# Christmas Layouts, It's Not Too Early to Start the Planning Process



## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

OK, so it is mid September and we have yet to go through the Fall season. But, depending on the complexity of a Christmas layout, you may very well want to start the initial planning phase now. Many of us like to have our Christmas Tree and other decorations up by Thanksgiving Day so that we can enjoy them through the entire Christmas season. That being the case, this would leave a little more than two months to finish your projects.

We started very early this year, the first weekend in January. Our Christmas Tree had not come down yet. But we had a big project in front of us and knew for us, it would take a few months to do the construction phase. So you can say we had a "head start". 

Even a small layout should take some planning as to location, size, equipment/accessories required, etc. So don't leave this project to the last minute.

*If anyone has already started their planning, please tell us about what we can look forward to. This could prove to be a very interesting thread. *

Photo of our initial planning stages:

View attachment 75610


----------



## rdeal (Mar 6, 2013)

i will use one of the "twice around the tree" layouts - lionel fastrack - and a few snow village pieces - 

but the exciting thing is (for me) i will run my lionel train that santa put under the tree in 1948 - running at christmas - each year since

rdeal


----------



## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

*"but the exciting thing is (for me) i will run my lionel train that santa put under the tree in 1948 - running at christmas - each year since"*

That's great news. Thanks for your contribution.


----------



## DirtPiper (Dec 24, 2013)

I cleaned and set aside a figure-eight of 0-27 track for the tree this year. I'll probably run my new 2332, since every year I give the new train Christmas duty.


----------



## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

*"I'll probably run my new 2332"*

Excellent choice!!!!


----------



## MrRiddle (Sep 8, 2015)

*"Christmas Layouts, It's Not Too Early to Start the Planning Process"*

That makes mine looks like Child Play!


----------



## TGP (Sep 6, 2015)

GET READY FOLKS!!!!!!!!! BRIAN AND ELIZABETH, are getting ready to take you folks
on a ride of amazement, astounding, astute building,and your mouth will open in comments
of astonishment when he shows you the path, and completed project of the Christmas Layout
************** E N J O Y THE RIDE *******************!


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

My wife said I could put up a year round "around the room" layout in our family room. The room already has crown molding so I'm planning to add the platform into the bottom end of the crown and do it around the ceiling. Ever since she saw the train at Wegmans hanging from the ceiling she's wanted it. 

It will be a simple square but the room is 12x12 so a pretty nice distance to go. I've already bought the 0-31 track which wasn't too bad at $140 shipped. 

Biggest problem is finding a train for it. I don't want to use one of the ones I have now and she wants one that's unique. She said "like that one from the Will Smith movie Wild Wild West." MTH makes a pretty nice 4-6-0 and I've found a PS2 version but I'm just not sure I'm that keen on it. I do want this train to have cruise control though as it will be a set it and forget it train.

Looking around it's really hard to find places with unique engine options in stock. Anyone know of good sites to look for new trains? I have about $400 I can spend on the new engine


----------



## Guest (Sep 14, 2015)

My first recommendation would be to install a two-track system as part of your shelf layout. Thus will increase the entertainment value two-fold.

Then decide whether you want a passenger train or freight service. I am partial to passenger trains, and since this will be a shelf layout, the increased lighting form the passenger cars will be a big benefit.

Then decide what period you want to model. Your wife's comment would put you into a general style loco with matching cars.

I also like your thinking about let's say "remote control". This will add considerably to your enjoyment. This will also add to the cost of your engine, but I think you will like the features.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

My wife is wanting a passenger train. I already have a 3 set of MTH Madison Pennsylvania cars that I'm planning on using. They are very pretty and I can't believe they came in a RTR set. I'll be on the lookout to add some more as I'd like to have at least 5 cars + the engine on this setup.

I have my main layout in the basement so I'm not so much worried about fun factor for this shelf layout as I'm going for constant (12 hour) running during the holiday season. She really wants it to be a talking point for parties and stuff. Gotta lover her 

My wife is a graphic artist and she's already planning on vinyl city silhouettes to do in the crown molding in various places. I also plan to add some LED lighting attached to the track power and I'm playing with resistor values right now to get the right brightness. 

I do want the remote control though so I'm looking at lionchief plus or PS2/PS3 engines. I can only find the hudsons for sale in stock in the lionchief line though. PS2/PS3 engines also seem to be slim pickings right now at most dealers. My local shops seem to only carry the RTR sets and the really expensive ($1000+) engines. Do MTH and Lionel produce more stock during the holiday period or is this as good as it gets right now?


----------



## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Wow Planning. You aren't kidding. That is major _planning _you are doing! I have seen some of your winter wonderland layout photos and they are spectacular. i see why. You start planning month ahead and begin work early. Impressive. 

I've never done a Christmas layout. I do set up a train around the Christmas tree for my grand kids to play with, but that is it. I have the one layout upstairs and the closest I come is that in some years I go up and put up tiny model stars and tinsel and tiny decorated trees as if the citizens of my tiny town have decorated main street.

I have been thinking about making a set of 'Streets Christmas parade floats, with geared motors so they move very slowly, for a sort of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade them. You've inspired me to start planning one. Each year, I will add another, until . . . .


----------



## Guest (Sep 15, 2015)

*I have been thinking about making a set of 'Streets Christmas parade floats, with geared motors so they move very slowly, for a sort of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade them. You've inspired me to start planning one. Each year, I will add another, until . . . .*

That would be an outstanding idea, Lee. What a wonderful application for Super Streets.


----------



## Dave Sams (Nov 24, 2010)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> My first recommendation would be to install a two-track system as part of your shelf layout. Thus will increase the entertainment value two-fold.


I agree, the amount of work to put up 2 tracks vs 1 is almost the same. I put 2 over my layout. If you run the trains in opposing directions, visitors watch for the crash. If they run in the same direction, they will chase each other. 

The width required for the shelves is not much greater.

Go for it!


----------



## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

I do not do a special Christmas layout, other than putting a twice-around the Christmas Tree loop. That loop usually gets a Lionel Corp. Tinplate train set. My normal carpet layout gets its everyday trains removed and I run the scale Polar Express and Polar Railroad items, along with some other Christmas decorated items for the season.


----------



## Guest (Sep 15, 2015)

There are a lot of folks who do an around the Christmas Tree layout. That's how many of us got started in model trains.

I bet your's is a beauty, Keith.


----------



## DirtPiper (Dec 24, 2013)

For many years as a small boy i left my Lionel set unpowered on a loop around the tree, as there was a short somewhere that i was not yet experienced enough to fix. After i inherited my father's train and got that working, i finally fixed up my own and ever since then the under-the-tree layout has been getting better and better every year. At my current rate of one prewar loco every christmas and one postwar for my birthday, i should have more locomotives than rolling stock by 2017.


----------



## Guest (Sep 15, 2015)

Can't wait ti see it, DirtPiper.


----------



## ColtsKurt (Jan 28, 2012)

I do a Christmas layout about every other year. Want to keep it fresh and something special for my grandkids. Pre-war Lionel O. A pair of late 20's/early 30's trains, Yankee Clipper and the 259 with low 600 series cars. I use Studio 54 ceramic building with lights, trees and animals brought over from Germany by my grandparents. The 616 set was my father's as a boy.


----------



## Guest (Sep 15, 2015)

Kurt, is this the every-other year?


----------



## ColtsKurt (Jan 28, 2012)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> Kurt, is this the every-other year?


Yessir, it is! Added some extra track, a couple electric switches, and a new (to me) KW transformer. My goal is to create a layout where both trains can run at the same time (for the first time!). This thread is a perfect reminder to get started thinking about things... I'm sure it'll take me awhile to design, layout, and wire so everything operates properly. Quite a task, given pretty much anything different than my basic oval will be a first-time effort. 

I also have an original water tower, red metal trestle bridge, bell/signal, and Gatehouse man (opens and closes with lantern). The Yankee Clipper was first (my dad's), then purchased the other set once I realized that I have two sets of grandkids that I need to pass this wonderful bug to... The hard part will be trying to split up the various trees, animals, and figures.

Here's a video of a very small set-up from 2010, I believe... maybe 10% of what I have.
https://youtu.be/W74hj3UVsvk


----------



## Guest (Sep 15, 2015)

Very nice Christmas layout, Kurt. From the sounds of the kids in the background, they enjoyed it a lot.


----------



## Pingman (Aug 18, 2015)

Kurt, wonderful video you shared. Good luck on the 2015 edition.


----------



## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

I usually put up my daughters Christmas Thomas around the tree and run my x mass trains for the month on the layout. Sometimes I put up a tree and lights on the layout with some Christmas figures. I want to get the old lead figures I remember as a child....someday. I started an outside g layout on my roof , but it never panned out as the slope was too much for the train and I didn't have the time to build a stand to level it out, maybe this year....who knows!


----------



## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Forgot to add, for those with extra holiday spirit and extra rolling stock robes Christmas cars are an easy way to spruce up any tree! http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=20596&highlight=robes+Christmas


----------



## Guest (Sep 16, 2015)

After we completed the planning for our new PE Layout, the next step was the benchwork. I consider myself young (at least young at heart). But the prospects of hauling 2x4's and sheets of 3/4" plywood was not exactly appealing. We found a wonderful local carpenter that completed the entire benchwork project in one day at a very reasonable cost. Even if I were a lot younger, the carpenter route would have made all kind of sense.

If you require benchwork for your 2015 Christmas layout project, you might want to consider this route. Here is a photo of ours after the carpenter finished up for the day.

View attachment 76050


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

wow, very nice!


----------



## ColtsKurt (Jan 28, 2012)

VERY nice. Ha, I could only dream of having the room for something that size...


----------



## Guest (Sep 16, 2015)

Kurt, when I built this house, the walkout basement was planned for my wife and her craft projects. The room shown above was used for that purpose. She passed away unexpectedly, and I gave away most of her craft items. The room then became surplus. 

Fast forward to my Bride coming on board. She is as much into trains as I am. She immediately saw the potential with this room for a layout. Last Christmas we had a much smaller Christmas layout. The problem was it would not accommodate our scale PE 1225's Black & Gold versions). So after the Christmas season last year, we dismantled the former Christmas layout to make room for the new one that would easily handle our scale PE trains.

Here is a photo of our Christmas layout last year.

View attachment 76074


----------



## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

Model railroading was made for Christmas.

Christmas is the most important time of the year.

I'm in the process of building a special Christmas layout. 

More than a particular layout, I'm focusing on my personal memories. 

Assuming we still have an America, I should have my Christmas layout done in about 2 years.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Nice benchwork Brian, one day is impressive.


----------



## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Looking good, now its time to fill it in one day you said! Now get an electrician for the wiring and your halfway there


----------



## Chris Lonero (Sep 13, 2015)

Not a lot to plan for mine. I do have two small loops under our small tree and my whole layout get's the Christmas treatment Dec 1st. Brian and Elizabeth have done an absolute stunning job on their Christmas layout in the main house. It's like walking into Santa's house! :appl:


----------



## Chris Lonero (Sep 13, 2015)

This is some of my tinplate I run at Christmas.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Cool Chris, I like your Christmas rolling stock.  As for Brian's setup, all I can say is WOW!


----------



## Guest (Sep 17, 2015)

Love your Christmas trains, Chris. :appl:


----------



## Chris Lonero (Sep 13, 2015)

Thanks guy's. All of them are my restorations except for the American Flyer wide gauge on the bottom.


----------



## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

*I'm in the Christmas Spirit!*

Chris and Brian, your pictures are super nice! Kurt, your Christmas layout video is iconic. Brian, we are still disappointed we couldn't make it up to see your layouts this summer, but we're looking forward to another opportunity.

I was planning on building a Christmas layout, in addition to the permanent layout, especially since we are hosting our train group in December. But we just found out yesterday we'll be spending the Christmas Holidays in Arizona, as my son is graduating from nursing school just before Christmas, and to see my parents.

Here's the layout from the last time I had it up. I used Super O track and cut the plywood to fit in the trapezoid shape of the bay window.


----------



## Guest (Sep 18, 2015)

Brian, you have many reasons now to celebrate the Christmas season. Congratulations to your son.


----------



## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Wow. these are gorgeious guys! I am getting downright embarrassed about my 'Christmas layout" - just a loop of track on the floor around the tree


----------



## ColtsKurt (Jan 28, 2012)

Traindiesel said:


> Kurt, your Christmas layout video is iconic.


Wow. Iconic... Thank you. Best compliment I've received!


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Lee Willis said:


> Wow. these are gorgeious guys! I am getting downright embarrassed about my 'Christmas layout" - just a loop of track on the floor around the tree


Join the club Lee. We put it around the room and set up our ceramic village in the corner. I did have a hidden siding behind the two love-seats to part a couple of extra trains on.


----------



## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

Brian, very nice post. I love your pictures of your new Polar Express Layout. 

Part of my Christmas layout has Peanuts fictional character theme. A few weeks ago I was looking at Snow Globe Car made by Lionel. A thought came to mind what if I could remove the ugly church inside the globe and put Snoopy inside the Globe instead. I was not sure if it was even possible. I looked up the car on Lionel’s website to see if I could take it apart. I could not find anything to help me in taking the car apart. 

I decided to take a chance by purchasing the car. My biggest concern was that I could break the plastic globe by trying to take it apart and end up with unusable car. When I got the car, I found the globe was glued together in the center but not very tightly. So, I took a precision screw driver to see if I could pry the globe open. It took about half hour to get it open because I was very careful in trying not to break the globe. Once I got the globe apart, I had to pry the church off the plastic stand on the bottom of the globe. I painted the stand which was brown & white to all white. I glued down Department 56 Snoopy and Woodstock figure to the stand. I then glued the globe back together. 

Lionel has made 3 of these cars in the past several years. As long as you are careful in opening the Globe, you could put whatever figure you want inside the globe as long as it fits. Here is what the car looks like compared to Lionel’s original design with the church in the snow globe. Ken


From the Lionel Catalog...
View attachment 77490


The ugly church...
View attachment 77498


View attachment 77506


View attachment 77514


----------



## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

The Snoopy globe came out real good. Nice job changing the car and great ingenuity thinking of the change.


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I might start mine next week.
It takes me a while to set up.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Good start Chris, do you hang some of the STD Gauge from the bigger tree? 

BTW, since you've mastered the art of attaching the graphics, all you have to do to insert them into your post like I did above is to click on the paperclip again and select *Insert All*. Make sure the message cursor is where you want the pictures to be when you do this.


----------



## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

kstrains, it's good to see you here 
Nice job on the snow globe car.


----------



## Guest (Sep 20, 2015)

*Welcome to the Forum, Ken.* Love your photos.

If anyone wants to see more of Ken's fabulous Christmas layout, get a copy of Tom McComas production of his 2014 Christmas video. Our two layouts are part of that production.


----------



## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Awesome photos everyone.

This is what I have been running on my carpet layout, the last few years and will again this year.
It is my scale Polar Express with customized observation car and my Polar RR GP7.

Just noticed that my video has over 1million views now...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xUpd0Sq3HuY


----------



## Guest (Sep 20, 2015)

Keith, I can readily see why there are over one million views.


----------



## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

Thanks for the comments guys about my Snow Globe car. I a. Grays look forward to this time of year. I have plans in my head for my layout this year. I look forward to posting photos and videos here later this year of my Christmas layout. I start set-up at the end of Oct. Thank you Brian for comment on my last years layout on Train Revue 4 video. Brian's layout is also outstanding and leaves you speechless.

Keith, I have watch your videos several times in the past. Great video! Wow, 1 million views.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Now, that's what a call a *CARPET LAYOUT!*


----------



## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

I usually just do a simple Squrcle or a Squoval/Rectircle. A square or a rectangle, but with round corners of course.


----------



## Nick R. (Sep 19, 2015)

I love this thread!! Christmas is my favorite time of year and what got me hooked on O gauge trains. My wife and I have always built Christmas villages each year and one year I got a train station. Well, a train station needs a train doesn't it? So I picked up a MPC freight set pretty cheap on craigslist and then I sprung for the PE car set on ebay. Well even though I had a lot to learn I was completely hooked! Now a couple years later I have my own year-round layout and am part of the best hobby in the world (with still a lot to learn)! Here is a picture of last years Christmas layout. I'm excited to get planning on this years.


----------



## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Thank you Brian, Ken and John.


----------



## Guest (Sep 21, 2015)

Brian, I couldn't agree more! It's never too early to start planning your Christmas Layout. Here are a few photos from one of my prior Christmas layouts in case anyone is looking for ideas or inspiration. 
Emile 
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=78034&stc=1&d=1442822597
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=78042&stc=1&d=1442822597
http://www.modeltrainforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=78050&stc=1&d=1442822597


----------



## Guest (Sep 21, 2015)

Thanks Emile for your post. You are the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Guest (Sep 21, 2015)

Nick, I am very impressed. That is a beautiful Christmas layout. Your family had to be delighted with it. :appl::appl::appl::appl:


----------



## rlomba8204 (Sep 20, 2015)

TheBigCrabCake said:


> Brian, I couldn't agree more! It's never too early to start planning your Christmas Layout. Here are a few photos from one of my prior Christmas layouts in case anyone is looking for ideas or inspiration.
> Emile


That looks fantastic. Would you have a photo showing the track plan? I need some ideas for our Christmas layout. Usually it is simple but I would like to do a better job this year. Thank you.


----------



## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Emile, that is beautiful. Old 1225 looks gorgeous rounding the Christmas village.


----------



## rboatertoo (Aug 5, 2015)

Oh no, after looking at the pictures, I have to up my game for Christmas. The more you know the more you have to do!!!


----------



## DJTrains (Oct 8, 2008)

rboatertoo said:


> Oh no, after looking at the pictures, I have to up my game for Christmas. The more you know the more you have to do!!!


Nah, the trouble with most of these guys is they think too sensible. Fortunately I'm an abstract artist (since the 50's) and almost nothing I do makes sense. 

The trouble I'm having now is how to run my train through my fish tank without over stressing my piranhas. Also locating a clear plastic pipe that's big enough for the train to pass through is proving to be a bigger challenge than I had originally thought. 

Other than the above, my layout is coming along nicely. I didn't have nearly the trouble I expected locating a skull. 

Oh I do so love artistic expression!

Model railroading rocks!


----------



## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

I encourage anyone here to take your time in planning and setting-up your Christmas Layouts. Last year, I started setting-up my layout the 1st weekend of October which is earlier than normal. I had to set it up early because I needed to have it up by November 1st in order for TM Books and Video to film it. For me it was too early to set it up. I felt very overwhelmed to get it up. It took much of the joy of setting it up and became more like work than a hobby! 

Emile, very nice photos! Look forward to seeing your layout in OGR magazine and your video in November on YouTube.

I look forward to seeing everyone's photos here in the coming months of this years layouts! Hint…please share your photos and videos!!
Ken


----------



## jprampolla (Oct 16, 2011)

kstrains said:


>


Hi Ken,

Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You need to do a video of it!

A day without Snoopy is a day without fun!


----------



## kstrains (Sep 19, 2015)

jprampolla said:


> Hi Ken,
> 
> Love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> ...



Joe
Thank you for the comment. I love your quote...A day without Snoopy is a day 
without fun!! Indeed!!!  I have a small video clip of the car, but looks like I will
have to put it up on YouTube before I can post it here instead of directly attachment?

Ken


----------



## Guest (Sep 22, 2015)

DJTrains said:


> The trouble I'm having now is how to run my train through my fish tank without over stressing my piranhas. Also locating a clear plastic pipe that's big enough for the train to pass through is proving to be a bigger challenge than I had originally thought.
> 
> DJ,
> Try searching for "Large diameter quartz glass tube". 20 centimeter diameter should do the trick! Already been down that road when I was considering an English Channel Tunnel for my layout.
> ...


----------



## Sidewinder (Sep 21, 2015)

Emile: my 4 yr old loves your "Believe" video (as does the rest of my family). She would come find me and ask for "blue choo choo train"...some days we'd watch half a dozen times...and enjoying every minute. We look forward to your new video.


----------



## Guest (Sep 23, 2015)

Sidewinder said:


> Emile: my 4 yr old loves your "Believe" video (as does the rest of my family). She would come find me and ask for "blue choo choo train"...some days we'd watch half a dozen times...and enjoying every minute. We look forward to your new video.


That is about the greatest thing I've ever heard! Made my day! Thank you!

Emile


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

The engine and cars for our Christmas layout came in today. The engine is a MTH 30-1373-1 PS2 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler and it will be pulling 5 PRR madison passenger cars around our 12x12 family room. It's a very pretty engine. 









Now I have the engine, track, transformer, passenger cars, and a MTH DCS Remote Commander to control it all. Now I just have to create the platform and put down the track 

Only problem is the diner car and extra passenger car I purchased, while matching the MTH part numbers for the add on to the 2005 PRR 2-8-0 RTR set, are not matching in color. Will probably do a staggered thing or something with it. That's a bit upsetting


----------



## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

L0stS0ul,
That is a pretty engine. :thumbsup: You can't go wrong with Pennsy.  I would be upset with the color difference too.  Although, most visitors probably won't notice it you will. Try staggering them. Also try putting them together on one end or the other. See what looks better.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

The colors varied in real life too.


----------



## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

colors did vary int eh real world. But the color variation would bother me in a model for a Christmas layout or many other times. Despite the fact that in the real world everything was dirty, faded, and colors were flat and varied, in a toy for the holidays you want it gleaming and perfect. 

That is a very pretty little engine. Lovely to look at.


----------



## Guest (Sep 23, 2015)

L0stS0ul, the General and cars are beauties.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Love the colors on the 4-6-0, I have the MTH one, but it's all boring red. Must be an early PRR locomotive.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Thanks guys. I bought the engine and cars from Pat's Trains in West Virginia and he's offered to take them back and try to find matching ones for me. That's really awesome of him. I was not expecting that. Some really great service from him. Hopefully he can find some that match.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Pretty impressive customer service, thanks for the update!


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

Pat's Trains has some awesome prices. I think they have just become one of my favorite online shops 

The engine coloring is quite nice. The picture on mth's website doesn't do it justice. I thought it was going to be gray and green from the picture. It's going to look awesome going around the ceiling in the family room. 

I really hope they can find the matching madison cars. Only 3 of them would look pretty dinky going around that track.


----------



## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

I agree that Pats trains has good prices, but as noted, the service is even better than the prices. Since my local O-gauge store went out of business, it has been the go-to-place for me. I also am impressed with Mr. Muffin's Trains - when they were out of something, they sent me to another retailer when they didn't have the item I wanted: he told me who to call, where, and what price. Cluld have just kept quiet.


----------



## CDNJ (Jun 20, 2015)

That Christmas layout is Beautiful.
Really makes an impact for the season.


----------



## mroe21877 (Sep 10, 2015)

*my intro and previous christmas layout*

Hi all

I figured this would be as good a way as any to into myself. I received my first train for christmas from a somewhat distant relative when i was 8 or 9 and used to put up a basic layout some christmases when i was young. I dont remember the brand, maybe MRC, as this had to be 1985 or something. I still have the train and it still works. Back then our family gave each other about one Dept 56 house a year that related to them in some way. I have now inherited all of them and they have become my christmas layout. Around 2008 my then girlfriend and i had our first big christmas together and i put out a layout with my old trains and they worked ok. Then in 2013 she (now wife) and I had our first baby and for her first christmas i gave her her first train set and was determined to make christmas a big deal as the family was traveling to us. As an aside, in 2009 we had to move from Toms River, NJ to Maryland for work and at the time no family was with us. I hadnt been into trains in so long i was shocked at the tech and varied manufacturers, not to mention the price. But i wanted it special so for her first christmas she received the MTH PRR ALCO PA ABA set along with 5 passenger car set and observation car. This set blew me away. At first i couldnt believe how huge they were. my little old O gauge set was nothing compared to these. so i went for it and took up almost half of our family room, which is fairly sizeable. i forget how long the layout was but im guessing somewhere around 12 feet or more. Once i got over the price shock i started the layout which is supposed to show, in no scale way, us on the train leaving rural maryland to go to NYC for christmas. All of the dept 56 houses plus some lemax accessories, which are surprisingly good quality, made an appearance along with some rocks from outside. i posted some pics below. hopefully they arent too big. on the left is the rural countryside, crossing the river is the city with skating rink and busy shoppers.

THis year the family is coming again and i think this time i will elevate the layout. Im starting to think of ideas now. I may do one that sort of shows the christmas tree train the strasburg railroad does every year, as we arent far from there now.

thanks for looking
mike


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

That's great, very nice display. It seems a shame to do all that work just for a couple of months. 

Welcome to the forum.


----------



## MOVL (Aug 23, 2015)

Mike,
Beautiful display...that's a great introduction. Welcome to the forum. Really nice Christmas layout there.


----------



## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

Mike, your Christmas display is fabulous! I like the tree located to the side to see more of the layout.

Every time I see these Christmas layout pictures I think back to when I was ten years old, and on Thanksgiving day, after the turkey, after the stuffing, veggies, cranberry sauce and the pumpkin pie, I would try to drag my dad off the couch to start putting up the train layout in the basement. He'd tell me "Tomorrow, Bri". So 8am on Friday after I was down there cleaning and rearranging the space until dad and my Grandfather would come down and pull out the train boxes, the pre-made layout lumber and the Super O track. 

Then on Saturday after Thanksgiving we'd all go to the local hobby shop (long gone now) and buy something new. We alternated every year between O gauge, S gauge, HO and eventually N Gauge. Every year we'd go to the shop and get something new for whatever scale we were setting up.

I still have all of that stuff.


----------



## PatKn (Jul 14, 2015)

Very nice layout Mike. :appl::appl: Welcome to the forum. :smilie_daumenpos:


----------



## SantaFeJim (Sep 8, 2015)

Mike,

Beautiful display. Put a smile on my face.


----------



## mroe21877 (Sep 10, 2015)

Thanks everyone. I'm hoping to incorporate some of my grandfathers pre war Lionel's this year but they will probably be static. I have a 245 loco, three passenger cars, flatbed with wood load, gondola, caboose and a block light. I'll have to see if I can get them partially working

Sent from my STUDIO6_0HD using Tapatalk


----------



## jprampolla (Oct 16, 2011)

DJTrains said:


> .......The trouble I'm having now is how to run my train through my fish tank without over stressing my piranhas. Also locating a clear plastic pipe that's big enough for the train to pass through is proving to be a bigger challenge than I had originally thought. .....Model railroading rocks!


Can you fabricate a square tube from clear sheet plexi-glass material? I remember breaking my aquarium back in 1968, and the adhesives available to the public then weren't good, but now they are great. Don't know about what might outgas into the water. Piranhas are delicate creatures!

Take care, Joe.


----------



## L0stS0ul (Feb 6, 2015)

I've been making progress on our holiday train. In truth it will likely run much of the year. I returned the MTH madison cars that were not the right color and recently won an auction for some madison cars from the early 90's from Williams. I knew these would not match but the coloring is pretty close. There are 5 cars in the set and I've converted 3 of them to LED lighting so far. While not the dimensions as the MTH set it seems to work. The new LED lighting actually matches the MTH stock lighting pretty well. 

I've been running the train on the floor for about 2 weeks now and today I finally got all of the supports up to mount the track in the crown molding. I'm really pleased with how it's turning out. 

As if I didn't have enough projects I've started thinking about which cars and engines I could repaint into a halloween theme to go up there. :sly:

It keeps me needing things to buy that's for sure :hah:


----------



## TGP (Sep 6, 2015)

Probably, be too much involved for myself , BUT,

Mike what is the ice effect for the layout, 

3rd Pic , closeup, thanks


----------



## mroe21877 (Sep 10, 2015)

TGP
Are you talking about mine? The two shoppers on the sidewalk?

If so that is just the bagged snow from dept 56 or maybe a knockoff brand. It's the stuff with mostly white flakes and some glittery ones. The glittery ones end up random and sort of give an icy look. I shot this with a fast 50mm lens opened up to f1.4 so the depth of field is narrow and blurs both the foreground and background which accentuates the icy look.

Sent from my STUDIO6_0HD using Tapatalk


----------



## mroe21877 (Sep 10, 2015)

BTW the water is just some blue paint I had lying around covered with cheapo clear painters caulk and spread roughly. The caulk is white from the tube so you can see it and dries clear.

Sent from my STUDIO6_0HD using Tapatalk


----------



## Guest (Oct 18, 2015)

Mike, beautiful job with your Christmas layout. It was a treat looking at your photos this afternoon. Also, a BIG welcome to the MTF!!!!!

Is one of your D56 buildings Dorothy's Dress Shop? If it is, I will share a story about this building with you.


----------



## Guest (Oct 18, 2015)

LOstSOul, beautiful job with your shelf layout.


----------

