Model railroad layouts plans

Joe’s been in touch again with his 27×10 HO scale layout. (If I’m not mistake, his last post is here).

“Hello,

I have been looking at all the layouts you’ve been sending, and they all feature something that is interesting.

I am sending a video of my layout which I have been building for about 3 1/2 years. It is about 90% complete. It is a 27×10 HO scale.

It features a single track main line that doubles back on itself several times to simulate a double track main line.

The passenger line features a commuter service that shares a single track in both directions.

All the landscaping was done from scratch. Much of the track is under the bench work and is accessed through three tunnel portals, giving the illusion that the trains enter the tunnels and go off to some distant point.

The below-bench track work also hides two passing sidings each for both the freight and passenger lines. These are used to alternate trains at random so that the sequence of trains differs. There is also a passing siding that is exposed to allow faster passenger trains or priority freight trains to overtake slower or non-priority freights.

There are several sections of the DCC layout that are operated manually, such as engine services, industrial sidings, and freight and passenger car yards.

But the main feature of the layout is that the freight and passenger main lines are computer controlled. I use a software application from CTI known as Train Control Language (TCL). For you programmers, it is based upon the C language.

All engine movements, sounds, signals, lighting, auto traffic lights, etc. are controlled by TCL. At any given time, up to 7 trains can run in automatic mode, and with the addition of engines being operated manually in the other sections I mentioned, the layout offers a lot of action when four operators and the yardmaster are present.

The layout was designed and built so that it could be disassembled into 13 sections. All wiring at section boundaries has Hitachi type connectors. Photos demonstrate a portion of the circuitry associated with the CTI system, which is essentially a local area network. It shows how I dealt with the varying voltage requirements of my accessories, which draw 3 volts, 4.5 volts, and 12-14 volts. Instead of installing a huge number of resistors, I simply stepped the voltage down from 12 volts for each application. This saved huge amounts of time when wiring accessories.

You will notice an open rectangle in the center of the layout. This is where the town, with automated streetcar service, is planned to be. I have not yet decided if I am going to complete this section.

Joe”

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here. Had a look yet?

A big thanks to Joe – a huge layout!

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if Joe’s inspired you, don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide is here

Best

Al

Perry’s been in touch with his S gauge model trains:

“Hi Al,

My name is Perry I live in Metairie (a suburb of New Orleans, Louisiana). I belong to an S gauge club. The Crescent City S Gauge (CCSG) for short. We took our portable layout to a show recently at which I took pictures.

The first picture is of our yard. The coal drag is mine.

The next picture is of Art’s module and the corner next to it. The corners and the yard belong to the club. The next module is an oil rig and a gas station

This is Norman’s turn table module.

Larry’s bridge module.

This corner is made by Larry.

This is Jay’s refinery module.

This is Art’s transfer table where we make up and break up trains or store car we are not running. The blue engine is mine.

The mules in the distance are club modules with Jay’s buildings on it.

This is my duck under bridge.

These are some switch tracks that are next to the yard.

This is the 4th corner with Larry’s station on it.

Perry”

A bif thanks to Perry for sharin his S gauge model trains.

And now on to a subject I’m always banging on about – making a start.

And it just goes to show, lack of space should never stop you:

“Hi Al,

I’m sure you’ll be forgiven for a bit of housekeeping. I can only begin to imagine how many emails you receive, and with video clips attached they probably take up a huge amount of storage.

Anyhow, a few weeks back you kindly published my idea of using a “Loft Bed” (aka bunk bed without a lower deck) to house the layout. I’ve taken the plunge and it’s now assembled, and I’ve started preliminary construction of the baseboard. When it comes to carpentry I’m not Thomas Chippendale – and no David Bailey when it comes to photography – but I think you’ll get the idea. A very welcome side effect is the huge area underneath where I can store things.

The next step is to cut the boards so they fit round the uprights, and then I can slot the final one in to make a 6’ x 8’ area on which to build things in N Scale using Tomix. They’re relatively unknown here in the UK (Kato has much better availability), but years ago on a trip to Hong Kong I caught the train bug and bought a Tomix starter set. By the end of the trip I almost had to jettison half of my clothes to be able to shut the case again. In the end common sense prevailed and I bought another one, but I’ve been hooked on Tomix ever since.

Best regards,

Paul”

A big thanks to Perry for sharing his S gauge model trains and to Paul too.

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.

Joe has been in touch with his model train layout benchwork – it’s topic I’m fond of because it’s all about making a start:

“Thanks, Al!

I when I was in high school, (Los Angeles, CA USA) back in the 1950s, I built an “L” shaped Lionel “O” gauge layout that was 10’ long on one leg and 12’ on the other on which I could run 2 trains simultaneously. Those trains and days are long gone!

In the late 60s, I built a “folded doggone” “N” scale layout that was 5′ X 2 ½’. “N” scale was relatively new and it was a lot of work to keep everything running and I soon lost interest.

In the late 80s I began collecting HO equipment. I had determined to model the 1940s to 50s steam era. By then, we were living in San Diego, CA.

A friend gave me his “Chessie System” 4-6-2 Mantua loco and tender and I bought about 2 dozen freight cars (Athearn & Roundhouse) and a set of 3 Roundhouse 50’ “Harriman” coaches. All in kit form.

Before building them, I sprayed the chassis and undercarriages with a light, ‘splotchy’ coat of light-rust colored primer. I grouped them by size & style on a large scrap of cardboard and did them all at once.

Next, I decided to do a slight bit of weathering because I didn’t like the idea of running a plastic train. I simply took a small piece of 400 grit ‘wet and dry’ sandpaper (I used it dry) and lightly stroked down over the lettering, etc. leaving the ‘dust’ on the model. Then I sprayed lightly with dull coat to “fix” the weathering.

Since I had no place to actually build the layout at the time, I worked on the cars, loco and some buildings at my leisure.

Since I was not modeling the C&O, I stripped the paint from the Pacific loco and tender and repainted them flat loco black.

In 2001, we moved to a house in Missouri that had a huge room that I could dedicate to a layout so I began a track plan. It is 12’ x 8’ and built as four modules. I designed it that way so it could be moved. Finally, retiring in 2009, I began to build the layout.

We moved in 2017 to Battlefield, MO and I was glad I had constructed a “modular” layout. Currently it is sitting in my huge 25’ x 25’ heated, air conditioned well insulated shop building. ½ the shop is for the layout and relaxing and the other ½ is my wood/cabinet/woodworking shop. I have completed the backdrop and some of the background scenery. I will be starting the landscaping within the month.

I’ve run out of time right now but will continue next week. You’ll probably want to wait until you have another 3 or 4 sets of pictures before you publish them.

Here are some pics from early construction:

This is roughly the track plan.

Framework completed, all four modules bolted together.

There is a 2’ x 8’ module on each end, a 4’ x 8’ “sandwiched” between them at the back (Left) and a 3’ x 8’ “sandwiched” in front (right).

½” plywood applied

“Roughing-out” the track plan.

“East end” curves marked. The largest radius is 34”, the smallest is 30”.

Joe”

I do love seeing the layouts created from the very start. When you look at a bench with that plywood, it’s hard to imagine the finished thing. But with a little patience…

Now on to Dave. I don’t know how he finds the time:

“Hi Alistair

Just loaded this latest video on the new design on my model railway, a few tips on this one as well, especial like the uncoupler with the light attached, could not resist a quick shot of my Koi Carp at the end, as so many of the model Railway people Keep Koi Carp and keep asking when am I going to take my covers off my pond

Regards

Dave”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

I know it’s off topic but Dave’s pond looks just as good as his layout stuff.

A big thanks to Joe for sharing his model train layout benchwork. I’m really looking forward to seeing that one progress.

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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