Model railroad layouts plans

Bill’s been back in touch with a step by step for making a HO scale culvert.

(his last post is here.)

“Hi Al,

Short update on my layout. Been raining a lot in Virginia lately and I got tired of looking at all pink foam base on my layout.

I took out some scenery supplies I’ve had in storage since the early 90’s and had got rid of the pink in at least a small area of the layout.

It’s been fun to weather track, lay a little ballast and start to model the world around the track.

Best

Bill in Virginia”

Now on to Jim:

(his last post is here.)

“Hi Al.

Jim from CB back again with Part #6 of my model railroad layout.

In my last posting, there was a comment that it was lucky that the door to the layout room opened outwards instead of the usual inwards.

Well, it wasn’t really lucky, because, even before I started the layout, I realized that I would have to re-hang the door so it would open outwardly & afford me the extra space that would be required for the layout.

Also, if one checks out the video from 2:11 to 2:33, in the middle you will notice a searchlight tower near the transfer table pit.

Years ago, I traded in a box of my old, badly abused childhood Marx 0-27 scale train cars on some new HO scale train cars.

Then a few years later, in my basement, I found the searchlight housing for the old Marx searchlight work car.

So rather than toss it, I scratch built a tower & mounted the searchlight housing on top of it with a grain-of-rice bulb inside for lighting.

Although it’s not the correct scale, I believe it doesn’t look too out of place & besides, I therefore, still have a connection, albeit a small one, to my childhood trains.

That’s it for now train buddies & keep on trackin.’

Jim from CB”

That’s all for today folks, a huge thanks to Jim and to Bill for sharing his HO scale culvert.

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.

Karl’s been in touch, he’s got an issue with his control panel – NCE DCC model trains:

“Al,

I sure appreciate the blogs every morning. I have my coffee and my poodle dog on my lap sound asleep enjoying the commentaries, the photo’s, video’s and all the use full tips.

Last September I turned 88 and I decided to start a model railroad.

I had one, a Marklin, 50 years ago when I was still living in Holland. In 1974 I migrated to the US.

I have built a table of 107” x 70” as per your “Beginner’s Guide. Used regular DC.

Trying to run 3 locos in 4 separate sections in the track.

After visiting a model railroad show in Puyallup Washington, I decided to go DCC.

I got a NCE control and programmed my 3 locos, who were DCC equipped.

No problem there. However running more than 1 loco at the same time, the speed considerably goes down.

Please ask our members what I can do about it. Is there something like a booster or what.

I would appreciate any help in this.

Many thanks in advance

Karl

Issaquah, Washington”

Now on to Bill. he’s been in touch again – his last post is here.

“Hi all !

It’s been awhile so here’s a bunch of pics of Gerskiville. The towns shaping up and and some tracks layed. Waiting on turnouts now been backordered, Rats.
I’m just getting ready to pave the streets and pour the sidewalks.

Well that’s about it for now. I’ll be checking in again.

Bill”

“Hi Al,

just loaded this video showing a tour around my layout… and I am saying that its now completed?

… well you know me by now… also a picture of a loco I have acquired from e bay… the Deltic Prototype which I am having a larger em2 speaker fitted, hopefully this can be shown on my next video, the sound should blow the socks off as they say…

Regards

Dave”

Latest ebay cheat sheet here.

That’s all for today folks, a big thanks to Bill and Dave. And who can help Karl with his NCE DCC model trains issue?

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.

Gib’s been in touch again, he added to the collection of N scale figure 8 track plans on the blog – his last post is here.

“Hi Al,

I was blown away by the nice comments on my little first try layout and appreciate each and every one.

There were some questions I thought I’d answer. The curve radii are 10.5” for the outer curve, 8” for the inner curve and 9” for the curves under the mountain.

I have to admit that I didn’t even think about grades when building the layout and they are too steep. The grade on the outer loop is 2.8% and a whopping 6% on the inner loop. Luckily my trains do navigate OK. There is access on the back side of the mountain to retrieve derailments.

I have attached several pictures. The first three is where I am today. The fourth shows the backside access.

The fifth is your red barn and finally I tried to send a video of my Bachman 0-6-0 Iron Man making the rounds.

Some comments on the red barn which was my first try at a printout building. I surface mounted the windows and doors since N scale is so small to work with to mount the windows inside. I also felt that the cereal box cardboard I glued the printout on was a little too thick for N gauge. Does any one have a better yardstick idea?

So I hope you find this interesting. I look forward to your post every day. Keep up the good work.

Gib”

(It’s always great to see the printable buildings on a layout!)

Gib’s layout reminded me of Clarke’s figure of 8 too: N scale figure of 8.

And now on to the talented Rob. Hope you enjoy this video as much as I did:

“Hi Al,

Running videos and how to videos are great, but to really see the work that has gone into a layout, one needs to get up close. That is exactly what I’ve done in this my latest video. Figures really can put life into a layout and I love them.

I spent almost two years building Farland II. I started in mid March and this is where I am today. Two major features of the layout are yet to be finished, but I am currently working on one and the other will follow. They are a castle ruin and a smallish freighter at the quay unloading or loading. By summer I will be almost done.

Thank you so much for all you do. The modeling communities of the world are very grateful.

Rob McCrain – Farland Howe”

A huge thanks to Rob – he has a train room I would give my right arm for. Fantastic stuff – and a what a video too. A real treat.

And thanks to Gib to for adding to the N scale figure 8 track plans on the blog.

Lastly, don’t forget the silly sale has returned for a few days only.

You get the Beginner’s Guide and 38 printable buildings for just $9. It really is a silly deal.

Of course, I’m biased, but there’s some fab new buildings too.

Here’s the rusty engine house:

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 at a very, very silly price for the next day or so.

Best

Al

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