Model railroad layouts plans

Mark’s been in touch with a post on making a cliff face for a model railroad layout.

I’m constantly banging on about making a start.

Inertia affects us all, even Hall of Fame member, Mark.

But as you’ll see, it’s all about rolling up your sleeves and having a go.

And that’s the same for a brand new simple oval, or one like Mark’s that is 6 years in the making:

“Hi Al.

My Tip for Today is “just do it”.

After six years, I finally accepted the challenge…

It was a relatively small project, but very difficult to reach and extremely annoying.

This scene went unfinished for years as it is over five feet from the front of the layout and almost impossible to reach.

The height of the upper track is a little over five feet high.

The only possible access is over the top of the upper deck reached from the “canyon” isle in the back.

That meant doing scenery from a step ladder, bending over the top about two feet in to the layout and working upside-down!

I accepted the challenge and actually completed the scene in a timed 53 minutes! (not counting time for the glue and ballast to dry).

Just one more thing to scratch of the “this is probably never gonna get done” list.

Cheers!

Mark”

A huge thanks to Mark.

You can see more of his amazing working work in the Hall of fame.

It just goes to show, your layout is like most things in life: starting is more than half the battle.

Though I do concede, I think what took Mark less than an hour would take me an afternoon or two…

Mark’s post also reminded me of Bill’sModel train cliffs.

That’s all for today folks.

A big thanks to Mark for sharing his take on making a cliff face for a model railroad layout.

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.

Grant’s been in touch with his N gauge coffee table layout:

“Hi Al

I have just finished another layout.

A couple of years ago I was at a train show for a local church, and they were having a junk sale.

They had a small coffee table there with a space in it for magazines. I looked at it and saw that I could squeeze an N scale layout in there.

The project was on standby for a long time. Recently I have been bitten by the bug again and over the last few weeks have crafted the layout.

Apologies for the different lighting. Some were taken on my phone the other my camera, and I have yet to figure out white balance with high F stop. But given that it is sunnydale, this yellow light works.

The loco is a little Japanese unit I picked up, the motor is in the middle carriage.

The whole thing is 400x560mm. it has a base board, onto which I put a single piece of 3mm ply cut to make the elevated layout. Giving me a smooth curve.

The bridge is matchsticks and deliberately rickety.

To make my rocks i put down a base layer of either polystyrene or plastic fly wire over a frame. Onto this i place plaster mixed with grey concrete tint.

I place the plaster mix on tinfoil and lay over frame, foil up, shaping the foil to make rocks. Later I peel the foil off. I then paint dark colours and dry brush up to light.

Regards

Grant”

N gauge coffee table layout:

Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

A big thanks to Grant for sharing his N gauge coffee table layout – coffee table layouts are always fun. There’s been quite a collection over the years.

Here’s Brian’s coffee table layout.

And if I’m not mistaken, here’s another of Grant’s from a while back (scroll down to the middle – it’s the one in the drawer).

Or if you just want to get going yourself, the Beginners Guide is here.

That’s all this time. 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.

Jim’s been back in touch, with more details on his ho scale train shelf layouts:

If you missed his last post, it’s here.)

“Hi Alistair. Jim from Cape Breton again.

In response to the fellow who wanted to know more about my layout, here are some facts.

The layout is in a 12’x14’ room.

There are 14” wide sections running along the 4 walls & two 4’x8’ sections, joined to the 14” sections, coming out perpendicular from the 14’ walls, offset & opposite each other.

A 2 track bridge, hinged on one side, at the room’s doorway provides entrance & egress.

The access walkways around the layout are from 26”-40” wide.

The track plan diagram shows the location & number of the various turnouts & electric de-couplers.

The control panel is pretty well self explanatory. I originally started out with the Atlas DCC Commander system & eventually expanded with Lenz DCC, which manufactures the Atlas components.

There are 4 plug-in controllers at different locations & one cordless telephone controller.

The locomotives are sound equipped & the layout buildings are wired for night lighting & the room has a dimmer switch for it’s lighting.

Thanks.

Jim.”

HO scale train shelf layouts:

A big thanks to Jim for taking the time and trouble to answer those questions, and adding to the HO scale train shelf layouts.

If you missed his last post, it’s here.

And if it’s given you an itch to get going on your dream layout – here’s a great place to get started.

If you have a video you’d like to share, youtube is your best best – then we can all see it!

That’s all this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming because it’s getting a bit thin on the ground this end again.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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