Model railroad layouts plans

Bob’s been in touch with his O gauge 4×8 layout:

“Hi Al, Bob from New York here.

I have not posted anything in a while but I have been busy working on my layout so I thought a update was appropriate. Winter in the Northeast does allow for a lot of indoor activities.

I have been enjoying all of the posts and have incorporated some of our fellow modelers’ tips and tricks.

I model O gauge 4×8 layouts on a small board, which is a challenge but I am making it work.

I have done some printed scenery as well as some scratch built work. The cliff was carved from 2″ blue foam boards, glued together and cut to shape. Here are a few photos of my latest progress.

Thanks,

Bob”

Now on to Stephen:

“I worked on my layout for a year and was almost done with this project, but had to move and lost my room for the train. My layout and trains are now in storage.

Stephen”

I know what Stephen means – I think more than half the battle is getting a space of your own, so you can get going.

That’s all this time folks.

A big thanks to Bob for sharing his o gauge 4×8 layout, and to Stephen too.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you prise yourself off your armchair and start laying track, 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.

Jim’s been in touch – he’s shared his model railroad mountains ‘how to’ on getting those rocks just right.

“Greetings, Al.

I’ve viewing your site for some time and I truly find it simply great. Every one has something to contribute to help others model layouts and to help keep interest in this hobby.

My Dad started model railroading with Lionel and the moved on to HO. As a young adult, I started modeling off and on for several years but never finished. Who really does or wants to. So since being retired recently, I thought I’d start again.

However, I now longer have space as I once did now living is Southern AZ. Here, we have no basements or attics. So, my one option was the garage. The layout dimensions are four feet by fourteen feet and the scale is HO.

Recently someone referenced using ceiling tile as a hardscape for rocks/mountains. I’ve had great success with this process.

I made formations trying to achieve a strata effect found here in the Southwest. I then applied hydrocal, then washes of woodlands products and dusted with scenic express products.

Color to me is everything. I then added some shrubs and rocks well that’s about it. I’m working on a caboose bed and breakfast/excursion area, a small town and some small yard for staging cars etc.

Again, thanks for the site.

Jim”

Just stunning stuff from Jim. A huge thanks to him for sharing his model railroad mountains ‘how to’.

Please do leave a comment below, and if you have any questions I’m sure Jim will help!

The effect Jim has achieved – so simple and cheaply – reminded me of this stunning layout too.

It’s a another cracking ‘how to’, which with Jim’s permission, I’ll add to the Beginner’s Guide which is now stuffed full of good stuff (and also keeps this site going, by the way).

That’s all this time, folks. Please do keep ’em coming.

Best

Al

Dale’s been in touch and added to the Christmas HO train layouts on the blog:

“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”

There’s quite a collection of Christmas layouts on the blog now, here are a few more for you if you are feeling festive:

Christmas tree train.

Christmas model railroads.

John’s Christmas train layout

Henrich’s Christmas model train

Bob’s Christmas G scale layout

Daniel’s model train Christmas story

A big thanks to Dale for sharing adding to the Christmas HO train layouts.

Now on to Chris, who is need of a few pointers:

“Hello Al,after years of watching train layouts on your site,and looking at mine which I have started 10 years ago,I am wondering if anyone out there can give me some tips on what I should do next.

I would be grateful,so I can get motivated and finish it !The layout works,and is in a coffee table in the Living Room. Thanks for your help.

Regards,

Chris

Australia”

Who can help Chris? I’d love to hear your ideas.

Please do leave a comment below – I do enjoy reading all of your comments and suggestions.

I think James captures the spirit of things well:

“So happy to see a plain simple 027 layout being posted. Redaardless of what one gentlemna posted – it does not need to be a super well detailed layout to have fun with it. A lot of us do not have the time, recourses, or skills for that. My attempts is an O guage tinplate that will simply run a couple of trains and maybe make a few buildins from memory of my younger years. Nothing more – nothing less..

James”

That’s all this time folks. Please don’t forget Beginner’s Guide if you want to get going on your own layout.

Best

Al

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