Model RailRoad

This-aint-no-Lionel-Train-Set.-1

Image by Not Our Kids!

Building a model railroad is a classic hobby that continues to grow in popularity year after year. High-end model trains actually end up becoming heirlooms that are passed down from one generation to the next. What sets a model train owner from a master collector is the model railroad layout.

Once you have determined the scale and make of model train you intend to collect you will then need to focus on designing a layout for your collection. It is important to do your due diligence when it comes to selecting the model railroad and scenery you wish to use within your layout. Getting these elements right may make a profound determination in how you layout your railroad. If you are a novice in building a model railroad system it is highly recommended that you purchase a kit for your first layout. Creating a layout from scratch should be left to the veteran collector since it is a very tricky job and one that should not be ventured into lightly. A model train kit will come equipped with the model train scale of your choice, railroad tracks as well as some minor landscaping, equipment and accessories. Kits are easily available in specialty model train shops all around the world and it is the best way to start off from scratch.

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For you seasoned collector there is plenty of room for experimentation. An experienced model train collector should stay away from the simple and yes boring circular tracks. Begin to push the envelope with your layout and go for a railroad that offers a more exciting and dramatic route. Ask yourself what do you find interesting about trains in general and build on that thought. The masterpiece comes from your imagination. Put your civil engineer hat on and begin to see the layout as a passage through time. See the terrain with rivers, gorges, mountains, deserts, bridges, highways, etc. The layout should be a growing organism. It can start very small, however the layout should be set up to be expandable beyond the space you have available. Over time you may wish to move the entire layout to a new location and the layout should be able to grow into the new location.

For a true masterpiece you will want to incorporate various track designs. You may want to use a continuous loop with an out and back setup. A continuous loop on its own is monotonous and boring but when you add a variation to the setup it becomes part of a masterpiece. The out and back will allow you to incorporate tunnels and bridges, turning circles and even train stations.

Another option that you can explore is that of point-to-point model railroad layout. Although this is of a simple design where the model train has to go from one end of the track on the way to the other, they tend to be far more exciting yet simple to work with. Most of the times you find these tracks accompanied with a train station.

In conclusion the kind of custom model railroad that you choose to build should reflect your character and passion. This is what will make it unique and allow it to become a masterpiece. You should also consider the availability of space and the level of experience that you have in setting up a model railroad. However, do not limit yourself to a short-term situation when you may have more available space in the future. Be sure and visit model railroad shows and comb through model railroad magazines for ideas. The sky is the limit!

Train Set

Image by Random Things Entering My Field of Vision
The Mop plays on a bloody big train set.

Choo-choo!

Image by Anika Malone

From the George Kayaian archives. A short film about a multi-layered train miniature that I built about a decade ago. The film takes you to the world created in the HO scale, featuring rocky landscapes and many overpasses. It took a lot of well-spent hours to create and just as many to enjoy. It’s long gone now, but the trains live on in this love letter to all who enjoy the hobby. For enthusiasts only.
Video Rating: 5 / 5

PC081095

Image by Anika Malone

Ooty toy train

Image by Shachi Sitaram
I try my hand at a tunnel sequence. Total fun.

Naughty Betty, Jack and Judy 2007 (tower and stalk detail) by Donald Roller Wilson

Image by Wonderlane
ARTIST

DONALD ROLLER WILSON

TITLE

JACK WAS INTENSELY NERVOUS ABOUT IT ALL, HIS EYES BEGINNING TO POP, BUT WITH POOR LITTLE JUDY SQUINTING HER’S REAL TIGHT…WOULDN’T (COULDN’T) LOOK…HAVING WIND OF A POTENTIAL DOUBLE HUMPING AND SOME KIND OF UNEXPLAINED, DISRUPTIVE WILD RIDE WHICH THEIR HALF SISTER, NAUGHTY BETTY INTENDED TO TAKE… AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT TAKE DURING THE MOST INTENSE MOMENT OF JACK’S BAR MITZVAH WHICH HAD BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE FOLLOWING DAY …SOMETHING LIKE THAT….IT WAS ALL SO INTENTIONALLY CONVOLUTED…

WITH NEITHER JACK OR LITTLE JUDY UNDERSTANDING EXACTLY WHAT A HUMPING WAS (LET ALONE A DOUBLE)…(BUT WITH JACK – HAVING HAD A HARD-ON SINCE BIRTH – BEGINNING TO SMELL A HUGE RAT)…

RECENTLY DISCOVERING BETTY’S CAMELS WERE ONLY CANDY…THE SMOKE BEING FAUX…PRODUCED FROM PELLETS SNUCK FROM THE RESERVOIR OF THEIR HALF-BROTHER JIMMY’S 1938 ELECTRIC TRAIN SET LOCOMOTIVE…BETTY STUFFING THEM INTO THE TIPS OF THE “CAMELS”…

AND, JACKS BAR MITZVAH?…WELL, JUST AS HIS PREVIOUS THREE…IT WOULD FAIL

MEDIUM

OIL ON CANVAS

SIZE

26” H. X 20“ W. UNFRAMED CANVAS SIZE)
34” H. X 28” W. (OVERALL, FRAMED)

FRAME IS MUSEUM QUALITY, CONSIDERED AN INSEPARABLE PART OF THE ART. FRAME HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THE PAINTING BY THE ARTIST, AND IS CONSTRUCTED OF HAND CARVED BASS WOOD, TRADITIONALLY WATER GILDED WITH 23KT GOLD OVER A BASE OF GESSO AND RED BOLE. RECESSES OF CARVINGS ARE ASPHALTUM WASHED.

CARVED AND GILDED LETTERS ON LINER CREATE A NARRATIVE WHICH IS SUPPORTIVE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PAINTING. THE LINER READS EXACTLY AS FOLLOWS:

(top edge)
BETTY LOST TALLY OF THE NUMBER OF
(right edge)
CAMELS SHE HAD SMOKED, PLUS SHE HAD MISSED
(bottom edge)
ANY OPPORTUNITIES TO ACTUALLY GET
(left edge)
ON ONE, SO IF A TWO-HUMPER SHOWED UP? WELL…

SIGNED

(AS YET UNSIGNED, WILL BE SIGNED, LOWER LEFT EDGE)
DONALD ROLLER WILSON 2007/42

COLLECTION

PRIVATE COLLECTION

Question by Sha Nay Nay: Questions About Lionel Trains?
Ok, i have 2 questions about Lionel Model Trains. Ok, i have a New York Flyer model, a O27 Gauge. It is really rusty and dirty. My first question is how can you clean it without hampering with the electrical stuff? My second question is can i combine it with other O27 Gauge trains? Thanks!

Best answer:

Answer by irekforpresident
Throw it away. You can find another engine like that for about 15-20 dollars on eBay that is in great condition. Yes, you can combine it with any other 027 item.

What do you think? Answer below!

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