Model railroad layouts plans

Joe’s been back in touch – this time he’s added a model HO scale coal processing plant – and logging operation too:

“Hi Al; back when I began planning the layout, I decided that I wanted no less than 36” radii on the two main lines with a minimum od 34” on the short lines.

I did not want to place the engine yard/facility in the middle of the layout nor the main passenger station either.

I also wanted the yard to be outside the mains. That would mean more room inside for sidings and the town.

I had a 14’ x 30’ room to build in and came up with a 12’ x 8’ table.

Anyway, you’ve published 100’s of my pics in the past but here are som of how I utilized those corners.

This first group is the “west” side.

Over the back “West” corner is the coal facility. The engine is now operated by “San Juan Coal”

This is the Santa Fe Depot at Grants, NM

Here are photos of the “East end”

The logging operation supplies the sawmill on the outskirts of town.

Overview of the engine facility – sand tower and coaling tower

Engine facility with 2-8-0 over the ash pit.

Loading logs for the sawmill

Overview of the “East end”

Keep posting Al! Great to see what others are doing.

Joe”

A big thanks to Joe for sharing his model HO scale coal processing plant and logging operation too!

As you all know, I do love an update – and you really get a sense of what’s invloved in putting a layout together with Joe’s earlier posts:

HO scale lumber yard (Joe’s previous post).

12×8 HO scale (Joe’s very first post).

That’s all for today folks, except for one thing… thank you so much for all your email and words of encouragement. They really do make my day.

Please do keep those train pics coming.

And if today is the day you grab the bull by the horns, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

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

Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.

Peter’s been in touch with an update on his model railway village.

I loved looking at his pics – but what really made it for me was looking at his previous post too, because it gives such a strong sense of what this hobby is all about.

I suspect you’ll feel the same – here it is:

“Hi Alastair,

It has been a while since I sent any pictures to you so thought I would show you what has been happening in my model of Tyseley, Birmingham.

As you can see traffic jams existed even in the early 60’s mainly because of all of the buses!!

I must thank my wife for her work in painting a lot of the people like the bus conductor and the animals. In particular the chickens in the coop which were so small. She also painted the nuns and the wedding party!

Can anyone spot the interloper from North America?

Peter”

Here is a copy of my layout created on an app called Train Design. I hope it is clear enough for you. The different colours indicate the phases when the work was completed. The dark gray being storage and orange an upper level to a branch station and coach sidings on top of the two main lines in the tunnels below.

Model railway village:

A huge big thank you to Peter for sharing his model railway village update.

You can see Peter’s previous post at the bottom of this one: Model railroad blacksmith shop.

Also, if you enjoyed Peter’s layout, you’ll probably like Gavin’s too: LMS model railway.

And there is Brian’s too which has a very British theme: Ashover Light Railway.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if creating your own model railroad is an itch you just have to scratch, the 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.

And there’s the Silly Discount bundle too.

Brian’s been in touch, he been busy with his model railroad test track so everything works just fine before the scenery goes down.

“Hi Alastair,

More progress on the lower level beyond the harbour after having temporarily laid the track in place to make sure that it was in the correct position I wanted before fixing it down.

Photos below were taken before I changed the facia colour to grey.

Another view of the proposed track work minus the point still to be added leading to the turntable off to the right.

Below is one of the Blue Point switch machines that I use for all my points (turnouts). They are all manually controlled. This photo shows it upside down and on top of the layout but will be mounted underneath each point (turnout).

Looking closely one can see the thin spring steel wires coming up from under each point for the Blue Point switch machines. The converted and kit bashed Atlas turntable (manually operated by hand) worked exceptionally well and did not need a switch to change the direction of the locomotive on it when rotated 180 degrees. It does it automatically on rotation.

Model railroad test track:

Cutting and fitting the pieces of track in its intended location. Here the point leading to the turntable can be seen on the right.The red knobs on the facia operate the push/pull point machines shown below.

Making a mess in the process while placing the track in it proposed location.

I should have done all the track work before fixing the buildings in place to avoid knocking things down in the front. One is never too old to learn. (Need long arms to reach over them).

The white piece of styrene top middle is the template used under the layout to mount and drill the holes in the correct position for the point machines.

Checking clearances at the back to make sure that the buildings will fit with the track in place. (Below)

An HOn3 Pierce Arrow Galloping Goose carrying freight being turned on the turntable.

Again checking clearance of the track in front of the buildings with different rolling stock.

Slowly getting everything back in its place after testing and re testing the track for any running problems that may have occurred. I did find one electrical short, corrected it and promptly found a second one. All running smoothly now.

A new background building 50mm deep under construction. (Brown brick one)

Two of my HOn3 locomotives that were used in testing. A Blackstone K-27 2-8-2 (464) and a brass C-16 2-8-0 (345).

Now to start with the ground cover and the scenery to go with it.

A very big thanks to Alastair for keeping this site going for all the Modellers out there.

Until next time.

Brian – the HOn3 guy from Knysna RSA”

A big thanks to Brian for showing us how he puts together his model railroad test track.

You can see Brian’s last post here: HOn3 shelf layout.

Now on to another Hall of Fame member, Dan:

“This video features a stack train. My layout goes through a tome warp from time to time. The layout is “set” from 1958 to 1962. It becomes 1992 on occasion.

I spent a month in Flagstaff Arizona one summer on an astronomy education workshop. We had reading assignments, so I walked to the Flagstaff station where is a small park. I sat there to read and watch trains. When I got home, I just had to have a stack train.

In the 1992 phase an AMTRAK train can be seen from time to time.

Dan”

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.

Got a model train question?