5 Costly Model Railroader Mistakes (311)

[@effenbeezeetravel4474]

Fear of having to tear things down repeatedly and re-starting totaly different or change was a mistake that stoped me from starting too-long ! , so be courageous . sometimes you have to sell all your stuff and tear apart all your intricate work, but when you do that you discover cool things you would not have imagined otherwise , then at that stage you enter realms that would not exist without those sacrifices and efforts so I feel no loss for any old costly errors at all now ! Peace OUT !

[@Weisserdau]

I have done 2 4x8 layouts. Tore one down and burned the other. Frustration can get the better of you. Currently working on a 2x8 switching layout. Most of what you said is correct, costly but correct.

[@paulsayer8248]

Thank you, well I am 80 years old and started my RR........very little planning and just started ordering things on Amazon..about a grand and a half I am still working on my 4X8 base....I live in an apartment and now I have half a bedroom...Did all the mistakes you mentioned. Hope to see you soon with your (hopeful) tips, I feel I need my head examined. Cheers from Alberta Canada.

[@ChristianIrvin-mr1xf]

hello paul. if you are still on youtube, how did it go?

[@Weisserdau]

I have also made all those mistakes. Hope your project gos well and you enjoy.

[@trainfanattic]

Great video. Thankyou! THE BIGGEST mistake though in my humble view: NOT GETTING STARTED !

[@williamj3843]

I am planning a model railroad as a retirement project and taking about a year in advance to plan. I assessed the room and space available. I browsed through published layouts as you suggest and found a starting point that matched my interests and space, drew it up an XtrackCAD and then added in my own touches. What I have found useful is having the design in front of me while watching videos like yours and evaluating my choices against experts' advice. Some model railroad CAD systems (I started with SCARM) allow for limited train running which can help validate design choices as well is identify things that won't work well before turning the plan into reality.

[@willparsons32]

Just a word about lighting (...if i may add!) if the basement ceiling is all joists, it would be a good idea to cover them with a white Masonite panel. This is so that the light installed of ones choice will help direct the light downwards therefore brighten your layout much better. This made a huge difference in my train room when i started rhe bench work for the layout.

[@donniee1934]

Great presentation and good advise. Thank you for all the time you spend sharing your vast knowledge. Agree with everyone of your 6 points. But, running the trains is so much fun.

[@wabisabi6875]

Good advice. I especially recommend curving the backdrop/sky panels in the corners; this goes a long way to creating realism, and well worth effort in the long run.

[@linkinbooth165]

Hello from Hickory NC! I'm from the Piedmont region of NC and I love to see that someone has made a model railroad based on our region. I would love to see more of the layout in upcoming videos!

[@TheDCCGuy]

We’ll get there. Do you know Paul Faulk? I think lives out around Hickory. A Seaboard Air Line fan.

[@linkinbooth165]

@@TheDCCGuy I'm sorry I don't, but I've met plenty of Seaboard and Southern fans here!

[@peterjhillier7659]

Thank you Larry, all very sound Advice. You can even build a small O Gauge Layout, you can focus on Aesthetics of a small Layout like a shunting (switching) Plank.

[@annelarrybrunelle3570]

Golly, you guys must have (or used to) a lot more money than I do. 😊 I respect all you say; it is like a full-size construction project, and an expensive hobby could easily get a lot more expensive without good planning. I echo one person's comment about making it modular for disassembly and transport.

[@BNSFWill]

I have been guilty of almost all these points. Nowadays, I feel like I over-plan. I am lucky enough to have a two car garage remodeled into a den and have been filling it with all the boxes of track and scenic goodies I can get my mitts on. Just waiting on proper hvac install. Thank you for all the knowledge you take the care and time to provide. I feel I am a better modeler for having watched and applied the tips you share with us all.

[@TheDCCGuy]

I wish I had planned for all the time that writing for MR and doing a KZbin channel takes away from actually building the layout. I started in 2013 and my 10 year plan now looks closer to 15-20!

[@steveashcraft718]

Check your humidity and get a good dehumidifier. High humidity will cause many problems with your layout & trains.

[@coolruehle]

Stop using dimensional lumber for your benchwork. Using ripped 1/2" and 3/4" plywood, 4" wide will keep things from moving.

[@steveashcraft718]

@@coolruehle , I don't use dimensional lumber. 1x4 red oak. Good luck finding good ply wood at least around here.

[@modelrailroader5619]

I consider myself blessed after watching. I inherited a finished basement, started with a continuous run published track plan then slowly expanded from there. Twenty six years later I’m still happily puttering and operating on a 10X13 layout and still using DC…World’s greatest hobby! Thanks for the advice, Larry.

[@TheDCCGuy]

Sounds like you’re following a good approach that is working well for you.

[@earlwidmeyer2654]

Wow eh 26 years on DC, ever think about going to DCC for the sounds and lighting features of newer engines? Our first layout was basically a 10 x13 and it was a disaster. It had a very low duck under that I was going to make it as a lift out but never did. and then my boys lost interest in it for a couple years. I decided to tear it out and rearrange the basement. We now have basically a point to point 7 1/2 x 23 layout with 2 upper levels of storage, But it is all trackwork and we failed all of Larry's points. I have posted a couple vids on my channel, check them out tell me what you think. Cheers Earl

[@Paul--88]

​@@earlwidmeyer2654I'm about 23 years with dc. I don't want to hear all the noise of dcc.

[@SD45-ET44AC]

This is all great advice and I’m glad it worked for you, but making all these mistakes myself helped me to become better at troubleshooting, woodworking and electrical and so on. This is especially true as I didn’t have the time to watch all these KZbin videos. BUT, watching and listening to you and reading some things you have published have all been extremely valuable and informative!

[@tommynorwood5184]

Hi Larry , you made some great points. I been working on my layout for a year now. I did some of the things you’re talking about. I did plan it out and did research on a DCC system. The biggest mistake we all make is wanting to run trains before we are ready. Thanks for sharing. Have a good day.

[@MrROTD]

Youre presenting this from the perspective of an advanced experienced modeller who knows the pitfalls, someone who is starting out just wants to enjoy the hobby even if means they step in it from time to time. Some of the fun comes from failure and re-inventing what you made IMO

[@TheDCCGuy]

Even mistakes you learn from are costly which was the focus of the video.

[@shemp308]

Most of all, this is something that is personal preference! However, looking at others' tracks and seeing what you like! I'm just running the trains switching trains. And other things like having more engines on the same tracks. But having a track plan for the space you have is probably the most important part and just a note to remember making sure the track plan is interesting to YOU. Never mind what anyone thinks as it has been said! It is your railroad. Add the track plan can take as long to complete as the track laying.

[@larryboyer]

A lot of sound advice. I always enjoy your videos and look forward to the next one.

[@davidbellamy5445]

Hi Larry. Point 3 is so true. I did not, as I was wanting to get going. Putting up a backdrop after the bench work was much harder than it needed to be!

[@qwincyq6412]

I discovered that the actual build won’t necessarily match the track plan. I used a plan published by a well known track manufacturer but found that a Y is not always the same radius from different companies, radii are not always consistent, and what you end up building is not going to look like the pretty picture in the book.

[@jochenkraus7016]

I'd add two things: Make sure you can access all places of the layout and installation. Picking up derailes vehicles, cleaning, replacing scenery, lights, signal electronics etc. And if possible use segments. Sometimes "life happens" and you need that room for another purpose or you want/must move somewhere else.

[@w.rustylane5650]

Couldn't be too bad, he's got a Southern Railroad clock on his wall. Only thing better would be a Central of Georgia which I model. When I built my first model railroad I did not have a plan, just laid out a double mainline with a double crossover. Learned to wire it as I went. Ended up with several sidings that got power through the points; had to learn to rewire turnouts so they could get power through the contact rail (points). Had to tear it all down when we moved from GA to TN. Hope to build another one soon; not only HO scale but Lionel 027 as well. Only DC! No DCC for me! Not even AC for Lionel since I found out they will run better on DC. Cheers & 73 from W Rusty Lane K9POW in eastern Tennessee

[@stephenpike3147]

Hi Larry , really good points you raised in particular the planning (the CAD keeps your plans honest unlike a sketch) and room prep. I will add - Baseboards choice of timber - humidity changes can cause massive shrinkage and expansion of - consider use of a decent multilayer ply to overcome, pine/ spruce might be cheap and work for some but….. Sound - track direct to base board can be irritating to some with the excessive and amplified clickerty clack; do your trials cork pva glue for ballast might not improve much, consider eva acoustic foam. Lighting again experiment and don’t be frightened to; ceiling lights may need complementing with led strip lights - colour change ones can help greatly to get just the right effect with those expensive models! DCC not only plan your power districts, consider how easy or difficult fault finding might get. Decide on if you will need blockdetection for computer control soon or later - avoid a rewire. Gradients - do trials with the trains you intend to run, make sure you have something in hand too, nothing worse than too steep! Most importantly decide what turns you on and what you like or dislike by looking at others layouts and plans (as you suggest) nothing worse than committing to something that you spend time and money on to say, no not a good thing it doesn’t work, look or meet my operational needs, I should have done…..All the best Stephen

[@Silverstatetrains]

Great video. I was happy to see I did not make every mistake you mentioned. I started my very 1st layout the beginning of January 2023 and decided I would film it and put it on KZbin for an added challenge. Been going good thus far. Started out planning for DC and with the help of all my viewers, made the switch to DCC. So glad I did. Loving running trains with DCC. Working on securing the track so I can get going with scenery. My layout is very track heavy with room for simple scenery and very little buildings. I am very much learning as I am going. I am already thinking about all the things I would do different on my next layout….hopefully I will be done with this layout by August so I can just enjoy it but we shall see.

[@EasyKill7]

I have had a couple model rail roads... I am really into modeling now and when I get around to another rail road- I will be doing the scenery much like like a diorama.

[@rodromano3128]

Great advice! I would probably put lighting in a category of its own 🤔! BTW, your videos on JMRI finally, after 13 yrs., got me to connect my laptop to my CS, EasyDCC - opened up a whole new world!

[@B1ENTERTAINMENT30]

I've got a friend whos been in the hobby since he was a kid that has been helping my brother and I come up with a layout plan. currently we have around 3-4 segments of the layout planned and we are just waiting on materials. Those sections are a coal mine, oil / fuel facility, and a central terminal / overhaul facility. once we have the highest priority segments done we can then go design a yard and the rest of the layout. Thankfully my friend has been a massive help in making sure that each segment looks prototypical as possible.

[@TheDCCGuy]

I always start with the complex areas like industries, towns, and yards then just string the connecting track between them. You really need to fit in the tough stuff first and the rest is easy. Have fun with it!

[@adriengadson3544]

Nice list and there are probably other mistakes that could be on this top list. If people would follow this and especially beginners. They wouldn't get overwhelmed, discouraged, run out of money , and etc. Also keep in mind your family duties , work schedule, health and other life things that come up when planning. A example a home builder doesn't build a home without plans and research, and etc or your house would fall apart and etc.

[@geoffwilcock1519]

Great video Larry. I battled for two years because I inherited heavy duty benchwork fro a previous house owner. I’ve enjoyed the battle but now I would have got a builder in to take it out. 😂

[@nssherwoodsub]

Completely agree with your comments about Cadrail. I too have used for years and have found it to be very helpful. As you mentioned, I especially like its accuracy and the capability to easily develop alternate plans...Harold

[@derekalexander4030]

Thank you Larry. It is important to have a comfortable room but in my area if I finish the basement it will double my already crazy taxes in NY. It’s good to know what era and railroad you want to model otherwise you buy things you like and waste money on things you will never use. My first loco purchase in a hobby store was a Seaboard Coastline in black with a yellow stripe from the 70’s. I model UP, SP, And ATSF IN 1954 in the west. The other stuff sits on a shelf.

[@BriansModelTrains]

There are no mistakes; just learning experiences. 😃Just have fun!

[@SheltonDCruz]

nice euphorism

[@JasonEdwards-kt3hg]

Wow lots of comments on this topic. Being new to the hobby many of these mistakes I can relate to. In particular, I would agree that it's a good idea to have your train room set up first. Mine is in an unfinished basement which can be drab after a few hours. I'm working on drywalling the area now because of this and having to work around my layout. I did use software to design my layout and had staples print it out at 1:1 scale so I could trace it out on a 6×10 table. This saved me a lot of time when l a Ying out my flex track.

[@stanfoster9979]

Just getting started exploring this exciting hobby. I'm in Mexico which will present its own special issues with materials, stock etc. I'll be studying your videos and will have a lot of questions no doubt.

[@TheDCCGuy]

Depending on Mexican import laws you may be able to mail order everything you need. I get stuff from England several times a year and shipping is no more expensive than what I pay from US dealers. And since I don’t pay their sales tax it more than pays for the exchange costs. You just have to find a good dealer with reasonable prices who ships international.

[@dallasthomas9298]

Hi Larry, great video and tips. It's timely as Im about to start to build my layout planning has been over the last 6 months. I plan to wire with iTrain as I build and will not be in hurry as it will take lots of time as you say. Many thanks for your weekly videos Im not one to comment very often. Take care. Dallas from Sydney, Australia.

[@tomcampbell2627]

This video sure takes all the fun out of model railroading. Overthinking ruins EVERYTHING , and cancels a lot of opportunities in life. In model railroading, mistakes are fine. As Bob Ross might say, "They're not mistakes, they're happy little accidents" Have Fun!

[@TheDCCGuy]

Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them.

[@thomasdarwin6174]

Atlas books are great with track plans, component lists, control/wiring diagrams, bench construction, scenery ideas, etc. Easy to modify an Atlas track plan also. I have had my 4x8 Atlas layout for many many years and still enjoy it.

[@markwakeley3835]

Great video and valuable info, Larry. I will add when checking out your local library, if they don't carry much on model railroading (mine didn't), see if they have an Interlibrary Loan service. I've gotten a lot of book from libraries in different cities here in Texas where I live and also from out of state libraries that participate in this program. A great resource for pretty much anything.

[@jhoodfysh]

Great video Larry. You advice is excellent, thank you.

[@majikglustik9704]

Here's #6, Larry: Like a piano, one needs to allow the wood for the layout to acclimate to the train room environment BEFORE assembling the layout. This will curb the wooden tendency to warp; the same with the internals of the piano. It takes 6 months of acclimation to ready the piano (and layout) for service without breaking "sticks" and disrupting your play. If you're Paul McCartney, who loves pianos and trains, you would seriously benefit from this advice. So will you. Happy Easter, Larry! Happy Motoring!

[@dougb5202]

I don't know about Paul McCartney, but Rod Stewart is a very accomplished model railroader.

[@majikglustik9704]

@@dougb5202 oh yes. In model railroader.

[@coolruehle]

If you rip strips of 3/4" and 1/2" thickness plywood at 4" wide, you will NOT have to do any acclimatizing at all. You can rip it one day and install the next day, with no issues. Using dimensional lumber (non plywood) is an absolute mistake. You are setting yourself up for problems using 1/4 pine for instance.

[@JoseRodriguez-cf8oc]

Thank you, Larry ; I value this input!

[@Tom-xe9iq]

All good advice! Starting into this hobby can be very expensive ($300 locomotives and $4-800 for the DCC). Joining a club is a great way to get an idea of what you want. Build your layout in a modular format: people move so it doesn't hurt to build it so it's easy to take apart! Also, maybe a small working diorama might be a good introduction to the hobby. You can put a lot of detail into it and learn as you go. And, if you don't know how to do something, ask someone or look for help! There's plenty out there.

[@andrewlaverghetta715]

I’ve been pretty happy paying $90 for each of my 2 locos and $50 for my DC controller. I think I had 8 pieces of flex track and 7 or so turnouts. The biggest cost felt like it was in the small bit here and there. Of course, this is, I guess, a DCC oriented channel. It’s pretty nice to get one of the $200 DCC systems as well. I’m in the process of adding $30 chips to those previously mentioned $90 engines.

[@reformedpilgrim]

To come up with a good, functioning layout, a modeler needs to learn some of the skills of a civil engineer, town planner, and land surveyor. As a civil engineer, the modeler decides on an operable track design, including topography, if modeling with elevations. As a town planner, the modeler decides on zoning issues, as in where to place various structures, be they residential or commercial, and how far apart they should be, and how wide roads should be, and how tight or wide the curves, if any. As a land surveyor, the modeler must measure out and accurately place all these elements in the layout space in conformance with the plan. The acquisition of these skills makes it a rewarding hobby.

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. Guilty of all five. LOL, but enjoying the hobby.👍

[@davidbarr9343]

Excellent advice! I am so glad I subscribed to your channel!👍😀🇬🇧

[@earlwidmeyer2654]

Larry, I knew as soon as I saw the title to this episode that I had Failed. 1/6. My 2 sons and I knew we were going to do DCC and went with digitrax, but now we think that NCE would have been better. This is our second attempt and we still made the same mistakes. I should say that with the first layout , I did use AnyRail to draw up a basic "Plan" but that was it. We have spent 5 years building 2 layouts and we just had discussions of tearing it all down. We have a layout that has no direction, scenery or reason. It's overwhelming to even think of adding scenery. We visited a guy when we got into model railroading and his whole basement is just a spaghetti factory of benchwork, track, rolling stock and engines. I joked with my boys that I didn't want us to be like that and here we are..."like that". Right now we have all the trackwork done and everything works great. I'd like to just run trains for a bit but my son (Both are in their 20's) has already pointed out another expansion. Larry, I've even posted a couple vids on my channel, tell me what you think if you got some time to watch them. But I think I know what you would say anyway...lol Cheers Earl

[@jaimegarcia9944]

I liked your video. I made a seventh mistake: I built a special room for my trains and I didn't make it twice as big

[@johnmiller2880]

3 and 6 for sure. My basement is a mess with a really nice layout. Making some progress with that. 6 can be tricky if you are just getting started in the hobby. I should have known better as I got back into the hobby as an adult. I started with a 5x10 walk around and quickly got bored so I extended. I was limited at that point. Great episode as always!!!!

[@greglewis7806]

Im still finding there is a huge amount of practical sense in this video. Does anyone actually enjoy realising they have made an error and its going to cost them big time? These projects are, after all, scaled down engineering. So having a plan is really a bare minimum. However if all that doesnt bother you. So be it. One further thing I would say. If you are modelling gradients into your layout and you want to do it without using some maths. Watch out!

[@TheDCCGuy]

You need to watch my first video on designing a helix, and get out your geometry and trig books!

[@greglewis7806]

@@TheDCCGuy Fortunately I was well aware of this pitfall before I started laying track. I designed my layout in CAD. It was originally a track plan from a Hornby track plan book. But the drawing program showed up some major faults where a gradient to a second level was needed. If I had followed the Hornby plan to the letter, it would have never worked! Good miss there.

[@greglewis7806]

@@TheDCCGuy thanks for your reply also. I very much enjoy your approach to this topic.

[@scottleidenberger4401]

Great show this week Larry.

[@gravesclay]

I appreciate everyone pouring there time into the hobby and making videos. They've helped me a great deal, but this video is really "I tell you 3 times to make a plan, and give 3 other opinions that aren't really going to be costly at all" other than being time-wasters, which the conversation in the video really IS. TL;DW #1 Starting without a plan #2 Starting without a track plan #3 not finishing the room and backdrop first #4 not completing scenery as you build out #5 not settling on a control method #6 not developing a long term plan (even though the title says 5) Saved you 15 minutes

[@TheDCCGuy]

Time is a limited commodity and once you waste it you can never get it back-that’s pretty costly in my book!

[@easternsprails]

Good advice but most important of all is patience to do all the preliminary things before laying track and running trains.

[@luke_atthat]

You are so right ! Planning is essential ! I discovered Anyrail software to create the track plan, and I can export it to Train Player to "try it live" and see if it corresponds to my taste, operation vs running train. I understand to finish each section with scenic before to go on, but I love so much operation and running train, that my first goal will be to have the track layout functional ! I am perhaps not a true modelist doing this, but I am a true lover of train, looking at them running and operating. I learn a lot from your videos. Thank you so much !

[@timoconnell2437]

Hi Larry, thanks for this video, it was very helpful. I live in Texas and we don't have basements here. So I went up. I am building my layout in my attic. I have a basic track plan but i think I will take your advise and use track planning software. I have found it frustrating in the past but I will give it a go again. I will probably hit you up for advice in the near future. Cheers.

[@williamshanaman5098]

A lot of good information here. However, I do disagree with your assessment of scenic as you go. During operations it became apparent that a few places on my layout weren’t working as planned. If I had done scenery’s in that area beforehand I would have had to rip out the scenery to change the track plan to an arrangement that worked better. I have changed my drawn plan several times to fit my operating scheme. Once that plan works then I ho in an scenic it. And BTW several successful model railroads have not had finished ceilings. John Prykes New Haven As an example and work just fine. Bill Shanaman

[@nicholasbishop3300]

Thanks for all the sensible advice Larry Nick Australia

[@peteengard9966]

I can add another tip for basement layouts. Don't build around utilities and equipment. When this house was built, the utilities were spread out to each corner of the basement. I ended up moving the hot water tank next to the furnace, the outdoor water outlet shutoffs were moved to more accessible areas, the electrical panel was relocated and laundry area moved. All my utilities are against one wall now instead of spread out.

[@Allegheny500]

I bought my house because all the utilities, water and sewer lines were along one wall of the basement. Only one shutoff valve for an outside faucet was near one corner and that became water tap gap, a narrow area with a bridge near the wall to provide access to the overhead valve.

[@greglewis7806]

Wow, that's dedication. Good on you!

[@AMSRocker]

Lot's of good info here. I have a few of comments. I understand where you are coming from about doing one part of the railroad and finishing it. However I am a very strong believer in getting your track work all done and then running the wheels off it. I have found that steam locomotives, passenger cars and 6 axle diesel locomotives are the best equipment to sniff out bad track imperfections. It's far easier to fix track work when it's just in raw form then a fully completed section. You run the wheels off your trains and try to force the track to fail. You stress test the electrical side too. If it holds up then you are ready to move on. One of the most critical and biggest mistakes I see a new person into model railroading makes is they build the railroad to hold the train. WRONG!!!! You ALWAYS build the railroad to hold the railroad!!! When all of the wood, glue, screws, nails, hardware, wire, track, cork, foam, plaster, trees and on and on...... It makes that railroad weigh a ton! And all of that weight will cause the railroad to sag and move in ways that are not good for trains. Thank about all of the money and time you have into a railroad that was not built to support all of that weight. Now you are trying to patch up this nightmare of a railroad that will only get worse. You start with rock solid framework and then well supported sub-roadbed off the framework. You build a railroad to hold the railroad!!! In the electrical department it is always must to make electrical sections of the layout. This way if there is an electrical short you can start killing each section one by one until you can run down the trouble area. Anyways well done and you have a great looking RR there!

[@randygates364]

If I had watched this video pryer to starting my first layout, I would have walked away from the hobby. I guess I just learned to work with what I had and learned as I went along. I didn’t have the funds to finish my basement before starting out and still have exposed rafters in the ceiling. As they say, it’s my railroad.

[@johnnyeveritt5695]

Howzit Larry : You have got the * Start-Up * basics pretty well covered in this presentation. However; may I add a further humble suggestion that is a pet-hate; yet many new and experienced MR-ers continue to fall foul thereto .... AVOID any track-plan that resembles an unrealistic; complex and irrational * Spaghetti-Bowl * type design ! Trackwork should * Flow in Functionality; * being a case of more in less. Thanks + Cheers For Now / John 🤙🤘

[@TheDCCGuy]

Yes, keep it simple! Just because you can do something does not mean you should do it! The good thing is most modern track plans avoid the old bowl,of spaghetti approach. I would also say that the same goes for designing trackwork. Railroads avoided complicated track arrangements due to the maintenance and operational problems they can create and the same should be true for model railroads.

[@panagea2007]

The first thing I did was arrange the OTHER things I need to keep in my basement. Power tools, storage, etc. Then I worked out the floor space I needed for walking and access. With what was left, I designed a layout that would fit.

[@cymrych79]

Think I have to disagree with #4, although I certainly get your point. So maybe not disagreeing per se, but more of adding the caveat that I think this one in particular is a very personal thing. For myself, I find I need the motivation that comes with completing benchwork and at least the mainline and getting the trains rolling before I start on scenery in earnest. Then I'll start on phase 2, and flesh out each scene in stages, all the while with trains actually running (except when I absolutely need to stop them.) An added bonus is that I get to thoroughly test both my track work and track plan, for both physical deficiencies that need correcting as well as operational functionality, and I can do this prior to getting heavily involved in scenery efforts. After these testing phases, I typically choose a scene to start with and get any secondary trackage and sidings emplaced, major structures, and major landforms up to the point of basic ground cover, thoroughly test the track plan and operations again, then move to the next scene. The 3rd lap around, I'll finish out each scene with all the vegetation and details, etc. My point being, I work better with a different set of milestone moments (and I can only do this because of having a developed track plan and having the experience learned through making mistakes on earlier layouts that let's me realize what will translate well from my imagination and what will not). Others will no doubt prefer as you suggest with finishing at least one scene to 100% completion before continuing onwards, and I'd certainly suggest such a test scenery area for folks who may not have much experience doing scenery. As I noted, sometimes what we see in our minds just doesn't really translate to plastercloth covered foam or cardboard mesh very well, and that's hard to learn without rolling up your sleeves and giving some scenery a try. And still others will prefer to work scene by scene, and never move onto the next before totally detailing out the first scene in all it's glory. Definitely more than one way to skin a cat!

[@ismaelvillarino9258]

Excelentes consejos para el que quiere comenzar. Un gran abrazo a la distancia.

[@swimjimsvideos5244]

When you plan your railroad, think long term. Avoid duck unders and make the layout tall enough so it is not hard to access the underside for wiring issues. When you get older and the arthritis starts kicking in, this will make a lot of sense.

[@MRR_Shadowolf]

Some great info Larry, thanks for sharing!

[@themillrunandwesternmaryland11]

Honestly I failed at ALL of these. Though I have a nice layout, there are a lot of things that I had to do that would have been easier if I'd followed these steps. Planning is so important!

[@nascarmadman]

First off, I AM new. I do have one of those books. They don't really help if you have a specific space you're using. I decided to do a 'loop' design for its simplicity but one mistake I made was to do an 'around the wall' design. The two don't mix well as I couldn't reach the back corner. I ended up rotating the layout 180 degrees and shifting it 18" (just enough room to get by) to one side. Another mistake I made was trying to make the landscaping too perfect. I don't remember where I saw/heard this, but, '...nature is NOT perfect.' Also, don't try to put up foliage/people until AFTER you have a hill or whatever in place. This mistake cost me I don't know how many work hours.

[@ricter591]

Thanks Larry, 🐾 🚂.

[@nanderv]

Fyi, xtrackcad is a free model railway cad program. Though kinda annoying in user experience, not having to spend 60$ to start is very nice.

[@TheNorthwestWind]

All good tips my friend!

[@coolruehle]

I disagree with scenic-as-you go. I feel that getting track work done first, making sure EVERYTHING functions mechanically and electrically is first and foremost. Then you can start your scenery work. The absolute last thing you ever want to do is install ballast. If you think about it, on a real railroad the sub roadbed gets graded, ties get put down, rail is secured to the ties, and ballast is put in last.

[@ViewFromAfar]

I think this is the first time I disagree with some of what you are saying. IMO some of what you present as mistakes are representing what floats your boat in the hobby while there are plenty others who are very happy with how they enjoy the hobby. To each their own - do what pleases you and reflects your passions, even to the extent that it is seen as totally eclectic to others.

[@dsplaisted]

Agreed. I'm getting back into model railroding at 40-ish, and I'm not (yet) very interested in researching a prototype and building a model railroad based on that. Right now I don't care if my rolling stock comes from all sorts of different railroads, or even eras. For me it's also way more important to get trains running first rather than completing scenery. Operations is where (I think) the fun lies for me. I think this also depends on the size of the layout, if you are building a 4 by 8 layout or a 12' long shelf layout, it probably makes more sense to lay all the track and get it running before doing much scenery. If you're doing a much larger layout then it probably makes more sense to work in sections, where each section adds some operational interest to the railroad but to complete scenery on one section before moving on to the next one. Larry, I love your videos, they are an amazing resource. Some things are so much easier to understand when you show them in a video compared to reading about them in a book or a magazine article.

[@kkoch666]

Right. Some people maybe just want to run trains, and the scenery isn't top priority.

[@buckan8r999]

I’m new to model railroading and I may not want to invest the time, resources and money into scenery and walls, etc. My basement is already finished; I don’t think the wife would appreciate changing one wall to suit the scenery of the railroad. I would rather start very simply with a train set to see if my interest is piqued with more embellishments on subsequent buils. If my interest wanes, then I haven’t wasted much or destroyed walls with scenery I’m no longer interested in.

[@mlkesimmons758]

Good advice. Always good to consider the steps and reconsider the steps after already way along. May still be time to change direction to avoid long term concensequences of past bad decisions. The long term plan is a very important consideration. How much time do I actually have to bring my plan to fruition?

[@randydobson1863]

hello larry its is randy and i like yours video is cool thanks friends randy

[@Mike__B]

Good video. I'm wondering if there is some advice you can give for landscaping the example you showed with the river, bridge and some trees it looks like it may be difficult to landscape the "back" of the area even if you started with that and moved towards the front of the panel. Or is it something more like you build a diorama separately so you can attack it from all angles and then slide it in and attach it to your setup?

[@TheDCCGuy]

That scene is only about a foot deep so doing the scenery there was easy. On layouts with large expanses doing the scenery can be difficult and usually requires building in a popup hatch not only for scenery but also to be able to clean track and retrieve derailed cars. I have another river crossing that I’ll be attacking soon and that will be the subject of a series of videos.

[@warrenholmar1129]

Great tips!

[@hollowphonic4880]

Sorry...what is 'Blunami'? New one for me. Heard it here first. Thanks Larry. Brad.

[@TheDCCGuy]

I covered this in videos 272 & 273.

[@markcinque7011]

i use to have the old 0-27 Gauge 3 rail Lionel Tube tubular Track now along with the New Lionel 0-27GAUGE FastTrack i have the new Lionel lionchief Bluetooth Trains, 12:45

[@mikebeam822]

Thank you, Dr. Puckett for all you've done for this hobby. I've watched many of your vids and have also purchased a couple of the Model Railroad Booksyou've authored. However, I have a question that hasn't been answered... to wit; Is there a benefit, other than flexibility, to using stranded wire vs. solid core? Or conversely, are there difficulties to either type of wire? For example, I like using suitcase connectors for my rail feeders, will using that 'cut' a solid bus wire?

[@TheDCCGuy]

I have used both without any issues and know of no reason not to. There may be minor differences based on something called the skin effect but you’d have to ask an electronics engineer for that. As for suitcase connectors you need to check the label or other information for the manufacturer’s recommendation on using stranded. I know that some sizes say yes others say no. The ones I use can be used with either. While the device may cut into and even sever a single wire or two when used with stranded wire, the electrical connection remains as electrons can pass from adjacent wires around the cut or even through the blade. And of course the bigger the wire the more strands you have.

[@Tezzathelearner]

I think this is very good, Gary (but most of your videos are!). But I was surprised you didn't include joining a good model railroad club. I'm in a club that doesn't have a layout, nevertheless club meetings have still given me a lot of useful background info, hints and advice that I would not have got otherwise. Club members have done things for me that have saved me time and money, among other things. As the Bible's book of Proverbs says (I paraphrase it): there is worthwhile safety and value in having lot of counsellors, which a good club provides.

[@TheDCCGuy]

You must have skipped the section beginning at about 1:35 where I talked about train clubs.

[@robertbarnes5262]

I agree with a lot of your viewer I am just getting started in the hobby and making the mistakes is a good experience I do have a question I have seen videos were the feeder wire are soldered to rail joiners is that a good idea

[@TheDCCGuy]

Yes, you can learn by making the same mistakes lots of others have already made. My point is that those kinds of things are avoidable and that costs you money and wasted time in the long run. Several,companies sell rail,joiners with feeders attached, but the feeders are often smaller diameter than I would suggest and really are designed for use with DC. I sometime also will solder a feeders to the side of a rail joiner but find it easier to just attach them to the sides of the rails.

[@markcinque7011]

Wow looks well done very nice, 11:33

[@BillMastersMRR]

A very costly mistake that I made when just starting was to go through a store catalog and buy up everything I liked before I was ready to put them on the layout. In time I found better sources to buy from and better quality items and also figured out a lot of things I could have made myself. So I'd say buy small when starting out and get only what you need.

[@allenbarnes7202]

I looked at a lot of track plans, did not like any of them, I started with out a plan, now that I have moved I get to expand, no plan for future

[@Conn653]

Used book stores are a good place to find "stuff". 🙂

[@MichaelMcKinnon-jf1yy]

There's no such thing as a mistake in model railroading, as long as it's fun for you, just go with it

[@martink8080]

About point #5 "Not settling on a control method", it can be a tough call when building to an even 80% completion can take years if not decades. Not only might you get locked into a method that doesn't go the distance for you, it might even become outdated and not supported somewhere down the line. Any advice on future proofing or is this just one of those things where you takes your chances?

[@Mystorm2021]

Can't have a finished basement due to ground water. Have sub pumps only 2 times since 1999 we had water.. had to gut the whole basement.

[@abbofun9022]

Tbh, a lot of the things you mention boil down to ‘don’t be impatient and think ahead’

[@dennisfox4672]

What is and how does Bluenomi work?

[@TheDCCGuy]

Watch the videos and find out.

[@OddHunter5504]

The biggest costly mistake we’re all guilty of is just buying locos and forgetting about the rolling stock

[@markcinque7011]

yes i agree totally, 8:20

[@bc5441]

Planning too complex a railroad before gaining experience can lead to discouragement.

[@captainmorgan757]

I am one that has a neurological disorder, so I am extremely limited to what I am able to do. Given that fact, I hired someone, from the internet, to build it for me. Here I am, three years later, three times over budget, the layout is not to my planning but to his, and the layout isn't half way completed! Am I seeking pity? No! I am trying to stress the fact that building one's layout needs to exclude those who would take advantage of another person! But how does one know if the person is as good as he says he is? Reviews? Word of mouth? One will never know until one dives into it!

[@Jeff-hw8is]

You mentioned a new form of model railroad power/decoder. Do you have a reference so I can read about it? Thank you PS can you post your videos on Rumble.

[@TheDCCGuy]

Watch videos 272&273.

[@joshuariddensdale2126]

Unfortunately, I'm rather limited when it comes to space, as in less than a sheet of plywood. There aren't many track plans for such a small layout, especially for HO scale. Even in N scale, there aren't that many.

[@corwin81]

You can do a 1’ x 6’ layout and be able to operate on it, or even a 1’ x 4’. Might be limited to 40’ cars and 4 axle diesels though.

[@susanhaney3437]

Time for Z scale!

[@danshobbies13]

My costly mistake was not being able to move my 4x8 layout out of my basement. It got damaged during a move. That was the last time I did a permanent layout. Whoops 😬

[@dirkstrains]

Do you realize there are 6 Spirit Globes in the before basement picture??

[@TheDCCGuy]

There’s a lot more now!

[@Gilsreptiles]

👍👍

[@kokodin5895]

there is another mistake you didn't mentioned picking a gauge in which there is no manufactured models of what you want to model don't get me wrong if you don't have space for a layout spending 2 years on building a single locomotive from nothing is also very interesting hobby, but with time you start to wonder how fun it would be if it didn't collect dust but could actually run on tracks also doing it for show and not for fun would be the biggest mistake