Is Your Model Railroad Trying To Do Too Much?

[@Trains-With-Shane]

Florida Railfan has a few good videos chasing on the Yadkin Valley. Including a VERY cool Cummins powered locomotive. Might be some cool inspiration for your layout.

[@KatoOnTheTrack1]

I definitely try to do way too much on my layout but I enjoy it lol.

[@ReshaProd]

Good morning! I’m just a kid but your tips help me a lot to figure out how to build realistic scenes for cheap.

[@davidf9630]

@reshaprod… we’re ALL just kids. I’m 56 years old and I still play with trains. Just be creative and let your imagination lead the way… I have modeled with old cereal boxes and even an empty toilet paper roll for a tank. Never sell yourself short! Just have FUN… and like Jimmy said “ happy railroading”

[@Jake_Kern]

I can honesty hardly believe it.... coming back to model trains years later and seeing drone footage of the yard in Elkin where id watch trains with my parents or grandparents is surreal. Really coming full circle in this small world. God bless.

[@jonpowell-ov3yh]

Can I get an AMEN for brother Jimmy! Yes, the "It's your layout" rule is true and valid, but so is the "Ten pounds won't fit in a five pound bag" one. I see so many layouts that strive to include "everything" and they just end up jumbled, cluttered, crowded, overly detailed messes. Even if you're building a totally freelanced layout, it ought to have some basis or connection to reality. And you're so right, an afternoon of observant railfanning (done anywhere, in person, or even done online) can make a huge impact on your layout. My N scale layout is fairly large (23'x34') and over the last few years most of my work has actually been to "simplify" the trackplan and scenery (and truthfully, its never looked better or been more enjoyable to operate). And as an added bonus, I now have a tote full of UniTrack that I can repurpose into a second layout!! 😹

[@timwright3592]

'Selective Compression'. Works every time! 🚂

[@watchtrainsnow1099]

If you are having fun, then you are doing it right!

[@danotech594]

I’m hitting the Peet’s Dark Roast this evening….😋 Your Coffee and Trains commentaries are excellent, love to hear your take on different aspects of the hobby. This strikes a chord with me, as I am building my rendition of the NYC Gardenville Yard. It’s been gone since the early 60’s, and has been devoured over the years by commercial and residential development over the course of many decades. The yard had so many elements - including a roundhouse, diesel fueling and maintenance facility and several high girder plate viaducts that carried vehicles over parts of it. A couple things I realized right away: 1) I would have to consult lots of historic photographs for ideas, 2) Thankfully, a Google search found an aerial photo from 1951 that gives an overview of the whole yard and structures, and 3) Unless I either attempted to model it in N scale or moved the thing to its own structure on my property (or both! Did I mention it was HUGE??) then I would have to… 4) Pick and choose elements of the original to tweak to “give a general feel” of the yard. Things like modeling two out of the five viaducts, bringing the main under an angled structure containing two other lines, and using appropriate period road names and motive power) Compromise isn’t a curse, and flexibility within a design will give a result that is both interesting and satisfying. Is my railroad design exactly how I originally imagined? Not necessarily. Is it cool anyway? Oh yeah!

[@genejablonski9909]

Great advice ... I'm lovin Jimmy's Trains

[@GeepSLSF]

Jimmy best rule of thumb is to KISS ( keep it simple stupid) a project, I’m at that crossroad myself wanting everything but no room and I also want narrow gauge on it also . So your explanation on what to remove or just ignore helps a lot Thank you for this advice

[@warreninc.9485]

I needed this video because I kept trying to compress way too many industries in such a small place

[@Jake_Kern]

No way!!!!!!!!!!! I've lived in Elkin for a huge part of my life. I always thought your layout looked very much like home. I knew it was western NC, but not my part! Love it!!!!!!

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

Yeah man! I’m originally from the Triad and went to school at App.

[@Jake_Kern]

@DIYDigitalRailroad App is beautiful... the Blue Ridge is my favorite part of my country. I wish I could live there again. Thank you so much for your help getting back into the best hobby on Earth.

[@jamesthomas7724]

I’m drinking the wildflower blend from Magnolia Coffee Company

[@thoughtengine]

I saw a massive railway once, that tried to cover almost the entirety of England in one shed. It was rather difficult to use. The sad part was we could see the foundations the owner had organised to make the shed bigger and fit in more. Schweppes Passionfruit and Pineapple infused mineral water, it's too late for coffee.

[@firecap5442]

Drinking some Black Rifle Coffee Freedom Fuel and planning my Monon Michigan City branch layout with your help!

[@thomasdecker7631]

I once studied Sanborn maps for the former GTW "paper spur" in Port Huron, MI. circa 1948. There was much to like, including, to the best of my recollection, 16 diverse rail served industries ranging from paper mills to coal and oil distributors as well as a rolling lift bridge across the Black River, all in a distance of 2 miles. The problem was where to begin to compress such a rich rail landscape.

[@clayc124]

I have an oval with 2 sidings to back cars into or pick up. HO scale. No complexity problem for me.

[@andrewl9191]

I've got an oval N scale layout that fits in a 2.5'x4' foot print and has a mountain at one side. I really considered adding more buildings to it and cramming in a ridge down the diagonal, but I ended up only having two buildings as industries, plus a gas station and a switch tower. I see people with the same size, or even a little smaller, who put a ton of stuff inside and it just feels like somebody's SimCity.

[@paparoysworkshop]

Doing too much is just too tempting. Although my railroad is not yet completed, I keep dreaming of more things I would like to have/add. 🚂🚂🚂

[@allenkotlan3606]

The back drop isn't a back stop. Paint distant places, like Mt. Airy (sp?) or that Substation short service line. Get cleaver and a track switch can divide the main, get lost in the scenery and continue into the painted back drop. Then, add clouds.

[@lpclassic60]

I’m super excited for that next video on finding inspiration. Currently, I’m trying to plan my first layout in ages, but the amount of options available to me is kind of overwhelming. I feel like I keep ending up back at square one. Oh, and I’m just drinking basic Kirkland Signature Costco coffee. Not great but not terrible. 😅

[@michaelamoroso4561]

Thank you for pointing out this important aspect of trying to cram to many industries on a railroad.

[@railhog69]

I lived in Elkin for a time and love the YVRr

[@dennisleopold6834]

I currently drink a home blend of Folgers decaf and Folgers Black Silk, 7 scoops decaf to 5 of Black Silk. Nice combo, keeps the caffeine jitters to a minimum allowing me to retail my z scale cars by hand :D

[@SirLANsalot]

So the thing to think about is, yes, space, but also what kind and how much you want of Selective Compression. You might want to run a lot of hopper cars, so having more then 1 industry that takes them would be a choice. Like having a Concrete Plant, Grain Mill and Sawdust Fill (from a lumbermill) would be 3 industries that all take covered hoppers. Open hoppers would be a Gravel Pit, Coal Mine, and Iron Ore Mines to name a few that would take open hoppers. Try and strike a balance between what you like to run and have vs what you want to model and what kind of industries do those cars go to. In the end, what you like to see run on a layout does have a greater weight in what you model on the layout. And then you can come up with whatever excuse you want to justify why that little 2-6-2 is pulling a string of modern day 60' boxcars (like how the Albany and Eastern back in July did using their little steamer to do revenue freight).

[@handlaidtracksand3dprinted922]

I made my 2'x4' layout handlaying the tracks and 3D printing the tiebeds and freight cars. But building switches is fun and I designed curved turnouts which I always wanted! So the layout s mostly planned as tracks and yards. Would love to run an out and back, may make a shelf layout above it.

[@ericdupont1326]

10 years ago I wanted to modell Wisconsin area , Lake Superior shores => Ashland , the two depots and the ore dock ; Fish Creek and Bayfield at the north ; but ( even without Barsdale , Washburn Sioux and Salmo ) a L shape layout of 10' x 10 ' was really not enough as 10 meters is 1 mile in reality !

[@glrider100]

I fought this dilemna as well. I wanted a layout that had lots of everything. But it became impossible. One thing I wanted to do was to make my layout a module, so I could connect it to future modules. I finally cleared my head and settled on just a few things, and saved some of the "big ideas" I had for future modules.

[@thefatguyjj]

I don't have space for a large layout, but I managed to get 60+ feet of n scale track on a 4x4 layout. I can run 3 locos at the same time which is what I wanted.

[@andrewl9191]

I'm going to try to model a short "spur" that used to be part of something much larger when I get in my new home. The prototype goes through my home town, and it's about a mile and a half. I definitely don't have 35-45 feet, or at least I assume I won't, so I'll need to squish part of it down. It is also currently only used for 1 industry, but I want to make it as if more of the local companies still used it, I'm just not sure if I should try to make it historic with WWII era buildings, or just lay the track so that it serves what is currently there. As well, I'm drinking Starbucks cold brew with peppermint flavor.

[@andrewl9191]

Also, I'm really stoked about this way to support on Patreon, with 3d printed stuff.

[@johnbrubaker2033]

I've never understood why people try to cram as much as possible into their model railroads. Less is more....and more realistic. Believe it or not, you can fit a lot of action and not be overwhelmed by the modeling aspect of model railroading into a 1 ft x 8 ft shelf layout. This is my go-to and believe it or not sometimes it's still too big.

[@titustracy3342]

Ear is that you are talking about I live and used to live near. I lived in Winston-Salem North Carolina before I came up to red lion PA.

[@averageguy7136]

I apreciate your videos and advice. Thanks Jimmy.

[@TwoRailfans]

The first rule you mentioned is the most important. 😁 This was a good explanation for cutting back to something more attainable though.

[@thesheq5023]

I have a fictional railroad thats a double track figure eight main with an inner yard loop and outer loop. It allows 5 or so trains two on each main and one on the yard loop. It has an interchange off to one side, two smaller yards, three towns, about 4 industries or so. It’s an 10x10 U shaped layout. It’s really pressing the boundary for almost too much but it has enough track so even though there’s enough action it’s busy but not crowded

[@jimvaneckoute3971]

Very good information on modeling a railroad

[@johnbanicki7232]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing. We all tend to try and do too much in a small space.

[@rrgibbons]

Space, time, usability, and money. I believe the costs of each need to be thought about when planning model railroad. I am looking forward to moving into a home with a good-sized basement. I am coming up on 70 years old, so my time available to build a basement-sized railroad is limited. Space considerations must include space for the operators. Cramming in so much railroad into whatever space you have such that operating it is an exercise in squirming through too-narrow aisles is going to be a permanent problem. Covering every square foot of railroad with track work, turnouts, and structures costs both lots of money AND time. The video covers the idea of reducing the number of industries modeled, but I suggest that the idea of reducing how much railroad overall is put in a space can be considered also.

[@trainglen22]

Thank you for this informative video! It gives me hope for a small shortline that interchanges with the CN in Southern Ontario. This means that I don't have to model 3 of the same thing.

[@loispadgett6306]

Looking forward to the next build. Good advice from this video and the drone feed was fun to see. I think when I finaling build my layout freelance going to make up a story about the layout and build off that. I have a great imaganation. Just have fun with trains. GOD BLESS 🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖🚂💖

[@chadportenga7858]

This would have been so helpful a year ago when I started planning my layout. Fortunately (in a twisted way), I have been drawing and redrawing it (using SCARM) for the past year - as time allows, of course. I suppose I need to redraw it again, as I seem to have the proverbial 10 lbs of _______ in a 5 lb bag. (And, my coffee of choice is "none". I never could put enough sugar in it to make it palatable!)

[@traintools585]

I used to think you had to have track and industries everywhere you could cause back in the late 70s and 80s that's what I saw in magazines. Less is more

[@HumancityJunction]

Oh, so I am not supposed to include verything, including the kitchen sink?

[@GelatoTaco]

Hence why my layout doesn't have a double loop. Not enough room for my yard setup *AND* a decent length double-track platform

[@bruceyoung1343]

@3 seconds I bet you said “switches”. Because on few layouts years ago I had a lot of them

[@t3hmangokid]

With the upcoming expansion, any chance we'll get that video about a DCC EX Arduino Booster?

[@Ebolson1019]

Currently having a similar issue, repurposed the 4x8 table that used to house my Lionel train to n scale. Started with an older KATO set that has 12.5in curves and got a bundle of 19in unitrak curves for cheap. It’s proving very hard to figure out what I want, even with scarm I’m struggling to find a track plan I like. Seems either half the table is empty, it’s a weird web where 3 switches sprawls into 12 that crisscross, all over in a mess, or it’s a long continuous running track with few switches.😢

[@TheNorthwestWind]

Is the new layout going to be a loop or point to point?

[@andrewl9191]

This is an interesting question. I feel like he's going to want to add some kind of continuous running, because he does that endurance test, either to let us know that it can be done, to "run-in" an engine, or to just test it out for himself. Maybe he'll at least have a small loop where he can run a small loop...I guess he has MRR1, but that might be in storage?

[@warreninc.9485]

I have the same question

[@TheNorthwestWind]

I feel like loop is necessary @@andrewl9191

[@davidsheriff8989]

An idea for an oval is to put a backdrop down the centre lengthways and do a differente scen each side....

[@JacksonSubNScaleModelRailroad]

This week I'm drinking Keurig k-cup Donut Shop Coffee with International Delight Sweet and Creamy Creamer!

[@JacksonSubNScaleModelRailroad]

Yes. Selective Compression is a must for layout design. Often times on a model less is more. I live in South Dakota, so for me, long stretches of open flat fields is what I want, but even on a room- sized layout, that can be hard to achieve. But on my layout, I can create a scene that when the viewer looks at the train from a certain angle, looks like it's coming around a small hill in a giant field, and your mind's imagination automatically takes over for you. I call this, the money shot!

[@rolandlawrence2654]

When it comes time and you are dismantling the layout behind you, will you video tape the dismantling? Thanks.

[@warreninc.9485]

I have a question about the new layout, will it have continuous running?

[@Fireball409]

Mostly I drink Folgers and occasionally I have Maxwell House ☕

[@isaiahtheclassichistorian]

So does that also apply when making a multi gauge multi era layout then? Because that’s the kind I want to make.

[@Tamalain]

Had a nightmare I was building a four acre setup, based on Tokeo. I kept waking g up in sweats.

[@markphillips5368]

Nescafe Classic Decaf coffee - I live in New Zealand.

[@DIYDigitalRailroad]

What part? I spent a few months on the South Island a decade ago.

[@markphillips5368]

My wife and I have been living in Nelson, at the top of the South Island for the last 13 years.

[@dkaustin98]

Will you include hidden staging in this new plan?

[@NYandAtlantic]

Great video

[@H.R.6688]

I have a question, for whoever. I got a sd35 and a sd40-2 in N scale that both need new motors. Anywhere i can find replacements? I've looked everywhere.

[@UDX-yo1sl]

Hello, I thought this myself about my 1995 atlas GP35, until I oiled it (in the right places), runs great now. Also I cleaned out the trucks, found carpet fiber in them, never ran the engine near carpet, heheh. Good luck!

[@H.R.6688]

@@UDX-yo1sl well one the contact wire broke off and I messed it up trying to fix it. The other i guess tge brushes are bad because it ran really bad and now won't do anything. The plastic area where the brushes go kinda melted.

[@UDX-yo1sl]

@@H.R.6688 Oh man bummer to hear they don't just need oil, I'm sorry I wasn't any help.

[@H.R.6688]

@@UDX-yo1sl no problem buddy.

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

How fo I join your channel

[@thecanadianredneckfarmer]

i cant drink coffee because of my adhd, so im drinking water lol

[@Nate_the_Great-4472]

No coffee for me, I drink BLI smoke fluid 😎

[@GoldenStateRailfan]

Jimmy, did you fly a drone over those areas? I was thinking of doing the same for the industries I am interested in modeling. Concerned about possible legal issues.

[@RelytCoyote15]

Good morning vietnaaaaammmmmmm!!!!!!!!!

[@tonykane8866]

😅😅

[@kinyodas]

“I model the Chessie System.” “Which part?” “All of it.” “Oh, cool. How big is your layout?” “Four by eight.” “…”

[@Eclipse1988]

Store brand colombian today!

[@UDX-yo1sl]

Deathwish coffee!

[@richardnelson-ux1zz]

Please send me the link to join your day railroad channel

[@colestrains1]

THIS!!! NORMALIZE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY!!” (I have double the amount of locomotives than rolling stock)

[@Blake4625kHz]

Sorry I like schizophrenic lay outs that’s just how I roll 😂

[@El_Crab]

Hello