It's a simple question, isn't it? How do you build a model train layout. For some people it's as simple as making a loop of track around the base of this year's Christmas tree, throwing on a locomotive and some rolling stock, and calling it done. And you know what? If that's what makes you happy, go for it!
But let's say you're looking for something a little more complex, a little more advanced. Where do you start? Let me walk you through my own little layout in progress, and maybe you'll have some ideas.
What space is available?
Our first step is to be realistic. What space is available for your layout? This will help us put some broad parameters in place. Are we talking an entire basement here? Your granddad's standard 4' x 8' sheet of plywood on some sawhorses?
I'm unable to have a permanent layout at the moment, so I chose something small enough to fit in a couple different places in the house. To write this article and get some good pictures, I'm setting up shop on top of the buffet/china cabinet in our dining room.
It's not a big space, so no loop tracks for me. That means no continuous running, which pushes us in the direction of an end to end or switching layout. With the short length of space available, a switching layout makes the most sense. Due to the shallow rectangular shape, I'll be setting up an old favorite of mine, an Inglenook Sidings switching puzzle.
A few years back I made a simple base for my little switching layout. A thin sheet of plywood, some rigid insulation foam, and a grass mat. The name "Griffis Halt" came from my layout project at the time, a UK OO scale switching layout set in Wales during the late 1960s to early 1970s time period.
Scale and Gauge
After you've figured out the space you have available to work with, you can move on to deciding on a scale. Do you already have some model trains? That makes the decision process easier.
If you don't, now's the time to learn. If you're going to build a layout that features continuous running, you could easily go with Z scale, N scale, or HO scale. They're smaller in size and give you more to play with inside your given space.
Building a switching layout? You might want something sturdier, that can take the extra handling involved with switching rolling stock into various industries. HO, S scale, or even O gauge can be solid options. G scale and Standard gauge are pretty big, but it can still be done.
I've built layouts in N, HO, and UK OO (not to be confused with Lionel's postwar OO). Working at Trainz one day, I came across this orange creamsicle-colored diesel locomotive in On30. It had some decent heft, interesting details, and looked a lot like a full size locomotive I'd ridden behind at a railroad museum in Texas.
I'd never had an On30 layout before, but it appeared interesting. The rolling stock was short in length, which meant I didn't need a lot of space for a switching layout. The locomotive was small but heavy for its size, making it less sensitive to issues with track. Even better, I could reuse my existing Kato HO Unitrack, which meant a decent cost savings.
In the past I've modeled Conrail and Amtrak, New York Central, and British Rail, railroads that I've had some connection to through life or family history.
Telling a story
Now's your chance to be creative and put that imagination to work. Where is your railroad? When is your railroad? Why is your railroad?
Where: For those curious, Trainz is located in Buford, Georgia. I set out to learn what kind of railroads had operated in this area that might have a little diesel engine like mine. Norfolk Southern wouldn't work. Same with the Southern Railway. Class 1 railroads were just too big for what I was working with. So I kept looking, and eventually discovered the Loganville and Lawrenceville Railroad, which ran on a ten mile stretch of track from 1900 until it was abandoned in 1932.
When: My chosen locomotive was far too modern for 1932, so it was time to get creative. After all, I was aiming for something inspired by reality, not an exact replica.
My locomotive would place me sometime in the late 1940s or later. Since it's in clean paint with no weathering, I wanted to narrow it down to around 1950 when it was still being taken care of. That's an exciting time in the railroading world, with the transition from steam to diesel. The economy was revving up and a lot of worn-out track and equipment was being repaired or replaced.
Why: Why does this particular railroad exist? Figuring that out will guide you with choosing scenery, buildings, rolling stock, and even how it operates. Sometimes the why happens by accident.
We received a collection of diecast cranes and construction equipment a few years ago at Trainz. As a lifelong fan of Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel, when I came across a 1:50 scale Bucyrus-Erie 22-B power shovel I had to buy it. Sure it wasn't Mary Anne, but it was close! This would give me a chance to display my prized possession.
My story came together quickly. My switching layout would be the Lawrenceville & Loganville Railroad, taken over during WWII by the Southern Railway and operated as a branch line due to a slate quarry it served. The slate was important for the war effort as electrical insulation material.
Postwar the branch line traded in all its worn out steam locomotives for a single diesel locomotive, taking advantage of the new locomotive's greater efficiency and availability and greatly reduced maintenance needs. The quarry's steam shovels were retired as well, and replaced with a single brand new 22-B.
Adding Details
Now that I had a time, place, and reason for my layout to exist I could add in details to flesh things out. A leftover wooden loading dock found a home along the tracks for workers and equipment to be dropped off, as well as a small maintenance shed nearby for tool storage. The foreman's 1948 Ford F1 is parked a safe distance away from the quarry pit.
A leftover piece of tile from a bathroom remodel became a stand-in for my quarry until I motivate myself enough to build a background panel. You don't need to build a magazine cover worthy layout your very first time, and you don't need to have it 100% complete to start enjoying it.
Rolling stock was easy. A few packs of dump cars, diecast so they would have enough weight to roll easily, made up the bulk of my roster. A caboose was needed, since these were the days before F.R.E.D.
Getting your hands dirty
If you're operating a switching layout, especially one built as a puzzle rather than modeling a real world location, there's going to be a lot of coupling and uncoupling, and I recommend spending the time and money to install Kadee couplers. There are a few different ways to uncouple rolling stock. I've tried magnetic decouplers with varying degrees of success.
A bamboo skewer from the kitchen always works though. Insert, twist, and boom, uncoupled. You can use the blunt end to throw switches.
So, what can you take away from this?
Figure out the space you have available. Be realistic!
- Do you have a long but shallow area, like one wall in a room?
- Are you free to take over the basement, with vast space to fill?
- Will your layout be a permanent fixture or a temporary visitor?
- Continuous running means a loop, and that means your layout needs to be wide. How wide depends on the radius of your track, which is determined by just how tight your locomotive and rolling stock can turn.
- If your space is long but shallow, how about an end to end design?
- Want to reach in and get involved? A switching layout will keep your brain busy.
Choose a scale.
- It's hard to build a railroad empire, in G scale, with six feet of space. You might be able to fit one engine and a passenger car.
- Reaching into the scene and switching freight will require tweezers, a magnifying glass, and the hands of a surgeon if you choose Z scale.
- If you're not locked into a scale already, go to a train show! The NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) will be happy to point you in the right direction. Your average model train person is happy to answer questions.
What's your story?
- It's the where, when, and why of your layout. You wouldn't expect to see a Union Pacific Challenger operating next to a CSX SW1500 in Alaska, would you?
- Having a story helps guide your purchases and gets you enjoying your layout sooner. Figuring out why your railroad exists can help you figure out what type of rolling stock you need, and what industries could be modeled.
Add details.
- Yes, we all know that drooling over locomotives is quite possibly the best part of model railroading. I've been guilty of trying to justify purchasing a NYC Niagara when all I had was enough space for a little industrial diesel, and even today it's the locomotives that catch my eye first.
- Details bring your layout to life. If you want to plunk your track down on a bare sheet of plywood while you figure things out, go for it and start playing! When you've got your track plan finalized, try throwing in some scenery. It took me years before I bought a grass mat and glued it down, but it made such a difference in immersion.
- Buildings! Vehicles! Structures! You're building a world here, or a small slice of one. You don't need to add everything at once, but I promise you a well thought out scruffy tool shed adds a lot of character.
The number one rule?
- Get started! Honestly, you'll probably build a few layouts if you stay in this great hobby. Yeah, your first one might look pretty embarrassing a few years from now, but you can bet those layouts in Model Railroader weren't first attempts. Like they say, the way to get to Carnegie Hall is practice, practice, practice.
How Trainz can help.
- We don't have the cheapest hobby, do we? Modern locomotives have as many bells and whistles as the real thing, and the price to match. Even in my short few decades playing with model trains the prices have shot up. So how can Trainz help? Because we offer plenty of used trains, buildings, and vehicles for you to purchase.
- Buying used (or pre-owned, if you want to get fancy) gets you started without breaking the bank. Odds are you're going to change your mind a few times on just what it is you're looking to build.
- Every Trainz.com customer earns points on their purchases. The more you buy, the more you save.
- We run discounts multiple times a month. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter to keep up to date on our offers.