# My N-Scale HCD layout



## 11290 (Jan 4, 2011)

Not done YET, but just a lot of "detailing" left to do. Not the fanciest of layouts but I'm pretty happy with my first venture into model railroading. Please ignore all the "basement mess" in the background. Unfinished basements just seem to always end up as just a repository for a "stuff" collection. LOL

No luck loading a picture so layout can be seen in my photoshare site: https://sknappshots.smugmug.com/SK-Model-Train-Layout-06112015/

Thumbnails on left and large images on right. Click on large image to enlarge further.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

I think you have every right to be pleased, in fact PROUD, of your layout! It's a great looking setup. Very nice detail, lots of trees and shrubs, a lot of trackage. Very well done!! :smilie_daumenpos:


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

Very nice indeed, great detail and a good plan as well. I like it. :smilie_daumenpos: :smilie_daumenpos:

Magic


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## /6 matt (Jul 7, 2015)

Your basement looks awesome my friend. I wish I kept mine that clean when I had one.

But more on point. Your layout is gorgeous! I'm assuming that is a 36" door? What is the minimum radius? Looks like around 12". Your attention to detail is awesome and the track plan is very orginal. :appl: Do you plan to paint the fascia? Also are you going to put pavement between the rails at the grade crossing? If you don't the citezens in your town will be changing an awful lot of bad balljoints:lol_hitting:


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## Sweet Dreamer (May 13, 2013)

It's absolutely phenomenal. I love it. You've covered everything so well. I love the little church and graveyard, even though I'm not a religious person myself. I think it rounds our your neighborhood really well. The fuel oil tanks in the back yards is a nice realistic touch too. 

It's an extremely nice layout that appears to have everything needed for a small little town. Lots going on. Although having said that I have to say that the main street and buildings did look a little bit like a ghost town. You could use some people doing things on the side walks, and little bit of traffic, and the buildings are screaming for window details. Like what's behind the windows.

But I know you said you have more details to fill in. 

But thus far what you have is absolutely fantastic. You'll have fun filling in those small details I'm sure. 

I wish I had a model railroad as nice.


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## IlliniViking (Dec 13, 2009)

Awesome layout, great detail, love it. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## 11290 (Jan 4, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words. To answer a few questions (apologize in advance for the length of the post):

a. Yes, it started out as a 36" x 80" HCD with 2" foam on top. I laid out the "outer" main line with about 2 1/2" to the edge and worked from there. First perimeter scenery was thicker foam at the edges with rock cuts near the rails. Ran out of talent trying to make that look good, cut the rock faces off and added 3 1/2" all around the perimeter of the layout and built up more foam so I could get good transitions from the hills to the outer main line. Thus, the layout now measures 43" x 87". Not really sure what the minimum radii are as I just layed out what looked good, pu a couple of cars and locomotives on the track as I was laying out and made sure I didn't have a lot of overhang when they went on the curves. It is a little tight through the switches for the bypass track though. Could have done a bit better there but go through very slowly when I use that.

b. Fascia is currently painted a medium gray. Not sure if I will leave it at that or not.

c. Still trying to decide what I want to infill the track at the road crossing.

d. Ran out of patience painting all the window frames, cornices, corbels and details on the buildings and just could not find suitable (printable) window details. Got very tired of spending so much time on the buildings so just put some paper in the windows to move on. Buildings are set with just a tiny spot of glue at the corners so they can come off if I get an urge to do something else to them.

e. Next step is to make some templates for road striping and some guard rails for some parts of the out of town road section. Also need to make a few more trees (lord I despise making trees) to somewhat make the higher forest elevations a bit more dense.

FWIW: Don't get a lot of time to work on it as I live in IN but work part time in Orlando about 4 trips a year for 4 to 6 weeks each trip (Walt Disney World - hence the reason for the Mickey ears on the water tower - the Earful tower at Disney Hollywood Studios - soon to come down though -theirs, NOT mine). When I get back home for a couple of months there is always so much to do it doesn't allow a lot of time for modelling (I also do RC sailplanes, RC sailboats, control line model airplanes and some photography stuff). Way too many hobbies.

If I had it to do over, I might not do N scale again due to the lack of detail items (that actually look like something on the layout). Hard to find people, traffic signals, lamp posts, period vehicles, etc., that ACTUALLY look like what they are supposed to represent and also for the HUGE amount of time necessary to unsure trackage is flat, joints are tight and so on to prevent rough running or derailments. Maybe I'm just too anal about that but I spent a really long time with that.


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