Model railroad layouts plans

Ray’s been back in touch with his 3 loop HO layout:

“Hey Al,

Here’s some updated pics on my 3 Loop HO Layout. I’ve made a lot of progress over the last 2 months. The control board is complete along with the wiring. I can now run 2 engines independently.

I’ve done a lot of work on my pond and river and have started putting in some ground cover.

I have the started laying out a corral but need to get lots of cows to fill it up. I did this because I have a lot of reefer cars and this is supposed to be Nebraska.

3 loop HO layout:

My engine house is in place along with some diesel storage tanks.

Things I will be working on:

Finish gluing down the track, work on the corral and ranch, install more ground cover and landscaping. Ballast.

Brainstorm the rest of the layout. Basically I have 3 areas, the one with the pond (I think I will make this a residential area). The area with the corral (this will be all farm/corral). The area with the engine house (I am thinking commercial/industrial)

Things I am having issues with:

I have two Atlas turnouts along the back wall on each side of the trestle bridge were my engines derail about half the time. I have inspected them up close and cleaned them of debris, but still….. I don’t have any issues with the other 12 Atlas turnouts.

Some of my rolling stock does not stay coupled on my 3 loop HO Layout. I use the knuckle style (Kadee). This I know I can fix, I just need time to work on them. I didn’t realize that these could come in two different sizes (to scale and slightly smaller, then there’s the offset up or down and length to consider). They all need to be attached at the same height, some of them are too low and get caught on the ties! I think there is a learning on changing these out! I’ll get there!

I appreciate all the comments, they were very encouraging. One comment asked about the grade on the right side of my layout and yes, it may be a bit steep and I should have paid closer attention to that! I am open to any suggestions as they are always appreciated!

Thanks for reading!

Take Care & God Bless,

Ray”

A huge big thanks to Ray for sharing his 3 loop HO layout update. You can see his first post here:

3 loop HO train layout

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing, 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.

The talented Dan has been back in touch with more of his HO model railroad scenes:

Al, here is a continuation of the last set of photos around the layout.

Enough said. You got to keep the law happy.

Part of the overall scene.

One of the stores in town.

The liars’ bench in front of a campaign headquarters to set the year of the layout.

Night along the stores. I don’t run the trains at “night” but it looks good anyway.

HO model railroad scenes:

Look close and you will see that the sign painter has misspelled almost just under the ladder to the left.

Weddings are nice. The HO “tin cans” behind the Chevy are made from solder droppings.

To help set the era of the layout the stop sign is yellow. The use of red for stop signs was still a few years away

This is a HO model railroad Fine Scale Miniature kit. The were great craftsman kits. I did weather this kit. The truck was a resin casting. I also like slogans for my businesses.

This truck was also a resin casting.

A local gas station. This is a Woodland Scenic kit.

Waiting for the train.

A house along the railroad.

I spent a lot of time riding my bike to see the trains in my youth.

Al, I will have another set next week.

Thanks for letting me do these.

A huge big thanks to Dan for sharing his HO model railroad scenes – they really do bring his layout to life.

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.

Dave’s been back in touch with some track for model trains that has been no end of problems:

“Hi Al… just had another bit of a problem with track movement, so had to go out and buy some new.

To start with could not locate what I wanted, then thinking I had bought some Peco track got home to find it was Hornby ..and due to no model shop near to us with Peco in stock, had to use this, its not up to Peco standard…

Also showing some glue which does what it says ..instant and sticks just about everything…especially track for model trains.

Regards

Dave”

A big thanks to Hall of fame Dave.

I think Track for model trains gives us all grief at some time or other.

Next, on to Brian, who has sent in more pics of his layout.

His first post is here: L shaped N scale layout.

“Alastair,

I love photography as much as railroading but promise not to keep sending these unless you want more.

Brian”

Now on to another Brian, who has been busy with is track too:

“Hi Alastair,

I have been placing track on the last leg of the bottom level of my double deck HOn3 layout.

It is not fixed in place yet (good job that it isn’t) This is where a camera comes in handy as I physically could not see what was wrong until I took a photo of the section and the error glared at me.

There is a track that comes from the back of the layout leading to the the yard and engine facilities but could not get to the turntable from there. (No run around).

As can be seen below, there is no connection between the second track from the left to the next one to the right of it which leads to the engine terminal.

The track on the right hand side (not the siding) is the one that comes from the other side of the layout and leads to the yard and engine facilities. As seen below.

The white card template shows where the track will be.

The spur from this track leads to the brewery. Seen below.

Having taken a photo of this section is where I could see the error of the missing run – around between the two tracks. I have pencilled it in on the photo near the top left.

Fortunately I had two spare HOn3 right hand points that I could use to correct the problem as seen below.

The buildings are temporarily placed and not in the final position nor completed.

Short pieces of track placed temporarily to visualise what the final placement would be. (waiting for more HOn3 Peco track lengths to arrive).

Below is a view of the bottom section allowing for trains to access the yard or down to the turntable and engine facilities.

There will be background buildings along the wall with possibly some form of industry.

The bare wharf in the middle is where my FSM Seafood Emporium will be located as seen in previous posts of the build/kit-bash of it.

This black and white photo taken below looking east showing how it all worked out with the Roundhouse and facilities right at the end of this level.

A closer view of the facilities without the buildings in there respective places while working on this section.

Fortunately I was able to purchase two more Blue Point motors for the points that our local hobby shop happened to have in stock.

A lesson learned (again) when working on a new layout, is – must have a track plan. (I have a track plan for the other side but not this side 😢😡😢).

Now to get on with the fixing down of the track. 👏

It has been extremely hot here in the past week of temperatures reaching 37c at times and way too hot to work in the train room.

Once again Alastair, keep up the excellent work you are doing for us modellers.

All the best.

Brian – the HOn3 guy in Knysna RSA”

That’s all for today folks. A big thank to the two Brians and Dave.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing, 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.