# HO Scale Nursery Wall Layout



## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

This will be my first project since getting back into model railroading, something to get me started before jumping into a full layout for the basement. It's going to be a simple 6 foot long static display layout for our newly finished nursery. The plan is to have a single track with a false tunnel at either end so it looks like the track runs into the wall. In between, we want to put some houses and other items like trees, cars, people, etc. We're not looking for anything too fancy, just something that will look nice and go with our train theme in the room. 

Here's a look at the sketch I threw together in SCARM as a starting point:



















The plan is to make this into a wall-mounted shelf layout that is about six inches deep and six inches tall. I will likely mount it to the wall with some of those pre-made decorative shelf supports. I've never done this kind of layout before so I am definitely open to any tips or suggestions that you may have.


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## dannyrandomstate (Jan 1, 2012)

I think that's a great idea to get your feet wet again. Six inches deep the building would probably be reliefs or cut down I'm guessing?


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Use foam (extruded blue or pink) as a base to keep it lightweight....

Maybe a reversing unit at each end, running a trolley (Mister Rogers, anyone?) back and forth. Could be really neat!


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

dannyrandomstate said:


> I think that's a great idea to get your feet wet again. Six inches deep the building would probably be reliefs or cut down I'm guessing?


That's kind of what I was thinking, maybe just cut them roughly in half so they are only 3-4" deep.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

Smokinapankake said:


> Use foam (extruded blue or pink) as a base to keep it lightweight....
> 
> Maybe a reversing unit at each end, running a trolley (Mister Rogers, anyone?) back and forth. Could be really neat!


Thanks for the tip on the foam, I'll have to see if that will work. As far as a reversing unit, the track is not going to be powered, so I probably won't do anything like that. We just want a static display piece.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Cut holes in the wall and build another in the other room. 
Then you will have a loop. 

You say it is in a nursery room, when the kid starts crawling then walking he or she will get plenty of exercise going back and forth to see the train go around. :thumbsup:

I think a trolley sounds nice.:smilie_daumenpos: A new sign up just recently had a bunch for sale.
But none of our "ball-less" members even made an offer. Just one so he said.
Though I did see him doing a lot of PM's so I guess there was a lot of back door offerings.
Though he never did comment back to me.

If you want to you can check out his trolley's.
Here.
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=20231

If you happen to have a "Vintage Tanker mens bicycle" (what ever that is) he will trade with you.
Check him out if you want.:smokin:


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

Here is a look at the two tunnel portals and track that I bought for the project last weekend.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

big ed said:


> Cut holes in the wall and build another in the other room.
> Then you will have a loop.
> 
> You say it is in a nursery room, when the kid starts crawling then walking he or she will get plenty of exercise going back and forth to see the train go around. :thumbsup:
> ...


Thanks for the info! Some of those trolleys are pretty cool, but in the end we really want to keep it simple and go with something that doesn't move.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

I went to the Train show at the Gibraltar trade center this past weekend in Mt. Clemens, MI and came away with some nice stuff for this layout.



















I also made it out to Home Depot and bought some pre-made shelves to get started. Here is what it looks like so far:


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

That is going to look nice, good find. :smilie_daumenpos:

Maybe put the station in the middle?

Is that blue house the same one in the picture above?
Is that the brown house painted? Or is that a different house?


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

big ed said:


> That is going to look nice, good find. :smilie_daumenpos:
> 
> Maybe put the station in the middle?
> 
> ...


Thanks! And yes, the blue house in the last picture is the yellow-ish one from above. We decided that it needed a face lift and went with blue and white instead of the ugly yellow and green. That picture was taken before I finished the painting. I am hoping to have a nice before and after picture once it it complete.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Same house then, it looks like you replaced the upper porch rail?
Or the picture might be too small for me to see it, it looks different.


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## Flynn_lives (Jul 6, 2013)

Your kid is going to love this. Although they're gonna want a Thomas Engine on there eventually.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

big ed said:


> Same house then, it looks like you replaced the upper porch rail?
> Or the picture might be too small for me to see it, it looks different.


Actually the white porch rail you see was on there all along, just hidden behind the ugly red sign board or whatever that thing was someone glued on. Looks a lot better this way, doesn't it?


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

Flynn_lives said:


> Your kid is going to love this. Although they're gonna want a Thomas Engine on there eventually.


You got that right, Thomas was all I was into as a kid for the longest time, so it wouldn't surprise me one bit. It probably wouldn't even look that out of place once this thing is done.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Does look better with the rails, I thought you took off the other thing and added the rails.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

Made some more progress on the structure of the layout. I have all of the shelving pieces fastened together and the back wall painted sky blue. I also got some grass mat and cork roadbed from the local hobby shop.










Right now I'm working on the mountain I need for either end of the layout.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

Got the track and roadbed nailed down in place today:









Also, here's a look at the progression of the hill/mountain for the right side of the layout.

































Does anyone else use paper mache to do hills/mountains? I had never done it before and was skeptical at first, but it worked out great.


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## wingnut163 (Jan 3, 2013)

i do. flower is cheaper than any thing else and is light.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

I finally got around to hanging the brackets on the wall where the layout will go in the nursery. Here is a look at it with the layout just resting on top for now:


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Impressive, just be prepared to spend lots of money on lots of train stuff after the nursery becomes a toddler room. Trust me on that! I used to bring my daughter down to look at my layout when she was 3 months old. She was amused and quiet for a bit watching the trains and lights. Now it's thomas wooden trains( she knows all the names), o Guage trains for push toys, and operating my transformer! And she's just over two!


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

sjm9911 said:


> Impressive, just be prepared to spend lots of money on lots of train stuff after the nursery becomes a toddler room. Trust me on that! I used to bring my daughter down to look at my layout when she was 3 months old. She was amused and quiet for a bit watching the trains and lights. Now it's thomas wooden trains( she knows all the names), o Guage trains for push toys, and operating my transformer! And she's just over two!


Sounds like a lot of fun!


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

I finally have the layout done and on the wall in the nursery, but before I show off the entire thing, I wanted to show off some of the repaints I did during this process.

Here is a look at the buildings I repainted (old on the left, new on the right): 









Here is what the tunnel portals and caboose look like before and after:


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Looking good, I want to see the finished product! The houses are nice and clean now perfect for nursery!


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

sjm9911 said:


> Looking good, I want to see the finished product! The houses are nice and clean now perfect for nursery!


Thanks! I should have all the pictures together and ready to post here soon.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

*End of the Line*

Finally, I have this thing done and on the wall in the nursery. I'm bummed that I don't get to work on it anymore (it was a blast), but now I can sit back and admire it, then move onto my next project (still TBD). 

Thanks for stopping by to take a look. It's just pictures from here on out:


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## DT&I (Dec 6, 2013)

very nice


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

DT&I said:


> very nice


Thanks!


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## midlifekrisiz (Jan 29, 2013)

looks great but you are not done....those buildings and passenger cars need lights.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

It does look great.....you should add a few people. And around the station some more details like maybe a baggage car and some freight boxes. You can find details for the houses too, maybe a swing set or how about a doghouse with a dog? Garbage cans, mailbox?

Make it come alive now. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

midlifekrisiz said:


> looks great but you are not done....those buildings and passenger cars need lights.


That's a great idea, I'll have to see if I can get a power source to the layout without having an obvious wire running up the wall.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

big ed said:


> It does look great.....you should add a few people. And around the station some more details like maybe a baggage car and some freight boxes. You can find details for the houses too, maybe a swing set or how about a doghouse with a dog? Garbage cans, mailbox?
> 
> Make it come alive now. :smilie_daumenpos:


Thanks! I definitely thought about doing a lot of the smaller details like you mentioned, I just never got to it after being in a rush to get the whole thing done. I'll definitely be on the lookout for some of these things next time I'm at the hobby shop. I'll be sure to post some pics if I add anything to the layout.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

:appl:, looks great to me. Perfect for a nursery. It feels good making something from scratch that will enrich your child for the rest of there lives. It adds a personal touch to all those store bought things everyone says you have to have. And belive me, it does rub off and make a difference! The personal things are what matter the most. While infants don't speak, they know somehow! Great job, congratulations, and best wishes!


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

Wow nice small layout! Like the buildings, looks good. Perhaps you could use some small lights (6 or 12v mes globes?) to light up the buildings, and seeing as it is quite a small set up if you don't want the hassle of concealing power cords you could make it battery powered with some switches to turn them on, a small SLA would be perfect seeing as you can recharge them.

Anyway probably looks better without too much
Thanks for sharing!


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

sjm9911 said:


> :appl:, looks great to me. Perfect for a nursery. It feels good making something from scratch that will enrich your child for the rest of there lives. It adds a personal touch to all those store bought things everyone says you have to have. And belive me, it does rub off and make a difference! The personal things are what matter the most. While infants don't speak, they know somehow! Great job, congratulations, and best wishes!


Thanks! I really appreciate it.


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## dm9249 (Aug 13, 2013)

trains galore said:


> Wow nice small layout! Like the buildings, looks good. Perhaps you could use some small lights (6 or 12v mes globes?) to light up the buildings, and seeing as it is quite a small set up if you don't want the hassle of concealing power cords you could make it battery powered with some switches to turn them on, a small SLA would be perfect seeing as you can recharge them.
> 
> Anyway probably looks better without too much
> Thanks for sharing!


Good idea with the battery power. I'll have to see if the wife will let me make any changes. She likes it the way it is now, but there is definitely room to improve a few things.


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