Model railroad layouts plans

Dan’s been in touch again with a multi level train layout that he helped bring to life:

“I had a request to do the scenery for a layout that was basically finished except, no scenery.

It was a multi level layout. Two levels that needed scenery and a lower level that was storage and run through.

The railroad was the fictional “Hoosier Hills” RR. It represented southern Indiana. There are many limestone outcrops, valleys, and rivers in the area. He wanted some of those points to be represented in the layout.

As you will see, there were obstacles to overcome. I will also show a failure at one point in the process.

You don’t see failures shown very often. The room was above the garage and part of the house. There was a straight wall and then a small alcove. He had a tight reverse curve on the upper level there.

He thought about a power plant just below on the lower level. That was why the tight curve was there.

The first thing I did was take a saber saw and remove the curve. You will see the outcome as I go along.

The power plant also disappeared. (At least he hadn’t built it yet.) I used my basic ceiling tile rocks, sculpta mold, plaster cloth, and Envirotex water for the project. Sedum, or often called Everlasting, is the tree material.

The layout features a helix. Common these days. However, I believe they can be a scenic feature. This will be a future post. Worth waiting for I think.

This is the corner with the reverse curve in place. He wanted a power plant where the Boom Box, radio, and tapes are. On the top to the right is a large grain elevator (not shown) on the next level down the track to the right is a switching yard to make up trains and brake them down. On the lowest level behind the chair is the return loop from staging.

This shows the straightened reverse curve.

This show the beginning of the Gorge. Sorry for the focus.

Looking back toward part of the layout. The helix is in the distance.

Looking the other way with the straightened stack. The ceiling has a severe slope as you can see.

Next, I painted the background trees and “hills” for the gorge.

Pretty far into the building of the Gorge. Just basic ceiling tile pieces in a “natural” look.

Multi level train layout:

The river goes toward the backdrop and then bends right behind the Gorge rocks. This gives depth and solves where to put the end of the river. The “Failure” I mentioned is in the upper left of the photo.

This is black pillow foam filling. I use spray glue and a mix of ground foam to make ground cover. This looked promising….until photo 11. I just did not like it. Some other place might be OK. Just not here.

I settled on plaster cloth and sculpta mold. Then covered with ground foam. The lighting is this room was sometimes impossible. He had a small window that let in bright sun light and mixed with the florescent lights made the color off.

The river plaster is in place and the edges sealed. I run some plaster up along the tile about 1/4-1/2 inch to seal any small openings. The Envirotex will find ANY small opening.

Multi level train layout:

The Gorge! I used the basic scenery techniques. For the “moss” I spread some 50/50 white glue and “wet” water (a drop or two of liquid dish soap) on the faces of the rocks. Then with a stiff sheet of paper, with the colors I want, of fine ground foam and gently puff the foam over the rocks. BEFORE DOING THE WATER. I go back later with small pieces of the clump foliage for added effect in places.

The trees are Sedum or Everlasting. The tops of the plants dry during the winter. (These make small florets that look pinkish during the winter. When dry they sort of look like broccoli. We use spray glue and sprinkle on ground foam of the color of choice.Then I pull appart the clumps for individual trees.

The owner of the layout and his wife loved to fish. She is in the boat and he is fly fishing and the sting is a strand of her hair.

Just a scene of the Gorge.

More of the Gorge the train leaving the Gorge.

Overall view.

Bridge crossing.

I hope you liked the building of the Gorge.

SantaFeDan*”

A huge big thank you to Dan (again!) for sharing his multi level train layout.

It reminded me of Luis’s post:

2 level model train layout.

You can see more of Dan in the Hall of fame: Santa Fe Dan.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day poke boredom in the eye, 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.

Dale’s been in touch with his Christmas model train:

“Most of my trains are from Pennsylvania, Reading and Lehigh Valley. This past year I had six main lines and one bumper car line.

I’ve been putting up layouts since I was six years old. I change it every year but always have the winter scenes.

Dale”

Now on to Boyd:

“Hello Al,

I wanted to take the opportunity to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas, and all the best for the new year.

Also, a Merry Christmas to all the folks out there that contribute to and enjoy your daily posts.

As mentioned in my last note, I do not get much work done on the layout over the Summer months, and the Honey Do, Daddy Do and Grampie Do lists have kept me busy all fall.

Most of the projects on those lists are now complete, so I hope to get moving again on the next big section, which will include my first attempt at a water feature.

I did manage to get a couple more scenes to the point where they are good enough for now, I’ll circle back for more detailing at some point.

This is the section that leads into the quarry area, it sits above the tunnel exit shown in the next couple photos. I had originally placed some deciduous trees here, but decided it made more sense to continue the evergreens down the mountain, so out with the old and in with the new.

Some scenery details added to the tunnel exit area.

Thanks again for all you do to support the hobby, and hopefully I will have something to submit by Spring.

Boyd”

I can’t wait to see Boyd’s next update his layout is one of my faves – have a look and you’ll see why, his lasp post is here:

Model train hobby.

HO scale logging camp.

Now on to Rob, who has sent in his annual Christmas video.

What I liked about most about it, is he included the pics from his London trip.

And it’s that trip that gave him the inspiration for this stunning addition to his layout:

London underground model trains.

A big thanks to Rob, Boyd and to Dale for sharing his Christmas model train.

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.

Scott has been in touch with his Christmas tree train story.

I’m already feeling very festive, and Scott’s story made me smile so I hope it spreads some Christmas Cheer.

And for all the ‘Bah humbugs’ who just want some raw model trains, Dominic’s 12×24 HO scale should keep you happy.

Now back to Scott:

“When the 1970 musical Scrooge was first released, I sat with my family in a very grand movie theater in the Maryland Suburbs of Washington D.C.

My father, who at the time was just getting started in life and probably had to sacrifice a bit for us all to be at the showing, wanted his family to see this side of Christmas.

My dad a couple of years earlier had obtained a massive train set for me at GC Murphy’s — a regional discount department store.

It was a place where he had scored a temporary position as floor help during the busy Christmas season of 1966. Apparently, it was just enough to make Christmas happen for his fledgling family.

I imagine his employee discount and low sales of discounted electric trains were the only reasons I could have received my amazing “American Flyer, All Aboard” train set as a gift.

By Christmas of 1970 we had moved out of a city apartment and into an old house in the country (only about 13 miles from Washington D.C.).

The house had a damp, cold dark root cellar type of basement with an unlit exterior entrance which was even scary at high noon in the middle of August. This root cellar’s back most room was where my electric trains were relegated when we moved into the house.

This is where I spent most of my non-school waking hours in those days. It was there in the dimly lit cellar I became fascinated with engineering, science, and electricity.

The most memorable day of my 8th year on the planet (1970) was just before Christmas. Late in the afternoon of this cold and gloomy day, I was busy playing with my trains in the chilly dark recesses of the basement.

I came upstairs but once to get an extension cord and some alcohol and cotton swabs to clean the tracks. Seeing me out of the inner sanctum, my father explains to me it is time to put away the trains because we are going to the movies. I protested, asking why and what for? He proceeded to tell me the story of an old man at Christmas time with many regrets.

Before I knew it, we were in our Plymouth Fury heading to the Langley Park movie theater. From this moment on, the images and memories are indelibly etched in my mind: The beautiful music, the modern cinematography, Ebenezer’s redemption, everything.

But there was one problem with all of this — I was too young for the terrifying scenes of Scrooge wrapped in chains in his eternally frozen counting chambers surrounded by rats, cold, dark, and loneliness.

So, while thoroughly enjoying the experience, and looking forward to getting home to the pre-Christmas joy of my railroad empire, something had changed.

That evening, before dinner as I raced to the root cellar, my ears felt perpetually pinned back like a cat who hears something from behind.

As I reached to open the haunted door, I found myself checking its backside to see if Jacob Marley’s pigtail might be protruding. After ensuring the door was not haunted, I began the long walk down the hallway towards the back room, I half expected to see a phantom horse-drawn hearse float by wishing me (the Governor) a Merry Christmas.

By the time I made it to my trains, the room seemed (in my imagination) to be Ebenezer’s frozen counting chamber in Hell, and I was sure I could hear the rats. The clanking of dinner silverware being set upstairs sounded to me as if the devils were on their way with my chains.

It was too much for my 8- year-old mind, I banished myself from the root cellar indefinitely.

The spell finally broke Christmas morning when my father, once again, surprised me with more trains he had picked up at a hardware store near his office on Connecticut Avenue and 14th Street. And just like when Scrooge promises to find a cure for Tiny Tim, my father proclaimed to me, my trains could be brought up stairs and set up more permanently in my bedroom.

What a grand Christmas it was in 1970!

Scott”

Supporting saw horses shaped as Christmas trees

This year the center piece was a Christmas tree train

Christmas tree train:

Also note the benchwork details… the supporting 1x4s are Christmas trees

The Mini craft Church from 1953 Complete with Stained glass ablaze awaits Christmas eve worshipers. Control Panel includes 150 Watt Transformer with Current and Voltage Monitoring meters.

Santa & his Sleigh with team of Miniature Reindeer are visible as a silhouette over the Signal Bridge

Fast Freight wisping by as Rudolph signals the block is occupied with his “Nose So Bright”

Christmas Candied Canes out for Delivery

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A big thanks to Scott for sharing his Christmas tree train story.

There are more Christmas model railroads here.

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.