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HO scale Lincoln Memorial layout

Peter’s been in touch with his HO scale Lincoln Memorial layout:

“Hope you like my layout is 10ft x 24ft not a RR club, my own.

The building is a puzzle of the Lincoln memorial which was close to HO scale.

The 2 soldier figure monuments on left and right were pieces I had in glass display domes that I cleaned up to stand free.

The helicopters and the F-17 are 1/72 scale model kits, all the vehicles are HO scale as well as figures in the scene .

It is built over the top of a mountain which the trees and the shaped styrofoam gives the region effect, I’m glad you like it and I’m sure others will too, I’m very proud of it and it’s a great conversational display.

You being in the magazine business is there any way to get this to Washington DC in the VFW magazine, I am a veteran from the Vietnam era, I was a volunteer and went over 1967 – 1968 in Siagon , I was in the USAF and most proudly a Bronze star recipient, very proud to have served.

Love my hobby and have been doing it for more than 55 years, just love it and how it relaxes me, always coming up with things to make or do.

Thank you again, hope it can go further.

Peter”

Fantastic – a HO scale Lincoln Memorial layout, made from a puzzle! I do love seeing the things you lot come up with.

“I am sending you some photos of some of the details that we have come up with at the TVMR.

This is a new layout after our move from an old location that was sold causing us to have to relocate.

We have a COMPLETE NEW HO layout going in and are going to be adding our N Scale layout on the right hand wall from front to rear of the facility.

These photos are of the details of the buss installation for the track power and accessory power.

There are also details of the leg design I came up with to replace the 2×2 square legs that are so incredibly unsteady.

These legs are so strong that it is hard to believe the benches are not anchored to a wall.

I will be sending more photos of the members working like santa elves making the legs and assisting in the manufacture of the bench work.

We are a small club but since our move we have had people join the club in anticipation of our great new layout.

It is an exciting time for us at the TVMR Club.

George”

“Hi Al

Enjoy you’re emails and info. Like you, I’m restarting the trains a bit later in life.

Just read the soldering tips email (good stuff) and I would suggest two other tip.

It’s a good thing to have a wet sponge around to clean the soldering tips especially when you’re doing a lot of soldering.

For de-soldering w/o destroying small parts, I suggest copper braid, 0.050 inch & 0.100 inch.

The braid wicks up the solder really good.

Sometimes, you may need to add solder to make the wicking process work better.

Personally, I have 2 soldering means; 1- a soldering gun (150Watt) for those larger jobs, and 2 – a temperature controlled soldering station (Weller WESD51) with a 0.039 inch tip.

This lets me solder parts as small as 0806 onto PC boards.

Cheers

Leo”

A huge thanks to everyone, especially Peter for sharing his HO scale Lincoln Memorial layout. I would love to see more pics of your layout – be great to see all of it too.

That’s all this time folks.

Thanks for all the comments on the Beginner’s Guide. Course, I’m biased, but if you want to get going on your layout after a few decades off, it’s a great place to start.

Keep ’em coming.

Best

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.

G scale building plans

Cary’s been back in touch with his G scale building plans:

“My name is Cary from Crestwood, Kentucky. I’ve been working on my outdoor G scale layout – I have yet to lay the first piece of track, but the ground work is done, I’ll be laying track this summer.

If you want to get an idea of what the outdoor layout will look like, it’s here:

https://modelrailwaylayoutsplans.com/carys-g-scale-update/

In the winter months I’m making buildings, vehicles, people etc. Basic building construction consists of a fiberglass base, birch plywood walls, concrete board for the roof, real shingles and exterior house paint for all of my G scale building plans.

I have both Bachmann and Aristocraft trains which are 1/22.5 and 1/29 scale respectfully. I build to 1/24 scale which is also known as 1/2 scale (10 ft = 5 inches, 6 feet = 3 inches etc.) It’s a bit of a tradeoff between having nice detail and having something that will hold up outdoors. In addition to weather elements, I know I’ll have deer and other critters walking across my layout.

Time period is late 1930’s. Location to be rural mountain area in the U.S. G scale accessories are not as commonly available as HO and far beyond my limited budget. I’m having great fun scratch building, using improvised materials and shopping the second hand stores for little pieces of treasure. The vehicles are all die cast metal and consist of toys and truck coin banks that I can
usually find for $12-15. The ability to make people (and other accessories) out of clay has really made the hobby more interesting and creative.

Here’s some of this winter’s projects, hope you enjoy.

“Ralph’s General Store”

I found the farm equipment at a second hand store and the tractor from Ebay for $8. The truck is a modified 1/25 scale coin bank.

For my G scale building plans I sometimes find images on the internet. There is one in the front window and it turned out to be a nice touch. The packages are dollhouse accessories that I coated with polyurethane. The flour sacks are clay.

All the figures are sculpted from clay except the gentlemen next to the convertible, he’s a pewter figure I found in a 2nd hand store for $5.

The coke bottles are dollhouse accessories from Hobby Lobby. The produce was made from clay and the coke machine was built from a template I found at paperdioramas.com. I found the signs on the internet, laminated and used double sided adhesive to attach them. Just about everything has been lightly dusted with flat lacquer to remove any gloss.

“The Old Woman and the Bear”

The chimney and both figures are made from clay. G scale building plans doesn’t have to be expensive, I found the bear in a second hand store for 50 cents and he became the inspiration for this project.

G scale building plans:

I intend to put this in the wooded area between the two towns I currently have planned. I’ll be on the lookout for accessories to place around the building to give it a more “lived in” appearance.

“The Ice House”

The truck is a 1/24 scale die cast coin bank modified to a flatbed. The tarp in the back of the truck is clay.

The figures are clay, the ice blocks are hot glue shot into a mold lined with silicone release paper. The shovel is also clay and the cart was scratch built using some wheels from a toy. (The worker is suffering from a bit of back pain)

The Ice House was built in the 1800’s for storage of “natural” ice hauled in from the frozen lakes. With the coming of electricity, the owner has upgraded his operation to include an ammonia refrigerant system.

I always look forward and appreciate getting Alastair’s emails to see what you all are up to.

I hope to have trains running by the end of summer and have my layout populated with my creations next summer. The sooner the better, I’m running out of room to store them!

It’s so great to be able to share my progress with other enthusiasts who have the same passion. Thanks for viewing my post and happy modeling!

Cary”

A huge thanks to Cary for sharing his G scale building plans – a wonderful update, and it just to show (again!) that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have with this hobby.

That’s all this time folks. Hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have.

And if Cary has made you feel like springing off the armchair, rolling your sleeves up and starting your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

Model train light wiring

Laurence has been in touch with his take on model train light wiring:

“Hi Al,

I haven’t seen many wiring how too’s for some time so I thought your readers may like this compilation of pictures where using self adhesive copper tape instead of wires can be used.

It’s easy to use and makes it easier to connect your lighting too instead of trying to join wires together and insulate them.

Install Your lights first with the wires pushed through the baseboard. Plan where the tape has to go and what voltage.

After sticking the tape into position, press down with a credit card. Any joins ” ie” corners have to be soldered. The solder flows quickly on the copper tape so don’t overheat. If you have to cross the tape, place a piece of insulating tape over the part your crossing.

Lable what tapes are for what and what voltage they carry. This may help if you have to check the circuit’s at any time.

Fit an adaptor to take the transformers this way you only have one wire trailing from the baseboard. Cut the wires of the transformers and after checking the polarity solder to the appropriate cicuit.