Model railroad layouts plans

Todd’s been in touch with a HO track curve question:

“Hi Alastair,

I love your emails and posts. Thanks. I have a question. I”m not sure where to go to find the answer. I have HO curved track pieces of all different lengths and radius. I find that some of my train pieces can’t make certain curves because the curves are too tight. How do I know if a curve is too tight? How do i measure the radius of a curved section of track? What’s too tight?

Thanks,

Todd (my trains always derail)”

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Hi Al,

this probably has been submitted before. Florists oasis can be pulverized in your fingers to make this very realistic greenery and is much cheaper.

I enjoy your emails and save most of them for future reference.

Sincerely, Frank, Clermont Florida (near Mickey Mouse)”

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And now I’d like to share the polar opposites that fill my inbox most days. Here’s one from Stephan and one from Bob.

Stephen’s mail made me think, “Why do I bother?”.

But then I read Bob’s and all was well with the world again.

“A job worth doing, is a job worth doing well. You could definitely ratchet your email(s) and website up a notch or two.

Seeing both, leads me to believe a kid is doing them.

Some basic education in sending emails and the website should be programmed in to your hobby or “profession.”

A Hodge Podge is a Hodge Podge… with a little self esteem you could do wonders.

Surely, across the pond, there are people that would help you.

Stephen”

And now compare that, with Bob’s:

“Hello Al,

I’ve been receiving your Emails for about a month now and I must say that I get great pleasure from reading and learning tip’s and suggestion’s from what I’ll call your newsletter’s.

Although I know you can’t possibly respond to what must be a plethora of Emails sent to you I do not need to add to your list.

Just wanted to say you’ve started to help me battle a 3 year bout with depression. I’m 55 and have started digging through 15 year’s amassing N scale RR material. Tracks, engines, scenery,
book’s on how to and the like.

I believe your word’s have given my life a lot more meaning.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Cheers,

Bob”

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That’s all for today my freinds.

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

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.

“Here is the one I router’d into the desk. The kids love it when they come by 😉 Thanks

Joel”

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“Thank you Alastair for posting my layout.

For Robert: As far as a track plan is concerned all I have is a diagram I made in order to keep track of the points. it is not to scale.

Alan”

(You can see Alan’s layout, here.)

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“Hi Al , not sure if any good to you, but just been doing some changes again and testing the Bachmann Express points , which are a big saving on the price of Hornby.

Regards

Dave”

A great money saving idea from Dave. Have a look at the ebay cheat sheet too.

That’s your lot 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

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Caroline’s added to the model railway layouts on the blog:

“Hi Al,

I’ve enjoyed receiving all the e-mails of other members railway layouts, the hints and tips I’ve picked up have been really useful.

The layout I’m creating is for my 13 year old son, though I started it when he was 10!

My husband helped make the baseboard for it, but that’s as far as his creative skills went, the rest has been designed and constructed by myself aided by a list of what my son wanted to be included in the layout. Namely, a viaduct, a modern suspension bridge, as many tunnels as we could fit in, a girder bridge, a level crossing, farm houses and most importantly all the coal mine buildings which his Grandparents had bought him one Christmas.

During construction, I found Lego had is uses, it came in very handy in supporting the track in places!

The viaduct was made from scratch from Wills plastic sheets, it has a plywood core and the plastic sheets were stuck to the plywood.

There are two tunnels and an incline, on which I have tested all engines and they all manage the slope easily pulling both wagons and coaches.

The tunnels were covered with ‘Modroc’ and the rocky sides were made with plaster of paris rock and strata moulds which I’m really pleased with.

The station and platform are both Metcalfe card models, as are the farm houses. The little signal box was a free Metcalfe model that came with a magazine.

It is still work in progress – all model railway layouts are! But at least the end is now in sight.

Caroline”

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I think Caroline has done an excellent job for her son. Three years in the making too! If there’s one thing this site demonstrates, is that layouts take forever, and they are never finished…

Thanks to Caroline for adding to the model railway layouts on the blog.

Don’t forget to check out the latest ebay cheat sheet.

That’s all for today folks.

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

Need buildings for your layout? Have a look at the Silly Discount bundle.