Danny has been in touch again with his HO scale wall shelf layout.
(his last post is here if you want to get up to speed.)
“Al,
I have made some real progress since my last post.
The first photo is my mine installed.
The next is the miner houses and company store.
Cows are in the field next to the stream. The kit bashed trestle is in the background.
An old barn is by the field.
This is the lower stream. The bridge is cut down tunnel portholes.
The river crossing in front of the falls.
Bridge and other kit bashed trestle above the falls.
HO scale wall shelf:
The town.
A culvert.
I have more walls and a peninsula to go. the peninsula is two levels.
Dan”
“Al
I have been meaning to send this for awhile. So here goes.
In reading the web site with the people who respond to it, I would like to send these pictures out to them.
The pictures below are of a switching layout that is two feet wide by eight feet long and is mounted on only a sheet of HOMOSOTE(TM) board.((YES IT IS FLEXIBLE AND MOVES WHEN CARRYING IT. Support it when using it .
This is for ease of transporting it to Boy Scout Events ((Railroading Merit Badge Classes)) and train shows as a demonstration on how to have fun with Model Railroading.
The first photo I call it the West End of the switching layout. It has the DC power supply or power pack. There are no structures on here (on purpose) to show the track plan.
The track near the power pack is the track that the trains enter the layout on and leave at the opposite end.
This is a game layout. As you are looking at the photo, on the right side is nine train cars = one of each type to be used.
1.Box car;
2. Refrigerator car (Reefer);
3. Coal Hopper car;
4. Tank car;
5 Gondola car;
6. Flat car (with a truck trailer on board);
7. Stock car (Cattle car);
8. Cement Hopper car;
9. Grain Hopper car.
On the table is some cardboard with white tags. These are the temporary buildings.
Now there are seven buildings=(structures) ((NINE TRAIN CARS)).
Starting at the opposite.
East End is #1 Furniture Factory;
#2 General Produce;
#3 Shippers Coal Company ;
#4 Union Gas & Oil;
#5 Lumber and Mill work Company;
#6 & #7 (on the west end)
#6 Live Stock & Cattle Pens;
#7 Rail to Truck Transfer Company.
Train Car numbers # 8 & # 9 (the two covered hopper cars are extra cars)
No structure for them to go to.
This will keep people busy who say they have no room for a train layout. This also may be added to any HO SCALE train layout you already have.
The game here is to take a train car or two and place it anywhere you like and at any of the industries. The little switch engine has to do the work to spot it at the correct industry with the same number (type of car)
I.E = cattle car to Cattle Pens; I.E. coal car to Shippers Coal Co
Next time use different cars and maybe a few more cars and time yourself on doing the job.
The person with the least amount of time or moves of the engine, WINS that game. HURRAH!
When you are done “switching = Shunting the cars” take the engine and train cars off the board and stand it up against a wall or slide it under a bed or table somewhere. Out of the way place to be used again again to have fun.
Bring friends over to join you doing the switching. I bet they will want to try it for themselves.
Yours in Railroading
Don
South eastern U.S.A.”
“Hi Al,
I have just uploaded my part 7 of the re build on the layout, in this video I show how to wire up lights, different connectors, adding a bridge portal with background, and a few more tips.
It is getting very near to being completed now, so think that the next one will be the last in this series.
Hope that some of my tips have been useful to some of the members, and I have tried to show and answer a lot of the questions asked.
Regards
Dave”
Latest money saving ebay cheat sheet is here.
That’s all for today folks.
A big thanks to Dave, Don and Dan – I loved Dan’s HO scale wall shelf update, particularly the old barn. Touches like that really make a layout.
And I can’t believe Dave is starting again!
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 More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Dan, very nice layout, buildings and scenery. I like the way everything looks weathered especially the rust color on the track work.
Don, shades of John Allen’s timesaver. I had one built into my old layout and it provided lots of operation to the guys during an operating session.
A question to Dave, what is the overall size of your layout room/loft?
Brian – the HOn3 guy 🇿🇦
Dan
Did you ever hear the story of the old, empty barn?
Well…. there was nothing in it!
Dave. I can just imagine the thousands of readers throwing their hands up in horror at your restart. But that is what railway modelling is all about, you have a layout for a while then you want to alter things which is not too easy to do on a fixed layout, it is far easier in the long run to wipe the slate clean and add your latest ideas to a new mix, ironing out what might have caused problems in the past and building anew. There is a great feeling about starting again and keeps the old grey matter working. I’m sure we will all look forward to seeing your new layout grow and the new ideas you discover along the way. A very many videos I’m sure in the future.
Happy Modelling.
Eric (Leeds) UK
Have a similar “game” table set-up. Can be challenging. Love the detail on the layout.
Dan when you get the time can you come over and do a couple water scenes for me for my layout your’s is authentic looking.Great job
Bob, so. Florida
Dave,Dave,DAVE why in the sam hill are you tearing that beautiful layout apart for? You can’t be bored. The layout had everything one would want.I can’t imagin how your going to top the last one. Good luck buddy.
Bob
Well Dave. I assume you have some thoughts about what you intend to do this time round. I’m sure many of us would love to know what those thoughts are. For example are you going down a more industrial route or, as you have loads of coaches on your layout, a very rural layout or indeed an end to end layout. A track plan no matter how basic at this stage would be great to allow us to share in your vision and watch the layout develop.
What is Dave drinking now? Great Dave hurry up and get done,want to see the never finished layout.
Love Don’s test game. I play in O gauge but have a few boxes of old HO that I haven’t opened in many years. I think I am going to pull them out. Thank you Don.
Now as for Dave I give you a lot of credit. To take a beautiful layout like yours and rip it down. But for a lot of us it is the build more so than the running of the trains. I spent about 3 years on my layout and learned a lot and look at it and see everything that I could have done better. All my track is 027 so I want to change it all. I haven’t made up my mind yet. The big thing is the money. Track and switches can cost a lot. I think I am talking my self into it. Especially with the winter coming. Thank you Dave
Steve from Toms River
WOW Dave when you do something you really do it this the second or third time I’ve seen you tear it all up and do it again and I liked all the ones you have done
still Keeps you out of trouble so you don’t hang around the streets lol
thanks for sharing with us all
Steve, I too am modeling O gauge Lionel, but when a friend gave me a box of Super O track and switches….out goes the 027 track! Simple but impressive improvement. Maybe repurpose the 027 for a hidden yard….
Go for it!
Andy in Yakima, WA. USA
was’t around when Dave tore out his other layouts. Although this was a shock to me, I look forward to seeing lots of new ideas for my layout. It is very simple, but I garner great details from Dave’s work. I know a layout is never “done” but I didn’t know that meant complete teardowns! You are apparently well named, Dangerous!
Dan, a really great job on your layout. So detailed and pretty
Don, I really like your idea of the train game. What a great idea.
Dave, you just can’t be happy without building something. You are a great modeler. Sure like your layouts .
Dan, Great job and a lot of great scenes..
Don’s switching/shunting layout reminds me of one I built in college. A modified Time-Saver with switchback spurs on both sides. (In many ways it was one of two layouts that I built that I really had a lot of fun with for many years). I have built a lot of layouts and enjoyed them all but that college Time-Saver remains a true favorite.
“Dangerous Dave”… Wow! Speechless!!!
I cannot wait to see how you top your previous two layouts.
John from Cali
Anyone have any pictures of G scale layouts?
Dan,
NOW that is what I LOVE to see! B&O ALL THE WAY!!!!!! ~Hemi
Hi all, well after seeing Danny`s layout and a lot of others , I am now at a loss as to what would be best on my new layout , even having trouble with the back scenes , but as I get started i am sure some inspiration will set me of and I shall come up with something and hopefully complete before Xmas …as I have said many times the joy in this hobby to me is in the building of a layout , and expressing the ideas that come to mind ….even Tony`s Night Club ..LOL …so its onwards and upwards (the loft steps ) and get stuck in for me …Dangerous Dave
Don may have just given my grandson a Christmas present. I’ve been contemplating a switching layout for some time and would love to put a plan into motion for a surprise gift. Would/could the track plans be further explained? Especially the turnouts..
Al, Don (Southeastern U.S.A.) has exactly the layout I need. I am moving into a smaller place and only have a long narrow space for me to restart my HO hobby. Please have him send me the specs. i.e. track type, turnout size, and direction, etc
And thanks Al for what you do for the hobby.
Dan:
What a great job. I especially love the barn and the stream. What great work, keep it up!
Don. A fiddle yard is heaven to lots of enthusiasts who enjoy working out the most efficient way to compile a train rather than spend hours and hours making buildings and scenery. Not ton say of course that a layout like Dangerous Dave’s is not to be admired.
Dave I think your going to find it difficult to come up with a new plan if you decide to redo your layout again.There is no doubt that you passing on your skills and techniques is very worthwhile to the rest of us. Perhaps you could do an update on your latest control system and how you use it to run multiple trains and how you use your railway. I.e trains doing circuits and perhaps shunting within your fiddle yards. Anyway thanks for now its been very enjoyable.
The switching layout was developed by rhe great JOHN ALLen back inthe early 50s, We had a contest at the Pacific Coast Region,NMRA at the yearly Conventions. There were 4 contests in all-train in,train out. you had to sit down cold and do it. That was the most fun of the convention. I started the contests when I was 13 and still enjoy it at my currnet age of 82.
Mine going to look something that
good job dude……………………i like it!
Dan, You’ve made great progress on your layoiut, I like the dilapidated barn and the new coal mine. Your scenery is looking good too. One suggestion on your water falls: they’d look more realistic if the top of the falls wasn’t a straight line. I think that could be fixed with a little paint to vary the points at which the water breaks over the rocks. Everything else looks terrific.
Don, That’s very thoughtful of you to provide a switching game layout for the Boy Scouts events and train shows. Those timesaver type layouts are a great way to introduce the younger generations to model railroading. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and photos.
Dave, You are the master of how to keep your model railroad fresh and new. Sorry to see that Tony’s Strip Club is closed due to Covid-19. 🙂 I can’t wait to see your next adventure in rebuilding your wonderful layout.
Dan, great job! I especially like the old barn scene, nicely done!
Don, what a creative way to get young folks involved in the hobby! You deserve a lot of credit for putting so much time and effort into that project for the kids.
Dave, I’m just simply in awe of your work. I’ve rebuilt my layout completely 3 times so I totally get why you enjoy doing it. Thanks for sharing it in the video, very interesting to watch you work. I always learn something new from your posts!
Love the layout updates. Really, really nice work!!