Link to Making a Backdrop for Your Model Railroad Layout

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Making a Backdrop for Your Model Railroad Layout

Making a Backdrop for Your Model Railroad Layout

Here's a good article about making a backdrop for your model trains O scale, N gauge trains or for that matter, any train gauge layout. This is something I've been thinking of doing for a while but I didn't feel I had the skill to do.  However, after reading this article about making backdrops, it doesn't seem so daunting.

Do you need a backdrop for your layout? Almost everyone who has a shelf type layout or a wall-hugging around-the-room type layout will need some kind of background to enhance their scenery and to create the proper environment in which to show and operate their trains.

Even if you have a small freestanding, tabletop layout, you may wish to have a barrier, or flat 2-sided divider, running down the middle of the layout in order to create the effect of trains moving long distances from one locale to a completely different area with different scenery on one side of the layout vs. the other.

Click here for the rest of the article.

Incredible Driver’s Eye View Of Garden Model Railway

Normaly, I just focus on trains O scale but I jhad to share this incredible video of the gauge 1 model railway at Bekonscot Model Village, Buckinghamshire.

Rather than miss important details, here is the description from YouTube.

"The Gauge 1 model railway at Bekonscot Model Village, Bucks.

It's a 10 scale mile model garden railway of 1/32 scale, in a 1/12 scale miniature village. The line was started circa 1929 and has been updated continuously for 80 years. We strapped a camera to the front of one of the engines and sent it off - we've added some subtitles so you can see what you're passing. Model railways rock.

The huge model railway has evolved since those early years, from Bassett-Lowke LNER and GWR outline stock through to modern image British Rail - when at one time, class 47, class 37, Hymek, western class 53, intercity 125 and even DMU stock ran. In the early 1990s, interest in the railway's heritage regained, and it was decided to revert to a classic 1930s appearance. Therefore you'll now see classic GWR railmotors, EMU, GWR 94xx tank locos, LMS Jinty, SR Q Class and many more freelance locos on the route.

The whole system is controlled by computer, interlocked with hundreds of relays for points and signal operation. Note that the signals are missing in this video, as they are currently all being refurbished. The complex trackwork around Maryloo station is controlled by a Westinghouse lever frame in the signal box (where this video begins and ends) when the signalman wants to intervene. This train was preset to run non-stop - but of course would need to stop if another train was in the block ahead of it. This video took four takes to get right - we had to be nimble with the manual signals to make sure no trains ahead of this one stopped progress, or made it wait on the single track sections! Usually there are 9 to 11 trains in operation at any one time; a selection of them are seen on this video. Perhaps we should get a Thomas The Tank Engine for the line...?

We're in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire - which is on the Chiltern Railways route from London Marylebone to High Wycombe, Banbury and Birmingham.'

Model Trains O Scale - New York Central Line

This model trains O scale video of  the New York Central Line is terrific.  The camera work is very good and sound effects are wonderful. 
The detail of this layout is impressive.

Watch the video here.

Incredible Model Train Video From the 50s

I was hunting for information about trains O scale when I came across this incredible video made in the 1950s.  It's amazing how intricate the systems were 50 plus years ago considering the technology they were working with.  It just goes to show that if you're interested in something, there's a way to make it go.