Model railroad layouts plans

“Hi Alistair,

Here are some thoughts and pic’s on my N Gauge endeavours.

Having been 00 gauge in my youth and switched to N in my 20’s after marrying, I’ve now returned to modelling N in retirement.

I got ‘permission’ to have a fold-up 6’x4′ layout in a bedroom and started with a sketch of a twin figure of 8 folded back on itself with an inner ring and shunt yard.

I wanted to be able to run lots of loco’s as well as shunt, so I compromised on scenery to some extent.

I also chose to go DC as it was small and manageable. Having grandchildren, I wanted the station along the front edge for maximum ‘wow’.

I constructed a frame of 2x1s with a 5mm ply base covered in 8mm softboard (old school) as I love the ease with which it grips railway track nails! I’ve use Peco flex track everywhere other than points.

Build was going well until I got to testing track and realised a mega rooky mistake in choosing an incline which was too steep for some of my locomotives to pull long trains!

After carefully pulling up the inclines and extending them, I got something which worked fine and the rest is history as they say.

I’m now into scenery and telling the stories along the track, but I have a couple of tips which may be of use to others?

I encountered problems with the Peco linear motor surface levers jumping over the spigots on Peco points. I’ve used 2mm copper tubing cut to 4mm lengths and then slotted into the lever holes over the top of the point spigots.

I use Ultraviolet activated glue to fix collars in place, which also works very well to fill in small gaps in cut track (which is incredibly difficult to get exactly right lengths!) Just file gently any lumps – it works a treat.

Control is via Guagemaster 4 way controller and a points box also containing my 3v lighting supply for houses and all track lights.

Quick release connectors prevent me having to lift the controller up against the wall!”

Alan”

A big thank to Alan – he’s made a strong start there.

I know what he means when it comes to inclines, which is there are quite a few posts on the site about inclines. Bruce’s springs to mind:

How steep is too steep for your inclines

Also, I have no idea why but Alan’s layout reminded me of one of Bill’s posts simply because it’s all about making that start:

“Hi Al

I’ve taken some vacation and have been having fun adding more to my N scale layout.

Progress is being made and I’m having a lot of fun bringing it to life 😀 since my last submission I’ve gotten quite a bit more done.

I’ve added more trees and ground cover as well as taking some cheap eBay buildings I purchased and giving them new life with paint and weathering.

Take care and keep doing all the wonderful things you do for our hobby!

Bill

In Virginia”

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you make that start just like Alan, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Remember, it’s the start the stops most people… join in, you’ll have fun, I promise.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

Boyd’s been in touch. His retirement is going to consist of his model train hobby in the winter months, and my word, what a start:

“Hello Alastair,

Let me start by saying I enjoy your daily emails, and have drawn inspiration from the various layouts presented.

I have debated for a few months now whether to send in something from my own layout. There are 3 reasons really for my hesitation.

First, nothing I am doing is new, in fact some of it was picked up from your readers, some from reading anything could get my hands on, and much from watching countless YouTube videos.

Second, nothing I have done comes close to matching the many beautiful layouts I see in your daily mails.

And third, and this was the biggest stumbling block, despite how stunning many of the above mentioned layouts are, someone always has to find a reason to criticize them, and this really pisses me off.

The folks who submit their work are justifiably proud of it, I guess some people just aren’t happy unless they are miserable.

In the end though, I did decide to send you a note, because simply put, it is my railroad, I will do it as I like, and I really don’t care if someone finds it not to their liking.

More importantly, I know how you like to encourage folks to get a start, so if I, someone with no previous experience, can spur on even one person to give it a go, then it is worth it. Please see fit to use any, all or none of this correspondence.

The back story is pretty simple. Unlike many of your readers I did not have a model railroad as a kid, but I always had an interest.

As I approached retirement, I decided I needed a hobby for the Winter months, so decided it was a good time to get a start on a layout.

Since these questions always come up, I should have mentioned……HO scale, layout occupies a space 12X15 feet.

My layout is not prototypical, it is not meant to be, and never will be. It is a hobby that I can share with my grandkids, and can get enjoyment from as I progress and learn new things.

For now, they are of an age where they just enjoy watching the trains run, but there will be plenty of opportunities for operations as well for their and my enjoyment.

With the exception of a few kits and figures to get started, everything will be home made, trees, flock, buildings, etc.

Going into it I envisioned it to be an 8–10-year project to get the basics in, and as we all know, it will never be completely finished.

Because I wanted to fit in as much as I could in my designated space, and really had no idea how to best do this, I did get assistance with the track plan.

After several configurations, I settled on what is surely an ambitious plan for a novice, but full speed ahead. There will be a gravel company and logging industry on the upper layer, a port area, yard, industrial area and small town on the lower level.

I am 14 months into it now, working mostly in the winter months a few hours at a time.

Here are a few pics showing how I progressed.

Boyd”

Blank slate, track plan on the wall:

Mapping the track plan:

First piece of benchwork:

Getting there:

Starting scenery:

Gravel Company scene nearly complete.

Future logging area:

A huge big thanks to Boyd for sharing this.

I love what he has done, but I loved his narrative even more.

I totally subscribe to his point of view. As the saying goes, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t saying anything at all”…

I do concede there is a place for constructive criticism, and I’m all for that.

Unfortunately though, every so often a comment that shouldn’t slip through, does.

For this I can only apologise, I do my best.

I manually approve the comments so the site doesn’t get overun with bots and other bad stuff.

I remember once a very ill worded comment got published one bleary eyed Sunday morning.

Fortunately one of you lovely lot mailed me and I was able to remove it.

Anyhow, back to Boyd.

I know what he means about the comments, and I hate to think it stops people sending their layouts in.

He words it perfectly:

“Simply put, it is my railroad, I will do it as I like, and I really don’t care if someone finds it not to their liking.”

Amen to that. Your layout. Your rules.

Please do leave a comment below, if you’d like to add anything.

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 Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.

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

Henry has put a big smile on my face by adding to the model railroad dioramas on the blog:

“Hello Alastair

Today I had the privilege to bring some joy to someone. I delivered the diorama I built, but I asked the lady for whom I built it, if I could photograph it with the locomotive her late husband had wanted to put on display on the diorama.

I’ve had some requests to show my model railroad dioramas with the locos in place, so here are a few pictures of the diorama with a class GMAM garret of the South African railways and its permanently coupled water tanker.

(The water tankers were used so that the onboard tanks could remain full and increase the tractive effort).

Henry”

If you missed Henry’s first model railway diorama post, it’s here.

Also, when it comes to model railroad dioramas, Ben’s springs to mind:

Model train Diorama.

And these:

N scale diorama

railway diorama

Train diorama ideas

Model railway dioramas

Model train diorama

Now on to Dallas.

He has been in touch with his N scale in a shed:

“I have for several years now read your daily missives with great interest and gained a lot of ideas and information from the submissions of all contributors.

If my eventual layout ends up anywhere near some of those I have seen I will be very pleased.

Like a lot of people, I received a Triang windup train set as a present, not sure if for Christmas or a birthday. I have no idea whatever happened to it.

In the 1970’s I worked out a design for a model train layout which I carried around for the next 30 years, still have it, in fact.

I located it some 15 years ago and on examination found that I needed a room about 6 metres (20 feet) by 4 metres ( 13.5 feet) which I didn’t have or was ever likely to have. I went looking for a plan that I could use or adapt.

At some point I acquired a book of model railway plans. One of the plans in the book was the Granite Gorge and Northern plan, a HO plan. I liked it because it looked interesting, looked challenging and I like challenges, even if it is my first actual build, and had elements in it that I wanted. I decided to adjust it for an N scale layout.

Through some calculations I determined how to reproduce the plan in my desired scale.

Using my multifinction centre I photocopied the plan to A3 and then progressively enlarged the plan section by section until I had the whole plan at the required size. I then matched up the individual sheets and taped them together so that I had a complete plan at N scale that I could transfer directly to the base.

About 10 years ago I commenced construction of the table. The table is approximately 2 metres by 1 metre.

The frame is made of 100 x 19 (4 x 1) and took several weeks to construct with having to adjust the sizes of the individual pieces to suit my requirements.

The based was a sheet of 2400 x 1200 MDF 6mm thick. The plan was transferred to the base sheet and cuts made for adjustments in levels wherever appropriate. The cuts were made and the base attached to the frame.

This then stood for a year or two in its basic state and then I started to develop it further. I laid down foam road bed and started placing items around the layout to see what looked best. The layout has slowly progress from there to where it is today. I have not done much on it, for one reason or another, for nearly a year now.

I retired about 10 years ago but that did not assist much in the construction. Much of my time has been devoted to illustrating children’s books. I use construction of the railway as a relief and distraction from the books and my other artwork. It is progressing extremely slowly.

For much of the past fifteen years I have been slowly buying up rolling stock, engines and building/structures when I saw something that took my interest and I could afford. As a result the final product may be a hodgepodge of styles. Time will tell.

The main theme is of the 1950-60s with an abandoned coal mine. Some of the buildings have been placed to give me some ideas

I am constructing my layout in a large shed,12m x 7m, that I have divided in half. The layout is in the studio side of the shed.

The other side is supposed to be a workshop for airbrushing vehicles. My property is a rural holding of a little under 4 acres.

Opposite me is a beef farm and bordering the forest to the south is a dairy farm. This all bodes well for visits from friendly wildlife from the forest.

We have regular visits from carpet pythons and from time to time they try to assist me with my construction as can be seen from the red circled area in one of the photos

The following photos show my current situation.

Dallas”

Well, I stared at the pic Dallas had circled in red, but no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t see a python.

So I asked Dallas – the circle is just the damage the python left.

Suddenly spiders and mice aren’t so bad.

Now on to Dangerous Dave, who has shared his latest youtube:

“Hi Al…

No doubt like a good few many members and most model railway modellers I get track problems.

I have had to re lay a few parts of my layout with new bits of track, and put new joiners in to try and get all running smoothly again, something that most of us have to do from time to time.

I have also shown ballasting the track with one of those small plastic ballasting gadgets which do help to make the job a bit easier, then to finish off I have added some rust paint to the tracks to make them look more realistic, all easy to do, and could be of some help to those starting out in the hobby…

Regards

Dave”

A big thanks to Henry for adding to the model railroad dioramas, and to Dallas and Dave.

That’s all for today folks.

Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you decide to battle with pythons, lay track and build dioramas, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.