Terry’s been in touch with his N scale barn:
“Hi Alastair,
I have been following your blog for some time now and using tips from your Beginners Guide.
I am a newbie working on an N scale barn layout based on my memories growing up in Florida.
Yep it’s completely flat! There are not any railroad tunnels in the Sunshine State.
It is modeled on the Florida East Coast Railroad. I am doing it in diorama modules that can be taken out to change a scene if the spirit moves.
The only things that are ‘store bought’ are the two trucks, car, animals (Outland Models, Japan), and the people (unpainted from Preiser, Germany).
Everything else is scratch built using tips and tricks from Al’s Beginners Guide and other pointers found here on the blog.
Thanks to all who give insight on how I can develop my railroad empire!
My wife thinks I am probably off my nut making narratives on all this, but I have Calhoun’s Moonshine till, Happy Gator Campgrounds, and Paul’s Pure Oil gas station in progress. This I can share at another time if you like. For today allow me to introduce you to the Goode Family Farm.
Welcome to the Goode Family Farm.
Nestled at the end of a dirt lane is the Goode Family Farm. Well, its more of a farmette. In this world of ‘N scale’, it is just under 5 acres. Although its small, there is a lot going on.
In the barnyard you will find Mr. Hank Goode standing next to the hay truck watching Bossy sneaking some hay before it is unloaded. Then there is Mrs. Franny Goode feeding the chickens at the chicken
coop. Mister the horse, and Berta the cow, are taking drinks at the stock tank. Maude and Grace are feeding on a hay bale while Paint stands alone in the pasture.
Bucky and Bonny go to the fence to have their noses rubbed by family friend Tom and his daughter Gail.
In the pig pen are the four pigs that will soon be ready for market. While it’s a quiet place, in the background you can hear the sound of the squeaking old wind wheel pump as the breeze blows the Spanish moss in the trees.
In the yard, the oldest daughter Anna is in the back yard hanging the laundry out to dry. Becky, the ten- year-old, can be seen swinging little brother B.J. on the tire swing. In the garden the oldest son Dicky is weeding the vegetable patch.
The farmhouse is a typical old Florida farmhouse with large windows for ventilation and a brick fireplace to add warmth on the occasional cool evening. The porch invites you to sit on the rocking chair or the porch swing while you enjoy the aroma of the potted flowers.
When the evening rain falls on the tin roof it lulls the Goode family to sleep. A well-deserved rest after a hard day’s work.
Hey, thanks for stopping in. Y’all come see us again now hear?
Terry”
And now on to Brian from the archives:
“Hi all,
This is the third report from Grandpa’s Wonderful Railway (N Gauge) here in Wokingham, UK.
It’s a busy day on the layout especially at the Northlew Station which is hosting a Thomas and Friends Weekend. Thomas, Annie and Clarabel are as popular as ever giving family rides, James is desperately trying to control some troublesome trucks, and Percy has been assigned to display his amazing pulling power! (All the models are Tomix)
On the middle section, a special visitor to West Hoe is the Orient Express (Kato) being pulled by the Swiss Re460 loco (Fleischmann, you may remember this one in my Poirot video). On the other line is a Class 47 loaded with Yeoman, Lafarge and Shell wagons (Graham Farish).
On the lower section, the unusual load of a British Army Warrior armoured vehicle can be seen at the front of a container train pulled by a EW&S Class 66 (Graham Farish). What’s that all about? And that’s the A4 Mallard in BR Green pulling a rake of LNER Gresley teak carriages (Minitrix – still running well despite being about 30 years old!). And, that’s a Class 170 2-car DMU London Midland (Graham Farish) at Millbay Station.
On the layout you’ll see various things of interest – James Bond ‘Licence to Kill’ (not one of the best ones) is showing at The Odeon, the goods depot at Northlew looks pretty busy, Farmer Jackson’s sheep are waiting in the cattle dock to be loaded.
Rock’s Chocs chocolate factory has had it’s delivery of milk, the allotments are busy today, that’s the Ding Dong Tin Mine pumping house heritage site that Thomas is passing.
The new house is coming along nicely with a view over the cable ski water park (scratch-built cable ski rig), always nice to see a wedding with music by an ensemble from the the groom’s mates in the Parachute Regiment Band, and traffic has come to a standstill at Wenham Farm because of a stubborn cow!!!
Music accompanying the video by the way is ‘Light at the End of the Tunnel’ from the musical Starlight Express, a family favourite.
Hope you enjoyed it?
Many thanks Al for your continued hard work and commitment to the blog – always interesting to see railway modelling at all levels.
All the best
Brian”
A big thanks to Terry for sharing his N scale barn and to Brian.
That’s all for today folks, please do keep ’em coming.
And don’t forget, the Beginner’s Guide is here if you want to take your first step towards your own layout.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
Terry,
Your wife is right!
James
Labor of love. Enjoy.
Hello Terry, your idea of layout modules is nice.
The farm scenes well done especially in n scale.
Thanks for sharing
Hello to you also Brian, Your video if layout was thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks for sharing
And thank you for keeping the Blog going Alastair
Cary in New Market Maryland
Where’s the train?
Terry: Nice diorama and I to live in Florida. You got it just about right you would have to come a bit east to see a train unless you were in Ocala area. Around Moriston along 41.Would have like to have seen some trains but then again would have like to have seen the swamp ape. well maybe next time.
The Critic
Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!
Thanks
Bob St Clair
Great job Terry! Keep building!
Brian- I enjoyed the video, lots of great details on your railway!
Hi Brian,
I greatly enjoyed you video. I’m sure it is a hit with the grandkids. Beautiful layout. There is a local model rail road club that opens to the public during the holidays. Thomas and friends is always a favorite.
Great Job!
Terry
Well.. what can i say, a beautiful car and beautiful narrative, thanks fellas
Terry & Brian
I am in constant awe of you N scale guys. I am pulling my hair out in HO, since I have left S scale, detailing people and scenery with gorilla and unsteady hands and you are doing it better and smaller.
Great jobs and keep it up
Be safe
George from LI, NY
Very nice diorama modules. Thanks
Terry ~
I love the live oak tree with the Spanish moss. It’s so Florida.
Terry
Keep up the narratives. Wonderful stuff for us other Nut jobs.
Terry and Brian…… Great detail and wonderful looking layout.
Brian….Love the Thomas train.
Terry……your scenery detail is great…….I don’t know how you work with N guage, its so small. I have difficulty with HO scale…….great layout..
Were did you get lady & Clothes line, and Boy in the tire. The reason why i asked is because mine is going to look something like that.
To Eric,
The people and animals all come from Preiser article number 79000. It includes the lady and the clothes line. The kit includes 120 unpainted figures. The tire swing is an ‘O’ ring with thread covered lightly with PVA glue.
Running trains are the BEST ! THANKS !
well done………….reminds me of our small layout at our cigar shop……..did a 2 x 3 foot diorama showing off life in nicargua…….tobacco plants on a gentle hill, solders on the ridge protecting the area………..curing barns………….horse and wagon…………of course a cantina………………thanks for reminding me out that…
Terry, the farm scenes are great! I like the detail, such as Bossy stealing some hay. Adding fun things like that make any layout a special place to visit. Nice work!
Brian, I’ve watched your video 3 times now and see something new and interesting each time! The buildings in the town scene look great, and it was fun watching the trains run through out. Great work, thanks for sharing!
Nice. All great stuff.
Jim AZ
Brian, any chance of a track plan, looks very interesting.
Ray Qld…………
What is it about track plans with u guys ? Is Lack of a real Question ?
The Critic
Terry,
Great farm diorama!! Can not wait to see your Calhoun’s Moonshine Still. Will it be operable? If so, I’ll take a quart.
Ron
Terry and Brian, Great work both of you! The amount of detail you both manage to achieve in N scale is always amazing to me. You must get used to working with tweezers a lot just place all those wonderful details in your scenes. And Brian, the back story to the videos makes them all the more delightful. I wish I had yours and Dangerous Dave’s editing skills. Thank you both (and most of Al) for sharing these with us.
Hi Terry like the layout, looks great, nice story
Regards Gary from NZ
Wow, awesome job!
I haven’t been a member long, but I have noticed a lot of people from other countries here, especially the U.K I personally didn’t know model railroading was that popular in other countries. As I said, I haven’t been a member long and was curious if they have had a tribute to model railroad layouts from other countries. Again, I am curious to see the birth and development of model railroading from their perspective, but also to see their rail yards and their development.
I agree with Will from NM. He couldn’t have said it better! Again, a great job and you should be very proud. I about to embark on my 2nd layout build, my first one was 30 years ago, ouch that hurts. I hope to have the courage to share the development of my layout and if it is half as nice as the ones I see here, I will be a happy man.
My word Terry and Brian — both of you have share some intriguing work. Thanks so very much.
Small scenes do make a big difference!
Wow! – No double – Wow! Wow! Two excellent examples of model railways. Thank you for sharing with us.
Andrew in Oz