had fun with his halloween model train project. He’s turned one of his freight cars in to a pumpkin shipper:

“It is pumpkin time and I came across a 1960’s Mantua gondola car that was Union Pacific orange and looked to be the perfect customer to turn into a pumpkin shipper. Some 91% alcohol and a Q-tip took care of the UP MOW markings.

The next step is to mask the sides with painters tape, being sure to burnish the outer posts so no paint seeps in. I primed the interior and upper sill then followed up with black gloss enamel. I wanted a color break between the car and the pumpkins.

Now to the new stuff. At Hobby Lobby I purchased TesTors decal paper for inkjet printers. I used my 40% coupon for this. Once I got home and opened it up I realized I should have also bought the TesTors decal bonding spray. Don’t try this without the bonding spray. Fortunately, my wife had to make a trip, so I followed along to pick up the spray.

I pulled some likely clip art from the internet and played with the sizing in Word so they would fit on the car. You do some dry fitting, just printing on regular paper.

As with any decal project, it is a good idea to wash the car in warm soapy water and let it dry. Once dry I sprayed the sides with a glossy coat. These TesTor decals require that kind of finish, as do most decals. Then wash your hands and glove up. There was a question a week or so back about the need to use gloves. It is just that the same oils that leave fingerprints for the CSI folks can also spoil paint and decal jobs.

I printed my halloween model train decals, ganging them so they would fit on the smaller decal paper, and when dry, gave them 2-3 passes with the TesTors bonding spray. I let this dry overnight.

The next day I followed the instructions on the decal pac, cutting and soaking for 5-7 seconds in water [I use distilled] then placing it on a paper towel. I also dabbed a drop of water on top of the decal after placing it on the towel. 15-30 seconds later the decal would slide off the paper. Using tweezers and a very small straight cut brush I placed the decals where I wanted them. I put a dab of water on the spot before placement. I let it sit for a bit, then dabbed with a Q-tip very carefully to pick up excess moisture. Then on to the next decal. As the photos show, a smooth-sided car will make this process easier and faster. My next holiday car (Christmas) will have this advantage.

Now I needed some railroad markings, so I pulled out my D&H decals and dropped the seal and car reporting # on the car. These decals were followed up by a setting fluid as normal, but the printed decals only really needed a good gloss surface.

I was very happy with how they turned out, and actually, I found them sturdier than the decals you buy at the store. With this product, you can make any decals you want with your inkjet printer.

Now to the “pumpkins.” I found this ORB Micro Mosaics also at Hobby Lobby in a variety of colors. The black makes for good coal, and this material is malleable with a sticky back. One pack had two different orange colors and the scale seems to work for HO scale pumpkins. I dummied the gondola with foam, inserted a steel washer for a magnetic release if needed, then pulled apart the mosaics and placed them in the gondola, mixing up the colors.

The final step for my halloween model train, a dull coat application, trucks, couplers and on to the produce distributor.

I did not weather the car, as this car had just been repainted at the shops in Oneonta. That is my story, and I am sticking to it.

I hope this provides some useful info for you folks.

MN Dan”

And when it comes to Halloween, if you missed this, here’s Liz’s again:

Hallow themed model railroad.

Now on to Alan:

“Hi all,

I live in the uk and have a Kato with tomix tomytec buildings in my loft and garage.

I am analogue with simple gaugemaster and Morley controllers – no scenery I just enjoy the hobby and like running the trains and trams. It’s not exhibition standard but i would say to everyone just enjoy yourself.

I throw a few Lego models into the mix and anything else I can find.

Alan”

A big thanks to Dan and Alan.

It just goes to show all it’s all about having fun. If you just want to run trains without putting down a stick of scenery, that’s fine. If you enjoy it – do it!

And I know there are just as many on the other side of the fence. For them it’s all about the scenery and they’ve never even plugged in the tracks.

Well, what ever works for you, that’s fine. I think that’s what makes this hobby – make it your own.

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.

PPS Or perhaps you are after N scale layouts?