Model railroad layouts plans

Dan has been back in touch with some tips and how he makes his HO model railroad scenery looks so good:

“It is the tiniest of details that often make the scene.

The culverts that carry the water away from the track is very important. My layout depicts the “dry” season.

The most obvious reason was because I did not know how to do the water when I began.

I have 7 other layouts that I have built or done the scenery. I will show them at a later date. (If you don’t get tired of me posting.)

I often used PVC conduit cut in half for the culvert. (My layout uses darker ballast as the Santa Fe did.) The “rocks” around this and most of the other waterways is plan old kitty liter.

I squashed the PVC to flatten the look on this one.

Continuation of previous photo

A better view of the “rocks”

The dry water way.

Here I used a large plastic soda straw. It fit nicely between the main line tracks and carries the water away from the tunnel drainage.

This one took some time to work out. The roadbed an abandoned rail line that is part of an overall scene. I did the track work as normal then took up the track just like the prototype does.

This is the scene. The Santa Fe can be scene just to the left. They needed the space for a track that the older too up. They added the track to the butcher’s place and to the grain elevator seen before.

The trees and shrubs were painted with cheap craft paints using pieces of sponges.

A larger view of the scene. The back drop is the reversed side of a vinyl floor cover used by contractors on floors. The back side has a nap to it to make it smooth and flat for a finish of latex paint. Then painted with my choice of blue at the top and white low on the bottom and meeting in the middle. In photos before and to come the mix is more prominent. I coved the corners.

The distant hills/mountains were brushed on.

Photo 10 this is one of the two corners.

Santa Fe Dan”

A huge big thanks to Dan for sharing his HO model railroad scenery tips.

I don’t know about you, but I’m not tired of Dan’s posts at all, in fact, please do keep ’em coming Dan.

If you’d like to see Dan’s last post, it’s here: Santa Fe train layout.

Here’s a completely different one of Dan’s too: HO train scenery layouts.

That’s all for today folks.

Just email me if you’ve got something you’d like to share on the blog.

And if today is the day you get going 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.

Rob’s been in touch with his folded dog bone layout:

“Hi Al… plan to keep your layout flexible … do not make everything so rigid that it becomes too much trouble to make modifications …

allow for the rearrangement of some scenry (trees) and layout accessories and buildings … minor adjustments to track … maybe add a siding …

the whole concept being similar to rearranging furniture in your home to offer a new perspective … I have found that this approach gives me new incentives and extends the pleasure of the hobby by working the mind …

always have a theme in mind for your layout … give a function to different parts … city … industrial … rural … give the trains a place to go … for me it was the small town USA … along with coal, oil / gas and freight …

FYI, the Gulf oil tanks on my layout were made from coffee cans … 6 1/2″ in diameter and 6 1/2″ tall …

my layout is a 6′ x 18′ dog bone, 3′ wide in the middle … 90 sf of table top surface … runs two trains, over and under action with bridges … four sidings … fun to run

Bob”

A big thanks to Rob for sharing his folded dog bone layout – I thought his advice was spot on too. Very succinct!

“Hi Alastair,

Here are a couple pictures of a bridge I am building for the track to make it to an actual folding bridge – access entrance.

I am using this craft-type balsa you can find at a big-box hardware.

This balsa represents 8×8’s about 16 feet high. Then there will be side rails that will be the foundation for beams about the same width. These will support the track.

This will be an area as a dry river bed. And, formed with a drywall patch compound that sets up quickly.

The white foam area will be an oil platform and scenery. It will have a track and a siding for service.

So, here is the beginning construction. Perhaps you could consider sharing this.

Keith”

I do love seeing a layout before the scenery is down and the bare bones are hidden. Such a joy then to see the ‘finished’ pics.

Now on to Dave:

“Hi Al, had another day up in North Yorkshire , managed to capture a bit of steam

Dave”

A big thanks to Dave – you can see his layout in the Hall of Fame.

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 Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Dan’s been back in touch with his Santa Fe train layout:

“Al,

I noticed in the remarks that they wanted to see trains. Here are views with trains.

A high and wide load being moved. Typical summer thunder storm in the distance.

The Super Chief.

The super Chief entering the town of Almost. So named because it is “almost to the summit.” In the US (everywhere?) towns along the various divisions towns often had names relating to summits or highest points along the route. For example, Mt. Summit, Altoona, Crest Line and so on.

Switching the grain elevator.

Spotting the caboose.

Working the TOFC track circa 1959.

Working the industries.

A load of tractors being spotted at the freight station. If you look very closely you will see the tie downs for the tractors. They are not glued in place.

Getting fresh meat from the Swift slaughter house. A large number of US layouts have this industry on their layouts. I have built three others on layouts I have done for others.

Lets see what is happening at the stations.

The train must be near, as folks are gathering at Almost. The Santa Fe, along with other railroads, had connecting bus service.

The Sharon Springs platform is showing activity, too.

Farther along at the Sharon Springs platform.

Every one is waiting.

Sharon Springs is a busy stop.

Looks as if someone is going on a trip and leaving one behind.

Arrival of the Super Chief.

I hope you all like this batch.

Dan* AKA Santa Fe Dan”

A huge big thank you to Dan for sharing his Santa Fe train layout – I do love it when the comments are responded to – thank you Dan for the train pics.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming, I enjoy them as much as you do.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing, 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.