Small On30 Layout

I built this small On30 layout to test new scenery techniques. It's built on a piece of 32x24" pink foam, and there isn't a piece of plywood or nail anywhere. Photographing outdoors also makes it look more real.

[@georgemeyer8521]

Great layout !, Great music !, Great Hobby !, ..... Thanks

[@wrongway1358]

Great little layout plus love the music

[@aviseurs]

Very nice. Well done !

[@Todaylight]

Very nice, good vibrations, good music. Very natural daylight with natural shadows-great!

[@chuchuchip]

Great film work. I had no idea a layout could be that small! The music choice was perfect

[@grits3d]

Thanks. After years in HO, this was the first layout I actually completed. I wanted to re-learn how to build a layout, so it's all foam and glue. No plywood, no chicken wire, no plaster. Still runs good.

[@dansuehath]

I love the old black and white intro. The music is great/

[@diceman2004]

14 years later ... fantastic .

[@sdj9776]

Fantastic little layout. Love the rolling stock and depot. First rate stuff! Anxious to see more.

[@Me7roiD]

Beautiful! That's just what On30 is all about, great job on this layout!

[@BlackcloudRailways]

That is an excellent film, and a gorgeous little layout.

[@skee55]

All I can say is - Beautiful! Thanks for an enjoyable video and a very well crafted On3 layout!

[@donnsand1]

i think this is video is fantastic. i was shocked by such small size. details were just perfect

[@rybredd]

Love it! I could watch and inspect those details for hours!!!

[@CSXer]

Very cool. I love On30. They're so detailed.

[@brohoop]

BRAVO! BRAVO!! Loved it!

[@MartyInLa]

Amazing. So life like! I could almost picture bugs flying around and weeds growing. The dented radiator was a nice touch. A+

[@hiesler]

I like this layout alot. I also like your rolling stock and what they are made from. I might have a go myself as I have loads of OO from they days before I knew about On30.

[@ginosrailpage]

Awesome little layout! Natural light always makes your layout look real!

[@man7sell]

Awesome pizza layout, great video too.

[@oldmograndad]

Perfect!! Both the modeling & the video & audio presentation.

[@84318i]

This is amazing!!!! i look forward to meeting you tomorrow, Brandon

[@WillieBeard]

VERY Nice!! When it got to the part that showed the actual size I was amazed to say the least. The first part not only looked huge, but it looked REAL!! Well done my friend!!

[@markcarey8426]

Wow that's good! The layout and the vid. This is a new art form and this is a masterpiece.

[@grits3d]

Thanks Mark. It was the first layout I ever finished. Models like this can be an art form, especially in the hands of Luke Towan, Troels Kirk, Dave Meek, etc.

[@markcarey8426]

@@grits3d They sure can. Not sure it is currently recognized as such but will be one day.

[@EJEouterbelt]

Are you kidding?! That is so cool!! I never would have guessed how small it actually is if you hadnt shown the whole thing. Very nice job!!

[@WhyAyeMann]

Thanks a ton and yes I do find the layout interesting. Im trying to build a similar layout, small but highly detailed. Thanks for the help :P

[@RailyardProductions]

Sweet Layout!

[@lighthouscolor]

I was wondering the same thing, terencefree. There is something about bluegrass music and small mountain steam train that goes together like bread and butter. I wish he would have let the song finish. LOL Oh and BTW awesome railroad!!

[@carmium]

How interesting that an O locomotive should haul British OO "wagons"!

[@garygresham1115]

Good eye. Yeah, I tried to rationalize that. The best story I could come up with is that the manager of the car shops had been raised in the UK, and moved to the US later in life. So when the railroad needed to fab up some cars for the mine, he built what he knew best. Actually, I found some Thomas cars on sale, and added Kadee couplers and a lot of paint. They still work great!

[@skybluedragonator]

@grits3d you're welcome! I just need a small layout idea. Not much space, but I could almost put something like this on my drasser. I guess I didnt know that you could bend flex track that much.

[@bultacowally]

magnificent!!! God I wish I had the talent for that stuff...

[@grits3d]

The track is Atlas HO code 83 flex track, bent to a 6" radius and glued down to the foam base. Thanks for the compliment!

[@grits3d]

Thanks SR722, the lighting is all natural, in my backyard. I'm working on ways to replicate the look of daylight using indoor lighting, but it's tough. I will add that the trees are from Scenic Express, and the color of the "leaves" matched the color of my real trees almost exactly, and really added to the illusion of depth.

[@grits3d]

I enjoy the questions... It means people find the layout interesting. The tunnel is 2" pink foam, just like the base, with latex paint and scenery over. The freight cars are mostly from the Thomas the Tank Engine cars, all HO, and heavily weathered and modified. And On30 does run on HO track. This track is Atlas Code 83 flex, buried in ballast. This layout will stay small, but I'm thinking the next will be bigger, so the bigger trains have a place to run.

[@Train2589]

nice layout. like the music.

[@Kassman727]

What is the group doing the music? Beautiful work as well!

[@grits3d]

The medium sized layout is in my videos, and I'm just completing the "large" version. It's not that large, at 4' x 11', but it's about as large as I plan on building anytime soon. I'll post some video of it when the trees are completed. I'm really pleased with how the large layout has turned out.

[@carmium]

Hmm... seem to have a few imported English cars - er, wagons - running around your real estate! 8-)

[@grits3d]

I think the depot was from Ameritowne, but I can't find another one at the moment. Styrene kit, pretty inexpensive, nice massing. Definitely not scratch. It's too square to be one of my scratch-built structures...

[@grits3d]

Cost... I don't really keep track, but there is a scap piece of a 4x8 piece of foam at $20 for the whole sheet, 2 pieces of flex track at $4 each, lots of white glue, sand and dirt from a construction site, some tree kits and Woodlands Scenics foam... Under $50, I'm guessing. It cost more to buy all of the assorted materials, but most have been used on 3 or 4 layouts, so the full cost doesn't really count.

[@skybluedragonator]

@grits3d what radius curves did you use to make that? Also, please tell me where you got them. Nice scenery!

[@skybluedragonator]

@grits3d 24"x16"?what radius curves did you use to make that? Also, please tell me where you got them. Nice scenery!

[@grits3d]

Just realized I got the dimensions wrong. It's not 32"x24", it's 24"x16". Or 610x406 mm. And I'm working on a really big 48"x36" layout now.

[@N3YH]

May I Please Ask - What camera did you use to get the old timey black & white w/ lines & shutter effects in the beginning of this video??? Great WOrk & I'm highly impressed with the look of the layout!!! Blessings! Will & Wendy,

[@N3YH]

Thanks Sherylin... I'll see if I can figure it out! Blessings!

[@grits3d]

Wow, good question. It was 8 years ago, so it was probably an effect from Sony Vegas editing software. Thanks for the compliments!

[@grits3d]

Well Dan, I have no idea. It was a piece of music from KZbin, and I can't figure out the name. Sorry.

[@georgemeyer8521]

Louisiana Moonlight, by Mossy Creek

[@TravisDGordon]

How did you get that to work, I tried using Plaster of Paris, but for some reason, it didn't work, and I am gonna have to return my layout to it's former wooden tabletop appearance.

[@WhyAyeMann]

dont make it bigger. I like it the way it is. Tell me, how what did you make that tunnel out of? And where can I get those english style freight cars? One more question: Is On30 rolling stock compatible with Regular HO track gauge. Im chock full of questions man.

[@TFN5459]

Do you have a larger Cumberland Point layout?

[@terencefree]

@grits3d what is the song that you are using in video.

[@bossadude]

Could youj please tell me what the song is that's playing, and who is singing it? Thanks!

[@Schmitz3]

Who makes those trucks on the 4 wheel rolling stock?

[@grits3d]

Hi David, those are actually Thomas HO cars, with new wheelsets and Kadee couplers. And lots of paint. I should probably modify the brake gear so they look less British.

[@Schmitz3]

@@grits3d Thanks

[@srgmiller340]

HAVING DONE A FOUR Y TWO LAYOUT ON TWO LEVELS WITH THREE LOCOS RUNNING AT THE SAME TIME IT WAS NOT AS GOOD AS THIS

[@danbloom5764]

What is the name of the song please?

[@markcarey8426]

It says Louisiana Moonlight.

[@micsayre]

Emmy Lou?