Model railroad layouts plans

Steve’s been back in touch with his 1940s model train layout.

You all know how much I enjoy an update, especially when it’s one like this:

“Alastair, It’s been quite a few months since my first post about the Ohio Western & Louisville Short-line (OWLS).

Slowly making progress, but still a long way to go!

Recall, the OWLS RR is set in the late-1940s-early 1950s and LOOSLEY modelled after my hometown – during a simpler way of life.

The photos were taken on a late Friday afternoon with the logging camp, sawmill, brick factory and lumber yard winding down for the weekend.

In downtown Mt. Healthy some folks are getting in last minute shopping, while other are lining up for the latest Disney movies at the Main theater.

Steve”

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A huge thanks to Steve for sharing his 1940’s model train layout update – really nice pics. If you missed his last post, it’s here.

(Steve’s layout also reminded me of Alasdair’s: 40s style model railway.

After all the years I still get a kick out of seeing a bare table morph into a layout like this.

Have a quick look at Steve’s first post and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Steve has done a great job with his layout, and with documenting it too.

Of course, I’m biased, but there are few hobbies that you can do entirely at your own pace that give you so much satisfaction.

That’s all this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming because it’ starting to get very quiet this end again, especially with you N scale folk.

Don’t forget, your layout doesn’t have to be a stunner if you’d like to share it, all shapes and scales are welcome, and we enjoy them all.

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.

Jim’s been back in touch with his BNSF model railroad layout:

“Greetings Al.

To you and all those who share and contribute to your site. May your rails be true and your trains run too 🚂

I’ve been busy detailing and weathering rolling stock. I really don’t like changing all that super fine into “proto” looking rail cars. But that’s what modeling a railroad is all about.

I also recently purchased two BNSF Athearn Genesis ES44DC’s with Soundtraxx Tsunami 2 sound decoders. I changed some CV’s for functions and sound effects. A lot of trial and error but finally tweaked them.

I put together a video trying to highlight some of the functions and operational effects with these engines. Hope you enjoy

Jim AZ”

By the way, Jim’s last post is here.

Jim’s pics also reminded me of Paul’s: BNSF N scale freight cars.

Next up, George:

“All some very simple images.

The partial American flag image was from the American Flag Company that was destroyed when a pipe burst right over the layout.

I scratch built the depot station building as well as the loading dock. The cars and barrels have been rusted out.

Enjoy

George”

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A big thanks to Dave, Geroge and to Jim for sharing his BNSF model railroad layout update.

Geroge’s post made me think just how many emails I get from folk who have lost their layouts to floods. Still – least this one was just a minor drip. And the wooden shak reminded me of this one.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming though – I can’t tell you how quiet it’s getting this end, and I enjoy the posts as much as you.

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.

Dennis has been in touch with a wonderful post on Cheap N scale train sets.

It just goes to show you don’t need to spend a fortune or have lots of space:

“Dear Al,

I have a good friend, JT, who is a snowbird, spending summers in Colorado and winters in Arizona.

His home in Colorado has a basement, but the Arizona home is smaller, a double wide trailer.

I decided to make a small N-scale diorama for his trailer and set out to illustrate that even a small space can have a railroad and that you don’t have to rob a bank to do it!

I found a scrap piece of plywood approximately 20 x 40 inches. Since I was creating a static diorama, I eliminated every potential electrical problem. I decided to use clear Gorilla glue and not a single nail or fastener. The theme would be a dusty Western US small town.

My real fun was scavenging railroad swap meets for cast off “junk” parts that I could transform. I bought discarded buildings, locomotives, cars, and track, never spending more than $5 for any one item, and most were only a dollar or two.

Like all of us I bought some structures that wouldn’t fit in, but at these prices I had no regrets. I moved things around a bit, covered my errors and sins with lots of glue and sand, dulled down some of the colored plastic, and added painted strips around the perimeter to contain any loose sand.

I deliberately left a gap in the fence in case JT wanted to strip out the end piece of track and connect to a larger layout in the future.

Voila! Total expense less than $75 US!

Hope it inspires you to go to swap meets, too. I met some new friends there and bumped into lots of old ones.

Dennis M.D., Scottsdale Arizona”

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And John has decided you don’t need much space to build a layout too:

“If you have never built any kind of layout, if you think you do not have any room, do not let those things be excuses…

Build a diorama to develop some modeling skills. A “micro layout” can be fun. Just get started.

One thing I hear too much of is the complaint that someone does not have enough room for a layout. Well, since building my little shed on my camping trip in September I have been lost in the doldrums. Or what we here call a modeling funk.

Then in early December I saw a video of a little 1 foot by 3 foot inglenook. I started looking through some of my old “idea files”… “Grasse Pointe” is the result!
This is my first attempt at using a sector plate and I am learning some new things too…

Grasse Pointe is roughly 10 inches deep and 28 inches long. It fits in a standard bookshelf. It really is becoming a scenic diorama that I can run trains on.

Here are three pictures. You might recognize the paper house. More photos will appear soon.

John

aka “John from Cali”

And lastly, another installment from Dangerous Dave.

I haven’t been too quick off the mark in posting this one, so apols if you’ve already seen it:

“Hi Alistair

Happy New Year to you and all the members

New vid shows adding there side mounted points motors…

Dave”

A huge thanks to Dave.

Thanks also to John and to Dennis for showing us how cheap N scale train sets can be just as fun as the expensive ones.

Just goes to show you don’t have to have a lot of room if you want to scratch that layout itch.

That’s all for today folks.

Don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if you’re tired of sitting on the side lines.

Best

Al

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