The Model Railway / Railroad layout everyone has room for. Part 2 Track, Concept and Plans

[@TheRobertLcollins]

Your comment at the end is much like the advice Ian of the Micro Model Railway Dispatches channel is now ending his videos with: "Build that model, lay that track, run that train, but above all have fun." Nice to see the idea you have for this one. I hope it progresses well!

[@GregPotter-ln4pl]

Really do like this track plan, weathering of track is very effective. I remember that OO/HO workshop of dads, glad you still have it😊

[@richardtarr2745]

Another pretty little layout, and thank you for telling us the plans for it in terms of scenery etc. I've just had some fun creating a small single controller using my 3d printer ... and it works well 😀. Can you thank Doug for his tutorial Tuesday a while back 😀

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks, will do

[@martinhonor3483]

Fully agree with your last comment. I have two partially complete n gauge layouts upstairs, and when I go up to make progress I find myself running trains and not adding to the layout. After having watched Geoff Marshall's video about Bourne End and Marlow I have an idea for a simple "shelf layout" that could offer interesting potential for short modern trains.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Sounds good, I'm also guilty of running instead of modelling sometimes

[@robertmyers5269]

I love that you finally got around to painting track on a layout. I find that painting the track is one of the biggest improvements in the looks of a model railroad. Particularly in N with the much taller than scale rail. One's eye is drawn to the rail much less than when it is shiny. Very nice layout. It seems that there is a lot of thought and effort going into tiny layouts that are not 'tiny' in the sense of simply being a trick, but rather small useful layouts.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Yes I'm coming round to painting the track, as you correctly say it looks very nice. The concept is to make an operation based layout, not just a novelty

[@Weesel71]

Rivet counters seem to have a hard time telling when the audience doesn't care about that level of detail. To them, IMO, that level of detail IS the hobby; the world needs people like that. The rest of us just want to get on with our particular aspects and interests; that usually involves creative thinking and the world needs them too. But, man! It's an oil and water situation at times! This layout is looking like fun in progress. I agree re the extra switch for an Inglenook and the spur off to a fiddle yard. Happy Xmas and New Year to all!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Very well explained, happy Christmas

[@DavidSheriff-f7o]

As always to the point....my layout will be 67.5 cms....I found a useful tip for everyone, use grouting for trackside....it's cheap and easy to use....

[@BattleshipOrion]

After some time thinking about the hobby(a very short 2-3ish years) I decided to come back. I've been watching Boomer Dioramas, Sam's Trains, and a few others, and am getting ready to actually start a career,(eventually gonna join the railroad). Nice to have y'all in my tool kit. I dont have any one specific railroad(or railroads) I'm gonna model, nor region, era, or country, I'm just gonna do whatever takes my fancy and REALLY enjoy the hobby...must stress though, I do have biases. Collection wise I have ALOT of Southern Pacific equipment, and from my childhood a huge sway towards the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad...for some reason I feel a deep sadness & pride when spelling the corporate name out...must be good memories from when I was a kid...I loved going track-side as a kid in South Dakota and watching those blue & yellow EMD's crawl through town....Gonna have alot of equipment from that railroad...and legit I think I need to post this, otherwise, I might shed a tear....

[@FredWilbury]

Yes have fun play trains build a model railway,but if you need great tips and brilliant modelling @Boomer Diorama must be the best modeller on KZbin in my opinion, regards Fred 👌😎☕️

[@paulkandi]

Very good ballasting, makes the difference between a toy and a model, interesting point about station platform hight, when the railway was constructed, the trackbed at the station site was usually lowered to meet the lay of the land and provide easy access for passengers and parcels onto the platform, at road hight; but this was not always the case as many station platforms were at an elevated hight, as with light railways and mainly on a " halt " type platform structure, keep up the good work...

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Good points, thanks

[@TheJpec361]

Another winner! You can get some great operating in or just watch the trains running round the layout. I will confess to being a "buy it now for later" modeler at times. Unfortunately, here in the States, you have to sometimes because the collectors snatch up the models as soon as they hit and there's nothing left for later. Then you're left to deal with the robber barons on eBay. Your advice to build now is excellent. The beauty of the micro is if you decide to change it isn't a massive undertaking and if you were careful with your construction, much of it can be reused.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

All very well said, thanks

[@bambostarla6259]

Ebay for everything has become a little bit of a "buy a product and sell it at an absurd price" for many hobbies. Idk why, but I try to stay clear of ebay as much as possible unless I find a good deal

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@bambostarla6259 yes prices for new items are way over the RRP plus postage. Sadly even the 2nd hand items are often listed at more than the new price

[@jeffreyhatcher1445]

This is a very versatile layout, lots of switching potential or just to watch the trains run. You can make it as simple or as complex as you'd like depending on your mood and how much time you have. Very well done! I look forward to watching your scenic plan take shape. Happy Christmas!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@jeffreyhatcher1445 that's very kind of you thanks. Happy Christmas

[@whocares499]

The arrangement of sidings is very clever, there's a fair number of 'end to end' routes in two directions even if you don't count complete circuits of the main line, and that's without having to reverse a train on the main loop. I'd definitely find space to add an extra siding for Inglenook operations, but it is still very versatile as it stands. I recently saw a video of someone building a layout on one of those cork noticeboards people might put up in the kitchen or home office, that would be another ideal solution and I suspect this track layout will still work very well with it.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@whocares499 thanks for the input

[@nickvdW1958]

Lovely layout and great advice. I have a soldering iron coming for Christmas and I will be starting my first shelf layout in January. Merry Christmas!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

A shelf layout is a great way to start, have fun. Happy Christmas

[@grahamsouthamn9798]

Again another great ideas layout your commentary is spot on, keep up the good work, in relation to temp down here its 32 degrees and hot but your videos are always welcome

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks, sadly weather is a bit of an issue here lol

[@scottmcneil1150]

Great advice at the end, just make that railway ! Thanks for that encouragement.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks, your welcome

[@canuckprogressive.3435]

First time I've seen you paint and weather track. Looks good!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks 👍

[@Samstrainsofcircumstances]

Another great layout and video. I like the way you position the camera over the layout to capture the whole thing. Thanks!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@Samstrainsofcircumstances thanks, easier with a micro layout lol

[@andygorman858]

Fantastic vid and the build is coming along very nicely! I enjoyed the first three vids about ballasting, still not my fav thing to do but so,e thing we all have to do eventually (thank god for Kato EZY-track!). Have a great Christmas break and look forward to seeing the next update 🙂

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks happy Christmas

[@Valleys56xx]

Good advice there - I collected in the early 00s and didnt make a layout and sold my 50 loco collection in 2008 and didnt get back into model railways until the lockdown. I started to collect again and stopped myself by building a 13 x 6 layout in DCC so I had to dispose of 30 non DCC locos and replace them with DCC ready stuff which Im still doing but its cathartic and saves me spending too much money on new stuff. I might make a N gauge layout I can play with in the kitchen as its the warmest room in my flat atm (its the highest point). Thanks for your videos over the last year, good fun - Merry Christmas to you and yours :)

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks for the support, Happy Christmas

[@pauljonnson1181]

Coming along nicely

[@evileyeball]

My dad had some O from his childhood.. I knew when he passed away he would want it used but that I did not have the space for it. I knew that my uncle, his brother-in-law, had the space for it and already had some O that he got from his uncle when my great uncle passed away. I gave my dad's O to my uncle (after confirming neither of my brothers wanted it and mom didnt want to keep it) and told him dad would probably want to see this get used and since I know you have the space for it have it and if I ever want to use it I know where you live.

[@mikeelliott2736]

Watching this video, it occurred to me that you could actually do an Inglenook using the two sidings into the middle and the part of the loop at the back.

It's great to see how the compact layout design has evolved over various iterations. I think you may have just about perfected the compact layout design now, and I definitely want to build something like this with the N gauge stuff I have (I am trying to decide between Kato or Peco track - I think I prefer the look of peco and ballast now you've done that one, I think it does look a bit better). I am interested to see what might do next - your other projects sound interesting. Nowt wrong with hornby points. I've got a couple of dozen on my layout, mostly secondhand. They are the newer ones with the metal frogs, and I keep the plastic frogged ones for little project layouts. They are all DCC, all have been clipped with the little metal clips for DCC. I got a couple of new Peco on there as well, as I wanted to see if they were actually better. No discernible difference so far.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Kato track is simpler and more reliable, but the points take up more room. Hornby must have improved, all the ones I had were very shoddy compared to peco

[@Maurice00PA]

Coming along nicely. I don't think adding the left hand turnout to give you two sidings inside the loop as an Inglenook is a good idea, as you would not have any room for scenery such as a platform. If you removed the left hand turnout to the outer siding, where you plan on putting the engine shed, and instead put a right hand turnout next to the left hand turnout giving you a siding on the outside of the loop but facing the other way, you will have an Inglenook but with room for scenery. Hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas! Cheers

[@BudgetModelRailways]

It's surprising how many options there are even in such a small space

[@crasher303]

Thanks, bags ideas here. I agree with you about ballast, I have a N set track layout dumped in loft due to messed up ballast.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks, Happy Christmas

[@stevenjones19-m8i]

Hello, good progress so far,as it is you can move buildings or where things go.cant wait to see the finished results.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@stevenjones19-m8i thanks, yes that's how I tend to plan, just moving stuff till it looks right

[@kurtnewman6713]

I love the size, biggest issue I'd have is laying that flex track I reckon. I might try to draw up an stl for a custom track setter template thing and get someone to print it! Will be fun!

[@BudgetModelRailways]

The wooden template works well, and I have a 3d printed template for a slightly larger curve. But yes it's still a pain

[@kurtnewman6713]

@ good point, a bit of plywood would do the trick! I forgot that I saw you use that in the previous vid

[@obvious2886]

I think it would be awesome to start with a layout this big then extend onto the track sticking off the end with a small engine facility

[@BudgetModelRailways]

@@obvious2886 interesting idea thanks

[@MarkPurnell-er1lx]

With three sidings this layout could occupy someone with hours of operation. A lot can happen in a small space. 😊

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Exactly, thanks

[@LondonPredatorAngler]

Love the colour of the track and ballist... will u be doing ur normal LIVE stream at Xmas at all???

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Thanks, possibly, good idea.

[@billsholl7904]

What diameter was your template for the curves please? It sounds a great idea.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Approx 9in

[@FlintStone-c3s]

Extra turnout for Inglenook, I like that idea. I guess layouts are restricted by the number of turnouts.

[@Londontransitduck]

I need the measurements and the help to lay the track

[@BudgetModelRailways]

All in the first video

[@BudgetModelRailways]

And the three ballasting videos

[@Londontransitduck]

@BudgetModelRailways oh ok

[@canuckprogressive.3435]

7:35 Me: Doh! I didn't know that because I'm not around train stations much. Oh well to late to change it now.

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Some stations are the other way, so no worries

[@obvious2886]

My 4x10 ho layout can’t even run 3 trains rn

[@BudgetModelRailways]

That's the problem with HO. N is half the size but gives you 4 times the area

[@abethpezarkar9946]

Can you suggest any video on detailed explanation on connecting the points .. which is the best side for connecting the power supply which will support all of the sidings. 😅😅

[@BudgetModelRailways]

It only needs two wires, anywhere on the curves is fine. The points are insulfrog so transfer the power. I will show it on the next video for you. We do have lots of videos on wiring in our library of vids if that helps