Model railroad layouts plans

“Hi Alastair,

My son and I have a layout under construction and we found a product that resembles wild grass or dirt, depending which side you use.

It is available in many craft stores and is called “pot toppers”. They come in 2 sizes, 10.16 & 17.78 cm..

You fit the topper into the top of small clay flower pots and push the stems of your artificial flowers through the topper to create a potted plant.

We created the abandoned signal tower using one 17.78 cm pot topper.

Tommy USA”

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“Hi Al

Thanks for putting these pictures up for people to see and comment, here are few taken of the terminus station with some trains this time!

This was the first test run a couple of days ago, with some final track tweaking a couple of minor electrical issues and thorough cleaning it all works OK. The pictures show a typical view of somewhere in south west England in the early seventies as an example.

The work continues, detailing the engines which some are “straight out of the box” the buffer beams require full detailing, people, signals the list goes on as we all know! While again I stress virtually all what you see is off the shelf I estimate about 30 hours total to create this station.

If your readers wish to know the sequence and checks along the way I would be happy to list them as even with this simple approach there are pit falls and I have fell into many of them! Hope you like the station coming to life at last! Engine sheds next! As I am sure your readers might notice I am a diesel hydraulic fan! but I have steam and other diesels awaiting a run!

Regards

Steve”

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“Hi Al
Just uploaded a video again, this shows the upper level now near complete with the track rust added and viewed with the truck cam, also a good tip starting at 5.40 on how to make a card building look like a stone dressed or pebble dashed cottage / out building.

Dave”

Latest ebay cheat is here.

A big thanks to Dave, Tom, and Steve. Particularly liked Dave’s truck cam. And yes, Steve, we’d love to read your check list! I know what you mean about the pitfalls – there are lots listed in the Beginner’s Guide.

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

Best

Al

Steve’s been in touch with an update on his Model railway station platforms:

“Dear Al,

I am constantly amazed at the skills shown in your posts from people! I thought I would offer a few of my humble attempts at creating my two stations on my layout.

This is an update as I sent a few early stage pictures last year.

One is a through station which has a junction on each end permitting trains to come off the main lines into a station platform without passing though a station on the main line every few seconds! This offers more interesting train working within the confines of a loft space!

This arrangement permits the train to change engines from the nearby engine depot ( not complete!). The terminus station feeds from one direction only off the main line via the through station taking a slow middle road through it before entering the terminus station on the other side of the layout.

It is the old fashioned analogue so isolating sections and switches permit the engines to be uncoupled at the front of the terminus platform and a replacement engine to be backed on at the other end. The buildings are out of the box items as I said before as I have not got the great skills shown by many of your contributors (or the time – later perhaps!).

I have weathered many of the station features and is roughly based on the Western and Midland regions in BR days in my case the 1960’s. The terminus roof looks part finished and this is deliberate!

I am planning to put scaffolding round the open end suggesting the overall roof is partly dismantled and will be demolished in the the near future – which was common place during this period ( a pity but that’s another discussion).

Sorry no trains on it yet as they are still in the boxes while I get the stations up and running and the scenery behind them, I think some work on the sheds and then trains can run again after a thorough track cleaning session!

After that I need to think about signals and people and roads and and and…

Good modelling everyone

Regards

Steve”

Model railway station platforms:

“Al,

Thank you for the many layout suggestions, from yourself and many others.

Attached are some photos of how I build elevated or hillside track. I use 4 foot ceiling tile “tee rail” from Home Depot, and this makes for easy slopes and level runs. The tees are topped off with 1/8″ press board.

One picture shows a notched column made from 1×2, an example of how to raise and support the tees. I used a brad gun to attach braces and columns. But I used caulk to lay the press board on the tees, to keep the press board smooth and even.

The tees can be notched underneath for tunneling track.

Another photo shows the convenience of hiding lots of electronic gear under the long “tee” spans. My layout so far has four automatic reversing loops using Atarax prefab circuits with optical sensors.

Another trick: “Cheap” wire in long lengths, and with efficient multistrand core, can be had from Harbor Freight or your local parts store in the form of trailer wiring kits. They come with 24′ continuous lengths multicolored.

Hope these ideas are useful if not new.

Thanks,

Dennis”

A huge thanks to Steve for sharing his model railway station platforms, and to Dennis too.

I’ve been doing the blog a number of years now, yet I’m still surprised at what comes in sometimes. You really are a clever lot out there.

Thanks to everyone who has sent in a contribution – and this is probably a good time to say, if you’ve sent me something and I’ve not replied, please be patient. I get a gazillion emails a day and I do my best.

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.

Steve’s been in touch with his model train town layout:

“Al

I was sitting in our home office taking a break from the railroad work and I looked up at the train room entrance and noticed the sign above the door. My 6 year grandson made the train and the letters with beads you iron together. He did it all on his own. I made the frame and the tracks for him. This is the best part of my layout.

I have been busy almost completing the town area of my layout. I still have to add people and I am working on lights for the buildings and streets. I am roughing in some ideas for the industrial area and may try to send you a short video.

Steve from Toms River.”

Model train town layout:

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“Al,

When it comes to train layout scenery i`m cheap, save the money for things i can`t make.

Fine saw dust+clothes dye+ enough water to mix it well, gives me green for grass,light or dark what ever i want, brown for dirt, black for coal yard and around coaling stations shops and such.

Small dried weed tops with ca glue, sprinkle on colored sawdust for foliage, i dye many weeds and types of dead grass for scenery.

I use old cork like ceiling tiles for building cuts through hills and mountains, break them in long pieces, rake the showing edge with a wire brush, paint, stack and glue together, looks just like the real thing, also use for stone walls.

For track ballast i use chicken grit, in case you were not born on a farm, chicken grit is tiny pieces of gravel made to aid chickens in digesting food, just the right size for any scale almost, and it`s CHEAP.

By the way, my layouts have always been O gauge, but i have helped a few of my friends that have ho scale, and all of the above works well for them also.

Wishing you the best,

Hearl”

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“I guess I would say don’t just accumulate kits and models–actually BUILD SOMETHING from your collection of unbuilt kits.

I often use the name “Old Armchair” to describe myself.

Ralph”

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“Here Goes

1. take a screen from a old screen door ore a piece of screen cut it
in to long sections to make a chainlink fence.

2. take an aluminum tube about a pencil width cut with
pliers about 1/2 inch apart pliers will crimp the ends of the tube pieces to make small bags of dog food or eny product you like.

3. cut a long piece of brown or earth tone color corduroy fabric glue it to an area on the layout to make a plowed field.

4. fiber optic line i saw a guy do these in a book he took a optic line from a lamp the kind that changes color and mad a locomotive head light he took a lighter to the end of it to melt it in to headlamp shape then the other end goes near the bulb of the locomotive.

5. a small rock the size of your finger nail makes a great boulder.

Michael”

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“When building large hills or small mountains or N scale I used the rails from old track sections and even old flex track it gives a very sturdy base then use old window screen and hot glued to the rails then u put your terrain and grass mat came out nice and just stuff hanging around so don’t toss those things are very useful.

Have fun. I use for tunnels also.

Blitz”

That’s all this time folks. A big thanks to Steve for sharing his model train town layout.

Please do keep ’em coming – and big thank you to everyone who has contributed.

I’m looking forward to seeing Steve’s video, it’s a fine looking layout. Beginner’s guide is here if you want to be more than an armchair subscriber!

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.