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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3. The C & G RR Layout

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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It’s a lot of work to set up a user’s forum, so I want to make sure it would be something the community that visits this site would find useful. You could use the forum to swap ideas, post messages to the community about problems you are having, look for deals or offer your stuff for sale to the community like Chuck Shutz did in a recent reader feedback article.

What do you think? Would you find a user’s forum at Model Train Tips beneficial? Post your comments below or message me using the form on my Contact page if you would like to see a user’s forum here as well as any ideas you might have for a forum. If I get enough positive feedback, I’ll work on adding the forum.

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Paradise Cove Farm

Once again, Chuck Shutz has added even more detail to his  HO scale C & G RR model railroad layout.

This time Chuck has added the Paradise Cove Farm to a corner of his layout. If you’ve been following the development of Chuck’s small 44″ by 66″ layout, you know there isn’t much room left on this layout but Chuck keeps finding ways to add more detail.

“Believe it or not, I was able to add this farm/barn to this corner of my layout! Here are a few photos of the Paradise Cove Farm!” -Chuck Shutz

Check out this new addition to Chuck’s layout: Paradise Cove Farm

See more photos of Chuck’s layout:

Original photos

Update 1 – January 30, 2010 Enhanced detail

Update 2 – May 7, 2010 Additional detail

Update 3 – May 27, 2010 Mt. Bernstein detail

Update 4 – May 29, 2010 Engine house

Update 5 – June 1, 2010 Water tower

Update 6 – July 8, 2010 Backdrop

Update 7 – September 9, 2010 Paradise Cove Farm

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Original C & G RR Layout

Over the 4th of July holiday weekend, Chuck Shutz made another update to his C & G Railroad layout; he has added a nice backdrop.

The original layout looked great already, but the backdrop has added a whole new dimension.

The backdrop has done more than just add some sky with puffy clouds; it has added depth to the layout by continuing the scenery.

I especially like how the highway continues off into the distance in the backdrop.

C & G RR Layout with Backdrop Added

Another top-notch addition to the C & G Railroad layout! Check out all of the pictures of this update: C & G RR backdrop.

Here are links to the pages with all of the pictures:

• Original photos
• Update 1 – January 30, 2010 Enhanced detail
• Update 2 – May 7, 2010 Additional detail
• Update 3 – May 27, 2010 Mt. Bernstein detail
• Update 4 – May 29, 2010 Engine house
• Update 5 – June 1, 2010 Water tower

Be sure to come back to this page to leave your comments about Chuck’s incredible layout.

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I wouldn’t have thought you could build much of a model railroad layout in a space this small, even in HO scale. But these pictures of the C & G RR layout have proven that it can be done, and done well.

Chuck Shutz of West Palm Beach, Florida, a 70 year old retired graphic artist, sent me some great pictures of the HO scale layout he built in a very small space: 44” x 66”! He has created an entire scene around a simple oval layout.

Chuck’s small layout models a riverside resort setting 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.

Chuck says he has . . . always been interested in creating natural features in miniature.  Unfortunately, space at our villa is very limited here.  My wife, generously, has allocated a space for me out on our small back porch, for me to create my “fictitious” RR – “C & G RR” (Chuck & Gail Railroad!)

I have chosen an era from back in the 50′s to model my RR “empire”.  That was a time when things were simple and happy in my life.  As a teenager, my father & uncle had constructed a “huge” Lionel train layout in our basement.  My Dad had all latest rolling stock that Lionel built at that time, included steam and diesel engines.  My creative Uncle, living with us at the time, was an artist and painted some beautiful mountain scenery on the basement wall with oil paints.  So, I guess, I got some of his “genes” in my body?  Those days are all gone now, with just the happy memories.

Foot Bridge	Playground	Boat Dock

I was a Computer Graphic Artist until retiring in 2005.  Now, I dabble on the computer for my wife and friends, in between creating my model railroad.  Over the years, I have picked up several scenery hints and suggestions for creating a natural habitat, on the internet, which I try to emulate with my own “creative artistic flair”.    My understanding wife and friends really enjoy looking at my progress in creating my small world.  And that makes me proud, satisfied and happy.

Thank you, Chuck, for sharing your layout with us all. For more pictures, visit the C & G RR Layout Photos page.

If you would like to share pictures of your layout, even if it’s a work in progress, email your photos and layout info to: Info@Model-Train-Tips.com

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1. Paradise Cove Farm Added to The C & G RR Layout
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