Model railroad layouts plans

N scale locomotive steam DCC sound – Hall of fame member, Arnie has been in touch again with his American Railroad Heritage Week video:

“Hi Al,

Seems that posts since the beginning of the year have increased in number and diversity; with some great examples of readers coming up with more creative tips and modelers with some really interesting small layouts.

I’m contacting you at this time because I decided to come up with a new video.

However, on a small layout like mine, I don’t want to overdo the same views.

So as you may have noticed from my past videos, I always try to come up with a somewhat unique story line to keep the viewer’s interest while viewing trains and listening to railroad sounds (and a musical soundtrack where possible).

The story line I’m considering is: the region is celebrating American Railroad Heritage Week; and the local railroad historical society is bringing out their superbly maintained trains for tourists and railfans to enjoy…through photography and excursion trips.

The plan is to depict trains from the steam into the early diesel eras, with sound – N scale locomotive steam DCC sound.

However, at this time I don’t know how long the video(s) could end up being, or if the project is truly feasible and worth doing.

So I’ve created a sample video that could possibly serve as the intro to the more comprehensive video.

So would you consider posting this brief video so I could get readers’ feedback to help me decide if I should go on with the project?

This brief video is entitled, “Crossroads of Railroads.”

Thanks,

Arnie.”

N scale locomotive steam DCC sound:

Now on to Mike, who has been in touch again with his progress (his last post is here).

“HI AL…..Here’s the progress report on my new On30 layout….Remember the Shay foto with box in background?….Here’s the box now sitting over the log pond…There are more openings coming on the pond side when walls are done…All wood is glued with super glue…The flatcars are HO frames from cheap car buys on ebay then built up….

Mike”

Thanks to today’s contributors – especially Arnie for his N scale locomotive steam DCC sound. He does an amazing job on all his stuff – we’re lucky he found my little blog.

Don’t forget all the Hall of Fame members have helped out with the Beginner’s Guide.

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

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

There’s quite a few HO scale switching layouts on the blog now. Here’s Charles’s:

“I’m a pilot for American Airlines based in Phoenix,AZ, but live 900 miles away in Derby, KS.

I generally have 24-30 hrs of downtime between flights (I’m away from home 18 days at a time).

I decided to build this switching layout between trips.

It’s has three businesses that I can switch rolling stock in and out.

One structure is kitbashed using DPM parts. Four of the buildings were purchased used and totally assembled that I reworked and detailed to my standards.

The townhouses are DPM flats that I built up to about 40mm in depth and joined them with a common floor, roof and back.

The plan is to detail some interiors and use Woodland Scenic lights.

The backdrop is from Backdrop Junction of rolling Pennsylvania hills. I was very pleased with backdrop.

The track plan is somewhat modified from one I found on the Model Railroad mag website.

In addition to HO scale I’m also qualified Engineer, Conductor and brakeman on a 1945 Alcohol S-1 switcher and a 1919 Baldwin 4-6-2 Pacfic (Santa Fe 3415) for the Abilene Smoky Valley RR in Abilene, KS. We run scheduled runs May thru Oct from Abilene to Enterprise KS as well as charters and dinner trains.

Cheers

Charles”

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“Hi there Al,

I scrapped my old layout as it didn’t go the way I wanted and have restarted on a completely new layout, I will forward pics of that at a later time, the pictures I am enclosing are on a new method I’m trying.

In the past I built all my hills with plaster rolls and plaster skim, and as you will know that is messy especially on a large scale. So after seeing something on one of your mails from a while ago I decided to try using 1/4 and 1/2 inch packing foam.

The pictures show my first attempt on my end hill where I try to hide the helix on my layout. You will see the bare foam in place, then I undercoated it with Matt white emulsion then used two greens and browns to give a varied effect. I am really happy the way it is turning out.

The pics show the texture effect you get even before adding your ground cover which I have still to get to. One beauty is you can easily stick it together to add more terrain. the 1/2″ foam I am trying out on cliffs, results so far are encouraging because ground cover will easily cover joins and hide them. The other good thing is the foam is cheap for a large piece, cheaper than far to plaster rolls, for me anyway. My new layout has a nice new name of Newdale, like I said it’s new:-)

Eric (Leeds)”

A big thanks to Charles for sharing his HO scale switching layouts, and too Eric too.

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

And don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide if you are ready to get off that chair, lay some track and have some fun.

Best

Al

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

Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the store.

They are great fun to make and great value too.

Hall of Fame member, Dave, been in touch again.

I sometimes worry I post too much of his stuff, but judging by the comments he gets, I think I’m just being paranoid.

Anyhow, even I thought, “I have to publish this”… Dave compares his model with the real thing and it’s great viewing:

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

A big thanks to Dave. And here’s a mail that made me smile:

“Hello Alistair,

I’ll admit it was a good lunch, and spurred on by the wine, I thought I’d spoof a confessional. It might strike a chord with some of the community…..

Hello Alistair,

My name is Paul, and I’m an N-Gauge o’holic.

Whenever I see an item for the layout I will probably never build I buy it.

I don’t discriminate. Tracks, engines, coaches, wagons, overhead line equipment, signaling – you name it, I buy it. I could set up a shop with the items I’ve amassed over the years.

I tell myself that this is an investment for the future, but the future is growing shorter, and the collection larger.

I read on a web site years ago that the hardest part of going to the gym was putting on your shorts. Needless to say that as an overweight 5’ 10” chap I identified with that, and decided against it.

I then came across your website where the advice is just to make a start, any start, and see what turns out.

As retirement/dotaget approaches, I can see this is the way to go. The problem is, I’ve now bought several miles of N-Gauge track (mostly from Tomix – a brand that’s not hugely popular here in the UK for some reason) and a fleet that would rival a small train operating company, so to do things justice I’ll have to move into a larger place and live in a shoe box in the kitchen.

Am I alone in this predicament?

Best regards, and thanks a million for the support you provide to us all,

Paul”

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Well, I’m just guessing Paul, but I think you’ll find you are not alone.

And if you fancy ending up like Paul or Dave, it all starts with that first step.

That’s all this time folks because I’m up against the clock.

Please do keep ’em coming.

Best

Al