How many layouts have you built and what did you learn from them?

[Anonymous]

2/28/06
I posted this a couple years ago and thought I'd bring this post back because there's a wealth of experience for the "newbies" to benifit from.

I always catch here and there people saying they'er building their second, third or fourth layout and how much they learned from the previous. As for myself, I'm working on my second layout. I got a lot of practical experience from the first one but I had a few problems with too sharp of curves and grades and so I decided to start over again. What blows me away is all the new technologies and techniques in the last few years. Foam construction, digital control, signaling systems and computer interface.

G.

[CP5415]

Zero, zilch. nadda!
I'm still working on my first & it's been a learning experience from day one.

Gordon

[IRONROOSTER]

I'm on my fifth layout, more due to moves than anything else. My building skills have improved. I have also gotten a better idea of what I like and don't like. One thing I like is more than one train running at a time so my current layout (under construction) will have a double track mainline around the room with a couple of staging tracks and a branch line in the middle of the room where I can run a local freight and do some switching. This is my tallest layout at 58". While it makes the duckunder at the door easier, I need a step stool to lay track. Unfortunately I need the storage area under part of the layout so I'll live with it. But I think 3 1/2 to 4 feet is probably a better height. On the other hand the viewing angle is pretty cool.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I have actually lost count....

Let me explain. My first layout was a Garden Railway using LGB (never really worked outside without a lot of work, so I scrapped the idea.) My next real layout was an HO layout that was sizable...

That HO was many layouts. It started as a sheet of plywood... then the jig saw came out one night, more lumber appeared, and it grew. It had a leg grow from the side.... then the sawsall came out, more lumber again (we think this came one night by carrier pidgeons.) It suddenly had a dog leg down one wall, but some areas could no longer be accessed... the chain saw came out, and lumber disappeared! (still trying to find it.) Smaller additions and subtractions continued for a couple of years... then it all vanished and became a spare bedroom!!!!!

So, on to N scale (space considerations,) well, same story at least three major layout changes, and now a modular "U" 12.5' x 16.5' is the end result (back in the original room.)

With that, you tell me, is that three? Many of the "renovations" were very extensive, and some were complete overhauls... I count that as at least 6 layouts... and still trying to make it "perfect!"

[Anonymous]

Funny you should ask. I have built two layouts and am in the beginning stages of a third. Here is an article I wrote about the last one but never did anything with. The layout discussed here was a Marklin layout. Sorry that it is so long.

Ten things I did wrong and would fix on the next layout

1. Not making a clean electrical connection to every track piece. This error caused me more grief than any other mistake (except spraying the power studs). When the track is new and laying on the cork, it usually functions perfectly. However, after painting, ballasting and gluing of the ballast the track often loses electrical contact Glue seeps in between the press on track connectors and interrupts the electrical flow between pieces. My advice: solder leads to every piece of track. This will take longer in the beginning but not half as long as I have spent trying to make up for not doing it.

2. Spraying the studs. Nothing I did was as bad as this mistake. It dogged the railroad the entire time and was a huge error. When applying glue to the ballast , I soaked the heck out of everything. I sprayed and sprayed matt medium to make sure that things stayed put. The layout looked great but nothing would run at all. For two rail track all one has to do is brite boy the rails and your off and running. Marklin track has studs. Lots of them . They must be individually scraped. There are still dead spots that I have never been able to fix from that fatal spraying. Advice: spray the track sparingly, wipe with a wet cloth to remove the glue. Use a dropper when possible, between the rails (this strategy worked fine on other sections of track)

4. steep grades. Ok, everyone does this at least once and I am sure that those of you bent on doing the steep grade thing are not going to be swayed by seeing the warning in print again. The reasons for having 5 or 6 percent grades are that one can climb (in a short run) high enough to cross over the other track and it is possible to have two levels of track in a small space. For two rail systems, most locos will not pull trains up these grades with out traction tires. Marklin gear has the tires and has no problems in this area. The more insidious problem with steep grades is how they look. One cannot put buildings next to them lest they look out of plumb. Trains look unrealistic climbing them as well. Advice: consider hiding steep grades or using a helix if you must climb.

5. hidden track work that I couldn’t reach. Another one that every one does at least once. There was only a little bit of this on the current layout and it happened to be where a large proportion of my derailments happened as well as a switch failure. Advice: make sure you can reach it!!

6. no switching plan before starting, lack of run-arounds. I had little idea why one needed run-arounds until I tried switching some facing point moves. Without the run around you are in trouble big time. Sure they take up space and appear to be extra track work but they are necessary. Advice: try switching your track plan on paper with cutouts for the cars and the locos before you build. Consult other more experienced train guys for help in this area.

7. Yard lead in a tunnel, down hill, s curved and crossing two power districts. This one is about as dumb as it gets but you would be surprised to hear how many guys tell me that they did the same thing on their layouts. Leads are necessary to switch the yard and they must be in plain sight. Any grades here are undesirable as are s curves. Power blocks must be broken in spots that will not require shuttling back and forth between throttles. Advice: plan the yard throat and leads carefully.

8. Not finishing the train room, atmospheric conditions in the garage. This one falls into the “well duh,” category. I was in such a hurry to build my railroad that I didn’t care about the huge gaps in the garage door that let in lots of moist air every night. Nor did I care about the rafters that dropped crud down on the layout. Later when track started corroding and rusting, I began to care about the gaps in the door. It was then too late to fix the problem. As for the ceiling: You haven’t lived until you have tried to hang drywall and finish a ceiling above a nearly completed layout without damaging it. Advice: Consider that the layout will turn out great and that you want to do it right the first time. Fini***he space as well as you can before construction begins.

9. Track on ¼” ply wood. Another rather obvious one. It can be very annoying to spend $50.00 on a sheet of plywood for sub-road bed and then throw half of it away as waste because the track cutouts left you with odd shaped pieces. I saved a few bucks and used ¼ inch plywood. I was later rewarded for my thriftiness with warping track and humps, dips and runaway cars on “level track”. Advice: Use the stiffest, thickest plywood you can as sub-roadbed. I like master modeler Tony Koester’s response as to why he uses ¾ plywood for his sub-roadbed “Because they don’t make 1” plywood!!”

10. Severe curves. This one slipped by me. I spent a large amount of time plotting elegant flex track curves for the visible sections of the track on my layout. Some how I rationalized using one section of a 15” radius curve on my main line to make a slight bend along the front of the layout. The bend as it turns out is actually quite severe and it will derail a train running at speed. I later (years later) realized that I had let this one slip in unnoticed by me even though I had stared at it every time I was been working on the layout. Advice: check and recheck those curve radii. Have an experienced train guy check as well.

I am now in the process of making a whole bunch of new mistakes...

Have fun,

Guy Cantwell

[greatn]

I spent 20 years in the military and everytime I moved, I sold my current layout and then started a new one. For space considerations, I started out in N scale, now I am into HO. Now the wife says she wants a Christmas layout for her Dept 56 structures and that means On30. How many layouts? I am currently on #5. What have I learned? Never do steep grades, sharp curves, and measure twice before cutting. AND there is always someone who knows more than I do...Happy Railroading
Chr

[BNSFNUT]

I have built so many layouts in my 40+ yrs in the hobby that I've lost count.
I have had layouts last only 6 months or so but my current layout has been in place since 1997 and is still growing. I think it will be my last layout as I can see it will take another few years to even get it near finished and I am getting to old to start over.

[orsonroy]

I've built several layouts, and have learned a lot each time!

My first layout was a simple 4x8. I learned not to use brass track, and that running in small circles was boring. I did learn a lot about wiring a simple two-cab layout, using Atlas selectors.

My second layout was a much larger 32' long layout, with 4'x6' turnbacks at each end. I learned that running long trains with 22" radius curves is not a good idea, and worked on improving my tracklaying skills and soldering. I also discovered that staging would be helpful!

My third layout was a large, 14x26 portable layout built in the basement of the first house I rented. I learned a LOT with that layout. I worked on foam layout construction and module building, as well as experimenting with many different construction techniques. I learned that staging IS good, that duckunders suck, that unfinished basements suck, and that bad lighting sucks. I learned how to wire a multicab layout, and built my first large yard.

My fourth layout was actually built for my dad. I perfected many foam layout construction techniques and scenic effects on that layout, which is a 4x32 dogbone in my parent's basement (the benchwork is from my second layout). That one still exists, and Dad's quite happy with it!

My fifth layout is also still with me, and is my Ntrak modules. Six in all, I've learned how to work with N scale (I'm an HO-er at home), including switching, scenery, and scratchbuilding. I take my modules on the road 2-3 times a year with our local Ntrak club, and have developed a no-tools-required PVC leg system that's the envy of everyone who sees it!

My sixth and current layout is a 12x25 three-level layout in my new home. I've used a lot of what I learned over the years and am trying to get this layout to be the first one I get "right". I've got a 225' point-to-point mainline with provisions for continuous running on the top deck (the best of both worlds), I'm eliminating block control by switching to DCC (I just ordered a Digitrax system!), I eliminated duckunders by building a drop-down entryway, and I'm being more careful than ever before in laying track (and I'm using Peco code 75 and Micro Engineering code 55!). So far on this layout, I've learned how to build a multilevel layout, how to paint backdrops, and how to run trains with DCC. I still have to learn how to install decoders, but the rest should be nothing but fun!

[Anonymous]

two HO layouts. The first one was on 5/8" plywood, which bowed at the ends because the girders weren't long enough, and I tried to make it "cookie cutter" after that, which was a disaster. The second one was on 3/4" plywood, still not perfect, because I hadn't done the cookie cutter technique. Now it was just a flat 4 X 8 but I had a two-track main with 22" and 18" radius curves. I learned a lot about block wiring, I had all of the switches wired up and controlled from a single control panel. I had a crossover line that ran from one side of the layout to the other, which taught me to respect polarity.

I had tried to start scenery, using Sculptamold and following the pointers in the how-to books, I made a thorough mess of things. It was either too stiff or too wet and I just gave up on making scenery.

That was 14 years ago, and due to military constraints, I didn't start building another layout. I'm working on two different layouts now, one in HO and one in N, and while the N won't be very large, I think that I'll make it DCC, since I like the control that DCC gives. The HO will definitely be DCC. Techniques for modelling scenery are new - we didn't use extruded foam, but acoustic ceiling tiles were great for retaining walls, stratified rock, etc.

Nonetheless, I had fun building that layout and I'm sure that I'll have fun with these and any future layouts I build.

[johncolley]

I am on my 3rd or 4th layout. The last one was a good 2 level with a 4 layer helix. It was great for freight, then I got some nice passenger equipment and it looks like heck on a 24" radius. Two things I learned from that layout...Be generous with the curves, and DON"T build the helix and low duckunder lapping a doorway...DUH!
Helping a friend with his layout I have learned some neat things I will be incorporating in the new one such as the use of slide switches as manual turnout operators, double tracking a larger radius helix, and the wonders of DCC. John Colley, Port Townsend, WA

[Anonymous]

I am working on my 7th layout at present. All have been HO from a 4' X 8' to a 12' X 14' around the walls.
What have I learned?
Good trackwork is VERY, VERY important, make sure to get it right.
Use the largest curve radius as possible.
Use quality products for track work.
Good bench work is very important.
Good electrical connections are very important.
Scenery can always be torn down and done over.
Wait a few days before you decide if something is really good or really bad.
Patience pays off in the long run.
If it is not fun, you are doing something wrong.

Have fun,
Paul

[denny99]

I've build few layouts. 2 in HO - never completed - and 1 in N scale, which is at the moment still under construction (but I can operate part of it).

for N scale, the lesson I've learned is powering turnouts frog! I got some peco electrofrog code 55 turnouts; they "automatically" power the frog by pressing the switch against the rail but sometimes, expecially when you start to lay ballast and weather rails, it' not enough.
I lately start to solder a wire to the frog metal parts underneath the turnout BEFORE laying and gluing the turnout on roadbed. this allow me to use a microswitch connected to the turnout-motor or to the manual rod, and supply the right pole to the frog according to switch position.

[Anonymous]

Working on my first "true" layout, N-scale, roughly 3' x 5', not counting all the boxed trainset HO layouts I had to build as a kid without any budget or experience, as a poor boy having to use banana peels for roadbed and grandma's cristmas gift knitted sweaters as scenery filler material.

I'm working on scenery now, but I have already made some "unexpected discoveries":

1/4" plywood - someone mentioned it already. Not good for anything, not even N scale track, especially when going the cookie cutter way. It warps as soon as you put the jigsaw to it, makes for some pretty wavey track. Plywood is one of those things you can't scale down.

Using cheap construction lumber instead of dimensional pine. Major warpage here.

Insulated joiners on curves - Using insulated joiners to avoid buying a Dremel and doing it Sperandeo's way created trackage kinks that I can barely live with. A real eyesore.

[ndbprr]

Al least six in five different houses and what I have learned is that I cna find new ways to screw it up somehow.

[skir4d]

2 semi finsihed, working on the third. All N Scale

First when I was in High School... we won't say how long ago.

Second 5 years ago. actually designed to move and moved well... had a helix and everything. However, scenery never completed because I met my wife. moved into a new house, and have been busy with that.

Just started the third. Things I have learned...

Make sure the roadbed is firm enough.. this doesn't mean that it actually has to be really thick plywood ( I swear that some of the N scale pictures I've seen look like their built on 3/4" plywood with supports every 2 feet... come on guys, our models aren't that heavy) but it does mean that it should not flex under the expected load (which includes scenery, etc).

Vertical easements are a necessity, not a luxury.

Solder all rail except where you want isolation.

And always be ablt to laugh at yourself.... it comes in handy quite often..

JW

[Anonymous]

I like the collection of wisdom here; a distillation of this thread might make for a decent magazine article.

Rather than echo so much of the above, I'll just say this: one thing I have learned is that less can be so much more.

I used to crave having a layout with switches all over the place, loops and lines and bridges aplenty, as many continuous-run mainlines as possible, and giant sprawling rail yards. Nowadays, I find that a simple straight run of single-track mainline can be just as satisfying, even moreso because of the operational challenge it presents. As an experiment, I have built a "layout" (what most would call a diorama) which is just one single piece of Kato Unitrack, dressed up with six inches of scenery (three inches either side), only twelve inches in length. The thought was that by creating a series of these, I can make a sectional layout which comes apart as easily as Unitrack does, and along the way I get all the thrill of full-blown layout modeling. I wish now that I had thought of this before I got my 200-square-foot layout going, because it is surprisingly fulfilling.

[randybc2003]

I learned I like continuious running - kind of like "railfaning".. I like my trains as "actors". Decide what type of trains and scenes you like, and then design track plan accordingly. Provide run-around and passing sidings. More operation interest w/ spurs in both directions. Single Track forces "meets". Watch reverse curves - especially in cross-overs, w/ long passenger equ. Use K-D couplers. Keep perm. magnets off main line. Use Nickle-silver rail. Simplicity is golden.
AND ENJOY THE RAILROAD!

[GerFust]

Gary:

I''ve tried a couple using the typical 4x8 (or smaller) plywood approach. None worked well. Here is what I have learned.

1. Start simple and let your skills build.


2. Plan, plan, plan, then be ready to change it


3. To that end, don't add grades on your first layout unless you really have space to make them smooth. I tried to cram an overpass into a 4x8 in HO, and it just doesn't add anything.


4. Benchwork needs to be steady.


5. #6 or larger switches really make a difference


6. Keep radii as large as you can.


7. Make sure cars are properly weighted.


8. Don't ru***rack laying, and solder the rail joints


9. Break up the layout into scenes for visual interest, with viewblocks if possible


10. Not all rail needs to be visible, which reinforces the point above. Let the imagination wander.


11. Operations are important. Once I figured out that you don't accelerate on a curve life became a little easier.


12. Have something for the trains to actually do. I like watching them run in circles, but that only holds my interest for so long (then again, everyone is unique here).



Good luck,
Jer

[Anonymous]

I am on my third layout (I didn't build it myself. I bought it for $50 including the table, trees and Atlas code 83 truetrack {a $200 value by itself}). Anyways, I learned 3 things with those layouts. 1) Keep track joints tight 2) Don't use brass track in visible areas (looks like ****) 3) keep your jelous sister out of the "train room"

[jfugate]

I've built five, but I have also worked on two club layouts quite a bit, so I count them as well.

As a matter of fact, working on a club layout is a great way to pick up skills and get an idea what you like and don't like.

The first layout I built was when I was in Junior High and never got down more than a few feet of track and a bit of scenery. The layout was 10 x 15' but I never got more than the first few feet of benchwork up using scrap lumber. I experimented with handlaying track and zip texturing, and had a blast doing it. Used brass track and learned quickly that nickel silver was the way to go, period.

The second layout was when I was in High School and did it with a friend. Again, never got more than a bit of it finished, but tried handlaying switches this time, including a double slip switch, that worked, believe it or not. Learned about Kadee couplers during this time and experimented with them to learn how to properly mount them on all kinds of equipment.

The third layout was when I was in college and was much more refined, and had an operating turntable. I perfected my turnout laying skills on this layout, and started scratchbuilding bridges. Plus I used L-Girder benchwork on this one.

The fourth layout was as a young married, and was intended from the start to just be a test bed for ideas. I scratchbuilt a #10 crossover between doubletrack, and experimented with long wheelbase steam power, and techniques for doing water since I wanted to do some track running along a body of water or seacoast.

During layouts 3 and 4, I also experimented a lot with "dream layout" plans in various room configurations since by this time I had also been a part of two clubs and was forming my ideas on what kind or layout I wanted. I determined that I love switching, especially yard switching when you have a nice running yard switcher.

I also started operating on other layouts I admired to get an idea of what kind of operation I liked. By this time it was the late 1980s and I realized that I really like the SP Siskiyou Line, which is where I grew up as a kid. I also joined the Layout Design Special Interest Group of the NMRA, which was the best thing I ever did in the hobby to learn how to design a satisfying layout.

Layout number 5, the Siskiyou Line, is my dream pike, and is now 13 years old. It uses a mushroom configuration and models the prototype Southern Pacific Siskiyou Line in the 1980s. It uses wireless DCC and we hold regular op sessions following prototype practices.

Because of all the experimenting that I did on earlier layouts, I learned how important good trackwork is, and became fanatical about runing a wire feeder to each piece of rail. I also learned that the wonder material for scratchbuilding is styrene and I use it for nearly everything I can, except where brass or some other metal makes sense.

Because of all the experimenting and refining of my skills and ideas along the way, the Siskiyou Line has become a layout I truely enjoy and going into the basement is like going on a vacation! You can learn more about my current layout on my web site.

[dano99a]

2

First one was a disaster, I was young then.

This one though is turning out quite nice though, 4 years in art college really helped, especially after a year of 3D illustration during that.

[:)]

[n2mopac]

Second layout in progress for me. The first one was small and was an intentional learning experience. I built my first several scratchbuilt structures, first water madeling, and even a little league ball diamond with game in progress. I could write a book on all I did and learned, but here are just a few highlights.

1. Solder the track joints. I used all Atlas snap track, as many newbies do, for this first layout. I would certainly go with flextrack now, as I am on the new layout, but more importantly solder those track joints. I tried to rely on joiners to do the trick and electrically this is a nightmare.

2. Reliable turnouts. I used Atlas trunouts, with their riveted points. These things are pure junk in my personal estimation. None of the turnouts are what I would call truly reliable, all of them cause derailments when diverging, and two of them will derail cars 75% of the time. Use high quality turnouts.

3. Plan for operations before you begin. I was inexperienced and did not truly know how to do this before. I tried to design the layout for operations, but I suppose this ability comes with experience. I ended up with industrial tracks off of passing sidings that were too close to the end of the siding so that switching could not be accomplished without tieing up the main. This is just one example, but I recommend you do some reading on layout planning for operations before you begin building.

4. No passing siding is long enough. Make passing sidings as long as possible, even if you think it is too long at first. Truth is your train lengths are limited by the capacity of thses sidings and eventually you will have a train that won't fit.

5. Details, details, details. You are better off with less major features and more details if you want a good looking overall effect. Spend less on large numbers of structures and more on figures, detail parts, autos, etc that draw people into the scenes that you create. This is true in any scale, but especially in the smaller scales.

Hope some of these ideas help.
Ron

[Anonymous]

Counting 2 HO layouts I built as a teenager, I am on my 4th.
The last one was in N. This new one I am building now, in the same
11' x 14' room, is also in N.

I learned a LOT from the first one. Here's a list.

1) LESS IS MORE. My last layout had double-track mainline where the secondary main curved and pitched up into mountains with sharp curves. PHOOEY. It doesn't leave enough room for decent trackwork and scenery. I was keen to avoid ridiculous pathways and spaghetti-bowl trackwork, but it was still too much. This time, single-track main with some industrial sidings and a large staging yard (which I didn't have room for in the previous layout because of all the extra mainline track).

1a) (Slipped this in after I finished writing this!) NO WIDE BENCHWORK SECTIONS. Yikes! I had 4-foot-wide benchwork on my last layout. What a pain to reach. What a pain to build. What a pain to clean. Now, it's 24" or less, except where there is a turn-around in the trackwork. Given my religious devotion to an 18" minimum radius now (see below), this means you've GOT to have 2x18=36, plus 4 for 2" of clearance on each side = a 40" section. But there will be access panels in the center of this to make sure I can always get close without too much hassle.

1b) No NARROW ISLES. I had some that were 18" or even 16" on the last layout. Once you bow down to the "less is more" theory, you can stick to 28" or even 32" aisles.


2) No more animated accessories. I did a lot of these, and I thought I was quite clever with all the motorized, lighted, moving, or otherwise ingenious doo-dads I managed to engineer down to N-Scale. But... once they are built, they're just a nuisance, and they aren't that much fun after you've seen them 100 times. They are just another thing to keep maintaining.

3) NO MORE SHARP CURVES. The last layout started in 1985, and I kept to a minimum of a 12" radius. No way. The new layout minimum is 18". So many derailment, clearance, and other problems just go away if the curves are broad, it's really worth it. And getting rid of all that extra trackwork leaves room for the broad curves.

4) No more steep grades. By "steep", I mean anything over 2 percent. My last layout had a few 5% killers. On the new layout, I was going to limit myself to 3%. I quickly found out that isn't good enough. I run steam, and want to pull 10-12 car trains. 3% grades are TOO MUCH. In fact, the worst spot was a 3% helix, and it's now 1.5%. I just made it go around another time to gain the same height, and it sure does pay off.

I cannot emphasize this enough. I (3) and (4) there can be no compromise. No prisoners. I will give up scenic elements and remove a siding if I have to, to stick to my 18", 1.5% rule.

5) No remote-control turnouts. Silly, really, unless you have one where you just can't reach it with your hand. Just a ton of wire, expensive machines, stress on the track... Now it'll be all ground-throws.

6) All Micro-Engineering Track. Now, when I built the last layout, this didn't exist, so I don't beat myself up too bad on this one. No more Atlas huge-tie-spacing, huge-rail-head code 80 track. ME code 55. I tried Atlas code 55, but as everyone knows by now, virtually nothing runs on because of the low rail height. I don't mind switching out all the freight and passenger car wheelsets, but what do they expect people to do with locomotives, machine all the flanges down? How about the arsenal of steam locomotives I've collected and semi-scratch-nuilt over the past 15 years?

7) No walk-around throttles, no cab-control-block wiring, no DCC. "What's left?", you ask. Well, I've decided to simply construct 5 or 6 small control panels, stationed conveniently around the layout. Each one has a control button you depress to "take control" at that panel. Each has direction and speed controls on it, and NOTHING ELSE. So now, you can "walk around" all you want, but you don't have to carry anything.

8) Power-routing with microswitches at every turnout. No more depending on
the power-routing built in to the turnout. This works, but the rail joints eventually clutter up, or the point rails don't contact well enough, and you have dead rail sections. I like power-routing through turnouts; I just want to depend on a microswitch, not the turnout itself. It's easy to mount a small microswitch right
under the ground throw and control it that way - you don't have to have a maze of agonizing linkages through the table to control the microswitch.

9 HEAVY WIRE for track power. Even in N, even with only about 1/4 amp per locomotive, this matters. The starting current often jumps to about 1/2 amp, and with a longer train, even good Sagami-motored engines pull more than that 1/4 amp. I had plenty of odd places where some long distances caused slight but perceptable voltage drops on the old layout. Now, it's 16-guage or nothing.

------------
What did I do right on the first layout?

a) Stick to those NMRA standards. Check every wheelset, every turnout frog, etc. And fix or shim whatever you have to. This really gets rid of a lot of problems.

b) High table height (well, high for me, anyway). My teenage layouts stood at about 30". My last one was 45". This new one will have a low point of 45", and some higher sections at 54". The realism is keen.

[MAbruce]

Okay, I’ve been seeing this topic for a while now and have some time to detail my layout history.

MY HISTORY OF LAYOUTS

Layout #1. Age 10? My parents brought home a 4x8 N-scale layout they picked up at a garage sale. It was not a masterpiece, but a complete layout with a fairly simple track plan. I was not a serious modeler back then (what 10 year old is?), so I was more interested in train wreaks and army men battles. Let’s just say that layout experienced more disasters than any country on earth! The layout was eventually nuked.

Layout #2: Age 15. Inspired by some issues of MR, I wanted to become a more serious modeler and was looking to build my own N-scale RR empire. I took over a section of our attic and proceeded to set up the bench work and lay some track. But my young teen attention span got the best of me and it eventually died of neglect. It was later disassembled and some parts were salvaged for layout #3.

Layout #3: Age 17. I took over a different part of the attic and planed a layout that was a little more practical. The bench work was finished, track laid, and scenery started. But I abruptly changed gears and went with a “winter” scene as it was easier to model. Looked good but it has no long term possibility as I used laundry detergent for snow! It was soon abandoned and dissembled as the attic was to be remodeled for bedroom space.

Layout #4: Age 20. I took over a part of the basement this time. Bench work was set up and part of the track was laid. Then my social life took over and I quickly abandoned model railroading. Everything was packed up and it would not see the light of day for many years.

Layout #5: Age 37. Married with two boys. My oldest find the MRR boxes and proceeds to unpack them with great interest. This sparks a renewed interest in the hobby. So I go to the internet to find some MRR resources, and quickly find some forums. I do my research and carefully plan a layout using mostly the materials salvaged from my previous layout attempts. This layout goes much further than anything I’ve ever attempted before. Here are some current pictures of it (two years later):









Sorry, I’m acting like a grandparent showing off his grandkids, but considering my history with layouts, I’m still in shock that I took something this far!

The key lessons I learned from all of this? START SMALL AND WORK UP. Keep your goals realistic and do your homework.

[Anonymous]

i'm currently working on a n-scale layout. i guess it my second layout. my first was a ho lay built by a family freind for me as a x-mas gift when i was younger. even though i didnt build it a i tried to add to it. that was a bad idea. all i did was break it. but i did learn some from it.

for me working with ho didn't give me the room too do much more than a simple oval. so going to n-scale was great. also i realized that mistakes will be made so i should be prepared to take as many stabs at each phase untill im satisfied. and the most important thing i learned was no matter how elaborate your track plans are .. if you dont keep in mind the scenery and plan for it .. you won't have a convicing layout

i know these sound like no brainers but you have to remimber i completly destroied my last on.
i am now 21 and have taken another shot at it and i am very happy so far.i started my layout based on a specific lay for a book with steps by step instructions to get my skills back and to see if i had the skill worth putting time into my own well planned layout. i will convert this layout to extend to an around the room layout. wile im waiting for my next kit to come in i have been planing the rest of the layout so when i get their i should have an idea of what i want to do.

from this layout i found that taking the time to setup smaller scenes inside a larger scene using fine detailing i realy what makes it come to life. i am very carfull not to jump the gun and move to the next scene untill my pics of the dont look empty.

i still havent attempted a back drop for the layout but i have setup a website to display my work. www. yodogn.com

please email me at [e-mail] with any sugestions you might have for my layout... im still new at this any feedback realy helps thanks

[Anonymous]

sorry the link didnt come come up right

www.yodogn.com

[West Coast S]

I completed two HO layouts before drifting away from the hobby in prusuit of family and career. The last one was around the wall design,no backdrop, open grid setup so wide that it was impossible to work on while standing on the floor and duckunders, no industries to be switched and a massive, confusing yard that dominated the entire layout.

Lessons learned upon my return:

1. No duckunders, even at the cost of operation
2. Eliminate all yards and engine terminals and replace with accessible stagging yards
3. Choose a prototype to mimic for industries and operations and location, even if you
freelance.
4. Simple, single track design without excessive use of passing sidings
5. point-to-point design
6. Vary the distance between switching districts, whenever possible
7. DCC
8. Build it in S scale

[MisterBeasley]

This will be my third, spanning half a century of people-years.

The first was my 3-rail O-guage Lionel set. I remember getting the operating Milk Car as compensation for my tonsillectomy while still in elementary school. I built it up to a pair of 4x8's in an L. Eventually, I'd filled all available space with track and accesories, and I made the jump to HO.

That took me through high school. Again, it was mostly 2 4x8's in a L, with an addition for a yard that made more of a J out of the layout. I learned a lot about wiring and electricity just from the trains. I think the constant immersion in the technology and engineering disciplines helped push me into MIT. After graduation, I was in apartments a long way from my parents, so the trains went into boxes in their basement, and finally made it to my own attic, still boxed, when I bought my own home 25 years ago.

A short time ago, I pulled out all of the boxes and unpacked the whole set. Since then, I've been surfing the web and visiting shops and shows. Two weeks ago I went to Home Depot for the benchwork wood, and now it's time to start. I've invested a lot of time in planning and preparation, most of it reading in this forum. Okay, okay, okay, enough already! I promise I will NOT re-use all of my old brass track. You've convinced me! Construction starts in 2 days.

[Anonymous]

This is my second but it is still in the planing stages.

The first was 30 + years ago with my younger brothers. I learned that we worked together better when we were not together.

[Anonymous]

"2" layouts

1) age 15, built the bench, drew the 6x12 plans, made lots of buildings, weathered cars and superdetailed blue box diesels. Never laid a piece of track, due to puberty, cars, school, etc.

2)21 years later, after race cars, mtn bikes, gunsmithing, marriage, I am back to making layout #2. I have built an L-girder bench, 2" foam base, simple 8x8 plan, dozens of superdetailed diesels. Want to attempt DCC and foam scenery.

My lessons - don't make it too complicated. What looks great on paper may be impossible to build, and look totally unrealistic in real life. Buy top quality lumber - everything starts from there, using cheap warped stuff will only lead to unnecessary and insurmountable frustration.