Model railroad layouts plans

“Thank you so much for all the tips.

i really enjoy seeing all the different layouts and what others are doing.

I have had trains all my life, mostly OO gauge and where I grew up in Cleveland, a friends dad had the basement of the house set up in OO for his son and “us” kids. In the upper attic an HO layout for the adults.

My experience in scale model RR layouts is minimal and so contribution will match, but maybe someone can use them….

I am currently in the process of setting up an HO layout in the ManCave.

I m trying to use as much “stuff” that i have collected over the years. For my base I have 4 standard 6′ x 30″ tables that i picked up at the “club” stores for less than $50.

Our kids are grown now, but both had to do CA Mission projects for school. For some of the landscape we used 24″ x 24″rolls of grass covered paper and 15″ x 24″ brick pattern paper (which goes on sale after the projects are due) I found some in a box up in the attic along with Styrofoam i kept in different shapes from large purchases (a tip i saw early on).

I hit the local lumber and building material stores for EP insulation to cover the tables ( extruded polystyrene insulation my biggest layout building expense so far).

They had scraps but i just went with the 2″ x 4′ x 8′ sheet $25. They cut the sheets to 30″ x 6′ for free and they fit right on top. I tacked them down with hot glue along the edge and is secure so far. Being in a corner helps stabilize the layout.

Looking at the different card board boxes everything comes in, i have been using them to make tunnels and for backing for some of the paper print outs offered on previous links.

As i was going through the attic boxes actually looking for something else i came across Christmas decorations and the moss/grass sheets i used for nativity scenes. I remember that they were getting worn and decided to recycle them for the layout. I cut them to cover the Styrofoam blocks.

I keep pics of the ManCave RR layout as i go along and will post if i come across an inexpensive interesting tip!

Thanks!

Frank”

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“Hi Al
Yes I have one tip, use green tee leaf’s as ground cover as alternative to the norm. you can also mix other types of tea leaf to vary the area that is to be covered.

Also very small coloured stone used in craft work, found in cheep shops etc is good if small enough for N gauge.

Cheers Mike”

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“Hi Al

I have been receiving your great tips for a couple of years now and thanks to you and all the other railway guys I started my own layout. I have attached some pictures of my layout “Scoobton Basset” and I would be grateful for any comments and tips our friends can offer. I think I am about half way through. Can I also thank Arnie and Dave for the inspiration and know how especially Dave on lights and point motors.

Many thanks

Peter”

And lastly, I think the talented Dave has been on the sherry again – either that or it’s April Fool’s day:

Click here for the very latest ‘ebay cheat sheet‘…

That’s all for today folks.

A big thanks to Peter – have a look at all the comments below.

Please do keep ’em coming.

The Beginner’s Guide is here, because, you know, that layout won’t build itself.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

“Hi Alistair.

Farm and Station area now finished here are the pics, still to do the water in the middle, I’ll get around to ti soon I hope

Cheers

Stuart”

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“Hello Al,

Just puttering around waiting on the conversion of my locomotives to battery and Radio Control.

I finished up putting together the Oil Refinery in staging form. I have yet to add detail and some figures but thought I would send it along as a follow-up to my last entry. It was a fun little project and I used up some bottles, empty spray paint cans, PVC couplings and a lot of plastic straws. Although not even close to things Tom has in his layout (can you believe the detail and workmanship) it won a spot in my little railroad.

Bob Miller”

And lastly, Tom has been back in touch after all your comments on his layout:

” Thanks to all the readers that responded with great comments. I will try and send a few more photos soon. I can tell you that this On3 layout has been in Narrow gauge Gazette along with my Gn15 diorama, other bits and pieces of my work can be seen in S scale magazine, MRC and soon in MR.

The bad news if you think of it this was is that I’m tearing down what you saw in the photos, selling it off and going to indoor G scale…..WHY I need to get more detail into things, while I had interiors in most of the foreground buildings I just wanted to do more with the background and O scale is just not big enough.

There was a partial DVD made by Lou Sassai for Model RR magazine a few months ago if you subscribe to it you can watch it on their web site.

I from time to time do a lecture for model RR clubs, called ” Making it look Real”
and sub titled “and doing it cheap”

I will share a few of my basic thought’s but let me describe a bit about why I did some of the things and how it was built.

The room itself is about 24 x 28 feet not a whole lot of room for O scale with in this space I needed a fairly good size work area, storage (lots of storage you understand how we MRR’s collect things)

What to do; well one thing that has always bothered me was going to view a layout and looking down on roofs and being able to view in many cases the entire layout all at one time. Not to mention trying to make electrical repairs on your back on a cold concrete floor.

The very simple solution raise it up to eye level, I’m a little over 6’1″ so my is right about shoulder lever, whats the advantages, one you can work under the layout without breaking you back. This also gives you lots of space for storage and endless work space I found that using Kitchen cabinets raised up on a 2 x 6 makes a perfect height. Second the perspective if so much better you looking into a scene not down on it and let explain that my layout is at the deepest point just a little over 3′ in depth…..surprised, most folks are but at that height you can force perspective to the endth degree. I have in on corner a port scent which looks like it goes on forever by placing building at certain angles you can’t see directly at anything and with in that scene I have gone from O to S to HO and finally down to TT and N scale. I works try it some time.

The actual Narragansett RR ran only 8 1/2 miles and as most RR’s rain point to point not in a circle, perfect for me a turntable at each end.

Here is one other point that I would like to make and its something that most of us for get about, when you work in scale thats less the 1 to 1 which of course the real thing. That you should tone down or subdue your colors I’ve seen in many magazines photo’s of great work only to be spoiled ( in my opinion only) Grass that is of such a color that it belongs in a cartoon on TV. NOTHING IS ONE SOLID COLOR
even if you paint a room in your house the light that comes in the window will change the color from one area to another. Same thing in nature.

Before I really get off on a tangent one last thing keep in mind that around the area that I live in NY, power poles area min. of 44 feet tall, I know there are shorter pole that run along the RR tracks thats fine. But city and rural poles are much taller, same thing go’s for trees those trees have been around for many many years and in most cases we build them maybe 20′ high, take advantage of their height and fullness they can hide a lot of sins.

Thats all for now, please email me if you have an questions. Next time I’ll try and talk about using live, free stuff to make scenery.

DON’T FORGET THAT EVERYTHING IS FOR SALE

Tom Pres. CEO & mostly janitor…Narragansett RR On3, Gn15 and soon to G scale”

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That’s all for this time folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you press the fun button and get started, 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 store.

They are great fun to make and great value too.

Got this in from Andy which I liked:

“Hi, my name is Andy, and this is my train layout.

I really love the Pennsylvania Railroad and it’s history and own a few books on it. I am also into CSX AND CONRAIL.

My model railroad is based on an imaginary town named Brookfield, a Small Town in Northwestern, New Jersey, where the mainline travels through.

The Trains that run through are Amtrak, New York Central, Pennsylvania Railroad, Reading, Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, CNJ, CSX, Conrail, Santa Fe, Burlington, and even the occasional Atlantic Coastline or Burlington Northern and from time to time, just about anything can go through there, depending on trackage rights, giving me the freedom to run any road I want!

My hobbies are Model Railroading, Chasing Trains and photographing and video taping them for my personal collection. I also enjoy collecting CD’s, DVD’s, Die Cast Cars, Model Trains, Magazines, Listening to music, Playing with my computer, Going to concerts, Cats, Taking walks, and Looking at the night sky.

I was born and grew up in Vineland, New Jersey, where my father took me for long walks on my uncle’s farm on Wheat Road in same town, and we watched the last of the steam engines rolling down the tracks on the central railroad.

Perhaps this has had a lot to do with me being into trains as I am. I also watched the diesels travel through Vineland, that would be Central Railroad of New Jersey, Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines, Conrail, Winchester and Western, and for the remainder of my growing from childhood to adulthood and had my first model railroad layout at the age of 13.

Nowadays it’s CSX, NS and Winchester and Western. I gave it up when I was 18 and got onto other things, only to return to the hobby at the age of 37, when I got bit once again by the bug after purchasing a G Scale Christmas train for under my Christmas tree.

Andy”

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“One VERY good tip 4 you is

if you are making a coal collery or a crane and you want something to represent some proper steel rope then go to you local fishing shop and buy some 20ld breaking strain Pike leader it costs £4.99 for 50M and is very flexable and mill mold into any shape.

Ram”

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“I wouldnt say its a best in tricks Al.

What I’ve been doing lately is molding my diotown pieces.{mainly the sidewalks } from the roadplates.

I’ve purchased mold making urathane from taps plastics here in the states and then cans of resin .Then adding the new sidewalks to 1/8 inch acrylic and paint I’ve allmost duplicated the expensive stuff.

Every 24 hours I’ve saved my self $$$$$ and added pieces to the layout. I do have intentions of molding anything and everything I can.

Its not stealing unless I’m reselling the pieces right?

Cheers from Califonia .

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

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