O Scale Trains Magazine Online

Photo 1: In my home town, one of the lingering ghosts of the NH's railyard
was a cool old derrick crane rusting away in the weeds. This model by Model
Tech Studios reminded me of it, although this one is a bit more gainfully
employed on the Wilfred Gage siding.
Photo 2: A pair of Lionel J's by the Greenbrook engine facility.
Photo 3: Another visitor to the Greenbrook engine facility, this time an Empire
State Express Hudson, getting looked over before heading out.
ings. The layout was built modularly, then bolted together in
sections.
The trackwork is all Atlas O, chosen for its realistic looks,
ease of assembly, and curve geometry. Steel track was used
on the innermost loop for my Magne-Traction locomotives.
Standard 4.5” spacing was used along the two outermost
lines. The switches are all Atlas O-72, controlled by TMCC
SC-2s in strategic locations. The trackage is finished with
Woodland Scenics medium ballast of varying shades. I used
locally obtained sand as initial fill between the ties. By doing
so, I was able to apply a thin layer of ballast over the sand,
which helped to extend the amount of track that could be
covered for a given amount of ballast.
Wiring was run out with 14-2 Romex cable, with 16AWG
feeders in four main locations, soldered to the rail joiners.
Auxiliary power jumpers were added where needed. This
was a very cost-effective way to provide power to my track
and handle the high current required by multiple unit locomotives
and long lighted passenger trains. Switch wiring
was run with Belden 22AWG cable scraps. The color-coded
wires aided in keeping track of switch wiring. The power
is supplied by a modern Lionel ZW, with a combination of
Powerhouse 135’s and 180’s.
Control is handled by Lionel’s TMCC system. I run command
control exclusively, although the ZW can provide
conventional control as well. I keep a few CAB-1 handheld
throttles on hand for visitors, and up to three people can run
the layout simultaneously. I have been using TMCC since
1997 and find it to be easy to use and reliable.
The layout scenery is influenced by the places I’ve lived,
namely New England, Pittsburgh, and Detroit. I am a big fan
of Eastern US scenery, both industrial and rural. Mountain
scenery consists of plaster-soaked shop towels over screen,
with forms made of plywood scraps and MDF. Because the
trackage comes so close to the walls in places, some of the
hills are nothing more than 1/8” masonite hardboard cutouts.
The background is made of 1/8” masonite hardboard, painted
a very light gray, then lightly painted over with a sky blue
in an attempt to give it a hazy appearance. Ground cover
is mostly Woodland Scenics’ products along with common
backyard dirt. Trees are Scenic Express Super Trees, spray
painted black, dipped in diluted carpenter’s glue, then sprinkled
with fine turf.
After the mountains were roughed in, I began experimenting
with my urban industrial section of the layout. I envisioned large
concrete and brick factories looming authoritatively over the
mainlines. Interspersed with these structures would be smaller
buildings of different styles. I soon realized that to make anything
of the size needed to convey a sense of imposing presence, I
would have to scratchbuild. The building designs were freelanced,
based on structures photographed around Detroit and
Pittsburgh. I used foamcore, 1/8” and 1/4” masonite hardboard,
1/2” MDF, Plastruct rough brick sheet, and various scrapbox
materials to make up the bulk of the buildings. Windows and
details are from a few different manufacturers. Some windows
are nothing more than 1/4” hardware cloth held in place with
Gallery Glass (picked up at Michael’s Craft Stores). Most of the
structures are named for friends and family. Scratchbuilding also
helped fulfill another desire, to make the layout look as unique as
possible. A few kitbashed structures are present, but the desire to
make a unique setting for my trains led to creating and building
my own designs.
Nov/Dec ’06 - O Scale Trains •