Avoid a common mistake I made when building a model railroad 

Backing up your point at 5:30: LET GLUE DRY. A maker channel I watch, Laura Kampf, has a metal sign in her shop: "LET GLUE DRY". I've adopted this to also mean LET PAINT DRY. I'm building a custom loco on a big scale. Lots of gluing, and lots of painting await me. EVERY TIME I glue a section, I have to put my tools away so I don't do 'just one more bit', because every time I have, I inevitably mess something up. So everytime I do a bit, I say it out loud. LET GLUE DRY. You'll thank yourself for adopting this mantra. ...It's 11pm here, so no coffee. Enjoying a nice cup of Yorkshire tea, which will be followed by a ginger & apple tea.

Don’t forget the most important part: Be Patient and Don’t Rush

Another point to add: IF you are going to install a backdrop for sky and/or distant mountains, do this BEFORE you attach the layout surface to the wall.

Step 3.5 once you've done the preliminary laying of track, connect it to a power source and have your tallest, longest, widest, lightest, heaviest, and whatever-est stock take a good few tours of every bit of track to make sure clearances are in order. I built my layout with the idea that it'd be primarily used with my Marklin Alpha train. This is an exceptionally tall set, as in the spoilers on the wagons are taller than the pantographs for most other models. So where Marklin specifies 74.5mm clearance, I needed 86mm, which was a good thing to find out before I glued everything down and fixed the helix between levels in place.

Good reminders all....even for someone who might already know or think they know. Keep caffeinated. :)

Another precaution is to run a set of extra wires when you run the wires. This way if one wire gets damage or you add in the future they are already there. Also lighted parts can have a distribution block placed to run street lights , building lights , and etc to make easy multiple connections.

Excellent video! One thing I learned from Everard Junction, a great UK modeller, is to build your baseboard with slots in the back for your backscene. It is then very secure but easily removable.

Where were you 25 years ago, I could have used all those tips and ideas. Great video. And always sound advise. Thankd Jimmy your the best

Great video Jimmy! Thanks for sharing your tips/techniques!

Instant black coffee with warm water from the tap! Now that's class!

Folgers Classic Instant ... Bwaaahhh... that aside, great prep video. You teach very well. The episode lengths are perfect, and not overwhelming. Mixing coding with building and running footage is superb. It's easier to learn when one can see the APPLICATION of the instruction, then able to follow through with DOING the lesson. That locks it in. Thanks... and Happy Tracks to all. :-)

My layout is comprised of 4 interconnecting modules. I found that by focusing on one module at a time everything went so much FASTER. I learned that stay focused on each area until it is complete or near complete. Good video.

Yet another great video Jimmy, thank you. I struggled for years with flexi track, without much success, then I discovered Kato Unitrack at a local shop and have never looked back, though I did struggle fix it down when using foam as part of the baseboard, so thanks for suggesting latex adhesive.

I was lucky enough to find a to spec built set of 4x8 tables to start my setup. Going to pick them up this weekend. I'm STOKED

Hi Jimmy, coming to you from a different account today. Having built about half of my n gauge layout I have only now decided to put in street lights. I can therefore confirm that planning in fine detail is absolutely vital. Try getting a drill between all your buildings to drill the holes for the wiring! Another really great video Jimmy. Thanks so much. Mel in Portugal.

I'm new to the hobby. This is my first layout. I happened upon your site by chance and am glad I did. Your insights and tutorials are interesting, relevant, and presented clearly. Thanks for talking the time to make these videos. 🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃

Nailed it! This is an excellent series Jimmy, it really deserves more views. Thanks for supporting the hobby and the people starting out.

Excellent video! So true what you've stated. I made every mistake in the book because of my eagerness to do the landscaping which by the way turned out fantastic! That is do to you and all the model railroaders out there who posted videos.

Another very practical set of guidelines Jimmy. Thanks heaps

Hello Jimmy, Good Video on the Steps. I started my railroad almost 3 years ago and still working on it only finished 30% of the Scenery. so still a lot of things to do. But there are always coming things in between.

I would add doing backgrounds after the base but before tracklaying. IMHO one needs to do a lot of leaning and squirming on the base to apply, roll and line up backgrounds. Keep up the good work!

Philipine coffee.Can find it online and at your neatest Philipine grocery store.Also,make a list of the order of how you put it together. I've done it as I follow "the plan".So when I goof I can go back and see where it went wrong.

You must try Highlander Grog. My favorite when mixed with espresso.

Great video Jimmy!!

Another well-done video Jimmy.

Great video! I have one thought or two I'd like to leave you with. I paint my base color on the table top or foam, as soon as the bench work is done. Then paint the base color of your backdrop as well. May layout is multi level. The first level is the standard table top bench work type. So I paint the table top and visible leading edges dirt brown. My upper levels are of a shelf design. For my upper levels I paint the top and visible leading edges dirt brown and the under side sky blue. It is my experience that these things are best done before anything else.

well done great tips I am building a blended railway in ho scale using kato uni track and marlin track want to do a wall layout with a lift out bridge at the door also a helix going up to a shelf run sounds good in my head lol anyway catch ya next one cheers Alan

FANTASTIC advice. Thanks

Just found your channel today (this video was the second one I watched... The first was "Model Railroad Layout Design for Beginners"). Excellent info and easy to understand. I'll be checking out more of your videos in the near future! Thanks!!!

Predrill holes for wires in your bench work , stack all your cross sections and a nice press drill before putting your frame together.

If you're going to be laying track on cork road bed, I'd recommend painting your base color first. The reason for this is that it can be easier to draw your track plan in pencil, especially if your base is foam.

I love your videos it helps a lot thank you

My layout has been in the planning phase for five years now while I save up to redecorate the room it'll be in. That's a long time! But let me tell you, every six months or so I open up that plan and find something I don't like, or notice that I can make something better, or just say what the hell was I thinking putting that turnout there?! It's surprising how many times I've said "It's perfect" only to change things for the better a few weeks later. I'm just glad I've got all that done in the planning phase and not after I've laid track and ballasted and having to tear it up and redo it. Definitely take your time when planning! Invest in proper tools for the job! My first layout was a complete disaster just because I was trying to get by with tools that I already had that just weren't right for the job. Realize that if you're spending thousands of dollars on model trains then it's definitely worth spending a few hundred on good quality tools that will help the trains run perfectly. Besides, those same tools will most definitely come in handy later on if you decide to make display / storage shelves. Mike.

I collect Ho scale and make an occasional diorama or 2 here and there. Since I live i 2 bedroom apartment by myself I’ve been really contemplating on making a suspended 2” wide wall/shelf layout with a few trams and overhead wires that runs in a loop in the living room, to the kitchen, and a little yard over the entryway to my apartment. I’ve been looking for large sheets for cheap or free so I can see through the bottom of the layout it when I look up. I really only plan on spending money on the train itself, and hardware if I can’t find or salvage it. I’ve got a few ideas but can’t seem to get anything concrete and even start. Since it’s an apartment I have to be mindful of not damaging the walls so I’m thinking of using multiple tacks as anchors to hold up one support, and have supports every 18” or so with the clear plexiglass track base running along the tops. I’d like to run a Siemens style tram so I know that wouldn’t weigh that much vs having the weight of a locomotive and multiple rail cars. Maybe I should start with building and experimenting with the supports to see what I can make and get away with while using minimal material? Then buy a kato tram w/ a bunch of flex track and go from there. I won’t be having and buildings. Only an occasions bridge that I will construct from styrene and LEDs. I’d like to pull of overhead wires as well. 🤔

Morning Jimmy those are some great tips for everybody to remember thanks for sharing and this morning I'm drinking Don Francisco's Kona blend with two splendas and sugar-free sweet Italian creamer 👍👍

Build proof of concept models. Whether it's a scale model of the layout, a full scale test of the benchwork height (especially if it's a multi-deck layout), or a diorama size test of scenery material, the time spent testing your concept is money saved on avoiding otherwise unforeseen issues.

I’ve gone through 8 layouts in 5 months

Hello Jimmy,I have to say for me,is to build on foam so I can move the layout if I have to my scare is having to move to another house.and lots of tacky glue.from walmart.i use this glue for pretty much everything on layout because it's also flexible,I do love coffee,I enjoyed your video.thanks

I'm drinking Dunkin' Coldbrew from the home packs I got from the grocery store. Also, I'm almost done laying track. I had to do 1 bit of scenery before I finished the track though, because it's a section where the road goes under the track, while the track remains level. I ended up using SmoothIt for the road, painting it, and adding some rock formations and painting them. I just placed the bridge, leveled it out, and added the roadbed last night. This weekend I'll start on the last bit of track and make sure that I can complete the circuit. I've been testing the track as I got, as a DC layout. I'm going to have a couple different sections of track, and sidings that I can turn on and off for where I park some other locomotives. It's been fun thinking about the order that I have to do things in. It's a kind of nerdy fun.

Very useful! 👍👍👍

Good morning Jimmy, great advice! I'm drinking Nescafé Black intense roast this morning!

Splendid advice

hello Jimmy -your motto seems to be "less is more" -amazing the amount of info you pack in 6:30 minutes! -that's the main reason I like your channel -one thing I'm curious about: any video about laying track so far was with cork -is there really no alternative? or does cork has simply no (or least) disadvantages? thanks, good on you

Mc Cafe' Premium Roast! I'm loving it ( from the grocery store)

Step 1.5 - make sure your space / layout room is prepared! Or at least plan the layout so it can move out of the way when doing room work.

I wish I saw this video before I ever started. Oh well, at least my benchwork is solid. (I chose to build my layout in an old display case).

I’m only DC now will convert to dcc once I get some money together

Today is Alpine Spiced Cider for me!

Also important: buy quality engines with excellent performance and not masses of engines.

Can I link many lightening power boards together so I have one ditch to turn on all lights for a track 3 - 4x8 ?

Maybe you should plan so your wiring can look like something, like points rodding or sensor cables? Dialogue Coffee flat white on skim, don't know what brand they use.

Nice fast paced video , tired of videos that clunk along , my problem is structures ; I can not visualize how to start a train layout with out creating all the buildings first at all so it is a major challenge for me because it slows things down so much more than other people .

Black coffee with bourbon…bourbon with black coffee…bourbon…I’m drinking bourbon.

I'm new to all this, interested not making my layout so permanant. Is there a way to have a layout that is reconfigurable at any time while still retaining stability?

Southern pecan coffee 😂

how wide do you make your n scale roads?

Sounds like you're talking from experience.The aforementioned mistakes, been there,done that.

I can recommend Anyrail, one fee, thought it was €45 and keep getting updates free, used Anyrail for my railroad ITS GREAT, get your copy. No I do not get money for saying this, it's just superb.

Is hand painting 🖌️🎨 ok with roads

I’m not much of a wiring guy. After building my layout (600sq ft) I decided I wanted lights. Yeah, it would have been a lot easier if I had planned ahead. However, during my period of procrastination, fiber optic lighting was invented. I would highly recommend Dwarvin fiber optic lighting. As they call it “lighting without wiring”

I need to know if you could print me about 5 mobile homes different ones

Was thinking of running wire using telephone and power poles and doing small substations to form power grids. ?

I found 1 board that was a bit warped but it’s hidden

Im drinking Lavazza Iterra Blend :-)

Folgers coffee ☕ 😋

Nice video - great ideas - still; don't care about your coffee...

I thought you were going to mention the clouds.

😊

Don Fransisco's kona from Amazon

I am 60. Just got bit by the bug. But I am not up to date on the style trains. Like what engine goes with what cars? And I am on a really tight, like choke hold tight. So not sure where to go from here.

Hello

Hopefully you show me in a video, Im not drinking coffee

😌💜😌💜😌💜😌

Letting the wife see the receipts?

As for the wiring for scenery, i had this idea. What if i was to cover the wood with a layer of aluminum foil (or perhaps copper foil), then a sheet of insulating material, and another sheet of copper (aluminum, aluminium) foil? Then i only have to cut out a small part to connect 1 wire, and i can connect the other to the other sheet on top. And have the entire table carry the juice. Would that be an idea?

hi, well becuse you cant get the roads to work i spartel is that, you dont have the control of it. try see how this chap do it, in around 30 min in the video ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-oPTqvUxKvbk.html he got control of the spartel. and then get som nice roads.

You need to do a bit and walk away, because you will keep changing your mind on the layout. Once you start positioning track, you realise it's too tight or looks boring.

This advice will make you bored and jaded of railway modelling. Why waste time on breathing wood spinters, when you can just use plastic tables?

Hi everyone, I don’t drink coffee and usually I’d have a nice brew of Yorkshire tea ☕️ 🫖 on the go. Bit to late for that right now so enjoying a nice glass off Kronenbourg 🍺. I’m getting the feeling Tea drinkers aren’t welcome to this channel so unfortunately I’ve unsubscribed.