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10×10 HO layout

Tony’s been in touch with an update on his 10×10 HO layout:

He’s looking for a few pointers if any of you want to leave a comment below:

“Hi Al,

my name is Tony.

I live in New York City in the US.

I have a 10×10 layout with a cutout in the middle for accessibility. Here are some pictures of it.

I used 1by 3’s for the frame and 2 by 2’s for the legs.

Then I used 2’-2’ Pink foam insulation for my base. I glued wheels on it so I can move it if needed.

I’m wiring in in DCC Digitrax. I am using Kato track for ease ability.

I’m not a professional so I hope to get feedback on my little world.

Thank you so much

Tony”

Thanks to Tony for sharing his 10×10 layout.

Now on to Tom:

“I just started this layout in January.

It’s on two 4×8 sheets off plywood and foam.

Tom”

Next, Jerry:

“I have a layout I’ve been working on or started on in 2010… My wife gave me permission to actually take over a spare bedroom and after a while took down a wall between the bedroom and the living room.

I built a double decker layout and started building a helix but halfway through building I had an accident at work and almost severed my spinal column doing by a dislocated spine misalignment.

Pulling too many pallets of water and windshield washing fluid. Didn’t have it fused but had a rod inserted next to the spine screwed into it. The layout went on hold for at least six to eight months, then I found out I couldn’t finish the helix because my reach and bending were limited.

That’s still where I’m at today. Helix is not finished.. I can’t get help… Only comments that came back is “I’ll buy your rolling stock and track to help you!”

Yeah right! If that was my intention all the time! Idiots!

So it has been left unfinished for years…

Jerry”

A big thanks to Tony for sharing his 10×10 HO layout, and to Tom and Jerry.

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

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

S scale train layouts

John’s been in touch and added to the S scale layouts on the blog:

“Hi Al…

here are some pics of my addition since the last post…

Stella’s Diner, and the Hobo Camp…

Thanks for all that you do!

Best,

John”

So of course, you all know how much I love an update, so I looked for John’s previous post and saw that most of you won’t have seen it, so here it is:

“Dear Al,

I am writing to you from Pearland, Texas, a suburb of Houston.

Ten to twelve years ago my son Michael and I became interested in model railroads during our annual family Christmas visit to Northampton, Massachusetts to visit my mother in law for the holidays.

Look Park always has a very nice S scale model train display operating, and my son, then about 9 years old, was given a nice customized Christmas train car as a present from his grandmother that would be running on the layout when we visited each year. Our fascination with model train layouts thus began.

Having never done anything like this before, we were fortunate to have met Steve Allen when attending the Look Park display.

He was one of the main S scale trains railroaders in that area, setting up and operating the layouts each year.

He became a great mentor and advisor for us in starting a layout back in Pearland in 2012.

Steve was invaluable in helping me to learn about S scale, and guiding us on what to look for with S Helper Service items to get us started.

My son had fun “designing” the basic layout structure and paths for the tracks, including some small rock hill formations, and a big mountain to put a tunnel through.

A lake was designed also, fed from a long waterfall from the top of the mountain.

Due to space, we were working with approximately a 4ft by 6ft benchwork structure with plywood base, and several layers of form core.

Over the next 6 months or so, we built the layout, laying track, roadways, buildings and streets and lighting.

There was not really a particular geographic area or era that we designed from, but just what seemed to be fun and fit nicely in how the layout was put together. It did end up being a slightly older time frame, and certainly not today’s modern style.

We added cars and trucks, and of course people in the small town. Over the following years a few things were added and slightly changed, but because of space, it has stayed pretty much the same.

I have included a few photos from the beginning, and some showing the layout as it is now.

Hope you enjoy seeing our rather compact S scale layout!

Best,

John
Pearland, Texas”