Model railroad layouts plans

Andrew has been in touch with his take on model railroad grass:

“Dear Alistair,

Please find attached photos from my new inglenook shunting layout. My first was sent to you and you kindly featured it on your site. Subsequently I sold it on Facebook and have started again.

I wanted to create wild overgrown grass areas without purchasing static grass etc.

Much of the enjoyment I get from building a model railway is doing so for as little or no cost – I am retired so my budget is limited, my time is not restricted and hopefully innovation will keep my mind active.

When mowing the lawn (yard here in Oz) there are always cuttings on the blade guard.

These dry out with the heat of the engine. These are collected and sorted to remove leaves and other detritus.

A selected amount is placed on cling film and soaked with PVA glue and allowed to dry.

It easily peals off the cling film when dry and may be glued into place on the layout.

Best wishes to you and all who follow your blog.

Andrew

P.S. It’s work in progress as you can see. The cattle pens are from used matchsticks cut into 4 lengthwise”

A big thanks to Andrew – model railroad grass comes up a lot on the blog for the simple reason most scenes have grass on them somewhere.

The one that springs to my mind by a country mile is John’s grass ‘how to’:

Add grass to layout.

Then there’s Gary’s:

Model train grass which also looks great.

And there’s Rob’s and Dave’s posts also:

Static grass.

Static grass applicator.

Now on to Peter, because you all know how much I like an update:

“Many thanks for posting by first layout about 18 months or so ago, a 18” x 8” shelf – switching layout that I had a lot of fun building.

Your constituents appeared to like it and I mentioned I was going to build another bigger and better layout. It’s about time to share my progress.

I’ve stayed with the fictitious town of “Amaranth Falls”, this time around it’s much bigger and better.

It is again inspired by the TH&B – the Toronto Hamilton and Buffalo Railway – which was eventually absorbed into the Canadian Pacific railway network in 1987.

I’ve incorporated a number of features and industries that the TH&B served, most notably the Port Maitland marine terminal on Lake Erie, the Canada Cut and Crushed Stone facility near Hamilton and the Aberdeen Yard also in Hamilton.

I’m working my way through the layout stages, but I thought your followers would like to see my progress to date.

I’ve included a layout schematic and one overall photo with descriptors – yes a lot of family and friends are featured with business here mirroring their actual careers and business ventures.

It’s a bit whimsical but I do find this part of the fun.

Thanks again for your wonderful work in sharing the great ideas and layouts everyone is working on.

Peter”

(Peter’s last layout is here if you want to have a peek.)

A big thanks to Peter – please do leave a comment below on your thoughts!

Thanks also to Andrew for his take on model railroad grass. After all the years I still take delight in seeing the different ways of doing things.

I think Tommy from a few posts ago with is HO scale tunnel said it best:

“There is no wrong way, there is no right way.”

That’s all for this time, except that I have discovered one or two of you missed some mailings last week.

It was my fault entirely because it was just me pressing the wrong buttons. If you missed them, here they are:

HO scenery for model trains

N scale river

Double level HO scale layout.

That’s all for today folks, please do keep ’em coming though because it’s awfully quiet this end.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming, start doing and join in the fun, 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.

Don’s been back in touch with his double level HO scale layout:

“It has been a while since I last sent you about my new layout.

My Old layout had a few problems. It had three lift/duck unders that just made running no fun. They were hard to keep aligned.

Also the scenery blocked the only window in the room.

The old layout was a continuous incline with a turn around at each end. The new layout is three levels connected with a helix.

The first set of pictures show the lower staging level. This level will be operated by a dedicated switcher.

It will bring assembled trains to and from the main level. there they will be connected to appropriate motive power. The helix connects the staging to the main and upper levels.

The helix also has a turn around for the main and upper levels so they can be run independently.

These are pictures of the main level. They are basically from right to left off the helix. Much of this level is from the old layout.

Mainline track was completely replaced and grades changed to match the helix. This level was lowered to 30 inches. A floor jack was used.

The new layout was a result of my wife deciding that we needed hardwood floors throughout the condo. Several sections of the old layout were stacked on dollies that the floors installers moved as they put in the new floors.

The bottom track under the waterfall is now only a display as a result of lowering this level.

Double level HO scale layout:

These pictures are are of the window treatment and the unfinished Baltimore area.

The two upper level bridges span 28 inches each with approaches to let in as much light as possible.

The girder bridges cross the main level. The new main level is to the left. It will have the Camden station and the B&O warehouse shown.

These are pictures of the upper level. They are from left to right. The center is from the old layout.

All The Main line was replaced. There is a branch line 5 inches above, Both corner sections are new to allow the track to cross the window and enter the helix.

Double level HO scale layout:

These show the new branch line bridge to the top of the helix. Tentatively the top of the relix will be a logging camp. Also is a picture of Harpers Ferry that connects the upper level to the helix

Don”

A big thanks to Don for sharing his double level HO scale layout.

Don’s last post is here – it’s been quite an evolution: Atlas flex track layout.

I have no idea why, but Don’s starting pics reminded me of David’s: HO layout 7 x 10.

That’s all for today 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.

Dean’s been back in touch again with an update. This time he talks us through his N scale river technique:

“Al,

I finally got back to finishing the flowing river on my N-Scale, western, Conejos Valley Railroad layout.

I really like how the waterfall (discussed in an earlier submission) and the river turned out.

This video is the eleventh in a series discussing my construction of the 80″ x 36” small N-Scale layout.

This is a fourth submission on the scenery and here I talk about finishing a tiered river with rapids.

I am testing out the use of inexpensive materials that you can readily obtain (white glue, plaster, paint, cotton balls).

Here’s a photo of the results. Note the rapids and the small island.

Four layers, or levels, were formed with ¼” Styrofoam sheets.

The riverbanks were textured with fine turf (Earth, Burnt Grass, and Green) and clump foliage.

Everything was glued down with scenic cement (1 part white glue, 3 parts water, 1 part isopropyl alcohol).

N scale river:

I created “rapids” by pouring textured layers of white glue over wax paper. After they had dried, I cut them to fit and fastened them down with hot glue. The thin parts can be easily folded to go over the drop in water level

Here’s a rapid in place.

Then I poured the water with white glue dyed with acrylic paint (1cup white glue plus 2 drops blue paint). After the first layer dried, a second layer was added.

To create ripples and texture on the N scale river, I used Dap Ultra Clear sealant. This is an organic based material which you should use with good ventilation.

The river on the right has the Dap applied (see sparkles), that on the left is untreated.

The Dap was smoothed and textured with a foam brush while wet.

Rocks, boulders, and a small island were made by adding blobs of thinned Hydrocal plaster.

They were then carved (utility knife) and formed (emery board) and dyed with diluted paints.

And trees and grass were added to the island.

Here’s what the river looked like at this point.

Foam at the rapids and bottom of waterfall was created with fluffs of cotton soaked with Scenic Cement.

Finally, foam and ripples were dry brushed with white paint.

Here’s another photo of the final result.

All in all, I’m quite happy with the results. Two thoughts for next time:

Use less blue paint so that the river is not quite so blue.

Use smaller tuffs of cotton at the top and base of the rapids. These are a little too big.

Cheers,

Dean from New Mexico.”

A big thanks to Dean for sharing his N scale river ‘how to’.

If you want to see Dean’s last post it’s here:

N scale waterfall.

And there’s this one too:

N scale roads.

I know I’ve said it lots before, but I do enjoy watching a layout come to life over the months. And for some of you, that’s years. Both are fine!

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming – all scales, all standards welcome here.

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 N scale layouts here if that’s your thing.