Jim’s been in touch with his HO Santa Fe layout:
“I will be 75 next month and I have “played” with model trains all my life.
When I was five years old my father bought me my first train set.
It was an O-gauge CB&Q Zephyer. He bought it used from a friend whose son had grown tired of it.
My dad covered a 4′ x 6′ sheet of plywood with a green Army blanket and tacked down an oval of track with a passing siding.
Together we added some houses, roads, cars and trees. Good times.
About 3-4 years later I got a A-A Santa Fe Marx set for Christmas.
When I got older we passed those sets on to younger kids in our neighborhood and I messed around with HO for a couple of years.
Then life happened. After High School, I enlisted in the Army and served in Vietnam and Washington DC. Got out of the Army in 1969 and went to college.
After graduating landed a good job, got married, bought a house, and raised two great kids.
During that time I was in-and-out of N-scale and 3-rail O-scale.
I build an 18′ x 8′ O-Scale layout in my basement and was a founding member of the Independent Hi-Railers Midwest Division.
We had the LARGEST modular Hi-Rail layout in the world and would travel to major cities (New Brunswick NJ, Cleveland OH, Madison WI, St Louis MO, Minneapolis MN, Chicago IL) to set-up, display and operate our layout.
In addition, we also participated in 4 or 5 local shows each year.
Fast forward, I retired at age 58 with plans of building a large HO layout in my basement.
Many starts and stops, tear-down and rebuilds. I was never satisfied with the results. My carpentry and electrical skills never measured up to my desired standards. I wish would have realized that sooner.
In 2018 I met with the good people at PMD (Professional Model Design) to discuss having them build an HO layout for me.
Yada, yada, yada… 16 months later they delivered a beautiful 11′ x 22′ HO layout.
For now, I will just post this video. In the near future, I will provide more information and include pictures of the build process and MORE videos.
For now, please enjoy these.
Jim”
A big thanks to Jim for sharing his HO Santa Fe layout.
Now on to Peter.
He’s been busy scratch building from the printable buildings:
“Hi Al,
Here’s one of my scratch builds.
Peter”
I really do a get a kick out of seeing what you’ve created with the print out scenery.
A huge big thanks to Peter and Jim.
Really liked Jim’s back story, especially the line, “then life got in the way”.
It’s something we can all relate to.
But I think he’s made up for time with a HO scale 11×22 in his basement. Looks great.
That’s it for today peeps.
Please do keep ’em coming – just hit reply to any of my mails if you’d like to share anything.
And if today is the day you jump in and join in the fun, 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.
Especially like the shots of the car at the crossing. Very realistic.
Jim, first I would like to thank you for your service to our country.
Layout looks marvelous and very real. Great job.
Eric Kiehl Firefighter St Louis County Missouri
Beautiful layout. I do love the Santa Fe El Capitan and Chief. Excellent slow roll by. Rob McCrain – Farland Howe
Jim… nice! If you can pass along an image of your professionally designed track plan it would be great!
Peter- nice scratch build!
Jim- you definitely left us wanting more! Thanks to both of you for sharing.
When in doubt about your carpentry skills, use Mianne bench work for your needs. They will build custom bench work for whatever situation or configuration you need, and it can be broken down and transportable should you need to move. MIANNE benchwork.
Some really good scenery work! And the Warbonnet is my favorite~
I really liked the El Capitan too. I grew up in San Bernardino, Ca and got got to see up close the train with 2 “A units and 2 “B” units pulling out to get over the Cajon Pass.
Very nice scenery!!!
Your amount of detail is JUST RIGHT. You didn’t jam everything together. Done in excellent taste.
Thanks for running your trains … Looks great !
awesoe loved the quiet sound very solid
Great layout! I am just now planning to get involved in building a layout myself. If you know of any used sets for purchase, please let me know. I am not the handy type but I really want to get involved.
Jim How much did it Cost?
Jim…..great looking layout. Nice to see the trains running.
Being a fellow veteran I extend my thanks to you sir for your service and sacrifice for our great country.
Let me understand this correctly… you paid to have your model railroads built? Seems that detracts from the ideal of the hobby. Maybe I’m wrong ?? Nothing brings greater reward than to enjoy that what you’ve created , which is the general sense of a hobby . I see this as much the same concept as the hot rodders that admired each others work and ingenuity and skills . Now it’s just wealthy folks buying the turn key product , there again detracting from the whole concept . I can’t imagine the same level of enjoyment if I hadn’t built my layout and rather simply paid a company to build it , not much fun or creativity in that . Don’t see the point . So many modelers post their creativity and passion, anyone with a pocket book can purchase the finished thing and call it theirs . I beg to differ, that is someone else’s work , skill , and creativity . Simply takes away and in my opinion is a disservice to the real modelers at home entertaining thus hobby .
Welcome home brother.
Stephen Hill. Not all of us are fond of the modeling we end up with. Remember this guy spent years with a club doing shows. Besides that it IS tougher to actually do modeling physically or mentally for some of us. RR is to be FUN for each of us. Some are bolt counters and some operators and others runners. Some admit the modeling of towns and scenery are more fun than the RR itself. Cut us some slack Stephen, as some of us might not get a running table ever. Mine sits unfinished. If I could afford to I would purchase a table rather than see mine as is. Do enjoy yourself as hopefully others do to. We model train hobbyists are indeed a varied lot. Smile.
To Stephen Hill, to each his own.