Model Train Pictures

I want more information on Alex Kanarek’s layout.Look’s like the kind I want to build.

Hi, I am really interested in seeing more of Phillip, TBA, layout. The pics I see are so life like and detailed. I am a beginner with trains but no layout yet. I would like to see a larger view of this layout. Thanks Skip

Me to.I hope to start a layout soon. And it looks like the kind I want.I would like to see his track plans!

For a beginner, I am probably looking at something way over my head. However, Mr. Jan Nielsen’s layout is terrific.
I would like to see his layout plans and the materials that he used to build such a beautiful and realistic site.

For Larry Gasaway,

Are you still interested in knowing more about my layout? If so, let me know and i can send you more information.

Do any of the Model Railroaders that posted such great and beautiful pictures have e-mail addresses that they could be contacted directly? I guess I should first ask if it is allowed to contact them?

The pictures show such great and interesting layouts it would be hard to decide which one I would like to imitate to some degree. I would incorporate my own ideas into a layout so I would not have an exact duplicate of their hard work and ideas.

Hi Richard

Just post your question here and the owners will respond. We don’t give out their email addresses for privacy reasons.

Regards
Dan

Still want to see Alex Kanarek’s track plans !

Enough of the yankees – - – surely there are some great layouts of Southern Systems – - – Central of Georgia, Seaboard Airline, RF&P, etc, etc, etc

Although, a great model layout is a great model layout and much appreciate your sharing the photos.
Thank you! Hope to see more.

Jan Nielsen has done a great job with his scenic backdrop. Looks like he’s a pro with paints.

I love how Philip made his pictures look so real. That layout is a total inspiration.

Don:
Great photos. Gives me some ideas what I want to do with mine. Have not started yet. Getting information re: couplers, DC vs DCC, HO or N, etc.
Thanks for the tips,
Grant

Wow – those layouts are very impressive! The time spent and the detail on them is truly amazing.

I do like Eric’s layout as he seems to be like me – cram as much as you can in the space provided. I do not have the room so my Lionel trains are on the living room floor, encircling the entire room, going behind or under furniture where possible.

I still manage to find ways to change sections here and there to always try to keep it fresh. Great modeling guys, fantastic.

not yet.

Seeing some stunning sites I am embarrsed to send you my outlay, until I am able to show my friends something that they may think is worthwhile.
I am delighted that our friends have given us beginners the chance to try to be better.
Still trying.
Jim (NZ)

Love the bridges on Alex’s layout, and the Mountain! I would use the bucket of trees effect to cover your mountains! I think it is the easiest way to cover a mountain with trees and it gives it a great realistic canopy effect.

Cool

Just a quick over view of the COAL BELT & Subsidiary Systems: aka Coal Belt Lines (CBL) and a bit of back ground on the layout. The layout, if you are wondering is over 26 years old this past Memorial Day weekend. The CBL operates in the antracite region of central Pennsylvania and the anthracite fields. The era I am working with is around 1985. The CBL is the successor to the Reading RR and Lehigh Valley in this region, just west of Hazelton and White Haven.

The model railroad I am emulating is the current day Reading and Northern based out of the former Reading Division point of Port Clinton, Pa. The CBL operates from Allentown, Pa. to Wilkes-Barra, Pa. with through trains over CNJ trackage east to Elizabeth Port, NJ.

The CBL and layout is not all about long black trains and diesels fighting the grades from Allentown to Hazelton and back, there are seven towns which the CBL services on a schedule. The second major town of South Palmerton, which is also the sub-division point, has several industry among them the Farmers Co-Op & Market which receives bulk covered hoppers, boxcars, and refeers of produce. The second is Porterville and the coal mines the PN services between Porterville and Hogan’s Creek.

On the prime movers end, the CBL has a healthy roster of EMD, GE, and Alco units. The CBL’s roster represents a cross section of the eastern roads at that time: Reading, Lehigh Valley, Central Railroad of New Jersey, Penn-Central, with third-hand hand-me-down units from Southern Pacific, ATSF, and Burlington Northern and Denver & Rio Grande Western..

The roster looks something like this: SD40′s SD40-2′s SD40T-2′s SD35′s SD50′s F45′s, SD45′s; SD45-2, SD50′s; GE U28C’s. A healthy roster of six-axle monsters, not to mention the Alco side of the house with RS4′s assigned to the Porterville Northern. The road switchers is much larger but more narrowly represented more by EMD than the other two builders.

Considering the time period of the late 70′s in to the 80′s: I put together a set of commuter trains based pretty much on the New Jersey Transit system. I literally kit bashed a CNJ GP7P engine and a F40PH with push-pull cab control coaches and two Budd railcars joined the roster making up the: Northeast Transit Authority (NETA).

That pretty much puts the CBL in to some perspective (I hope). Questions? Don’t hesitate to e-mail me. Pictures: I have hundreds.

Take care and hope to hear from you all soon

Hed

Hi, I have a question, when making hills, what type of styro foam you use?

And do you use white and how do and what you use to form them?

Thank you
Russell

No comment…yet…but will, with photos, yet…of an N-scale that circles a stone makeup – that features a water wheel, with H20! My Wife, bless her heart, contributed a pink embroidery circle! Soon!

LARRY I’M IN ARIZONA WHERE ARE YOU FROM. NICK

Yes i am still want to see the track plans. I am in Ar.

Thanks for adding this resource.
Love to see pix of works in progress. Great way to get new ideas or confirm current ideas. Also, what other beginners are doing is a great inspiration.

In the late 70s while in the Marines, I started a club of modular railroaders. Everyone build one module or more then one and when we met we we plugged them all together. We used alot of coarse styrofoam from packing material, rubber cement and bark mulch for rock formations. It was fun while it lasted. until I left the Marines, and lost contact with the club members.
P.S. Depending how the bark was faced, when painted and weathered or just sun dried it appeared to be sedimentary(Grain facing) or ignious rock (against grain).

what a lot of good photos,it put my layout to shame,seeing those pictures make me want to try harder,

As a newbie, I am blown away with the detail and the patience it must have taken to build these grand pieces of art. I am in the process of installing new windows in the now designated “Train Room” That should be completed around March10th. The question I have concerns the background detail. The background will cover 2 walls. One is 54″in H X 17 ft. L and the other is 54″in H X 10.4ft L. I am looking for some ideas on how to cover this area. Each wall has a window, too.

By the way, my father use to say “If you want Patience go to the Hospital. You will find plenty there”.

You can send your suggestions to d_mosher@hotmail.com

Bob Fallier’s layout is endlessly interesting! Would like to see more of it.

I find these pictures very interesting as I am hoping to build a layout soon. There are lots I interesting ideas. I would like to find out what materials are used to build a layout. At present I have two steam locos and four diesels and some rolling stock.

I put a $200 digital camera on a depressed flatcar… HO scale. Filming the route from different locations of the train, in front of the locomotives, behind the locomotives, and just ahead of the caboose, the last car on the train… all angles facing forward.
I uploaded videos to YouTube… put “Zebrails” in the search box.
With an exception of one “N-Scale” video, the HO layout is/was 12 foot by 36 foot… and at a moderate and safe speed, it takes well over a minute to make a full lap… about 100 foot.

Mind you, I also have other videos of real trains, Canadian Pacific Railway, going through the town I live in.
I once belonged to a “Garden Railway” and put the same camera in a G-Scale Gondola.

Happy railroading!
John

it would be great if there was photos of these layouts being built. showing the work and time it as taken to build these great layouts

Oct. 20, 2011
Hi Dan,
I was just looking at the first picture that I sent you and golly, it’s so out of date that I had to write a few words and send an updated Pic(s). My original picture is #5 on your list. I had some ideas at this point and not all of my switches installed, but that was all. This is a reasonable before and after situation to show your client-fans.
Now I have my self constructed 4×8 layout consisting of 2×3 lumber, all screwed together, with a 1″ mdf top covered with felt. I have some scenes underway: 2 park areas, a station, and a mountain-tunnel under construction. It will have a waterfall and a dam with piping to take the water away under the tracks to a duck-pond cross-layout and under the bridge. I am planning a couple of roads and some of the grass areas now have their white stencils in place. I have six remote operating (on track power) turnout switches, and one manual for the siding. I have three wiring blocks set up on toggle control. 1-Main is the outside and figure-8, 2-Station is the middle track and 3-Siding is the siding. I have a 48-terminal wiring panel under the table to which all track and switch elements terminate and get cross-connected to the transformer – track and accessory power and the switches to control it all. Also as a note: I changed the two remote uncouplers to run on accessory power as does the barrel hut, coke tower and gateman. The gateman is triggered by an IR device (which also runs on accessory power) when the train passes. Using accessory power doesn’t slow the train when these devices are activated.
I will be adding more rocks and shrubs and trees to the mountain and the waterfall over the winter. My artist niece said she would do the paint colours on the mountain for me as I am not a very good artist. I will write again when the mountain is done.
Oh, and I wanted to say that I enjoy reading the blogs and looking at the great layout pictures. Thanks for making this happen. I think it really helps the hobby as most people although have interest, it is usually to awkward to get to shows etc whereby, we are here at your forum by just being at our computers.
Best Regards for now,
Eric
Halifax, NS Canada
PS- I will email the couple of new PICs and another copy of these words. E.

I really like your website and all the info. I am getting back into model railroading. I had to retire due to Health problems and now on Disability. I can not afford alot so it is taking a long time to get up and running again. When I can, I will send you pictures. Thanks for sharing youe tips.

Rod

nice photos

Hi Dan
thanx 4 news letters, No pictures as i’m just making some base boards
Ralph

Hi Dan,

Thanks for this web page to give us the opportunity to share what we are doing. I am not new to model railroading … but: I have not done anything for 30 + years. I have a G scale but I am not going to really do anything with it. I have an American Flyer circa 1939 I put it around the Christmas Tree.

I am now preparing to build an N scale 3′ X 6′ model railroad … planning is done … getting ready to build. Will give you photos as things progress. I am looking forward to this project. Trains have always been a part of my life …. from a little boy to today. I had other American Flyer Trains and some HO scale no longer own them.

Model railroading is a great hobby … once you are hooked … there is no way out.
Thanks to all that have participated so far …. you have a great start to a great layout.

Keep on training,

Tom

Hi Dan
thanks for the reply .With all the help i have just about completed the track for my layout its been fun but sometimes a nightmare as soon as i get the track finished i will photograph it and send it to you i would very much welcome any suggestions for improvement
the photos so far ive seen are ammasing i doubt if mine will be a s nice as those
regards
Albert ( a very amatur beginner)