3x5 N Scale Layout Project Part 2: Quick Update and Running Trains

[@ranimus234]

I'm considering to making this for my first ever layout. Thank you for your vidoes

[@ejole6765]

that layout there is looking mighty fine good sir. cant wait to see this after screney has been added.

[@Rogueplayz-co1zg]

Looking really good! I plan to buy some N scale trains soon with track!

[@ecostajr]

amazing project

[@richharris9489]

Steve you make awesome layout s richie from Boston

[@mattmatty4670]

Cool thanks mate

[@mcekim2]

Nice layout! Lots going on but plenty of room for beautiful scenery.

[@rodneylane7640]

Hi Steve - Great video and so relaxing just watching those trains run round that track. Really lookin g forward to seeing the big boy running around this layout to get an idea of how it goes on those radius curves. Great video again as per usual. Keep up the fantastic work.

[@StevesTrains]

Thanks!

[@dcctrain]

Very nice 👍

[@gerdeguelle1967]

looking great

[@thejerseyrailroader28]

Nice man! Keep up the great work!

[@jackheninger5471]

I have been wondering how you were coming along on this. It's looking great so far.

[@TheyMakeItLikeThat]

It’s coming along great!

[@JDsHouseofHobbies]

I have a Athearn Challenger and it runs fine on Kato 12 3/4" curves. Granted, it short two sets of drivers but it runs without trouble.

[@jeffeastman3666]

Hi Steve. I’ve looked at a lot of layouts on KZbin in this overall size and like this one a lot. I’m adapting it a little from your original design and am currently building a 20”x30” model of it for feasibility. I’m curious what the rise vs run slopes in your layout elevations are?

[@StevesTrains]

I think the max grade on this one was around 3%. I tried to keep it under that. Obviously going steeper means you have to keep trains shorter…but then you would do that on a smaller version anyway.

[@jeffeastman3666]

@@StevesTrains Thanks I've made some adjustments to the sloped runs and can achieve about 3% even with a 3" rise. My model of the 4'x6' model won't have trains on it (no T scale) but building it has helped me to understand the elevations better than on 2-d track planning software. I'm learning a lot of other good ideas from your site. Thanks, Jeff

[@nathanward9865]

Hi Steve, very much enjoy these videos and have had a good look through your site. I'm looking at my first layout so am loving the inspiration. What are your inclines like, and what's the height difference between your highest and lowest tracks? I'd love to have something similar, but, am concerned that the track will almost all need to be on an incline to avoid being too steep..

[@StevesTrains]

Everything is on a grade except the back section where the interchange track is and where the warehouse is. As well as the front area by the train station. There is about a 1.75-2” gap between the rail head and bottom of the bridge where the track crosses each other. It is 2.5-3” from rail head to rail head. I never actually measured that. The grades do limit train length, especially since I overweight cars. So a single locomotive may not be able to do more than half a dozen cars, unless it is my big boy which can pull a lot because of its weight and size.

[@nathanward9865]

@@StevesTrains I only just saw this reply - thank you for your very detailed response! That’s fantastic info, and will definitely mean I need to change some assumptions… and do some testing :)

[@frankmiller7087]

Hi Steve! I'm considering building this layout and wonder if you have thought about horizontally flipping the 3 x 5 Fun Pretzel layout as an extension to the right side of this Twice Around layout? Also, have you, or are you, planning to do the 3 x 5 Fun Pretzel layout as shown in your Track Plans posting?

[@StevesTrains]

I might eventually. I have a lot of projects lined up.

[@nynscaler2482]

Layout looks good so far. I would definitely love to see the Big Boy running on it. I actually integrated some of your 17x30 track plan into a new layout I’m working on, however the curve coming off the #6 turnout doesn’t seem to align 100% on the opposite side (11” radius) in the SCARM design. Did you have the same issue? Thanks

[@stanleym2679]

Super video as always, was wondering I use 6 inch compact curves which allows me to use a 14 inch wide double t trak module a n with two I have a 4ft by 14 inch wide loop and can run all my 4 axcle locos ,wondering if that would be a project you would do

[@StevesTrains]

Sounds like a cool idea. I had a similar sized micro in the past (before I started the channel) that was a lot of fun.

[@thejerseyrailroader28]

I want a update on the switching layout when you get a chance.

[@NorthCountryTrains]

Nice update, thanks for sharing! What’s the smallest HO layout you’ve built? I’m getting ready to build a fairly small HO layout, one section at a time and I’m curious if you’ve done any small HO layouts before.

[@StevesTrains]

I had a 1x3 foot HO scale Inglenook switching layout for a while.

[@NorthCountryTrains]

@@StevesTrains sweet, I’ll have to check that out. Have you made any small HO loop layouts?

[@SteveH-TN]

40 years ago my first layout when I re-entered model railroading was a 12” by 8’ OO Guage (HO) staging yard / switching puzzle combination. Located in a long narrow closet. It gave me many hours of fun despite little scenery. When it was time to move it also was easy enough to do. I was in the USAF @ the time.

[@Ryanthetractornerd]

Do you have any mkt engines or rolling stock

[@13squier]

Why do you have to throw the switches separately on your double crossover? I thought all of the component switches were linked together?

[@StevesTrains]

They all go at the same time when operated remotely but the double cross over does not have them linked like the single cross overs do. On those both will switch when moving either slide switch. On my double cross overs each slide switch only controls that particular set of points.

[@13squier]

@@StevesTrains ahh i see, thanks for explaining!

[@lucasdavison7119]

Ok ok ok sorry last question I am making a 4x8 foot HO scale layout how many pounds of sculpt a mold do you think I need

[@StevesTrains]

Really don’t know since it depends what you do in terms of mountains and such but maybe 10 lbs or so. Could be more or less depending on what you end up doing. Some larger layouts like that I haven’t used that much at all. If you have lots of track and structures you may not use much.

[@kennymcgowan2880]

Just out of curiosity, how much for something like this?????

[@StevesTrains]

Material cost will end up around $3,000 for everything I think.

[@kennymcgowan2880]

@@StevesTrainsvery Much appreciated for the information thank you, P.s. I think I just found who I would like to do business with...

[@ravenlorans]

What sucks about Model Railroading is, everything is Sold at FULL Retail. The Hobby Shop pays HALF of Retail - unless they buy Scratch and Dent or Discontinued Steep Discounted stuff that only they can. Then they Sell at FULL Retail. Now if you are in good with them or buy in Bulk, they May give you a Discount. The Shop I was a Unofficial Employee at ( I hung out there everyday and he would pay under the table) would sell His RR Stuff from %50-%75 Over Cost (which is DAMN FAIR!), Under Retail. EXAMPLE ONLY: Our Price on a Loco would be $200, Full Retail would be $400 Plus ( plus for some shops would Over Price), We would sell it at $300-350. If you bought 2 of the same Loco, we would take another 10% off... He was in it not really for the money but the love of the Hobby and wanted people to be able to get into it. He charged enough to Male a Profit and Stay in Business and pay me a little on the Side with me only Paying %10 above cost on Everything I ordered. So a Big Boy that sold for $1,200 at Full Retail, I would only pay $660 and Customers would pay $900- $1,050, Meaning they could Buy More ( and they Did ) with the money they saved.

[@d-rail7271]

As a hobby shop owner I can say for a fact that most manufacturers do not offer a 50% dealer discount. Bachmann is the only one we deal with who does (and their MSRPs are a little inflated IMHO). Some are 40%, a number are only 30%. Out of that you often have to pay the freight, as well as credit card processing and all the other expenses that go into running a business. I make a living doing it but I promise you I'm not driving supercars to my private jet. Oh and those "scratch and dent" ones, usually we paid full price and just eat the discount we need to add to sell them, it's usually not worth the hassle getting the manufacturer to fix it unless there's an obvious production issue or problems with a bunch of them. Same with returns.

[@ravenlorans]

@@d-rail7271 We dealt with Horizon Hobby as a Supplier. Everything they sold us that had to do with Model Railroading was %50 Off Listed Retail (MSRP). Only Deals we got were from the Scratch and Dent sections. Or Buying Track in Bulk. All this was Mid 2000's, so things Might have changed or you had Better Suppliers. Edit: Oh then go to the Pawn Shop and see them Selling their USED Stuff at Full or Over MSRP and people Stupid enough to Buy it and get Pissed at us because we sold the NEW Stuff for less.....

[@d-rail7271]

@@ravenlorans These days a customer can check prices from any number of other sources before they buy so you pretty much have to be competitive, or offer amazing service to make up for it

[@ravenlorans]

@@d-rail7271 We had the Prices and the Service. We would Always Beat Internet Price and NO Shipping, since Shipping was so little and we always Ordered other stuff we could add it into. We would even Custom Build Layouts for customers... They bought the Supplies like the 4x8 Sheet of Foam-board and knowing it had to fit in their back seats when done... And at $10hr, I was Cheap.. Sometimes I would Prebuild Small Layouts. No Bigger than 4x4 or 3x6 for HO and N. I would do all the Landscaping but they had to buy the Trains and Track Packs and House Kits.. Sold the Prebuilts for Cost of Material Plus Markup and my $10hr..so around $150-200. More Detail/Stuff they wanted, Priced accordingly. Sold a Couple of N-scale Doors (30x80) for $200 a Piece. Track and Landscaping done. About Half of what I should have got ($200 Each just in Track). But they were my Personal ones and had no place to put them and process of moving.

[@whitewallwheels1hardcore.m_o_h]

bye