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Over on the "Layout Building Forum", I posted a reply to Andrew B. who is starting to build a replica of the D-148 layout from 1955.  I have built a replica of the D-165 from !956 and I thought I'd share some photos of my layout here.  The layout was built using techniques and materials as close as possible to those originally used by Lionel.  The grass is 919, the mountain is fish-glue hardened felt painted with casein theater paints mixed with fish glue etc.  Even the exposed wiring is cloth covered just like the original.  Unfortunately, the layout track plan and placement of the accessories are not correct to the production D-165 layouts produced.  My layout was built by reference to the 1956 Dealer Display Catalog and, at the time I built it, I did not have access to the instructions or photos of a production display.  This is a rare case of Lionel making the production layout very different from the catalog illustration.  Lionel used a heavily modified D-148 from 1955 for the Display Catalog illustration of the D-165, and the actual layout produced varied from that considerably.  Also, note that the D-165 used only accessories available in 1955.  This was typical in that the layouts for a given catalog year were actually designed late in the fall of the previous year, and so were usually one year behind in using accessories.  The 2254W Congo set and 2253W GG-1 set are modern Postwar Celebration Series stand-ins, but the 2257WS 665 freight set is my original train from December, 1956 bought by my Dad when I was only two months old - he started me early! 

Attachments

Images (6)
  • Frank Gatazka D-165 Replica: Overall View of Display Replica
  • D-165 Catalog: 1956 Lionel Dealer Display Catalog Page for D-165
  • D165instructions: Actual D-165 Instruction Sheet showing Track Plan
  • D165instructions - 2: Actual D-165 Instruction Sheet showing Wiring
  • Frank Gatazka D-165 Replica: Detail of Felt Mountain
  • Original D-165: Original Lionel D-165 at Richard Kughn's Madison Hardware
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Frank,

That layout looks great and the reference materials and close-ups are eye opening. I never knew what the true track plan was for the the D-165. 

Nice work!

 

We got bit by the postwar bug recently and converted our foam tabletop Christmas layout to something inspired by the postwar dealer display layouts. Not exact to any particular model but it has a general family resemblance.

 

Mike

 

 

IMG_4375b

IMG_4385b

Attachments

Images (2)
  • IMG_4375b
  • IMG_4385b

Very nice job, Frank. I'm a fan of the display layouts (I want to PLAY with my trains...) so anytime I see one I'm envious.  I'm currently building a 4.4' x 10' layout in the display layout concept, but I'm doing some things just cuz I want to...like ballasting the track, etc.  Not gonna go hi-rail on it or anything.

 

Very nice job and pictures. I like that you didn't just try to replicate the layout, but the construction methods as well.  I guess if you're gonna do it, do it right...

Really great stuff, guys!

 

I am building the D-105 5x9 layout. It's an early one from 1953. It's two separate lines (one elevated) and a non-connected spur that ends in a tunnel portal. The spur was used to demo the milk car/platform and the cattle car/platform. There is a large mountain at one end with 5 tunnel portals.

 

The most fun for me has been acquiring all of the accessories. I've been able to pick up actual PW models for the most part, but have "cheated" with a few re-makes here and there.

 

I need to get some pics posted soon.

 

Btw - have mentionewd this before. I have all of the Dealer Display Layouts (pics, track plans, wiring digrams) and am willing to share them if someone wants a specific plan. Email me (in profile). 

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