Cary’s been back in touch with his G scale track layout:

“Hello Al and All!

I spent the winter updating my hobby room, but first, here’s a brief update on my outdoor G scale layout.

I never got my G scale trains running last summer (was rebuilding my deck) but looking forward to getting it going this summer and getting more plant life on the layout.

If you want to see the outdoor layout in action, here’s my last post.

This winter a tree came down across this section of track. Surprisingly enough the bridge held up, replacing this section of track will be my first task.

There’s very little track showing now, it’s covered with leaves and branches.

It will take me a few weekends to get it cleaned up, track checked out and trains running. I clean my track initially with a drywall sanding pad on a pole.

Once the trains are running, I have a bobber caboose converted to a track cleaning car to keep the track clean- also in my last post.

I use plastic to cover some of the buildings during the Winter months. I find snakes when I remove it. They like it on the shingled roofs under the plastic. I guess it’s a warm spot and they can watch for prey.

I use a long pole to remove the plastic and keep a machete handy for the ones who refuse to leave.

Once I start working in the area, they stay away. They are not poisonous; they just give me the creeps!

My Hobby Room:

When I first started making those large 1/24 scale buildings for my outdoor layout, I built a crude workbench in a 10×10 room in our basement.

The space had been a playroom for the kids but over time it had become a junk room. It slowly evolved into a nice little workshop.

I found that I really liked having an indoor workshop, not only for trains but for other little projects when the garage is too cold or too hot.

After a while there was paint and burn marks (soldering track) on the carpet and the room was filled with makeshift shelves, storage, and a crude board mounted to the wall I used for a G scale test track.

I decided this winter was the time for an upgrade. I pulled up the old carpet, tiled the floor, patched and painted the drywall and then repurposed the leftover wood to create a space where I can work on those large buildings, store my G scale collection and still have room for a 2 feet X 7 feet N scale layout. Pretty ambitious for a 10×10 room, but I think it turned out pretty well.

Here’s the main work area, just large enough to get a 1/24 scale building up where I can work on it.

I covered a portion with a sheet of aluminum for soldering track, I use a torch and don’t want any fires. The smoke detectors in the house may be a different story- we’ll find out.

Under this work bench is storage for my G scale collection which takes up a lot of space. I actually ended up with more spaces than trains which is great so now I can buy more G scale cars (when my budget allows😊).

I would love to have a loop of G scale track indoors but just don’t have the space. Therefore, I have this test track that runs about 20 feet on two adjacent walls.

If you notice the temporary table on the right, that’s where my N scale layout is going. I’m planning for a 2’x7′ layout and have started collecting trains and track. I can’t wait to get started on it, but this will be a fall and winter project when my outdoor layout is shut down.

I had this small corner niche and tried to use the space as effectively as possible. There is plenty of storage for materials and tools as well as a work area for small jobs. I found the Lionel artwork online and had it printed at Staples.

My dad and grandfather were both railroad guys working first for the Louisville & Nashville R.R., then the Seaboard System, by the time my dad retired it was CSX. He collected some nice R.R. artwork over the years, and it turned out to be the perfect touch!

Whether it’s trains, other craft work, or a household repair… piddling in my indoor hobby shop has become one of my favorite past times.

It took some thought to figure out how to cram all that I wanted into this small space, and many weekends of labor this past winter… but now my refuge of solace is complete.

Happy Modeling!

Cary in KY”

I do love Cary’s stuff – particularly the G scale models he makes, which you can see here.

That’s all for today folks. Please do keep ’em coming.

And if today is the day you get properly bitten again by this fine hobby, the Beginner’s Guide is here.

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.