N Scale Layout on a Door Ideas

[@vollmerdp]

Thanks for the shout out! I’ve long since sold the Juniata (pronounced June-ee-ah-tuh) Division (named after the Juniata River followed by the real PRR Middle Division in central PA) and now I am primarily working in HOn3. I still have a 36” by 70” N scale model railroad, but it’s the Colorado Midland around 1895-1905.

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah, I botched that name up good! Especially for a PSU grad! I've seen your current HOn3 layout in some of your videos. You have done a great job with that layout. It really looks good.

[@vollmerdp]

@@StevesTrains Hey, my wife and I are both Penn State grads!

[@StevesTrains]

@@vollmerdpI know, I was in the meteorology program with you guys, but one year behind you. Lol

[@vollmerdp]

@@StevesTrains OMG! My wife and I remember you! Small world!

[@StevesTrains]

I know, right?!

[@burgermeister7244]

Great idea I would not have thought of. I went and bought my 36x80" door from Lowes this afternoon. Set it up on two card tables I have. Now I'm ready to go!

[@mrblond750]

Wow! I have been off and on with model trains since I was 6 and I never even thought of using a door as a base. 🤔 👏

[@ffjsb]

Hollow core doors are basically a torsion box, so they are pretty rigid. The skin however is very thin, so if you're going to put legs on it, it's a good idea to glue 3/8" plywood on the bottom to attach the legs to. The skin is too thin to reliably screw or attach any legs on the door. The plywood just needs to be a few inches bigger than the footprint of the leg attachment points.

[@pagodaracingmountpennreadi8915]

Steve, it's pronounced June-E-At-A. The same as the river, town and PRR shops located in Pennsylvania . Love your videos, Keep'em comming!

[@StevesTrains]

I should have known that having gone to PSU.

[@tommcg5930]

There is a section of Philadelphia called Juniata also. Love the videos Steve

[@asciibaron]

and the college in Huntingdon

[@brodrick3164]

Personally I like the idea of a minimalistic z scale layout on a hollow core door. Lots of scenery at most a double line folded dog bone. When I was young I never had enough track on a layout now I don’t want to see 8 tracks in the background as Amtrak runs through the countryside let alone a big boy. Trying T-Trak and T-Trak-z this year. Not the precut commercial kits I am cutting all myself. So much more satisfying.

[@cdjhyoung]

As a birthday present I built my wife a 18"x3" Z scale sceniced layout for display in her office. I enjoyed creating the scenery (amazing how far a Super Tree armature will go in Z) but was VERY disappointed in the performance of the equipment.I used KATO track, and would never use it again. Poor electrical conductivity around the layout even though I put feeders in three separate places. I've built a lot in HO and N, but have never seen anything as temperamental as Z.

[@brodrick3164]

@@cdjhyoung I did not know that KATO made anything Z scale. I know they have N and HO scale track but have never seen any Z scale.

[@cdjhyoung]

@@brodrick3164 I'm sorry, I miss spoke. The track I used was from Micro-Trains. It is designed very much visually like Kato Uni-Track, but the tolerances were distressingly less accurate. A circle of the track didn't crate a smooth circle and that has lead to endless visual issues and smooth flow of those small engines and cars. The engine I bought had twice (or more) current draw than any of my Atlas N engines which was an issue until I figured out I needed more amperage than my power pack was supplying. MRC to the rescue.

[@brodrick3164]

@@cdjhyoung I purchased Rokuhan Z scale track over the last year. I have not actually tried it out yet but it appears to be similar to KATO N scale. I would not be surprised if they are both designed by the same people. I have been putting off buying an engine and rolling stock. With AZL’s recent steam release I think it’s about time to drop some more cash.

[@hadynmcloughlin4661]

Very interesting options have saved for future builds as I get into the hobby more. Trestle table idea is perfect for small spaces.

[@planedriverjoshsimmons9587]

I've been wanting to do this since I saw an article in Model Railroader 30 years ago. I saw another article where they redid the original design, but with Kato track. I suppose I need to just get on it.

[@raamosjr]

I have considered building an N gauge layout on a door. Still considering it, but I’m oversubscribed in 3-rail O ATM. Need to downsize to create the space. Still like the concept! Thanks for posting this - looking forward to your buildout.

[@tonyantonuccio4748]

I'm currently building a layout on a 28x80 door that is based on your past designs. It's a double mainline with some interior industry and a trolley line. Thanks for all your good ideas.

[@jasoncheyne78]

Built the Atlas hollow core door build from back in the 90’s and looking to get back into n scale model trains and this is the way I might go again as I’m still limited on space other option is a shelf layout

[@Chris_P_Bacon_the_4029th]

I'm contemplating an HCD vs 1x2 framed base with 1/4" plywood top, of the same size. I'm stuck on some of the cons with the HCD approach: - Where do the wires go? I definitely wouldn't want them on the underside of the door - Where would I mount under-track switch machines? - Lots of foam shaving and sculpting to get up-and-over slopes with bridges I'd really want to hide all that *inside* the door if possible, so I'm leaning toward essentially building my own pseudo-HCD with 1x2's and plywood top (and maybe removable bottom). I would use cookie-cutter construction for sloped track. I can't wait to see what you come up with!

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah, there are a lot of drawbacks to using a door. You do have to use foam or do a cookie cutter track base on top to have room for wires and other things without going through the door itself.

[@cdjhyoung]

You are pointing out some of the weaknesses of a Hollow Core Door. Here are some suggestions. If you want elevation changes, I would start with a layer of foam glued to the door. one inch is a good starting point unless you know for sure you want to model a deep ravine. To elevate the track use Woodland Scenics ramps. They come in 1%,2%, and 3% grades. I would suggest using the 2%. For hiding wiring, plan on trenching the foam to route wires. This will mean pre-planning for wires that pass under track work. This is a small layout. Instead of trying to hide switch machines use PECO turnouts with their centering spring. I've built using both the code 80 and code 55 and both seem to work well. I'm am currently finishing an installation that uses Atlas code 80 turnouts. I am VERY disappointed in them. The points from turnout to turnout function differently. I have some turnouts that only fully open in one direction. Admittedly your mileage may very, but buyer beware. I've also used Atlas code 55 turnouts. The only issue I have run into with them is a few that are humped at the frog. This can be overcome by carefully gluing them down with Liquid Nails and weighting them down over night. Folding legs are a good application for a layout built on a HCD. Menards sells a set of folding legs that are reasonably light weight. Like someone mentioned, you will need to glue a piece of plywood to the bottom of the door for leg mounting points. If you use the Menard legs, this would be a piece about 16 inches long by the width of your door. I don't like to shape foam. I'm allergic to the smoke from cutting it with a hot wire. It is really messy if you wire Brush it or cut it. Plus it is hard to get smooth land forms. I prefer doing sort of a hard shell system where I build the basic shapes with wet newspaper wads covered by shop rags or towels soaked in a 80%/20% yellow carpenter's glue to water mixture. This give a nice surface that I then spread ground goop on to give the final layer before paint and scenery foam.

[@MSRTA_Productions]

3:45 Honestly one of my favorite HCD Layouts. I actually did make a version of this with Unitrack. It took some time tho. And I took inspiration for that plan for my layout. Except I have a 32 not a 36 but I made it work.

[@danbalmer1]

Please do sometime as I am considering this with Kato Unitrak and would love to follow.

[@Scobyland]

Hey, glad I just came across your video and question. I had a lay out before, using two foldable 6' tables (L shaped). But due to family needs I had to close up shop, etc. But I just, last week, got lumber and made my own layout frame, first ever, using a door (indeed 80" long) instead of plywood. I, however, made legs (40" high) for it. With the door (as my table) it came to a 42" height, just about. I'm ready, soon, to start planning the layout and get trains running (not DCC yet though). I use and love KATO Unitrack, N scale.

[@allenwilson8913]

Ready for some more N scale!

[@jaybickford512]

I have a special place in my heart for the Carolina Central, as it was the first N-Scale layout that I ever built back in 1997 when the original MRR build series of articles came out. I'd love to see what you do with one. 😊

[@paulfniquette]

I have liked the Carolina Central for a long time. I haven’t seen the double track version before. I would like to see you build the Carolina Central with double track and broader curves. Thanks for all you do to promote N scale and Kato Unitrack.

[@StevesTrains]

I’ll have to hit them up sometime and get them to sponsor a project with some free track. Lol

[@paulfniquette]

@@StevesTrains I hope that works out for you. Oh oh … I just got a brain video of you in a Kato commercial!

[@vincenthuying98]

Dear Steve, love the overview of layout possibilities on a hollow core door in this vid of yours. Didn’t build in N scale, nor on a hollow core door. Did start my first ever HO scale layout on a piece of plywood around one of the gables in the attic of my childhood home. Just for space considerations it was located where normally the knee wall of the attic would be. Its footprint about the size of hollow core door. The space was rather restricted and awkward. However, by locating the tracks slightly askew with the front plywood edge, I was able to create a simple design with corners that were open for immersive scenery. It wasn’t a very elaborate track plan, just a little loop with a passing siding, some storage tracks and unloading facility. Nevertheless, I had loads of fun with this layout and definitely wetted my feet into scratch building and rigorous kit bashing. Cheerio

[@michaelcasey5121]

Looks like the old Atlas N55 layout plan I still run. Put that on a hollow core door and run some nice long passenger trains. Plenty of room for 2 mains and everything else.

[@bsquiklehausen]

I'd take a look at some of Kunihiko Ikeda's incredible N scale plan books - they're almost all mocked up with Unitrack (though you can build them with Micro-Engineering or other track), and they've got some incredible operational potential somehow packed into spaces around this size or smaller, while still maintaining scenery room.

[@StevesTrains]

Cool, thanks for the tip on those. I’ll take a look at them.

[@StevesTrains]

I grabbed two of his e-books on Amazon and there are indeed some great plans in there.

[@bsquiklehausen]

@@StevesTrains aren't they great? And the illustrations are top notch.

[@danielr.sepulvedaranspilot976]

Thanks for sharing , very informative video. as always.

[@anthonylorbach9365]

What about the Mohawk Southern (plan 25 from Model Railroader's 101 Track Plans for Model Railroaders?

[@StevesTrains]

I forgot about that book! I need to dig that out and go through it.

[@anthonylorbach9365]

@@StevesTrains There are some good ideas in there. The one I mention is nice because it includes a roundhouse. I build the one I mentioned, but wired it badly and I eventually abandoned it. I would love to see it up and running.

[@anthonylorbach9365]

I did build a layout a hollow core door and only had one problem. Because it is hollow, I had some challenges getting the wires through the holes (top and bottom) in the hollow areas. Besides that, the legs were an easy fit and I was able to add some wood surrounds quite easily.

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah, that is hard to do unless you make the holes bigger and use some drinking straws or something like that through both layers first. I wouldn’t run the wires through the door but probably route them through a foam layer on top. Of course that maybe won’t work easily in practice. We shall see.

[@Madlou]

Great Great Great info!

[@kentbarnes1955]

I've very interested in this. A hollow core door would be the perfect size for my current location. I too would love to have the Kato Big Boy someday.

[@djwarren5081]

What! We've got to wait till next year to see it take shape. Worse than waiting for Santa to arrive 😊

[@vulpinemac]

A trick I found for making an N-scale layout look less cramped as compared to the "equivalent" HO scale, is to make the N scale layout 3/5ths the physical size of the HO version, rather than the approximate 1/2-size that most N scalers tend to use. A 4 x 8 HO layout would thus be a 3 x 5 in N scale.

[@StevesTrains]

That is solid advice.

[@jackheninger5471]

Lots of good ideas Steve. One plan I've always thought would e fun and I think would fit on a HCD an in N scale would be a plan called The Break the Rules. The name comes from leaving off an engine facility and a yard. It is 5 x 9 in HO and I think it would fit on a 36" x 80" door. Lots of industries.

[@StevesTrains]

I’ll have to check that out

[@SB5SimulationsFerroviairesEEP]

Thank You! Stéph.

[@loispadgett6306]

Great idea those doors are lighter. Will look forward to that build in 2025. GOD BLESS 🚂 💕 🚂 💕 🚂 💕

[@thatairplaneguy]

I just had an interesting idea. A theme park layout. We always see trains at theme parks and zoos but I’ve never seen anyone model a theme park or zoo train. That would be really neat on even a miniature layout.

[@StevesTrains]

I would like to do that but doing the rides would be hard in N scale. There is a lot of stuff in O scale of course and quite a bit in HO in terms of ride kits and stuff.

[@DeathByFishing]

​@StevesTrains you could commission a 3d printer to create the rides. Also, Bush Gardens in Tampa has a train that runs the entire park. It would make an awesome build in N scale.

[@AlcoLoco251]

Something I've learned is that HO Scale 4x8 plans can be modified to HCD in N Scale. I was able to convert MRs Virginian 4x8 into a HCD plan for N Scale.

[@chrisbarr1359]

FYI - it's not Juanita. It's Juniata as in the juniata rail car shop from the PRR and Conrail days.

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah, I don’t know what the heck I was doing. I lived up there for four years too!

[@averageguy7136]

I really appreciate your videos

[@michaelrollo6518]

I noticed midwest trolly they have all this overhead wire and when they transport the layout to train shows they have to fix the overhead wire what if they made a cover so the overhead would not get damaged

[@JERRYR708]

I'm installing new windows and a door for a customer tomorrow and will be getting their hollow door. This will be my first N-Scale layout and getting off to a fresh start with some free materials.

[@thatairplaneguy]

I did an HO on a door for my kids when they were little. I do rc planes but still like trains. My kids used to like trains more so I hinged a door on the wall of my garage with two fold out legs. I made a flat HO loop with a little scenery from a Thomas set they liked to fold down and keep them occupied while I worked on planes on the other side of the garage. When they weren’t in the garage with me I could fold it up flat and out of the way. It was great for us. I never liked HO because of its size but N was too small and fragile for the kids. I dabbled in G scale garden layouts for a couple years but I’m tired of the constant upkeep so I’m thinking about finally getting into N scale now that the kids are bigger and I’m slowing down in airplanes because of lack of time to go fly. If I don’t have a whole afternoon to fly I could run some trains for a few minutes instead. Thanks for the video

[@NScaleDystopia]

Great video Steve!

[@StevesTrains]

Thanks!

[@davidcrabtree1215]

Hello - sorry a bit late to the party here, but as you said you are just planning right now. I built a version of the East Carolina on a 36” standard hollow core door. In the end, I really did not get much out of it, primarily because of my own immaturity I think. On the spur going to the right, I made that really like a yard thinking I needed to store rolling stock there. I really did not figure out how to operate on it, but enjoyed running trains, although that got a bit boring TBH. We moved overseas for about 3 years and things sat dormant for a long time, and when we returned, my job demands were such that I really did not spend much time with it. What it did do is allow me to experiment with DCC and JMRI - I ended up running JMRI on a Raspberry PI, set up some turnouts with remote operation, designed some nice connections for power and DCC connections and set up an atlas turntable to run from a throttle via a decoder. What I really did not like is making drops through the hollow core door, that was much more cumbersome that I thought it would be and was a real source of frustration. In the end, we moved again and the door found its way to the dump. Now I am doing a basic modular switching layout and that is becoming much more satisfying….

[@StevesTrains]

There are certainly drawbacks for sure. I wouldn’t run wiring through the door (although a straw or other tube helps with that) but create a gap between some layers of foam on top of the door for wire channels. I’m probably going to do something other than the Carolina central plan but I feel like I need to build a door layout at some point since I never have. The idea would be to go all out on it and see what I can achieve on something of that size since the majority of my layouts are smaller. I do want to do a modular layout eventually what uses hexagons instead of t-trak type modules so things can be easily configured in numerous different ways.

[@ravenlorans]

Back in Around 05, I built 2 Layouts on Doors I got from Work at Menards for Five Dollars Each. Slightly Damaged and Set My Own Price. If Sold to a Customer, Would have been Ten Dollars Each.. Got my other Supplies like Cork Board, the Thick Dark Chunky Stuff for Mountains there also, Spray Foam, Resign for Water, Astro Turf for Grass Fields and and and... Made a L Shape Layout. Got it Up and Running Real Nice and then ended up Selling it Soon after to a 75yr old guy looking for a layout for his N-Scale Trains.. He Loved it. Broke Even on the Money selling it. I didn't mind. He had Buildings and other things to put on it. Just no where and no layout to put them on himself.. When you go to Home Centers, Look For Damaged Doors and other things. You can get them For Cheap or for a Lot less anyway.. They usually just end up writing them off and throwing them away, so Check Garbage's also. And Astro Turf for Grass.. It Helps and saves time Sooo Much. Depending on the Quality of the kind you get and how Thick you get it.

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah getting damaged doors is a great idea. Doesn’t really matter for this purpose and you can usually get a good discount since they are trying to get rid of them.

[@edwardstd52]

Yup - first N scale railroad was on a hollow core door. It was a slightly modified version of the MR project railroad and while I never "finished" it, I did gain a lot of scenery knowledge that I've now used on my current around-the-room shelf railroad using some of Lance Mindheim's ideas. BTW - Where is the garden G scale railroad in the To-Do list? And the live steam project? 😆

[@StevesTrains]

I don’t know when I’ll get to the garden railroad. I thought about it and have some stuff for it, but hard to get motivated to work on it when the heat index is like 115 every day here.

[@edwardstd52]

@@StevesTrains Well you are doing great work and I pick up at least one new tip from everyone of your videos. I'll be watching!

[@nfordf450]

Yes I have. I built the Carolina central and filmed a lot of it on KZbin. Have to go back to my first videos on KZbin tho.

[@StevesTrains]

Cool!

[@terryglover3215]

I have a layout on a picnic table, and have as much fun building and planning the buildings.

[@elleryparsons2433]

Working On N Scale Quite The Challenge ALL N ALL it’s Worth it.

[@ProspectorsGhost]

You asked so - Here we go. I hope I don't bore you all to death with all the details. - If so. - I humbly appologize in advance. Yes I have built an "N-Scale" layout upon a 32 inch wide by 70 inch long hollow core door. I named it the "Rattlesnake Gulch" & "Timberline Railroad". I started it about 4 years ago after trading all my HO-Scale train stuff for another person's N-Scale Stuff. Over the last 30 years this makes my 5th train layout. (4 HO-Scale, and now this one (my 3rd N-Scale). It has 3 tunnels, a couple of inclines, an over/under figure 8, 3 trestles, 2 bridges, a coal mine, 2 reversing loops, 3 dead ended off shoots (in case I wanted to expand it in three different directions}, and an old cavalry fort on it. Almost everything on it has been made by using fireplace matches, - kitchen matches, - or ice cream type hobby sticks. I have 1 DCC Powered SD40-2 engine - 9 DC or DCC ready engines - 2 DC powered steam engines - Rolling stock? Lots of Double stack and Autorack cars along with a few box cars and covered hoppers along with 8 or 10 cabooses. I have it set up for running both DC and DCC power by just flipping 2 house type light switches for 120 volt ac power (1 for each power pack) , - 4 dpdt toggle switches for switching to either DC power, or DCC power, - 2 dpdt toggle swicthes for manually controlling the reversing loops. All track turnout switching is done with 12 manually controlled left or right turnout switches (manually controlled by finger power at each turnout switch). But I'm about to change it, as after about ten mintutes of running trains on it I'm totally bored to death. It seems my mind hates the idea of watching trains continuously going around and around in small circles and getting no-where and having one town taking up the whole layout. One Town? - What Town? - Would you believe......? - 1 plastic factory made Pizza Hut building, and 1 plastic factory made railroad train station depot. and also a plastic factory made "Merchants Row Buiding kit" (not painted or assembled yet). All other structures are scratch built by hand using matches, or hobby sticks, and wood glue. I want something that will be simular to a "U"- shaped shelf type layout about 24 inches wide and each section of the "U" be around 9 or 10 feet long that has a lower level track in the front with a higher level track in the back, or a two level over/under type layout that will take time to run a train completely around the layout twice before arriving back at the starting point but will still have a small town or something every so often all the way around the layout upon both levels complete with a short one track switch siding at all towns etc along the whole layout route for doing some switching that will fit into a small 13 foot long by 9 foot wide room of which is also being occupied by a 4 foot long by 3 foot wide by 5 foot high hobby desk, as well as a 2 foot square by 2 foot high homemade airbrush spray painting booth, and also a small roll around tool box squeezed between the spray paint booth and the hobby desk . Maybe one of these days - I'll find such a layout plan on paper that someone else has already done and of which I can adapt to my own deam purposes. But until then, I'm still trying to figure one out myself. I've already got the plywood cut out and waiting for the new layout plan ( If one ever comes along that is). "All comes to he that waits" - WelI I hope so anyway.... Yes lord, I'm still humbly waiting sir....... LOL. Anyway. Thanks Steve for producing and sharing such a great video. - May your own dreams come true as well.

[@StevesTrains]

Eventually I’ll likely have a room in which to build a layout and then can do something besides the small portable layouts.

[@Nebarus]

I have tried several times, but the trains seem to fall down all the time. I start to wonder if I should try on another door than my present front door...

[@StevesTrains]

Maybe try those magnetic tyco trains from the 80s that could go up a vertical wall.

[@elleryparsons2433]

For My Wife And I we Have Ho And N Scale layouts Our layouts Are Done But working On Shelving Now We Work on Our N Scale here’s The Challenge But it’s Worth It.

[@paulschimmel1099]

I think a n scale shunting yard might fit in a guitar case...!

[@StevesTrains]

It would. That would be a cool and fun project I’ll have to try sometime.

[@paulschimmel1099]

@@StevesTrains I'm going to give it a go, will be my first layout..🤞

[@elleryparsons2433]

Building A N Scale on A Hollow Core Door I’m For It.

[@d-rail7271]

Check recycled building material places (Habitat Re-Store is one here, not sure how widespread they are other places) for hollow core doors, they won't even accept them as donations a lot of places due to low value and demand.

[@Kermondale]

I should have done tat

[@RWSBaden]

Hi Steve, My current layout is built on a 24" x 80" Hollow Core Door. Yes I broke rule number 1, the mainline is next to the edge of the door. But this allowed me to use an 11" radius on the one end of the layout and the other end hidden in a tunnel uses a 10" radius. I also have a thick pile carpet in my spare bedroom and thankfully only one car has taken the plunge, but no damage thanks to the carpet. Here is a link to an ops session I videoed for another group. ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/sJvSoqB6jNl_hrssi=jlyx4dPq0jfBG6hg ) My layout has changed some since this video was taken, but you'll get the overall idea of the track plan. It's a simple loop, but I operate the layout as if it was a point to point operation. I look forward to seeing your Hollow Core Door Layout Build. Also I enjoyed your 1' x 5' switching layout build. Beautiful job on the layout box / case wit the drawers, very nice. This would be the perfect layout for someone who has even less modeling space than me. Cheers, Rich S.

[@Jarecian]

Love hollow core doors as a format. Strangely enough the seem to be hard to get a hand on here in Europe. One of the most impressive layouts I've seen following such a format is this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJ-QZnmIqd6apdE , which seem to be close to the Pennsy RR Juniata Division. Absolutely looking forward to what you come up with!

[@StevesTrains]

Yeah I’ve seen that one! All of his projects are amazingly well done. He is a great modeler.

[@FlyOz-b7b]

OMG less talk more pics and slower please The only link worthwhile isnt even included except uncopiable in vidk

[@StevesTrains]

Which link did you need?

[@Blitzkey1]

google: SD&AE HCD layout 2012 - THE IMPOSSIBLE RAILROAD then look at the images....this link is down for some reason. If I ever build another HCD layout, I think this would be fun.

[@StevesTrains]

I will check that out!