Jeff’s been in touch with this wondferful narrative on his N scale Western Maryland themed layout:
“Enjoy the emails and posts about all the layouts around the world. Great for getting ideas for mine.
Took about two years but I think the N scale layout is complete. Are they ever finished? LOL
Since moving to Maryland in the late 80’s, I got to reading and really enjoyed the route of the Western Maryland Railroad. My N scale Western Maryland layout is based on them surviving all the NS and CSX merging’s and thriving.
I have pretty many different types of engines from steam to modern diesel. The majority I’ve painted and numbered to WM engines best possible. Switching from HO to N really puts a strain on the nerves and eyesight.
I started around the beginning of retirement a couple years ago.
Almost every building or scene has a story to tell that is near and dear to me. From Papa Frank’s Subs and Pizza (my first job) to the inflatable pig flying over the Western Maryland engine shops (Pink Floyd Animals is one of my favorites of all time), to the mobile home my grandparents had when I was growing up (Pop had a green VW).
Sandbox Crew Brewery, Marillion playing at the local club, a Tim Horton’s and even a Godzilla sighting.
Main industry is the Harley Davidson factory and dealership.
Jeff”
A big thanks to Jeff! What a layout – and it’s great to see a pic of the entire layout too. Stunning stuff.
And I loved the Pink Floyd flying pig too, it reminded me of Barry’s powerstation: Model railway power station.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
(Here’s a load more N scale layouts if you’re after those).
And if you want to your start, on your very own layout, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More N scale layouts here if that’s your thing.
Bewst ’round house’ and turntable I’ve ever seen
Absolutely stunning one of the best I have ever seen. The detail is unreal
So much to look at. Great layout. Love the coaling area. Does it reach a point where one has so much choice of running gear and engines that it’s difficult to decide what train to assemble and run ?.
I must admit this is one of the best N scale layouts I’ve seen. You have a lot going on. Not overly crowded and also active. Great job Jeff, Now show us some motion.
The Critic
You know what would be cool? A trash bin between the 10-7 club and Tim Hortons Restaurant. For some reason I was picturing that in the alley. and a racoon attempting to indulge, Lol..
The Critic
Throughly enjoyed all the pics of your layout Jeff. Incredible amount of scenery in n scale. The warbirds against the back drop is a great idea.
Cary B New Market MD
Jeff, enjoy your superbly detailed layout. Thanks for the many pics!
Love the addition of the planes and Godzilla is a nice touch. What are these layouts if not just some fun for ourselves. Looks great.
Stunning layout! I could never achieve that degree of detail in that scale! Kudos fellow modeler! I’m especially impressed with the streets and parking lot detail with faded white lines and all.
One of the best N layouts I ever saw.
God is in the details! You must be in Heaven! From Godzilla to Tim Hortons! Fantastic!
Wow! That’s inspiring!!
Great layout!! Good to see a Pink Floyd fan also 🙂
Jeff
Beyond awesome. You are blessed with talent and superb craftsmanship. N scale yet!!
George from LI, NY
Beautifully Detailed and well though out N Scale Layout.. If you didn’t tell us it was N Scale, I would have thought it was HO Scale. Really Impressed with the Round House, Turntable and Storage Tracks servicing the large collection of locomotives. And you have super detailed it as well.. Really liked the downtown highly detailed business district.. the wide concrete sidewalks with the trees, people, vehicles, roof details were excellent. The Passenger Yard, with Platforms, is missing something.a station? The Old railroad bridge connecting that Country Road, could have more planking on it for vehicle traffic.. till then;
put a “orange flashing light” at each end of the bridge for traffic safety.
Nice!
Since I model Japanese Railroads, there’s always Gojira (Godzilla) somewhere on the layout.
Good workmanship, I hope mine turns out that way.
I absolutely love the airplanes! Reminds me of when I was a kid and built my HO Scale I had ask sorts of 1/78 Scale planes suspended over my layout!
Great memories!
Thanks
Impressive.
I like the rooftop sunbathers. Nice touch!
I’m always impressed by the layout I see at this site, Thanks Alastair N scale looks like you mastered it. Knowing how small it is. Marvelous layout THANKS
ed
Al Thanks a lot for what you do, especially from one who cannot design,build, and
run any S or HO any more due to nursing home restrictions. I enjoy every post
you send. Regarding Jeff’s N layout. Besides being really slick, I’m amazed that
there is that much available for N gauge. Like everyone else, I learn from your
posts. My forte’ was DC power distribution. ….Built a fifty amp, eighteen volt
supply to power a seven DC engine consist The rails got hot but did not melt
the ties. Great fun for me. My BEST to all…RJ Waterville Ohio USA
Even a Tim Horton’s! Absolutely splendid!
Unbelievable, fantastic, great detail. I’m rethinking the size of my layout based on your presentation.
What is the size, it looks like 8′ X6′ ?
Nicely done. Great detailing and the aircraft is a unique feature to your layout.
Jim AZ
Now you need to add Mortha flying over Godzilla!
The Western Maryland repaints look great!! I love the Godzilla. Where did you find the warbirds?
Wow! No wonder your nerve are shot. Had to chuckle at the “Clinton Cigar Factory”. 🙂
Oh, and it will take 2 or 5 more looks to really take it all in.
Beautiful layout. I especially like the caboose motel. There is one such here in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The owners purchased 43 cabooses from the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, and from the Milwaukee Road, and a mile long abandoned track to place them on. Then they remodeled and refurbished them into cozy motel rooms. Now the original owners are retired and have sold off the cars as summer cottages. Great idea!
Thanks from Joseph in Milwaukee.
Jeff…. Fantastic layout……. Great detail…… love the planes and backdrops. Landcaster, Pennsylvania, has a Red Caboose Motel, lots of fun.
Don’t know how you did all that in N scale.
Jeff, I have built, studied, visited, read about and looked at pictures of layouts for over 70 years and I can honestly say, short of John Allen’s G&D RR, I have never seen a better job of details, planning, and weathering you models and layout than you have done and in N Scale besides. Kudos to you and Salute! Keep us informed and updated with any future additions, changes, and improvements (as if improvements looks possible!) you make please… you are a master modeler and craftsman!
Totally Awesome,Grandads VW hit the spot!!
I’m very motivated to do more on my n scale. I have a long way to go now that I have seen what is possible. Thanks for the motivation.
84Pop
Awesome layout Jeff – If it was gold it would be 22 carat
Andrew in Oz
Amazing detail.
Thanks all for the kind comments. I am humbled beyond words.
Hi Jeff,
Love your layout. You bring back old memories. I was born and raised in Hagerstown, MD. My dad worked at the Western Maryland RR shops office as a statistician for 45 years, in the same office, at the same desk. I worked in the back shops and roundhouse as a diesel locomotive electrician from April 1956 to November 1963. Steam engines were gone. My last day there was the day they buried JFK. Thank you for sharing your layout with us.
Great job.
Delightful! Also loved the “heritage flight”
What track did you use? It looks good. I’m a track-nut. i have a problem with large layouts with thousands of dollars of engines, trees, rolling stock and sectional Kato track. Excellent work and not doubt exhausting at times im sure.
Extraordinarily done ! Really like your rooftop scenarios and of course that warbird flight. Am curious about 1 particular factory… what does a “Westand” look like and what is it used for ? Your layout is great fun !
REALLY Nice to see a spacious road / street / parking lot arrangement that allocates enough room and makes sense. Well Done! In my opinion, too many model railroad layouts / builders treat that aspect as an afterthought, and it shows by falling far short of what would be feasible and workable in real life.
fantastic layout.
The most enjoyable layout in pictures I have seen!
Very well done.
And yes well done with a good theme backing. Particularly like the static humans here and there (not all). Not very real if walking, running… anything with motion. They must have good balance to remain like that while the trains mope around. The N scale community has a big problem with the little plastic cars offered. And lichen is still the standard landscape cover which is OK by me.
Not anything wrong with layout at all, just a few things noted, myself guilty here. Like the aircraft, maybe a bit over scale but detailed to include shadows, who cares. Strange WallyMart doesn’t have all the really small collections (N or compatible) as such on shelves anymore (nothing on any of them these days). They had military vehicles, aircraft, construction equipment and what else? Guess kids were trying to swallow or eat them, items of yesteryear.
Often wonder how long some of these masterpieces’ last before the architect can’t stand sight of them anymore and go back to complete reconstruction mode? Again all top notch showings as of lately.
And no, Dom’s Fast & Furious house way off scale but cars pretty good. Supercharged Dodge not bad at all.
As Again, Rich
Love the Warbird Flyby, I have a C-47 overhead on my layout. Story line has it on the way to a local air show.
Beautiful.. Kato and atlas track?
Very well done!!! Your layout is like reading a story book–filled with memories!!
Fantastic- like the little extras such as Godzilla in the park, and the airplanes along the wall- it’s a real inspiration!
WOW!!! I would like to go to Sandbox Crew Brew for their tasting tonight!!!
Your layout presents really well. So much fun!
Just love the amount of detail in this layout. Excellent work for sure!
Great layout. It covers just about everything.
Awesome layout, well planed. I like the airplanes and many different scenes. It’s a layout that you should be proud of. Great work !!!!
love the godzilla touch, my favorite.
I am awe struck by many of these layouts, but the more I see, the more I feel that it would be too much to tackle. Just the mention of computerized anything scares me off. I wired my own home but this stuff looks complicated. If I were to have to get under those layouts, I wouldn’t be able to get out. You guys are so talented and I love watching from a far. Merry Christmas to all you Hog-heads! Dave
Definitely got it all the flyby’s and Godzilla to boot very nice layout ,thanks for the pictures .
Great layout with lots of good detailing. How long did it take?
As a Pink Floyd fan I went through the whole display looking for the flying pig. I recognized the factory then found the pig. Now I’ll have to go back and look at the other details. Sun bathers on the roof!?