Now his layout has a busy nightlife, complete with a band and lively dancers on the dance floor.

This HO scale layout by Chuck Shutz of West Palm Beach, Florida, is a very small and simple oval layout with intense and intricate scenery.

The layout is only 44″ by 66″, but it has as much detail as some larger layouts.

Chuck’s small layout models a riverside resort set in the 1950′s complete with a picnic area, a playground with kids frolicking, a foot bridge, a backyard BBQ, and kids fishing from a dock.

The oval track layout has a tunnel, two bridges over the river and two road crossings. Not only is this layout imaginative, but Chuck’s attention to detail shows through clearly in these pictures.

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It might be interesting to hear from some of your subscribers what railroads they favor for their layouts.

This question was posted in response to the article about choosing a railroad to model. What a great question, I thought. It got me to thinking; why don’t I ask you which railroad you model on your layout.

I’ll start this off by talking about two railroads I would like to model: Burlington Northern and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe. I don’t mean the single combined Burlington Northern and Sante Fe Railroad as it is today, but the separate railroads as they were in the 1970’s when I first became fascinated with model railroading.

Burlington Northern Railroad

Image courtesy: drbalint

Burlington Northern Railroad trains were an everyday sight growing up in Washington State.

The engines and cars with their distinctive green paint scheme stood out clearly when they would roll by.

The route my friends and I used to walk to school took us through a small freight yard in the rural town of Burlington, Washington about 70 miles north of Seattle.

It wasn’t until years later that I learned the Burlington Northern Railroad was named after a different Burlington!

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad

Image courtesy: Billy Hathorn

When I got the model railroading bug as a teenager in the 1970s, I would study every model railroading magazine I could get my hands on.

I was fascinated by the articles and pictures where the modeler had built their railroad layout using scenery modeled on the deserts of the southwest.

Something about those tracks alongside a winding river at the bottom of a gorge cut through a mountain and all that bare rock.

I know the Burlington Northern has similar lines along the Columbia and other rivers in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but I really like the desert setting.

I haven’t built my dream model railroad layout yet, but when I do I’m sure it will likely be based on one of these two historical railroads.

Which Railroad Do You Model on Your Layout?

What about you, which railroad do you model? Or, like me, are you still in the planning (dreaming) phase? Or do you model, or plan to model, a mythical railroad of your own design?

Either way, share in the comments area below which railroad you model or plan to model on your layout.

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I’ve been thinking about switching over from a Group to a Page on Facebook for several months but wasn’t that motivated to make the change.

Facebook is making changes to Groups, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, I figured it was time to pull the trigger on making the switch.

While there is the possibility of more interaction between members of a Group, a Page gives me more flexibility for posting updates.

With a Facebook Page you won’t be constantly inundated with messages every time I or someone else posts an update on the Group page; something I don’t like about the new Facebook Groups.

Another nice thing about Facebook Pages over Groups is that you don’t have to have an account on Facebook to see the new Model Train Tips Page. You do have to be logged in to Facebook to post comments or messages, though.

If you previously joined the Model Train Tips Group on Facebook, please migrate over and “Like” the new Page as I will be removing the old Group page in June.

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The HO Scale Model Train – Benchwork and Track Planning Tips For Great Layouts

This article by Mike Foster emphasizes the importance of proper planning of both the bench work and the track layout. Well designed bench work becomes the foundation of your new layout.

Mountains and Ground in Your Model Train Scenery

This article by Reynolds Mathes-Redd talks about creating realistic scenery in your layout by properly modeling mountains and ground cover.

There are a lot of different types of ground cover available for use in model railroad layouts and this article covers some of those.

Building A Trestle Span

In this article published in July 2009, John Kraker walks through how he built three trestle spans across a canyon he added to his N-scale layout. His techniques can be used on any scale layout by up-scaling as necessary.

Model Railroad Scenery – How To Make Trees

In this article, Dan Morgan discusses two ways to make trees from materials you might find around your home or shop.

And, in case you are interested, Chuck Shutz’s Blueline HO NYC S1b Niagara 4-8-4 Locomotive may still be for sale. Be sure to check it out.

PS; If you’d like to share your model railroading tips or stories, let me know.

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Alex K. details how far he’s come as well as his frustrations:

I’m a beginner.  My father had some HO trains from the 60′s.  I inherited them and got them running.  I’ve since bought new equipment and set up a 4×8 layout and converted to DCC.  Yeah, it was all kind of expensive, but I’m fairly happy with what I’ve achieved so far.

My biggest frustrations stem from the lack of standardization.

• I appreciate that most DCC decoders work on a set standard and will work with all DCC equipment, but I’m often stymied when it comes to figuring out which decoder should be used for a particular brand or style of engine.
• Don’t get me started on the differing sound standards and options…and why is sound so much more expensive?  Seems awfully pricey for a wav file encoded on a chip…maybe licensing issues for the sounds themselves?
• The lack of coupler standardization is irritating.  Sure, old standards like horn hook, and the kind prevalent in Europe are different, but even among knuckler couplers there so much difference.  Some ride too high, some too low, and it’s a pain getting different types of rolling stock to work with each other.

And there’s lots of other little niggly things that get me, but I guess those above are the biggest issues I have.

Oh, and there should be standard ways to get lights on rolling stock.  Seems like every time I have to rig something up and it doesn’t quite work 100%.

One area I’ve not gotten into is scenery, and I’m sure there’s a whole ‘nother level of frustration I’ll find with that!  I’m looking forward to it. –Alex.

Larry L. is leading the way for his son and grandson:

I am a beginner.

I had HO set I used for my son 30 years ago.  Now I have a grandson.  I have taken him to train show.  I bought Tomas train HO on EZ track.  Now my son is interested and so we begin.  I have found information to be incomplete scattered or not well illustrated on the web.

I am working on Mr. Andersons train book I have purchased but see holes for limited knowledge individuals like myself.  I have built a 4′ X 8′ train table with a plywood base. I placed the track on plywood and ran Thomas and the only old HO bicentennial I had.  Now it is time to make it more interesting. Thanks –Larry

Wes in Wisconsin, now that he’s retired, is ready to get back into model railroading:

Rick….Thank you for the opportunity to respond to this fabulous hobby. I am rather new to the model train (HO train) hobby. As a young boy my Dad bought me a starter set. Back in the early 60′s, the ability to learn about the hobby was limited to reading magazines and talking to other “hobbies.” I quickly got bored after watching the train go around an oval track. Designing mountains and the art work involved never entered my mind. Other interest like girls, baseball, and hunting  took most of my time. I am now a retired electrician and looking for something to do in the winter time.

I happened to go on the internet and saw a video on “how to make scenery for HO layouts”. “thebig61″, Avert did what I thought was a very interesting video….I now watch his “Video’s” a lot. As you know you can learn a lot from watching someone else explain “How to do something”, like building scenery, that wanted me to try this hobby again.

Frustrations: There are many! Track types (code 83, 100) Why come up with different codes? Which would you prefer and why?

DCC controllers seem to be a very good choice as it lets you control more than one train at a time. Just for operating two or three trains would you recommend the use of one?

Lots of questions…So little time to do it…. Thanks, Wes in Wisconsin

I’m sure many of us can relate to Wes’ comments. By the say, if you haven’t seen the videos by thebige61 on YouTube, they are awesome! I’ve been meaning to do an article about his videos for some time.

I’ll share more reader feedback next month.

PS; feel free to share your experiences in the Comments area below.

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Now he’s offering this locomotive from Blueline for sale here for only $175, which I understand is a huge discount from the retail price. This brand new locomotive has DC sound and is DCC ready.

If you are interested in purchasing this locomotive from Chuck or have questions, please use the contact form below and I will forward your message to Chuck. Once he has your contact information, you can make arrangements between yourselves.

I’m not involved in the transaction, but I am providing the medium here as a favor to Chuck for his many contributions to Model Train Tips.

Updated 11/24/11: another Model Train Tips reader has purchased Chuck’s Niagara.

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Model Railroad Theme

A model railroad theme ties the trains, buildings and scenery together, telling the story of the train display and explaining its premise. A theme can range from historical to winter holiday, with everything else in between.

A theme is truly a matter of individual preference and can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be, depending on how many resources you may have available to develop it.

Establishing a theme is critical prior to constructing a model railroad display, as all trains and accessories depend on it.

Whatever model railroad theme you decide, choose one that best interests you because you will have more enjoyment researching the era and building the accompanying display than a theme that does not interest you.

Some general considerations for themes include the purpose, location, season and time period.

Purpose

The purpose of a train display helps to develop the model railroad theme. The purpose can be whatever you want – moving passengers from one busy city to another, carrying livestock across the countryside or even just showcasing a variety of different trains in a relatively scenery-free environment.

Basically, the purpose answers this question: What is it that you want to convey in your train display?

Location

In addition to the display’s purpose, the location serves as one of the primary elements in a model railroad theme. With no location, there can really be no theme. The location can be anywhere you want, whether you choose the North Pole, the American Midwest, a desert, a jungle or any busy metropolitan city. Consider a location that interests you so that your research is most satisfying.

Season

Once you have determined the purpose and location, the next consideration is season, or time of year. If you have chosen upstate New York in wintertime, then you would probably want to add synthetic snow, frozen ponds and lakes and perhaps some holiday decorated pine trees.

For a summertime theme in the southern United States, you may choose to include mountainsides full of lush green trees, sidewalks lined with flowers and people swimming and picnicking at a beach.

Time Period

The time period also helps to achieve a model railroad theme. Typically, hobbyists choose a time period between the 1800s and present day; however, there are no set rules as to which era a model railroad display has to represent. The time period, though, determines which kinds of trains and accessorizing buildings and scenery to use.

For example, a city theme in the 1990s may include an Amtrak train traveling past shopping centers, arenas and densely populated residential neighborhoods. On the other hand, a late 1800s theme would move a steam engine through wide countryside and sparsely populated frontier towns.

Examples of themes

Some possible railway themes may be:

• West Virginia in the autumn of the 1950s
• Modern day New York City at Christmastime
• American Midwest in the summer of the late 1800s

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Model railroading for beginners is all about getting the basics right.

Start off with the wrong scale or the wrong information and your model railway could turn into a frustrating and costly hobby.

When the experts talk about model railroading for beginners, they often use technical language that can confuse the beginner. If you are the confused beginner don’t hesitate to stop the expert and ask them to explain what they just said in simple beginner terms. We often get carried away and don’t realize that we have started to talk in technical terms which are very confusing for the model train beginner.

Model railroading for beginners starts with a clear understanding that building a model railway is not just setting up a simple model train set around the Christmas tree. You are creating an entire scaled model railway which includes hills, rivers, fields, buildings, houses, roads, cars, people and whatever else your imagination dreams up.

Sometimes model train layouts are modeled to simulate a real life railway, but most of the times they are a layout designed and created by the owner.

Model railroading for beginners takes time, money and space. It is not a hobby where you start one day and finish it the next. It takes planning, construction, operation and then possible future expansion.

Most experts will tell you that model railroading for beginners is a never ending project. That’s because you will always want to redo that playground setting, or make that shed look more realistic, automate the lighting on the main street with a technique you have just learned.

New technologies like digital command control (DCC) will have you wanting more. And it gets very exciting controlling 2 or 3 trains at once, all doing different things, lights going, horns tooting and smoke coming from the steam trains.

Digital command control has revolutionized the hobby and has increased the fun part of this hobby ten fold. The manufacturers have also removed all the confusion out of digital command control which makes it the absolute best control system to start your hobby with.

You see, people have been building model train layouts for years and still consider themselves beginners. That’s because they are still learning and their model train layouts will probably never be finished. That’s the best part of this hobby.

Try your hand at model railroading for beginners, it’s great fun!

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Robert’s description of how he paints brick on his layout prompted Joao to ask for more information in the Comments area at the end of that article. Robert responded with additional clarification in a follow up comment.

The popularity and comment exchange reminded me that some of the best content here at Model Train Tips is reader feedback shared here. In September 2010 I had posted two articles containing reader feedback from new newsletter subscribers and had intended to continue.

I been sidetracked on this plan, but I’ve continued to receive some great feedback from new subscribers and want to continue sharing it with you here.

Elbert M. has railroading in his blood:

Yes, model railroading is the greatest hobby, especially during winter months.   My Dad and Grandad were railroad engineers in Virginia and North Carolina, and it has always been in my blood.  I’ve had layouts off and on.  But my profession has caused me to move a lot throughout life, and all layouts were temporary at best.  Someday I hope to have a permanent layout that I can develop into something looking realistic.

Paul H. is looking for book or DVD recommendations to help him:

I am a grandfather and a beginner building a set for my grandson who is 3.  My brother gave a “US Navy” (1994) mint set to me to set up for the child in our house for when he visits.  I want to dispose of the “027″ track and build with FasTrack components.

I already have upgraded the 21 watt transformer to an 80 watt and gotten some new track pieces. I am thinking of a 5 foot by 9 foot fold-up (down) table with storage under the 3 foot center of the table (3 foot wings on each side) as a 1st start.

Later, it could be a more “permanent” layout. I want to first check out possible future layouts before I buy any more track/crossovers/switches. Books and DVDs seem to be the best way to learn. Do you have any strong recommendations for them?

If you have suggestions for Paul, please leave a comment for him below.

Charlie D. has an interesting elevated layout:

Thanks for the info – look forward to more info – I want to make a mountain tunnel for g scale- what do you suggest?  Yes I am new to the hobby and have a wall supported 8 feet high track system – need a ladder to work on it – I made the track layout using plywood and 1 x 3 pine.

Thanks: Charlie

Beverly H. and I had met at the Twin City Model Railroad museum while she was visiting from out of town:

HI!

We met at the model railroad museum in St. Paul last summer.  After months of search, I found my son’s N Gauge model trains in the attic and am ready to start a layout.

We have a long loft room, (36″ high “knee-wall” below a dormer ceiling) and I am thinking turn-arounds at each end, and a shelf track the length of the room, so the train gets a good long sweep of distance.  As I work out the plans, I’ll be in more frequent communication.

Bev

I wrote back to Bev and suggested she consider taking pictures of her developing layout to track and share its progress.

Dave L. lost his layout to a flood:

Well I am beginning over again after 30 plus years. My last layout was destroyed by a flood I managed to salvage buildings, locos and rolling stock.

I want to do things right this time. Frustrations are coupling problems or should I say unwanted uncoupling, Locos. I have some favorites but some are having trouble Sluggish, dirty wheels etc Mostly Athearn and from what I hear they are pretty rough to convert to DCC.

I wrote this back to Dave:

Hi Dave. While losing nearly everything in any type of disaster, the good news is that it give you a chance to start over from scratch with the enhanced knowledge you’ve acquired over the years.

Sounds like you have a lot of work, if you can call it work, ahead of you getting things rolling again. Consider creating a picture diary of your new adventure to track the progress over time.

Thanks for writing. -Rick

I’ll share more reader feedback next month.

PS; feel free to share your experiences in the Comments area below.

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HO scale model train layouts are incredibly popular. However in the United Kingdom they are referred to OO scale. They are not exactly the same but very close.

The popularity has come about because you don’t need a lot of space to enjoy a well detailed model railroad.

Model Railways in HO scale are 1:87, which means they are 1/87 the size of a real train.

This is a great size to be able to handle, but not too small that you struggle to see all the detail. HO model railways can be easily created on a 4 foot x 8 foot table or as large as you want to go.

Adding some level of realism to HO scale model train layouts is so much easier than the larger G scale or the small z scale. And expanding a HO scale model railway is easy, with the huge amount of accessories available.

You will find it to be the most economical scale to model with. Because of the huge demand, the manufacturers have been able to mass produce accessories for HO scale model train layouts. This has obviously brought the price down and provided a huge amount of choice.

I have seen many great starter electric train sets with digital command control for as low as $150.00. In the past I would have warned you not to purchase these starter electric train sets because you would run into a problem when you tried to expand it.

Usually the problems started with a power pack that would just handle the small oval track, 1 locomotive and no more. As soon as you added more track the power pack would struggle to send the power all the way around the track and you would end up with varying voltages around the track. This resulted in the locomotive starting and stopping erratically.

Nowadays, the starter electric train sets come with digital command control which eliminates the voltage drop problem and some are capable of handling up to 10 locomotives. They are amazing!

So, if you are looking at HO scale model train layouts, you may want to start there.

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