“This was built for a friend who has shown great interest in my layout
Have a look it was made using leftovers from my layout
Tracy”
A wonderful layout – and made from leftovers too!
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.
Brian’s been in touch with is model train coffee table:
“Hello I’m 51 and I’m not a wood worker or can I say I’m a train layout expert, my last layout was HO and it was high school 🙂 !
Our coffee table finally gave out at Xmas last year and I had a brain storm and lot of work (which I didn’t think of at the time).
I asked the wife if I could build a new table with a train in it 🙂 she was for it, which blew my mind lol anyway here’s where I’m at.
It’s a simple double oval with kato track and a double crossover I can run two loco’s or one my inclines are steep but two of my engines run it ok, I’m going with the Illinois central scheme, living in Kentucky but from Southern ILL.
All comments are welcome 🙂
Brian”
A big thanks to Brian for sharing his model train coffee table.
There’s quite a few coffee table layouts on the blog now:
N scale train portable layouts
Now on to Charlie:
“Alstair,
Be careful with the fibrous pink insulation. As a retired architect, I can tell you that it will become the next “Asbestos” insofar as litigation goes. The airborne particles get into your lungs and never go away – much like asbestos, causing you upper respiratory problems. It also causes minor skin irritations.
Better to use the white angel hair type and be safe.
As long as we are on insulation, try to use polyisocyanurate for scenery instead of polystyrene. Roofers use this in fire rated assemblies whereas the polystyrene (extruded or bead-board) is highly combustible. Besides sheets of constant thickness, it also is available tapered in 1/8″ per foot, 1/4″ per foot, 3/8″ per foot and 1/2 ” per foot increments making grades easy to attain. (divide the denominator into the numerator to obtain % of grade).
Fire access. Everyone wants to have the most mileage they can for track work and sometimes use multiple levels accessible by helix’s but there are several things that you should keep in mind:
1. That helix you installed when you were 25 or 30 is not as accessible when you are 65 so anything off the rails inside should have an alternate means other than shinnying up the middle.
2. Same goes for a duck-under clearance height. When you are 25 or 30, a 44 inch high layout seems ideal – until you have to drop to your knees to pass from one side to another. Consider using a height suitable for a office chair with casters to pass under. When you get older, getting down is the easy part – getting back up is the challenge.
3. You have the traditional spaghetti bowl layout for maximum run and invite operators and guests over to see the trains – how do they all get out in case of emergency? What if the lights go out? Do you have an exit plan? How about an extinguisher near an exit?
4. Operators come in all sizes in both height and girth. Are your aisle widths adequate for more than one to pass?
5. Layout construction materials can be made safe with just a little common sense. Do not use styrofoam insulation near hot electrical appliances, transformers, or where the potential for sparks fly (like inside a tunnel when a short occurs) and where you cannot easily get to it. Use proper size wiring for all circuitry. Yeah it’s great to go bargain hunting for wire but the telephone wire you got as a freebie is not suitable for higher amperage DCC. Layout lighting should be of the low voltage variety. I have seen Christmas tree lights used for buildings and to create sunsets but the older styles generate a lot of heat.
Be safe when you enjoy your hobby.
Charlie”
Next up, Walter:
“Building a trestle bridge with gabions as bottom supports
Finished trestle:
Started on a steep hill over a tunnel where a chalet is going to be. Also i have put some rocky areas along the slope track in front and on the skirt of the hill
New train passenger platform under construction
Walter”
A big thanks to Walter, Charlie and Brian.
That’s all for today peeps.
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
Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.
Kim’s been in touch with a good homemade model train track cleaner tip.
“Hi Al. Im sure you have run into this problem. Most do after a while. I made up a cleaner that takes 5 minutes to change the nasty dirty track to brand new. You will notice an unclean track to the left. When your trains start to jerk or stall or don’t seem to run right. Dirty track.
Wont hurt plastic. and if you have really dirty wheels it will work there as well.
Formula to clean your track or any metal I guess: Pour the peroxide level with the track laying face down in the plastic container.Then sprinkle the soda all over it.
Dont have to use a lot of soda sort of sprinkle it all over the liquid and track.Let sit I say 5 minutes but found it took less than a minute. When happy with the track, rinse hot water on the track to clean of the cleaner off. Dry the track and away ya go.
I guess using say a cloth with the mixture on track that is nailed down.Let it sit on the track a few minutes and then use a cloth with warm water on it to clean off the mixture. just don’t get it all over the place as it will remove paint ,gim,dirt,electrical stains,just about anything lol.And don’t touch any train with wet finger’s or your going to hate me.Remove anything on the track before hand.And get rid of the mixture after done as so no pets or kids get at it.
Kim”
A big thanks to Kim, it reminded me of his track cleaning car: How to cleam model railroad tracks.
And Steve’s too: Track cleaner.
Now on to Mike:
“Light bars for lighting cabooses or passenger cars can be made from 5mm LEDs and clear drinking straws. One LED goes in each end of the straw and wired in series. The light carrying medium is 5 minute epoxy from one of those Loctite instant mix tubes. (One minute epoxy is too fast and sets in the mixing tube.) Squirt it into the straw, cap with the LED then cap the other end with the other LED. This is all much less expensive than lighting kits. With the new Evan Designs LEDs, no decoder is needed. Any voltage source works.
Mike, Illinois”
“Thanks for all the great info you provide, I Am looking to sell my entire layout, I have provided a few pics, It is very highly detailed, with Gargraves O Scale Phantohm Rail Track and Ross Switches, It is around 90% complete, But is approx. 14′ X 10′ in 1 section, could be moved with carefull planning, It is in a temperature controlled garage, I have tons of Extras to, Let me know what you think, Or if you need more pics to see if you want to show it,
Thanks so much
Mark”
“Alaister,
My son and his wife found this in Smithville Ontario Canada recently. Not sure what to call it but jigger loo might work
Cheers
Perry”
Perry’s pics made me laugh so I thought I’d share them!
“I found a new source for plaster cloth. Walmart sells a 4″x180” roll for
$6.49 It is called “Rigid Wrap Plaster Cloth” and can be found in the kids section. If your local store doesn’t stock it you can get it shipped to your local store for “free”. Scenic Express product sells for about same price but shipping and handling is $8.00.
Randy”
“The only tip i have at the moment is i have found station platforms seem to be very expensive. so what i use now a days is plasterboard. naturally depending on how big you want your station but they are easy to cut, manipulate and paint. i then use balsa wood on one edge and carve out the station side and brickwork on the outer side.
regards
david”
A big thanks to Kim for sharing his homemade model train track cleaner. And to all the others too.
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.
And there’s the Silly Discount bundle too.
