Barry Melek Electric Train Sets

Model Railway Layouts

Using Google Earth To Plan Your Model Railways Layout

If you want to build a truly realistic model railway, the introduction of Google's feature,  ‘Google Earth' has opened up a whole new way to research what your model railways layout should look like to be true to life. Google Earth, if you haven't seen it already, basically allows you to travel the world from the comfort of your chair at home and basically look at anything you want to anywhere around the globe.

 

So what does this mean as a model railroader? Well, it means you can travel to virtually any piece of railway anywhere on earth and get detailed information on exactly what it looks like, down to the smallest details. It allows you to travel to many different places at the touch of a button and search for a model train layout plan that particularly appeals to you for your own model railroad.

 

This means that you can build a realistic model railway, based on a railroad in the real world that you never actually seen, but get it looking extremely life like by using the help of the satellite images delivered by Google straight to your computer.

 

This opens up and please excuse the pun, a world of new opportunities for those wanting to create realistic model railways. Google Earth has some great features too. It not only allows you to zoom in and out, but also to change the angle you are using to view what you are looking at too. This means that you can move the camera angle around and get a very accurate idea of exactly what the lay of the land is.

 

It allows you to therefore get a very good impression of what the land relief is like in the real world setting and how you should recreate it in your model. For example, you can see where hills are and what they look like when standing in different places and then use this knowledge to build the same shaped hills in your model railroad. It can also be used to show other features and details in the landscape that you may not see from just looking from a birds eye view.

 

The great thing is that you can save all of these points on your computer too, so you can go back and refer to it all the way through your build and not have to rely on your memory, which if it's anything like mine, isn't always reliable! Also, by taking a screenshot or captures of a railway you want to use and then printing this image out, you can then begin to work plans for your own model railways layout. This will include working out what scale to use to fit in the space that you have available and from there, you can then calculate what parts you need to buy and get building.

 

As you can imagine, this is a technique that is meaning the creation of model railways that have never even been thought of before and this is a really great way to find a unique idea to use for your own build. No longer do you have to rely on creating the same railway that hundreds if not thousands of other model train builders have already recreated time and time again. Instead, you can design your own model railways layout, based on the track you choose, anywhere in the world. You really can now build the model railway of your dreams!

 

I hope that this has inspired you to go and find a railway you want use for you model railroad design. For more information on model railway trains, visit my website by clicking the link below.

About the Author

Tim McCarthy is a model railway enthusiast with many years experience in the field of model trains. For further information on model railroads, including more on designing your model railways layout, please feel free to head over to http://www.modelrailwaytrainstips.com/model-train-layout-plans.

Mid-size Track Plans for Realistic Layouts (Paperback) $36.26 This handy book by model railroading expert Bernard Kempinski is aimed at the typical model railroader facing space limitations for his layout in a spare bedroom or garage. Features 26 track plans based on such interesting prototype lines as Maine`s Bangor & Aroostook, Western Maryland ? Thomas Subdivision, C&O ? Miami Subdivision, Canadian Pacific/Soo ? Minot Subdivision, Southern Pacific ? Yuma Subdivision, Utah Railway, and Alaska/British Columbia`s White Pass & Yukon. Most plans are shown in several scales and fit spaces from 8`x10` to a 20`x20` G Scale garage layout.

Railway Modeller $70.1 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Railway Modeller is a monthly British magazine aimed at railway modellers published by Peco. It was founded in 1949, and has been in publication ever since. The magazines leading feature is its Railway of the Month. It also includes descriptions of rail layouts or modelling projects. One traditional feature was Drawn and Described by well known enthusiast Ian Beattie in which the author (now deceased) drew a locomotive usually in 4mm scale, and described it. At the back of the magazine there is usually classifieds. 4 mm scale is the most popular model railway scale used in the United Kingdom. The term refers to the use of 4 millimeters on the model equating to a distance of 1 foot (305 mm) on the prototype (1:76.2). It is also used for military modelling. For historical reasons, a number of different standards are employed. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Timpledon, Miriam T./ Marseken, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 76 Publication Date: 2010/07/24 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.18 inches

Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads (Paperback) $31.19 Solve space problems with shelves! Shelf layouts don`t need benchwork or floorspace and can be set at any height, easily lit, and readily moved. This book explores the possibilities, practicalities, and challenges of linear layout design and presents a variety of prototype layouts with construction details.

How To Build A Model Railway $6.99 How To Build A Model Railway

Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads $14.89 No Synopsis Available

Model Railway, c.1870 $49.99 Model Railway, c.1870 - Giclee Print

Model Railway Layout, Construction and Design Techniques (Paperback) $60.46 Layout building is perhaps the most exciting, rewarding and challenging aspect of creating a model railway.  Making the right design decisions and choosing good construction techniques are vital to ensure success.  This book takes you through basic baseboard construction, shelf layout themes and how to link multi-deck designs together, enabling you to make the most of a given space.  With different concepts covered, from simple portable layouts to helix construction techniques, Nigel Burkin mixes the best of British layouts with those used routinely overseas and shows you how you too can achieve success and satisfaction in executing your layout design.

Railway $9.99 Railway

Shelf Layouts for Model Railroads By Rice, Iain $24.4 Author: Rice, Iain Publication Date: 2009/05/31 Number of Pages: 87 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 0.25 Width: 8.00 Height: 10.50

Three Swedish Children Play with their Model Railway $39.99 Three Swedish Children Play with their Model Railway - Giclee Print

Model Railway Design Manual $39.94 Before beginning construction work on a model railway it is essential to have a workable design. The plan needs to take into account the space, time, budget and personal skills available, as well as the type of railway to be modelled. Here, Cyril Freezer draws on more than 50 years experience in designing and building model railways to explain how each stage should be undertaken. Includes 150 speciallydrawn track layout diagrams. Author: Freezer, Cyril J./ Freezer, C. Binding Type: Hardcover Number of Pages: 160 Publication Date: 1996/11/02 Language: English Dimensions: 10.97 x 8.43 x 0.53 inches

Model Railways - How To Build A Model Railway (DVD) $9.93 A programme in which the viewer will learn many of the arts in building a model railway. From baseboard construction through to adding the scenery, Bob Symes guides at each stage as Dave Lowery does the building. Running Time: 45 min A programme in which the viewer will learn many of the arts in building a model railway. From baseboard construction through to adding the scenery, Bob Symes guides at each stage as Dave Lowery does the building.

Two Children Play with a Model Railway Set Out on the Floor $44.99 Two Children Play with a Model Railway Set Out on the Floor - Giclee Print

Making Model Railway Buildings (Paperback) $47.48 This invaluable book is essential reading for all railway modellers, whatever their level of expertise. The author provides an overall understanding of the purpose of making buildings for a model railway and covers their construction, their positioning and how to light them. Topics covered include: Railway and non-railway model buildings, explaining how the latter can also enhance your trains.Modelling attitudes, the use of scale, levels of detail and both regional vernacular and railway architecture.Ready-made buildings that you can buy and demonstrates how you can adapt them to your own particular purposes.Different materials available for building structures and ways of choosing, finding, measuring and recording suitable prototypes.Step by step construction of a cardboard building kit to illustrate the use of basic modelling tools and to explain essential procedures and techniques.Using and modifying `out-of-the-box` model buildings and explores the subtleties of making model railway buildings from scratch without the use of a kit, or anything more than hand-tools and a few sheets of suitable material.Guidance on the appropriate use of texture and colour, and shows how walls, doors, windows, roofs and chimneys can be created, painted, detailed and finished off.Many aspectsof lighting, including external lighting, such as street and platform lights, and the internal lighting of buildings, the problems they pose and how they can be resolved.Lighting can create dramatic effects with reference, for example, to the installation of illuminated ground signals in N-gauge using the latest `surface-mount` technology, and by producing brilliantly illuminated back-lit sunsets.

Hornby Book of Scenic Railway Modelling (Paperback) $39.84 Rolling hills, rustic barns, and charming city streets…all these things and more can be created in perfect miniature with the guidance of veteran model- railroad buff Chris Ellis. His detailed instructions cover planning backdrops; building basic terrain; painting backgrounds and creating the illusion of perspective; texturing foliage and trees; modeling water; depicting rocky surfaces; and building tunnels and bridges. A complete guide to creating realistic settings for model-train layouts, this guide also shows how affordable “scenics” from the celebrated Hornby Company provide the finishing touch.

The Points on a Model Railway Set are Oiled to Keep the Track and Trains Running Smoothly $24.99 The Points on a Model Railway Set are Oiled to Keep the Track and Trains Running Smoothly - Photographic Print

Railway Museum (Saitama) $66.91 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles The Railway Museum is a railway museum in Saitama, Saitama, Japan, which opened on 14 October 2007. It was built and is operated by the East Japan Railway Culture Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of the East Japan Railway Company. It consists of a 19,800 m building on a site covering 42,500 m, with a display area 9,500 m in size. The museum features about 30 railway cars, train cab simulators, railway model dioramas, mini trains, storage for artefacts and books, video booths, a multipurpose hall, a gallery balcony, a cafeteria, a museum shop, and a research room. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Timpledon, Miriam T./ Marseken, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 76 Publication Date: 2010/06/26 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.18 inches

The Railway $49.99 The Railway - Giclee Print

Model Railway By Burkin, Nigel $37.21 Author: Burkin, Nigel Subtitle: Layout, Construction and Design Techniques Publication Date: 2010/09/15 Number of Pages: 191 Binding Type: Paperback Language: English Depth: 0.50 Width: 7.50 Height: 9.75

Railway Electric Traction $76.47 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles Railway electric traction describes the various types of locomotive and multiple units that are used on electrification systems around the world. Railway electrification as a means of traction emerged at the end of the nineteenth century, although experiments in electric rail have been traced back to the midnineteenth century . Thomas Davenport, in Brandon, Vermont, erected a circular model railroad on which ran batterypowered locomotives (or locomotives running on batterypowered rails) in 1834. Robert Davidson, of Aberdeen, Scotland, created an electric locomotive in 1839 and ran it on the EdinburghGlasgow railway at 4 miles per hour. The earliest electric locomotives tended to be batterypowered. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Timpledon, Miriam T./ Marseken, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 120 Publication Date: 2010/06/25 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.28 inches

Model Railways - An Enthusiasts' Guide (DVD) $8.93 A look at all aspects of model railways. Details: Special Features $(document).ready(function() $('#ctl00_ctl00_mainContent_MainContent_ctlAtAGlance_lnkDetails').click(function(e) e.preventDefault(); displayContainer(); displayLoader('getting details...'); getFile('/searchandbrowse/dvddetails.aspx?id=182092', displayDetails); );); function displayDetails(msg) clearLoader(); setMessagecontent(msg); $('#' + containerID).center(); It is said that in days gone by every schoolboy wanted to grow up to be a train driver. When the boy becomes the man and dreams of steam engines turn to the reality of the office, there is still a world of trains, tunnels and tracks to which we can escape - the world of the model railway. In this DVD we look at all aspects of this wonderful hobby from designing models and scenery to planning track layouts and painting kit engines. Railway modelling has something for everyone!!

Starter Track Plans for Model Railroaders: 25 Starter Layouts You Can Build $12.65 No Synopsis Available

Model Railways: How to Build a Model Railway - $12.99 Dave Lowry and Bob Symes offer a demonstration of how to build a beautiful and functional working toy train layout. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi

Model Railways: How to Build a Model Railway (DVD) $23.38 Description not available.

The Soller Railway $10.99 The Soller Railway

Alkan/The Railway $6.49 Alkan/The Railway