# New to the group - My N scale multi level layout



## Federico (6 mo ago)

Hi

I am new to the group, just want to share a video of my N scale layout, I use only Kato Unitrack and the majority of my trains are Kato, with a few Atlas and Tomix.

A video is here





Comments and suggestions are welcome


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## prrfan (Dec 19, 2014)

Very impressive. That’s a professional grade layout. How long did it take you to complete?


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

prrfan said:


> Very impressive. That’s a professional grade layout. How long did it take you to complete?


Thanks 
It is the third version of my layout; I moved houses around 1 year ago and was able to build this space for my hobby.
I can share pictures of the building process.


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## BigGRacing (Sep 25, 2020)

Pretty huge ! Awesome layout, thanks for posting !


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## LongvaIIon (6 mo ago)

Awesome, amazing and very impressive !


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

WOW! Lots of Bullet Trains running, looks great.


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

Some photos of the start


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

That's so awesome it leaves me speechless! Now that is a layout.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

How many million dollars are invested in that?? Awesome to see!


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

I have been collecting N scale trains for more than 30 years; therefore, if you divide the investment in 30 years is not that bad.


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## Oomowmow (10 mo ago)

1. Welcome to the forum! 
2. Holy Moly! I can't even comment on the layout. Actually the word layout seems to sound inadequate. How about Virtual alternate railroad universe? Wow!


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## GTW son (12 mo ago)

That's a busy lay out, well done.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

I like your vision and the way you engineered the layout to keep things open and visual.
You didn't mind showing the viewer the open helix and elevated runs. 
The clear plexiglas is clear and clean....in fact, the whole layout seems clean and free of natures usual clutter.
You have engineered a layout geared to running, spotting, and storing trains and making consists.
Looks like passenger service is a major player in your operation and freight is a bit secondary.
A operators layout for sure but I have to ask where you are going from here?
Adding signal controls for turnouts and track sections, street lights and intersection signals, and maybe building lighting?
Computer automation operation? Just curious, I suppose, as we all know, our layouts are never really finished.
When I was running N-scale Kato seemed to be the most dependable of my locomotives so choosing mostly Kato seems to be the best standard for the scale.
Thanks for sharing your cool N-scale layout.


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

A new video from today after moving some trains; one key fact that I change from previous versions is that all the circuits are connected; I can run any train in any circuit.
It is fan to move trains from one yard to another using different circuits.


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

Near the end, around the 1:48 mark, I saw a freight train and a non-bullet passenger train. Do you have some more of those types of trains?


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

Yes; I have two yards for freight trains connected to the turntable where I park all my locos.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

This layout uses up all the superlatives in the dictionary.

That has to be the largest round house in the country...how
many stalls in it?

With that many trains running at the same time over vast
trackage, you must be using DCC. What system are
you operating?

Don


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Federico said:


> Thanks
> It is the third version of my layout; I moved houses around 1 year ago and was able to build this space for my hobby.
> I can share pictures of the building process.


By all means post some build pictures, we love pictures.
Very impressive layout.  
Just coming up with a tack plan is some fine engineering. 
Very well done indeed. Excellent workmanship.

Magic


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

SF Gal said:


> I like your vision and the way you engineered the layout to keep things open and visual.
> You didn't mind showing the viewer the open helix and elevated runs.
> The clear plexiglas is clear and clean....in fact, the whole layout seems clean and free of natures usual clutter.
> You have engineered a layout geared to running, spotting, and storing trains and making consists.
> ...





Magic said:


> By all means post some build pictures, we love pictures.
> Very impressive layout.
> Just coming up with a tack plan is some fine engineering.
> Very well done indeed. Excellent workmanship.
> ...


Thank you for all the comments.
At the moment I am using only DC; I have a switch to change the two outside circuits to DCC and many of my trains have decoders; however, I noticed that I enjoy more running trains with DC.
My next step is to finish a yard for 24 trains at the lower level; I will post pictures later today.
As you can see, I like collection High Speed Trains; my objective is to have a layout where I can run all my model trains and with enough depot space for everything I have.
One idea that I have is to build a mounting that will cover the helix from the main level to the lower level; however, I am not sure if I am going to do it or not.
Best,


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## N/360 (7 mo ago)

Very nice sir, great to watch


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

This is the space that I have in the lower level for a yard, it will have capacity for 24 trains.


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## GTW son (12 mo ago)

Hmmm, after seeing this somehow my layout seems....I dunno, ummm...., how about in-adequate....


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

Abandon hope all ye who enter here . . .just kidding, but it does seem to make the layout I have been thinking seem so inadequate. It does give a lot of good ideas to aim at. So much going on. A great layout.


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

Video of the construction process. Suggestions of best practices are welcome.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

Fabulous design. A delight to watch.


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## Federico (6 mo ago)

Thanks you!


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## Matison (12 mo ago)

I’m very short for space, and thought about adding a 2nd level, but I have no idea how I would fit it over everything, and also how to support it in the middle.


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## Matison (12 mo ago)

You did a great job, though!


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## geoffschupp (Dec 7, 2021)

Frederico, what a layout ! Dizzying to see all of your HS trains zipping around. I have some Kato N gauge but only have models of the trains I have been privileged to ride on. My main N gauge effort is a slow, lumbering freight effort based in the US NE region. The Kato stuff is packed away most of the time. A shame !


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

GTW son said:


> Hmmm, after seeing this somehow my layout seems....I dunno, ummm...., how about in-adequate....


After seeing some of these layouts, particularly this one, I realize I don't have the skill for building this kind of thing. Thoughts come to mind like sell it all. Each one of us can enjoy this to some extent, though. You do what you can, and keep the faith.


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## geoffschupp (Dec 7, 2021)

pmcgurin said:


> After seeing some of these layouts, particularly this one, I realize I don't have the skill for building this kind of thing. Thoughts come to mind like sell it all. Each one of us can enjoy this to some extent, though. You do what you can, and keep the faith.


*pmcgurin everyone has different ideas about their 'dream layout' and some leave you speachless, like Frederico's, but even a very modest, easily maintained layout and maybe offering some 'operating potential' can be really satisfying. Have a go, do it your way, and do it as well as you can, and the hobby is worthwhile.*


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## rhikdavis (May 19, 2015)

Wow, you built all that in a year? And I'm still struggling with a 2x4 after 25 years....


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## Matison (12 mo ago)

It’s like in the real world, where you have beautiful, flowing architecture with spectacular buildings, and in that same world there are also broken down shacks. With my abilities, everything that I make looks like the broken shack, but there are others that create such beautiful things.


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## BigEd (Oct 28, 2014)

Very nice! Love the way you involved the family! 👍👍👍


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

geoffschupp said:


> *pmcgurin everyone has different ideas about their 'dream layout' and some leave you speachless, like Frederico's, but even a very modest, easily maintained layout and maybe offering some 'operating potential' can be really satisfying. Have a go, do it your way, and do it as well as you can, and the hobby is worthwhile.*


I did it my way a few times, and am planning another. Not so much as to give myself a headache. This elaborate layout I don't have to run, just watch and enjoy and be speechless.


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