Model railroad layouts plans

David’s been in touch with his HO scale train layout.

His journey is one many of us will be familiar with.

“Al:

I thoroughly enjoy your blog; reading it is a part of my morning ritual.

I have learned a lot from your contributors. Thank you for all you do to promote our hobby. You provide a great service to all of us train buffs.

These photos are a long time coming. It has been a journey for me.

It started 63 years ago, when my dad bought me a Lionel 027 train set, featuring a steam engine and tender. As you might expect it had smoke pellets.

Over time he bought me a switch engine and operating accessories. Then him and Mom decided I deserved to have a nice layout.

He built a 16’ x 8’ double track layout with switch track allowing the trains to switch loops.

The main feature, however, was an L-shaped 2 track tunnel made from wood and screen frame stuffed with newspaper and covered in an old sheet, which Mom painted with earth colors and Dad installed red and green lights hooked up to a 2-way switch at the entry of the tunnel. I was the envy of the neighborhood.

In my thirties, a friend and train enthusiast encouraged me to unpack my 2 trains and set them up.

This began a 35-year adventure, which resulted in a 20’ x 30’ basement filled with 14 O-27 trains and a bouser trolley and a Lionel bumper car trolley. Oh yes, the layout was filled with operating accessories. For me, the fun of the hobby became modeling.

Operating the trains did not have the thrill I had when I was a child. I moved 8 times during this period, so my benchwork had to become portable.

I used standard 2” x 4” legs bolted to ½” plywood framed by 2” x 4” frames.

The key lesson from multiple teardowns and rebuilds was that getting the track work right was critical. As a result, I used a lot of half-straight track in my curves to avoid derailments.

When I turned 70, I realized that my railroad empire was no longer fun, because I did all the modeling and building that my basement allowed.

I ended up selling my collection to an eBay trader for about 45% of the collection’s original value. The only thing I retained was my original steam engine and tender, in memory of my dad. It did not take long for me to have “seller’s remorse.”

After giving the idea of starting a new layout, I decided to convert to HO scale. I think, the pictures tell the story of my new adventure.

I love the realism of the HO scale and the building and scenery options are far more extensive Than O-gauge.

What I have found is that I am spending more time and detail in creating the scenery for my layout.

I hope your readers enjoy the pictures.

Best Wishes,

Dave”

A huge big thank you to David for sharing his HO scale train layout – I did enjoy his narrative.

So many of us started this journey with a Christmas gift when we were young and full of wonder.

That’s all this time my friends.

And if today is the day you stop dreaming and start doing, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

That’s all for this time 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.

Bill’s been in touch with some vintage model railroad pics.

Well, perhaps not too vintage but it’s amazing how black and white pics add to a theme:

“Hi Al

Hope this finds you well. I had a friend make a comment about scenes on my O Scale layout wondering how scenes would look if captured in black and white.

His question was if in black and white, could you tell they are models?

I thought it an interesting question so I took a number of photographs on my iPhone and went into the photo edit function and change them to black and white.

Certainly some look like models still but there are some that really look like a scene from long ago.

It was fun and I thought I’d share the end results.

Best

Bill”

A huge big thanks to Bill – it’s amazing how much a black and white pic adds to the nostalgia.

But in the same light, black and white pics also mask the amazing detail of Bill’s layout.

So let’s grab some pics and from a few of his previous posts so you can see them in all their glory.

In this one – On30 layout – Bill wanted to create a vertical cliff – I think he can put a tick in that box. Amazing work:

Bill has just as much fun with N scale too – you can see it here.

He’s a dab hand with HO scale. too:

But perhaps, best of all, like so many of us, he does all he can to encourage others to start a layout – he has an excellent youtube channel.

Have a look at this post and see for yourself: How to make a cliff face.

A huge big thanks to Hall of fame member, Bill for sharing his vintage model railroad.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming because it’s soooooooooooo quiet, I really do think I’ll be putting me feet up very soon.

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.

Rob’s been in touch with a missive on his track crossover problem:

“My Far Moor Junction has seen a lot of traffic over the years.

In fact, the double-slip switch that makes it all happen has had a lot of hard use. It needs to be replaced.

Sometimes a locomotive will come through that is not quite all on the rail and hit it pretty hard. When that happens things can get bent. That is what has happened.

While I have things torn up, I decided to move my freight to down main crossover away from one of the super-elevated 180-degree curves. These are on all the express passenger lines on the 180-degree curves. The one that feeds into the crossover is too close. The rail traffic coming off the super-elevated rail needs time to settle before going through the point. Moving the crossover should accomplish this or I hope so.

I use this crossover when there is a train parked on the down main line between Howe Street Station and Far Moor Junction.

Passenger trains can still run at a reduced speed of course, but there is no disruption of service.

Anyway, it was time to renew this area and improve it incrementally. That is what the video is about, the physical track changes needed in this area.

Here is a final picture with everything put back together and ballasted.

After putting the track back together, I ran a number of locos and trains across the double slip. I noticed that my most troublesome locos were still having some difficulty traversing this new one.

I decided to take a deeper look.

I got my little level out and went over the double slip switch with it and discovered it was out of level by as much as half a bubble or more in some areas.

To fix this, I got some thick 1 mm card and cut it into 6 mm wide strips and cut those into small squares. I then inserted these under the sleepers on the low side until the double slip switch was as level as possible.

When I was done I leveled it until the bubble was between the lines. After doing this, I sent a number of locomotives and trains over it again. This time, everything ran smoothly. It is amazing what a difference it made.

I think that is why some equipment ran so rough over it these last few years. I should have checked it a long time ago but didn’t.

The funny thing is, when I installed the new cross-over, I did level it as a matter of course. Why I didn’t do it on the double slip is anybody’s guess. I think since it is such a rigid unit, it never occurred to me that it might twist a little or not just lay there level. The problem is no doubt the track coming into it and leaving it. That is level too now by the way since I didn’t stop at the double slip switch, I leveled all the way to the beginning of the superelevation in both adjacent curves.

It pays to check for level on your track and turnouts/points when you are laying your track and now and then if you are having trouble thereafter.

Rob”

“Hi Al,

Just completed a small N-Scale project over the holidays. 2X4 platform, a simple oval, paper houses, foam mountains. It’s my first N-Scale so nothing fancy just getting my feet wet on this one.

Best,

Mike”

A big thanks to Rob for sharing his thought on his track crossover – and to Mike too (who has made great use of the printable buildings).

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.