Model railroad layouts plans

Brian’s been in touch – he’s added to the U shaped model train layouts on the blog.

He’s in New York, but being a Brit, so is his fab layout:

“Hi Al,

Its been a few years since I last sent you a note about my OO (HO) model railway.

Before I tell you of my progress, I want to echo what many others say and thank you so much for your hard work in maintaining this blog. Being in the US, it always arrives by the time I wake up in the morning and it’s the first email I open every day.

I am a Brit living some 40 miles outside of New York, came here in 1990 for what I thought would be 3 years and am still here!

It’s very interesting to see what fellow modelers focus on, Brits tend to have rural and urban settings whereas Americans in general focus on mining and logging interspersed with small towns.

Despite being in the US, I decided to build my model around UK trains and scenery, which presented a challenge during covid because I was unable to travel back to the UK to buy supplies as often as I would have liked.

So, my first layout, for which I sent photos, was 8’x4’ was built on the landing of my home. This was fine till my daughter visited with her cats – I found out very quickly the model railways and cats do not mix- we called the cat Catzilla! (look through the arch in the 1st photo!)

So, my plan B was to finish off the basement in which to build my next layout.

My new “man cave” is 19’ by 14’ and I painted the walls a light blue hoping it would blend in with the scenery.

Because of the stairs / door configuration, I built the train table U shaped with one leg longer than the other.

I decided to build it approx. 16 inches from the wall so I could reach all areas resulting in the table, which is 4’ wide throughout, is 11’ along the top with the left leg 14’ and the right leg just over 8’.

The track layout in the photo is pretty well how it has ended up. I decided to keep it all on one level but create height with the scenery etc. It took 8 months to get from Catzilla to my new train table.

I laid white 3/4-inch insulation on my board and painted it earth brown, this helped when I created my lake and canals as I was able to cut out the bits I did not want, more later.

I did not model anywhere in particular but my theme is pre diesel, so all my engines are steam and most of my model cars are from the 1960s and 1970s with a few exceptions.

I have a mixture of GWR, LMS, LNER and BR locomotives.

Here is the current layout.

I started by creating the upper level which starts on the left side and goes round the top with the track in the tunnel for half of this distance.

The main part of the railway is DCC but I put a tram on the upper level which is DC. It operates on a simple shuttle so I just switch it on and leave it to run.

The scenery is of a northern England town with terrace houses, church (with wedding of course) and school just like the one I attended.

U shaped model train layouts – the track plan:

Shortly before I started to build the model, my wife and I went on a cruise which included sailing through the Panama Canal. For me, the most interesting part were the locomotives which pull the ships through the locks, so I decided I needed a canal with track up the side which would pull barges. I ended up with this-

This line is also DC and on a simple shuttle. I have not yet worked out how to successfully have the canal barge attached to the locomotive so that is work in progress; I don’t want track down the length of the canal.

Along the side of the canal are warehouses and a brewery as well as a row of cottages. Looking for something to put at the bottom end, I chose a cricket match complete with pavilion.

I have always liked the idea of a high level viaduct (we had a 3 level one in my town before Beeching pulled it down) so that links the 2 sides of the upper level, and the tram transverses it.

Below it is a station and one of the biggest challenges of my whole layout, the funicular, links the lower level to the upper level.

It has taken 3 years and a lot of angst to get it working properly. However, now passengers can alight at the station and go to the upper level and visit the castle and town.

I am particularly pleased with the castle, a Metcalfe model. I wanted something to be a focus and decided that this is ideal. It’s the most expensive structure on the layout but well worth it.

Moving round to the right leg of the layout, I have a village scene with fire station, farm, pub and park complete with boating lake and outdoor concert. And then another, smaller canal with lock and canal boats.

As many contributors have said, a layout is never finished. However, much of the work is now complete and now I need to add more scenery etc. It’s the building rather than running trains the I enjoy the most.

Sorry I have not worked out how to video yet, that may come soon.

Happy modeling,

Brian”

A huge big thank you to Brian for adding to the U shaped model train layouts.

(It made me think of John’s: John’s U shaped HO layout.

For me, it’s the personal touches that make a layout, and Brian’s is packed full of them: Loved the small diesel pulling canal boats, and the funicular railway too.

That’s all for today folks. Please do keep ’em coming though, it’s still ghostly quiet this end.

And if today is the day you poke boredom in the eye and join in the fun, 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.

And there’s the Silly Discount bundle too.

Gary’s been back in touch with his his ‘National park’ model railroad theme.

He’s been busy adding more personal touches:

“Alastair:

As always, thanks for all that you do. You have published two of my submittals and here is an update on a few new “features”.

As you may recall, my layout is based on a “National Park” theme and now there are some new stories to go with my Mount Thornton National Railway Park.

The first is the naming of the tunnel on Mt Thornton. Last fall my son-in-law volunteered himself and his brother Tim to rebuild the deck off my back porch.

In appreciation we held a dedication ceremony, had Tim cut the ribbon and unveil the sign for Tim’s Tunnel. He was very surprised and appreciative of the recognition.

Then my nephew came to visit along with his 10 year old son, Carson, who immediately fell in love with model railroading.

He so loved running the trains, that given the option the next day to do whatever he wanted to do while in town, he chose to do more railroading and he spent hours running the units all over the layout. It seemed only fitting the Carson’s Creek became part of the local lore.

Then I pulled off the ultimate tribute. My wife of 60 years (the one that let me build my layout in the garage and install the hoist that lifts it to the ceiling), already had her “Sharon’s Summit”.

However four years ago, before I started the layout, she required surgery which was quite successful and her oncologist/surgeon was extremely personable and supportive. One year ago, for her check-up visit, I shared some photos of Mount Thornton National Railway Park and now he makes it a point to ask what’s new.

This year, unbeknownst to my wife, I created Gubbi’s Grove and shared the pictures with my wife and the doctor of the new area named for him.

He was really surprised and honored to become part of the lore of the “park”. I created a small (3” x 5”) replica of Gubbi’s Grove, complete with trees, shrubs, gravel and ground cover, so that he had more than a photo as a reminder of what he has meant to my wife and the rest of the family.

These are things that I never anticipated when I started my model railroading journey, but they have become a highlight of my experience because people seem to be so honored to be recognized in such a unique way.

I guess it is just more proof of the multiple joys that can be derived from model railroading.

Gary”

Now on to Jack:

“Hi Al,

I guess we all have setbacks with our layouts. I’ve had two in the past week.

I had set up my lake using Woodland Scenics Realistic Water. I had a dock, canoes and a car backing in to unload a boat. A reader of one of my emails said he had trouble with bubbles using Realistic Water. I started having the same problem. The bubbles ruined the scene.

I researched Realistic Water and found that off gassing from the foam insulation causes the bubbles. Woodland Scenics recommends lining the water with plaster cloth, completely sealing the foam. So, I ripped out the lake and lined it with plaster cloth. Back to square one.

The other issue was a water leak on the first floor, that dripped down on the layout in the basement. By the time I found the damage, much of the grass in my residential area was ruined. So, using a dropper and warm water I loosened the grass in small sections at a time and scraped it off.

I’ve got the grass redone and am currently setting the area back up. I’ve got some kids flying kites and others on the playground. The pool party is in progress. A family is fishing at the fishing hole (which also has bubbles, but it’s at the back of the layout so I’ll address it later).

Hopefully now I can get on to making some progress.

Jack In PA”

A big thanks to Jack and Gary.

I do like the way Gary has added personal touches to his layout – the make a layout much more interesting. You can see another of his posts here:

8×10 HO scale train layout

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get started on your layout just like Jack and Gary did, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Remember, it’s the start that stops most people.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

Jeff’s been in touch proving that there are always model railroads for small spaces:

“Hi my name is Jeff and I built a custom fold up on rollers HO layout.

Its 5′ x 10′ on rollers and it rotates like a rotisserie to save space.

When it is folded up it takes up only 2′ so if you have it in a garage you can fold it up and roll it against the wall and still get a car in.

I have photos from start to finish and I hope you like them.

Jeff”

A huge big thanks to Jeff – it’s another fine example of not letting lack of space get in the way of enjoying yourself.

It’s all about making that start, even if it’s on a revolving table…

(It reminded me of Gary’s post: Folding model railroad table.

And when it comes to making a start, John has this sound advice as you’ll read below.

I wondered how his amazing minimum gauge layout was going.

Here’s a youtube of it that will jog your memory:

Anyhow here’s John’s reply to my mail with some very sage advice on getting started:

“Hi Al!

The thing I enjoyed most in a recent post was the comment about “Paralysis by analysis”.

Many of us have heard the expression “Get ready, Get set, GO!”. While investing in planning is good and wise, the problem is that we can spend so much time getting ready that we may never get set.

If we do not get set, “GO” definitely will not happen.

To get things done sometimes we need to just get a general idea of where we are and what we want and then GO — without waiting to be ready or set. Most of my modeling projects begin with me having an idea of what I want, checking my resources, and then making things happen.

How does GO, ready, set really work in practice?

It all begins with dreams and making a lot of mitsakes. (Yes I intentionally misspelled the word.)

When I was around 12 I dreamed of building a ride on railroad in my backyard. I did get 20 feet of track down and I had a locomotive but that was as far as the railroad got.

When I got married in 1985 I saw an area of Nevada that I wanted to retire to. I also dreamed of living without any debts. Those were dreams that I never let die.

Fast forward to 2020. That was a very bad year and a very sad year. As bad and sad as it was, in August of 2020 I was able to purchase the place I live in now. I was almost debt free but had a tight budget (and it has been uncomfortably tight at times).

I also began the railroad in my yard that I had first dreamed of in 1971. Mitsakes have been made (one reason that I am almost debt free). My 7.5 inch gauge railroad has nearly 2000 feet of operational track on the ground.

That is the BIG Scale view.

On a smaller scale the process has worked like this.

I have been in model railroading for a very solid six decades now. While my earliest trains could hardly be called models, the dreams began then when I had Brio style trains and no real ideas of what dreams and limitations were. (Can you remember much about what you were doing at 2 years old?)

“Scale model railroading” began when I was about 5 years old and we had Marklin trains, I also had Kusan O gauge at that time.

By 1969 I was involved with both N scale and two rail American H0. I also purchased my first brass locomotive that year by saving pennies, nickels, and dimes — It took me a year to save up the $45 that I needed for both the locomotive and the tax.

It all begins with a dream and a strong desire.

At nearly 64 years of age I can honestly say that the longest time that I have spent without either having an operating layout or a layout under construction has been about 3 months (and that may be stretching it). Most of my layouts have been H0 scale and small, less that 12 square feet total area. Many fit on the return leg of my desk.

One reason my layouts have been as small as they have been is a result of restricted living space. At my parent’s house I had my bedroom 10×12 feet. It had to have all the normal things like my bed, dresser, and desk. I had big dreams but a small living space.

After I got married in 1985 we lived in small apartments from 1985 to 2010 when I purchased a mobile home. That mobile home did not have any real space for a layout but that lack of space just meant that I continued with my small layouts.

While I have room on the property for a dedicated layout building now, I still keep building small and portable layouts — they are fun to build and require little in the way of time and resources.

If I do end up with a dedicated layout shed it will probably be small itself.

To repeat myself..

“Ready, Set, Go” is a recipe for “paralysis by analysis” and “being stuck”. It is a recipe for wishing and never really having.

The philosophic spin is “Have, do, be”. The idea that one cannot do what they want until they have what they think they need.

“Go, set, ready” sounds odd. It is “Be, Do, Hove”.

There are many examples of individuals whose dreams were bigger than their resources or skills.

When the dream is big enough — even if all the space for a layout is the top of the dresser in your bedroom — you will make things happen, you will get started, you will have a layout and you will have fun!

All the best,
John.
Nevada, USA”

A huge big thanks to John for these words. I couldn’t agree more with him.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one – please do leave a comment below!

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you take the first step to getting started on your layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.