Ray’s been in touch with his Kato N scale unitrack layout:
“Al,
First of all, I would like to thank everyone for the many positive comments I received on my layout. They are greatly appreciated. I will attempt to answer some of the questions I have received.
The turntable is a KATO and was very easy to instal and run. It is an awesome piece. My entire track is KATO N scale unitrack. I do not have the patience or the talent to lay the older type track that I had when I was a child.
Many have asked for a track plan. To be honest, I used two different plans and modified them to fit my layout. My layout started with a 4 x 8 piece of ply wood (see initial track plan attached) and as I filled that up i just kept adding on. The second phase was a 3 x 6 extension (see large addition track plan), and I just modified them and kept adding tables and track to it as an idea came to me. I believe I have 7 more smaller additions that were added over the year and a half that I have been working on it.
The layout is run on two separate KATO transformers (two separate tracks that do not connect) and it is a DC layout. I did add a KATO sound box to add sound to the layout.
I found the laser cut station on line. I just googled Worcester Union Station model in N scale. I am not sure if they offer it in HO.
I have added pictures which display the evolution of my lay out. They are in order.
Thanks again for the interest in my layout.
Best,
Ray”
And now, more from Dangerous Dave. He’s been playing with his train cam:
“Hi Al ,not a lot happening on my layout of late, with summer arriving, busy in the garden and still struggling with the knee, but just to show still active… a run around the layout.
Regards
Dave”
A huge thank you to Dave and to Ray for sharing his Kato N scale unitrack.
What I loved about Ray’s layout narrative is it shows how you can easily expand your layout with a little thought.
So don’t be afraid of starting small. The key is to start…
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
0
VERY VERY WELL DONE……
loved the vid ,loved all the little details you have put in ,might start working on my out side “G” scale lay out again ,Thanks for the kick
As an “HO”: modeller I was impressed with “:N ” gauge, I experimented with “N” gauge and found that it has many good qualities that were unknown to m,.one being room required.
Thank you for sharing.
Excellent Dave..
Oh, Dave! WOW!! Thanks for the ride!
Appookta
Thank you Dave your layout is such a delight to watch and “loose” oneself in! An inspiration to so many of us! I never tire of watching it!
Fernando Serra
Loved Ray’s layout. Very Nice!! I was curious to know if your base was plywood only, or if you had insulation on it as well. Couldn’t tell from the pics. Also did you use pieces of plywood like jigsaw pieces for base instead of one solid piece of plywood? Thanks and keep up the good work. (I’m just finishing my benchwork and ready for the top.
Bob
Wonderful layout(s). I love N but it is too small for my 60+ year old hands. Ray you do such nice work it is an inspiration to the rest of us. Dave, you blew right by the WHISTLE sign and didn’t blow the whistle, I am afraid I am going to have to collect your drivers license. LOL I love your track work Dave and I only noticed one little rough spot after the points early in the video so I believe you got that completely right.
Brill layout Dave, watched it evolve. can you say where you got the cam-wagon from or did you build from scratch?
Hi Dave, That was an amazing experience! Felt as if i was in the loco’s driving seat.
Regards Jack
Kudos to a fellow N Scaler. I found that the ability to have a complicated layout in a normal sized space appealed the most to me when selecting between HO. Making scenery is much harder but I am more of a train guy. Good work. I used EZ Track so I can one day reassemble it all in a different layout.
Thank you Ray, for sharing your photographs of your layout I have an attic and I was wondering what I was going to do up there but you’ve given me some really good ideas.
Thank you Dave, for your video being in TV and video production business for over 25 years I can appreciate the time and effort that it takes to put a video together, your camera mounted on the car is really super I was very impressed how your video came together it’s nice and quiet smooth easy to watch so keep up the good work. Nathan on Maui
Dave: thanks for a great ride! Impressive, and a lot of fun.
Ray: thanks again for the inspiration you provide. Your example lends a lot of encouragement to those of us just getting started.
Dave your layout as we all know is fantastic to look at from above but WOW it looks stunningly brilliant from this drivers eye view so much more of the track side details jump out at you, it was fabulous to see the Mallard LNER express thunder past. Nice to see you in front of the camera for once but much prefer Mr Ginger Bread Man ha ha. Thank you for another majestic video. Peter “The Mackem” in Sunderland.
A great talk through Ray of your brilliant layout, thanks for showing and telling us all about it. Peter “The Mackem” in Sunderland
Ray & Dave, very nice train lay outs, you have given me lots of ideas. Just finished my train platform errection. Starting the track layout tomorrow, the layout is for “0” gauge. Again, thank you for the many, many ideas.
Bumper
Just a beautiful and BIG layout. Being a Yankee, all the Brit locos and, wagons, as they are called over the pond, and the great English scenery just fascinates me. Very nicely done video. My layout is small because my wife wanted to use most of the house for, well, house.
One of your best, Dave. Thanks.
the photos are great love the craftmanship.has given me plenty of ideas the track plans very good. that video Dave i reckon is the best yet right down on the track very nice especially when other trains go by. photos of the garden, is it as good as your train layout.
great layouts
What a great video! The only way you could make it better is if you could edit out your ceiling and replace it with sky.
That was sensational Dave. Well done on all your hard work. Thanks for sharing it with us. Boy, do I have some work to do. Regards Bernard from Oz
If there’s a world competition for championship model railroading, Dave should certainly be in the running for the first place trophy!!! KUDOS!!!
It’s obvious that Dave has way too much time on his hands and thank God for that. The camera work is ingenious and really gives a unique viewpoint I have never seen, then add the camera work and sound woah over the top. Mahalo and Aloha Dave.
What a great video.. I have learned so much from these…
Absolutely Superb Dave ! Keep the videos coming. I have learned a lot from your efforts. Truly incredible.
Darrell
Very good n scale layout. I am officialy impressed. Hope i can do as well on my layout and thanx for sharing. This gives me a slew of great ideas for my own 4×9 layout. Great work Ray!
I really enjoyed the video great filmmaking Dave.
Not a lot of signals on that railway Dave, some where you wouldn’t expect them and sometimes none where you certainly would. there are some very good books out there, you might ask your library for “Two centureis of railway signalling” by Kitchenside and Williams. Give you a whole new project for the winter!
Rod
i love it…gave me a lot of great ideas on how to set up my trains. i only have one set so far, nj transit passenger trains for my christmas village, but planning on get a freight set soon. my village is rather large so i can’t have too many trains, but i think freight & passenger is good. both my brother & ex-husband worked for erie lackawanna which changed to conrail & then nj transit. so i got the trains in their honor. they r both deceased. thank u so much for putting ur layouts on here to help others on how to set up a railroad.
What I love about Dave’s layout is that it’s not sanitised. By that, I mean it’s “scruffy”, “cluttered”, and, because of that it’s authentic. This is shown up particularly well with this video. I envy you, Dave, and wish I had a layout like your’s. Brilliant!
Two great layouts. Thanks for the updates.
Dave’s got a excellent space for his huge OO set up.
A more limited space lends itself to N scale and that what I opted for. The much smaller size can be a challenge to work with but it has its rewards. I haven’t done a video since 2016 and so much has changed since then.
Very nice 👍. Thanks for sharing.
Ray, Great explanation and photos of your growing N scale layout. I understand the inclination to keep adding on and expanding with the Kato Unitrack. I started an HO layout on a 5 x9 foot ping pong table as a test oval with the largest radius Unitrack that would fit the table. It’s now expanded to three concentric ovals with crossovers and an inner switching area. As soon as I pickup some 4 x 8 foot foam boards it’s going to expand it to 5′ – 4″ x 12′ – 0″ so I can add another larger radius oval and expand the switching area.
Dave, Thanks for another great video tour of your wonderful train layout. I am wondering how recent some of the footage is since I thought you had removed one of the long suspension bridges in one of your recent make-overs? Am I right or just confused? 🙂
Pretty Kool Keep up the good work.
Fantastic layout and build perfect, thanks for playing.
HC Treintje Herman from Belgium.
Wow! I am an old model railroader who had to give it up because our home was destroyed in a tornado and lost so much equipment that must have gone with the wind. . Since I was also raising five kids at the time and had to live in an apartment
until we could find a house.
Now that my kids are all married now and have family’s of their own, I’m ready to start again. I have two large folding tables that are very secure and plan to put
two 4 x 8’s with insulation board on top…Since it’s been so long, any suggesting on laying track since all the layouts seem to run smoothly.
Was curious Dangerous Dave, how you laid your track? I’m getting ready for an adventure.
Very nice video Dave. I do them sometimes, and it’s a great way for me at least to see all the detail work I still need to do! But as others have pointed out, a neat way to give an engineer’s view of operations on your layout.
I love this site and all the insights on how best to build model train layouts. One recommendation I would have to those who are just getting started is to not forget about the challenge of wiring! Beyond power to the track and to the points, there will be so much more when roads and buildings are added later. Without a clear plan, wiring can become very frustrating and difficult especially when there is a short circuit or other problem. A detailed “as built” wiring plan is a must.
very nice, lots of color, i like the track layout.
Hi Dave Great video as usual. All videos submitted are looking forward, where most views are usual once you have past a scene when your travelling by train. Any chance you could do a few runs filming with the camera showing a rear view. I think this would be an exciting variation. You never know you could be the instigator of this type of video submissions
Thanks in advance
Well executed with nowhere’s not being a point of interest or wondering what’s taking place. With this you can have strictly operations or working on anything else layout connected. The time involved and financial obligation of some of these masterpieces not to mention space they use…. 4×8 with yard siding extension is as far as I dare take it.
R
I agree how easy it is to install the KATO turntable, it adds so much operational fun. Mine services a 6 Stall Round House.
Ray: Very nice layout, lots of thought and love evident. Great work.
Dave: Always a treat to view your videos, Fantastic layout and being able to have a train mounted video gives one a birds eye view that allows one to appreciate the vast amount of work you have done. THANK YOU!
Great layout Ray : Dave another great video, keep them coming.
my eyes crossed trying to follow the track. just kidding. very cool layout,.