Shotgun Tom has been in touch:
“Hi Alastair,
Please add my HO Train Video to your site.
Here is my story and photos. Let me know if you need more information. Hollywood producer Jhani Kaye shot the video with both GoPro and Professional cameras.
The Layout is 10 feet by 7 feet.
The layout was constructed by Lloyds layouts of Paramount California.
Lloyd and Betsy Kluesner are Master Train Layout Builders.
As a Radio and Television Personality in San Diego and Los Angeles, what I wanted was a Radio and Television station on the Layout with a Downtown area, a mountain for the TV station’s Tower and Transmitter, Industrial area and a place where people live.
So, Lloyd drew up some plans and off we went.
The Layout is mounted on my Pool Table. Next, with a hydraulic lift the Layout will rise off the table and Pool lights are under the layout will shine down onto the Pool Table so we can still play pool.
Shotgun Tom”
Latest ebay cheat sheet is here
A big thanks to Shotgun Tom for sharing. What a layout – looks like a lot of fun.
It looks just as stunning at night – have a look at the video and you’ll see – but most of all, there is a timelapse of the layout being built at the end. It really is worth the watch.
And if you want to dive in and start on your layout, please don’t forget the Beginner’s Guide.
Course, I’m biased, but it’s a great first step whether you are a Beginner, or just getting back in to it.
That’s all this time folks. Please do keep ’em coming.
Best
Al
that is an amazing layout …well done Tom…Dangerous Dave
Great stuff! We all wish we had a team such as that to build out layouts.
Dear Tom, Fabulous! If I had a layout like that, I would not be playing much pool! Mike
That’s some layout.
Amazing layout guys. Such detail is incredible. Really enjoyed the video. Would love to of seen how you wired it up. Looking forward to getting back to railroading when I retire. Great job to all. Much love.
The 3rd image down [ tan building ] would make a great mid 1930s Greyhound Bus Station. They were very Art Deco.
A simply beautiful layout. I love everything about it. The builders did a great job.
With respect to being on the pool table, I started my 4 x 8 layout on my pool table. I went a very long time not playing pool. I considered several things, with putting the train layout on a pulley system being best. The idea was to pull the layout up to near the ceiling and have LED lighting underneath to shine on the playing surface. In the end, this was never implemented since we moved. At our new home the layout was doubled to 8 x 8 and put in the garage. It is still being worked, this time with more relief and a coal mining section to come. The pool table is in the game room and is seeing use again!
Professional is nice…..amateur is much better! I’d rather be in the trenches.
Lovely job Tom, lots of character, some super buildings and a great video.
Rod
Hi “Shotgun”! I didn’t know you were a model railroader. I remember you and your radio programs in S.D. and your Saturday night “live gig” at the Corvette Diner. Good times!
Joe Graffi
That is really great . Should be very proud of that. I know I would be. They done a wonderfull job,Thaks for letting us see it.
Amazing layout indeed. Very nicely done video really interesting
Cary B
NICES
Super great layout But we can’t click on for enlargement. would’ve liked to see closer details.
Robert
OMG didn’t realize the video was of your layout FANTASTIC! Dangerous Dave has competition now buddy.Great job!
Robert
Love the creative video, but you missed all the fun building your own layout!
That’s a great layout…
WOW!!! What a production, What a layout, all in 10′ X 7′ Amazing. Were the cars that moved animated? or do they really work that way? I really like seeing Loyd & Betsy in action and the time lapse shots of the build at the end. Love the Shotgun Tom billboards and all the lit up signs for the night shots. Well done Tom. Enjoy and get a little pool time in once in awhile.
Probably the best video you’ve ever posted!
Just shows what Hollywood production values can do!!
Isn’t the whole idea behind model railroading doing it yourself. Don’t get me wrong its a really nice layout and a super video. I’ve been working on my layout for over a year now. I tinker with it when I have spare time. I still have a long ways to go. When I get through with it I’ll have the pride of knowing that I built a pretty cool train layout.. I also redo old cars and make them into resto mod hot rods( my 56 chevy truck and my 23 T bucket) I have the same feelings about these vehicles as I do my train layout. Hands on!! All of it is suppose to be a Hobby isnt it? Well to each his own. AL you keep on being you, Love this site!! Farmer AL
Stunning Layout and video, thank you very much
Nice layout excellent videography…
How did you make the cars, trucks & buses move????
The whole layout is totally awesome
Nice layout and a really like the music as well. I liked the scene where the Sante Fe passenger train pulls into the station and you play the Ennio Morricone theme from the movie, “The Untouchables”.
in stead of hydraulic you could use a hoist system and cables
This is without a doubt one of the most outstanding setups I have ever seen!
Nice to see trains running at realistic speeds. Still working on my 6 ft x 16 ft HO layout and now adding a “L” shaped yard with turntable so I can stage and store any trains not running on the main layout.
Norm in York, PA
Brilliant layout – would love to see the Track Plan.
So neat to see a layout from a local radio legend here in the Los Angeles area! I think he host a show on SiriusXM Sixties station as of now.
The TV station building is an old bus station. The old bus station in Washington, D.C. looked just like that one at 14th St and New York Ave.
Quite a beautiful job, by pros! It would be interesting to know how much the train portion costs when done to this detail! Never mind how much the professional fee costs. I’d like to compare it to my buying used and new on my retirement budget like a lot of us modelers do.
Great professional layout & video; I think the main theme came from the B & W television series “Run for Your Life” starring the late Ben Gazzara. Dangerous Dave has something to think about.
loved your video it gave me a lot of ideas
Wow….. what a great layout. Although I agree that some fun is found in building it, the biggest enjoyment for me would be to have a few buddies around and actually be running it.
What would a layout like this cost though to have it custom built? and yes did the cars actually move?
It is good – it should be – it is professionally built and filmed by a professional. Pity it jumps around so much and so quickly one cannot get time to see some of the wonderful details.
Loved the video — was wondering what the music score behind it is…. I recognize it as being from a television program, but can’t place it!
Its wonderful what money can buy! Hope you enjoy running you trains.
Really nice! You will have years of enjoyment from your layout 😀
Loved the layout. An awful lot going on without looking too busy. Track plan please. The scenes need a little dirt though. Everything is just too clean and shiny
BC Bob
That was a very nice set up, nice plan. Great job guys.
SDG
Fabulous layout!!! Like many others, I enjoy the hands-on aspect of model railroading. As for having it professionally built, I know many people love the actual running of the trains, but can’t get interested in the building part. To each his (her) own.
The photography is fantastic. As stated above, I do not care for the quick cuts – I like longer cuts so I can see more of the scene, but the quick cuts is how it is done today. I agree wholeheartedly on the trains running at realistic speed.
I have only one negative comment, and that is about the lack of ties (sleepers) where the track segments are joined. I see this on so many otherwise great layouts. Rail joiners do cause the bottom rail foot to be lower and a tie can cause a “bump” in the track, but it is easy to reduce the height of ties to slide under the joiners. Just take a section of scrap track, remove a few ties, sand down the bottom of the tie, cut off the spikes, and slide it under the joiners with a dab of glue.
Keep on training,
Carl in Kansas
has something changed Alastair?
I find thatr the photo’s are no longer clickable to enlarge them.
Really nice layout. Will provide years of fun and enjoyment!
Shotgun, great layout. I had one in my back screened in patio at my old place back in the ’90’s here in Fresno. Never got around to building the mountains, but had a great switchyard, and a streetcar line, that ran separate from the main line of the railroad. I had 8 sidings in my switchyard, and lots of Southern Pacific passenger cars, both Daylight as well as old standard cars and mail cars from the ’40’s and ’50’s. Nice way to spend an evening, or Saturday afternoon, re-living our childhoods.
The music is the opening theme to “The Fugitive” in the early ’60s! Can’t believe nobody got it.
Richard Kimble
The simulated background really makes the layout video. Nice!
Thanks for the video!! It was excellent. Great layout. Well done to all involved. Cheers Rossco, Adelaide, Australia
GREAT layout. How did you get SO much ‘stuff’ in this compact area? Really, really well done. Puts rank amateurs like me to shame! Great video as well. Very professional, but I would expect nothing less from you, Shotgun!
Nice touch on the music from The Fugitive!
Would love to see how the hydraulic lift works.
Yes, an awesome layout. It appeared that some of the video was shot from a camera mounted on the train. Was that the case, and if so, what camera was used? And did the video project onto a tv or Iphone screen so it could be watched real time with running the trains? Thanks Ted