Modeling Small Layouts

IT SEEMS SMALL LAYOUTS have had a stigma attached to them for many years. “They’re for beginners.” “The track plans are too basic.” “You can’t run big equipment.” Those are just a few of the knocks I’ve heard from fellow model railroaders. However, in today’s ever-changing world, it’s a good time to step back and revisit one of the staples of our hobby, the small layout. SPACE AND TIME ARE two of the biggest commitments in model railroading. But what if you’re the baby boomer who is downsizing, moving from a traditional house to a smaller modular home, apartment, or senior living facility? Though you have more time, does the decrease in space mean you have to give up the hobby? Not at all. Or perhaps you’re on the other…

Here at Kalmbach Media, publisher of Model Railroader, there has been a Milwaukee, Racine & Troy layout since the mid-’70s. The first one was in our former home at 1027 N. 7th Street in Milwaukee, now part of the Milwaukee Area Technical College campus. Our current layout at 21027 (Second 1027, get it?) Crossroads Circle has been under construction since 1989. But we’ve always built in HO scale – until now. Meet the N scale MR&T While we do a lot of modeling in HO scale, the staff at Model Railroader is no stranger to N scale. Jim Kelly has laid enough N scale track on his multiple Tahachapi layouts to go around the real curve – well maybe not, but he might feel that way. David Popp built a…

For as long as there have been model trains, people have been looking for ways to build something to keep those trains off the floor or kitchen table. That “something” is usually called benchwork. There have been a lot of methods for building benchwork over the years, and after constructing more than 30 layouts, I feel as if I’ve used a good portion of them myself. The one technique I keep coming back to again and again, however, is called L-girder benchwork. This system for building layouts was invented by former Model Railroader Editor Linn Westcott in the 1960s, and it’s a simple, sturdy, and flexible way to make a foundation for a model railroad. The system uses basic leg assemblies to support pairs of girders separated by spacers. The…

Want to learn the secret to building a model railroad you’ll enjoy for years to come? Then this installment of our State Line Route N scale project railroad is for you! The key to a successful model railroad is in the track and wiring. If you take the time to build good track and wire it properly following time-tested techniques, your trains will run well every time you power up the layout. Following are a few of my favorite layout-building tips. You can learn even more of them by watching the State Line Route video series on Trains.com. Regardless of scale, everything here will help you build a better model railroad. Roadbed Cork: As demonstrated by Rene Schweitzer in the photo, we used cork strips laid on top of ½"…

Scenery gives shape to the landscape and definition to the environment in which you run your trains. Without scenery, a layout is nothing more than a collection of track and trains. With scenery, a layout becomes a place as realistic as the world standing just outside your front door. While the scenery process can seem complex, it really isn’t difficult when taken as a series of smaller projects, each following basic construction steps like those shown here. It does, however, require a degree of patience, as you often need to wait for something to dry before you can work on the next step. I find scenery work to be one of the most enjoyable and creative aspects of building a model railroad. It gives you a lot of room for…

A GP9 WITH FIVE CARS and a caboose in tow picks its way through the weeds. You can almost feel the perspiration run down the back of your neck on a hot summer day in North Carolina. It’s 1957 on the Winston-Salem Southbound, and this Electro-Motive Division diesel has only been on the property since spring. The railroad is busy serving its regular customers and delivering material for a new project, the construction of Interstate 40. This is the scene on Model Railroader’s HO scale Winston-Salem Southbound Tar Branch project layout. The 2'-9" x 8'-2" switching layout is an all-star collaborative effort between the MR staff, Trains.com Video, MR contributing editor Tony Koester, and contributing video editor Gerry Leone. David Popp, Trains.com producer, designed the model railroad after being inspired…