Model railroad layouts plans

Jim’s been in touch, he’s added to the DCC HO trains on the blog:

“Hi Alastair.

Jim from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada here. I’m submitting some more photos of my 12’x14’ DCC HO scale train layout.

I have many 1-3 minute action videos of the locomotives on this layout, but now sure how to send them to your train site. The videos keep getting bounced back to me for being too large to e-mail. Perhaps one of your many followers could state how to send these videos.

I always look forward to visiting your site & seeing what other railway modellers are doing & the tips that can be gleaned from their efforts. Thanks & keep them pics & videos coming.

Jim.”

(All images are clickable.)

A big thanks to Jim for sharing his DCC HO trains.

(His original post is here if you want to get up to speed.)

Next, a very useful tip from Gary:

“My wife doesn’t throw anything away anymore without saying “Can you use this on your layout?”. I love walking around the arts and crafts stores and the .99cent stores looking at stuff that I can use.

You would be surprised with a little imagination you can turn junk into great scenery items and save some money (this hobby can get very expensive).

I save all my little scrapes of wood and wire and plastic to make mounds of garbage that sit along the railroad yards, tracks and in back of buildings. Happy modeling everyone.

Gary”

And lastly, more from Hall of Fame member, Dangerous Dave:

That’s all for today folks. Thanks to Jim for sharing his DCC HO trains.

Please do keep ’em coming.

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

Not long ago Paul sent in pics of his wonderful retirement project (they are here if you want to see them).

Well, he’s been in touch again, and this time he’s sent in this video:

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“Alastair,

Just a follow up to the couple of progress reports sent in on my layout.

This was a quick impromptu recording attempt with my new phone, just hand held and nothing derailed so posted it to YouTube.

Regards,

Paul”

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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“I have never in all the posts I’ve seen and received, seen anything on how to submit material to you.

Perhaps it would be nice to occasionally mention the process?

I have been modeling for a long time. Recently moved, tore down a 550 sqft layout and am now working on the first half of 1230 sqft.

Would share ideas I’ve discovered if I had a clue how. Do people just forward these pictures and videos to the above email address? How big is your space? Some must be too big to fit on your email account????

Roger”

I think Roger has a fair point, so just so you all know, if you’d like to submit your pics just email them in to me with a few words about your layout – it’s that simple.

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

Beginner’s Guide here

Best

Al

Ken’s been in touch with his model train in briefcase.

Ken’s idea of patience, compared to mine, are wildly different.

The pics of the matchstick really does show how small this layout is. He must have the patience of a saint.

(His first post, by the way, is here.)

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“G’day Al. Some time ago I sent in a few photos and a bit of a story on my T Gauge layout called “Briefleigh”, so called because it’s a model train in briefcase.

I built it purely as a novelty display item for model railway shows.

After several shows where it has run basically all day for two or three days straight, one of the HST locos developed a fault which required replacing the driven bogie with a new one.

I’ve previously replaced wheel-sets, but not the whole bogie.

The bogie is attached to the power chassis by two small (very small) springs which also act as the power conduit from the wheel pick-ups to the motor.

The springs have a loop at each end and these attach to hooks, one on each side of the bogie and then another on the top of the chassis.

You can just see one of the hooks at the top of the groove near the main gear.

I ruined one of the springs by stretching it slightly when I took it off, then it went “pinnggg”, never to be seen again.

I have the new bogies and spare springs, now all I have to do is reassemble my loco.

If you’re are short on patience I would not recommend getting involved in T Gauge. (“T” stands for “three” because the track is 3mm wide. The scale is 1:450)

Sorry if bits of the photos are a bit blurred. It was hard to get a complete focus so close, but you can see the size of the bits by comparison with a standard match.

That tiny chassis contains the motor and the gearbox.

Cheers,

Ken G.”

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And now on to Carl. I love it when tips like this come in:

“I read about ‘paints to use on bare Styrofoam packing materials’. Apple Barrel, or other acrylic craft paint, works fine.

To airbrush them can be a challenge – I have airbrushed them, but thinning with 90+% alcohol is a process that took a lot of trial and error.

To get to the consistency of milk it takes a multi-day procedure.

I finally have my routine worked out, first I mix the color I want in a jar that can be tightly sealed, I use baby food jars mostly.

I then add about double the amount of alcohol as paint to the jar and stir for a few minutes, the paint is not going to thin readily.

I add a half dozen or so BBs, tightly screw on the lid and shake vigorously for a few minutes, then I sit it on a shelf that I know I will pass several times daily, every time I pass the jar I agitate it for a minute or so.

In 2-3 days it is thoroughly mixd and smooth enough to spray.

Here is a ’53 chevy I sprayed with paint not thoroughly mixed (the blue pic).

The keys are time and agitation. This rambler wagon is done in craft paint.

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Laslty, some people have been asking how to leave comments.

It’s really easy, just fill in the form below.

You only need to leave your email address – which is not published – and a comment.

Then it’s held until the spam police approve it, then it’s published.

So go on, tell us what you think.

That’s all this time folks.

You can grab the Beginners Guide here, or bag a great deal with the latest ebay cheat sheet here.

Please do keep ’em coming. Thanks to Kend for sharing his model train in briefcase.

Best

Al

PS If you are new to the print out scenery – the video below pretty much shows what you can do with it.