Model railroad layouts plans

Got some small space model railway pics for you today – and some not so small:

“Hi Alastair, I am enjoying your blog tremendously and learn something every time. I have been collecting model train stuff for 30 years and only recently unpacked everything that I have bought either new or at second hand dealers or in my travels around the world. So I have built a loft room to lay everything out.

The layout will be 7 metres (23′) by 1220mm (48″) and either end the width increases to 1600mm (63″) to facilitate nice easy curves. I am attaching a picture of the layout. It is a panoramic photo so appears round in the front, but it is staright. More on that later.

For the last 6 months I have been repairing houses, sheds, and a lot of the things that I have, but not yet laid a track. I will be working in HO scale, and my theme will be a real INTERNATIONAL railway, with engines and coaches from Germany, Belgium, Holland, USA, South Africa etc.

But I wanted to share something that I have had laser cut and they are track guides for flexible track, which enables you to make any layout curve to the exact degrees that you need. So I have made 15″, 18″ & 22″ guides. See pictures attached. Soon I will be starting my layout and will update as I go along.

Greetings from South Africa.

John B.”

“Hello Alistair

I wish to thank YOU for all the emails I have received from you over the last two or more years on the matter of model railways.

I only started my real interest in model railways as I approached my retirement. I am resident on Alderney in the Channel Islands (the only Island with a running standard gauge railway) where I have trained to be a Train Guard. Great fun.

My wife and I have decided to return to live in the U.K. after nearly 11 years here so I have had to dismantle the whole layout in preparation of the move. We hope that next year we will be able to sell our home and move back, when I will start to rebuild my model railway. (22ft x8 ft).

I will send a couple of pictures of my now defunct layout following this email.

Keep up the good work and thank you again

Stuart Heap”

“Alastair,

I am a first time writer. I have read several posts and looked at several videos. I think all the ideas that you pass on are great. You provide a service we all need.

Now for my great find. I have seen many railroaders struggle with attaching the one inch foam to the base board and then the track to the foam. Gluing is a messy process to say the least. MTH track requires a #4 screw at least 1 3/4″ to 2″ in length to accomplish this. If anybody has found a #4×2″ flat head wood screw please let me know. I spent several hours on the phone trying to find them.

Finally a great guy, Skip at Copperstate Nut and Bolt in Flagstaff, AZ came up with a great solution. Since he was about 100 miles away I checked my local ACE Hardware store. And they had what he suggested. The screws are called SQ DR Trim Drywall Screws. The product number is 39315. They are a little longer then needed but look good. I have attached a photo. I hope some of the guys find this use full.

Best regards,

Terrence

Prescott Valley, Az”

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“G’day Alastair,

I used to be a HO man 60 years ago, I’m into 5 inch gauge these days, but I still like to look at the beaut models and dioramas you present. Dangerous Dave is my favourite.

Keep up the good work.

Attached two pics of my latest creation, 5″ gauge live steam model of a 3′ 6” gauge Queensland Railways 2-8-0 purchased from Baldwin in 1879. I hop they are in fact attached. The computer is playing up.

The loco is virtually complete but the tender is a work in progress. Began building in about 2008!

HO is certainly quicker.

John

Wandong Live Steamers

Victoria, Australia”

A huge thanks to everyone today – loved the fact the John has been building since 2008. I think that’s what this hobby is all about, doing a bit here and a bit there.

I pondered over publishing John B’s pics – not much to see at the mo, but then I thought, no, that’s the whole point: John’s made a start. And I do love seeing the progress pics.

Talking of which, here’s one that got away – I never heard from Tod again. Such a shame.

That’s all this time folks.

If you’re feeling inspired and want to make a start, don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide.

Please do keep ’em coming. Just hit reply to any of my mails if you’d like to share anything.

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here – still updated daily.

Best

Al

PS Thank you so much for all the nice replies to my last mail – I really was bowled over by them. Thank you. I’d like to reply to everyone but I’m struggling to do so. Please bear with me.

Dan’s been in touch with a question on 22′ radius curved track- as always, the clever stuff is in the comment section.

Here’s the question – and below is Fred’s reply:

“Hello,

I admit to lurking around in the background and reading the blog for the past couple of years.

Each time I am about to start the project I come up with something that stops me.

This time it is wanting to use some passenger cars (Empire Builder) that require a 24” radius curve. I thought I was OK with that but those curves take a huge amount of space. I was planning on a a dog bone shape with 48”x48” end sheets to allow for future helix installation but then the scale just sounded wrong 2 helix units separated by 10’.

Should I just give up on the long cars and radii curves?

Thanks for the advice.

Dan”

And here’s Fred’s answer:

“i see no reason why a 65 foot or so long cars cannot be used with 22′ radius curved – they do have a bit of a hang over on the rails that has to be planned for.

22 inch radius will fit quite nicely on a 48 in wide bench and allow for a circle.

i took some pictures of 89 foot and 60 foot cars sitting a 22 in radius they will run but the 89 foot are bit of an issue with realism.

i am like the majority of blokes here no way to put anything over 22″ in any space i have.

Fred”

Fred’s post reminded me of Rob’s Big Curve project, which you can see here.

A big thanks to Fred for sharing his 22′ radius curved track thoughts.

Next, a tip from Mike:

“I have no budget for the hobby, so I love your trash-to-treasure ideas.

If you use home water filters (Brita style) cut them open for the charcoal – great “coal”)

If you make tea from teabags, dry them after use and save the tea – great “dirt” and ground cover. Coffee grounds work too.

For ballast, buy roofing granules. They come in a 5-gallon pail for about $25, assortment of colors, and you can size them for your scale by sifting through window screen or some other material. I’ve heard concern about iron in the material that could interfere with electronics, but I have not experienced it.

Mike”

That’s all this time folks. Thanks to Mike and Fred for his 22′ radius curved track insight.

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.

Terry has been in touch. He has a question: is there a way to switch between DC and DCC?

“Hi Al–I hope you or one of your readers may be able to help me with this question:

I currently have an old dc layout with the traditional block method where a single rail is connected throughout the layout and the other rail is insulated with plastic track connectors and used to define blocks–each with a separate on/off switch.

This way I can stop a train on a side-track-block,and run other trains around it.

I’m trying to convert to DCC where all rails are always powered and train movement is controlled through each engine not the track. I really don’t want to go through the hassle of removing all of the insulated joints.

The question is: can I just turn on all the existing switches in all the blocks without removing the insulated jointers, wire the transformer and controller for DCC and have it work properly.

I’ve asked this same question several times in other forums but have never gotten an answer. Hope your folks can help.

Thanks

Terry

Idaho USA”

Is there a way to switch between dc and dcc with complex layouts?

Please do post a comment below if you can help Terry.

As always, the clever stuff is in the comments – here was one of the first replies:

“Terry – absolutely you can!

My club layout is wired up this way, having been wired for analogue 30+ years ago, it now also has DCC docking stations and a command unit which we can plug in instead of the analogue controllers.

Now we run analogue on the first Tuesday of the month and DCC on the third.

Even for home use this can be useful (a) because it allows you to temporarily switch back to analogue if you want to run unconverted locos and (b) if you get a short circuit, you can switch out sections one by one until you identify the fault.

Richard”

A big thanks to Richard for helping with Terry’s Question: Is there a way to switch between dc and dcc with complex layouts?

Have a look at the comments below to see more – the comments are what I enjoy most about the blog.

That’s all this time, 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.