Medium Size On30 Layout in the Backyard

This layout is slightly larger than my first: a full 48" x 36". It started with an old bulletin board, with layers of pink foam added. The hills are made of Great Stuff spray foam, which worked perfectly -- It's easy to carve when dry, and very lightweight. No plywood, no nails, no plaster anywhere on the layout.
The trains are mostly Bachmann, of course. The 2-4-0 started life as a Forney, but with a tender [from Wiseman] it can take the 16" radius curves easily.
The video is longer than I expected, so if you don't like watching small trains go round in circles...

[@carmium]

It took me a couple of minutes to realize you hand NOT built a garden railway with HO gauge track! I had recently read a chat in which a newbie was informed - by several parties - that in no #@$% way was it practical to do play with small trains in the backyard, so you had me going! Very nice work, even if it is just 3x4. 8-)

[@JamesWillmus]

Actually, you can use HO scale track outdoors. The Brits do it all the time with OO gauge, which is similar to HO scale. The track needs to be elevated and preferably the equipment should be battery powered, but it works.

[@christopherblackwell2429]

For a small layout it is certain well done. However to also shows how much real sun light works on a well made model. The weathering was well done and on one box car you tried something that I have been considering, grey as a color which I have been considering. Your scenery looked fine not counting the actual trees in the back grown. However it did show tat your scenery was believable when compared to the real thing.

[@grits3d]

Thanks Gianni. The quarry cars with 2 trucks are resit and wood kits from Boulder Valley Models. They make excellent kits. And the 4-wheel cars are bashed from Bachmann's HO Thomas the Tank Engine cars, with the old couplers sliced off and new Kadees body-mounted. Very cost-effective. I guess I could create a blog, but I don't have much spare time. I did find time to take some overall photos of this layout, and I need to edit those into a short video.

[@wintersinia]

Glad I'm not the only one using Thomas wagons for On30! Sorry, no video.

[@denesofvannspring]

Your videos and your modeling are awesome! Great conversions of the rolling stock and the Forney-- what is the origin of the handsome 4-6-0?

[@Havellender]

Well yes it seiht the hammer. 've Really thought this is the one garden railway and would have to ask you where you bought it dioese beautiful trees! Class performance and a very good idea of the cinematic realization! Keep it up! Greetings from Germany, Jens

[@sirracer2005]

do you by chance have a shot from above so i can see your track plan by chance?

[@chuchuchip]

Love the music, it fits. Is it home recorded? I'm impressed this is outdoors. How well is the track holding up?

[@grits3d]

I wish I had recorded it! No, just something KZbin suggested. And the layout is more of a module, which I took outside just for photographs. Most of this track uses plastic ties that eventually dissolve under the UV light of the sun. Our Kentucky weather isn't very helpful, either.

[@GianniPhat]

Amazing work on the layout and video production! I really love the back-woodsy feel. The rolling stock toward the end looks like Bachmann tippers, but what are the four-wheel cars at the end of the string of tippers? Would love to learn more about your process; do you have a blog or build thread anywhere?

[@littleevan99]

Are those Thomas the Tank Engine cars? They look like it.