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Model Railroader Magazine

Model Railroad Layout Design - The Basics

For most model railroad enthusiasts, designing and building a model railroad layout is a wonderful part of the hobby.  If you like letting your imagination fly, designing your own model railroad layout can be one of the most fun activities you'll ever do.

Some layouts just "wow" you when you see their size and scope, such as multiple tracks and trains, or handmade scenery and environments.  You know a lot of love and labor went into it.  But a good layout doesn't necessarily have to be complicated, especially if you're just starting out.  With a mixture of a little creativity, organization, and foresight, you can build not only a functional layout but one with a potential to be a masterpiece.

So where do you start when you're thinking of designing your layout? There are any number of layout guide books, both online and in stores to give you good ideas. You might even find one or two at the library. You can also look through magazine articles or online videos.  Bouncing your ideas with members of the local model railroad club is a great way to get some good feedback about the possibilities and potential problems.  

Certainly, copying a layout is fine, but don't feel tied to it. There are only a few right or wrongs when desinging and building a layout.  This is your world you're creating, so add your personal touches.  

Here are some pointers to consider.

1. If you're thinking of a bigger layout, consideration has to be given to the room (or rooms!) you are going to be using. What looks good on paper, just may not fit in your house.  

2. Before you get too far along, make sure that you have what you think you have.  For example, do you have enough pieces to make what you want work? If you design too big for the amount of scenery or track available it will look empty.  

3. Do your accessories match the train's size?  It's pretty frustrating to find that after building a beautiful curving tunnel that your locomotive gets gets stuck inside it because it's too long or too big.  Attention to detail will have you check beforehand that all your pieces fit each other before gluing them down or together.

4.  Try to keep the layout consistent within itself.  Using a 1950's locomotive in a 1890's town will not mesh well.  Totally new train cars in an inner city would where all the buildings are shabby wouldn't reflect the real world.  

5.  Allow for the scenery to change from one area to another just as it would on a long train ride.  If going through the countryside, adding tunnels through mountains, lakes, or bridges over rivers.  A wide variety of buildings and structures separated by park areas can help create a sense of traveling through a city.

6.  Identify any needed skills or tools you'll need to build your design.  With such things as multiple tracks, elevation changes, and switches, the complexity of the system increases, sometimes dramatically.  Thankfully, most skills can be learned as you go, however, sometimes our imagination is bigger than our current capacities and you may need some help.  Don't be afraid to ask for it.  

One last piece of advice is that, short of breakage, most mistakes can be corrected, so don't worry too much about making them. Talk to most railroaders and they'll tell you that most all layouts are a work in progress and that they are forever tinkering.  

Designing model railroad layouts is fun. Enjoy the process and you just might find yourself amazed at your results.

About the Author

Dave Staples is a railroad model enthusiast. To learn more valuable information and tips about model railroads, visit http://www.ModelRailroadInfo.com. It's no secret that to start or learn anything new the first thing anyone has to do is gain momentum. Get that first push here by learning more about Model Railroads

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