Steve’s been in touch with his model train town layout:

“Al

I was sitting in our home office taking a break from the railroad work and I looked up at the train room entrance and noticed the sign above the door. My 6 year grandson made the train and the letters with beads you iron together. He did it all on his own. I made the frame and the tracks for him. This is the best part of my layout.

I have been busy almost completing the town area of my layout. I still have to add people and I am working on lights for the buildings and streets. I am roughing in some ideas for the industrial area and may try to send you a short video.

Steve from Toms River.”

Model train town layout:

“Al,

When it comes to train layout scenery i`m cheap, save the money for things i can`t make.

Fine saw dust+clothes dye+ enough water to mix it well, gives me green for grass,light or dark what ever i want, brown for dirt, black for coal yard and around coaling stations shops and such.

Small dried weed tops with ca glue, sprinkle on colored sawdust for foliage, i dye many weeds and types of dead grass for scenery.

I use old cork like ceiling tiles for building cuts through hills and mountains, break them in long pieces, rake the showing edge with a wire brush, paint, stack and glue together, looks just like the real thing, also use for stone walls.

For track ballast i use chicken grit, in case you were not born on a farm, chicken grit is tiny pieces of gravel made to aid chickens in digesting food, just the right size for any scale almost, and it`s CHEAP.

By the way, my layouts have always been O gauge, but i have helped a few of my friends that have ho scale, and all of the above works well for them also.

Wishing you the best,

Hearl”

“I guess I would say don’t just accumulate kits and models–actually BUILD SOMETHING from your collection of unbuilt kits.

I often use the name “Old Armchair” to describe myself.

Ralph”

“Here Goes

1. take a screen from a old screen door ore a piece of screen cut it
in to long sections to make a chainlink fence.

2. take an aluminum tube about a pencil width cut with
pliers about 1/2 inch apart pliers will crimp the ends of the tube pieces to make small bags of dog food or eny product you like.

3. cut a long piece of brown or earth tone color corduroy fabric glue it to an area on the layout to make a plowed field.

4. fiber optic line i saw a guy do these in a book he took a optic line from a lamp the kind that changes color and mad a locomotive head light he took a lighter to the end of it to melt it in to headlamp shape then the other end goes near the bulb of the locomotive.

5. a small rock the size of your finger nail makes a great boulder.

Michael”

“When building large hills or small mountains or N scale I used the rails from old track sections and even old flex track it gives a very sturdy base then use old window screen and hot glued to the rails then u put your terrain and grass mat came out nice and just stuff hanging around so don’t toss those things are very useful.

Have fun. I use for tunnels also.

Blitz”

That’s all this time folks. A big thanks to Steve for sharing his model train town layout.

Please do keep ’em coming – and big thank you to everyone who has contributed.

I’m looking forward to seeing Steve’s video, it’s a fine looking layout. Beginner’s guide is here if you want to be more than an armchair subscriber!

Best

Al

PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.