Lets hear, see and learn about your "3-Rail Traditional Toy Train Layout"

This is a cool topic, and I'm enjoying seeing all your layouts.  My layout was "designed" (i.e. , turned out to be) an O Gauge layout like my 1950's layout...just larger. I started in 1998 ( with much more to do), and it is a "backwards L shape", with the long sides being approximately 25 feet. Homosote on plywood. My power is an MTH z4000, with a smaller K Line transformer for fixed voltage. I have TMCC, and also operate conventionally. Improving the wiring is ongoing. There are two mainline tracks, as well as a yard and a few sidings. The ruling curve on the outside main is 0-72, and the inside is 0-42. ( I had to increase the outside to 0 72 from 0-54 when I acquired the JLC Challenger over 20 years ago.) Turnouts are 0 22 or 0 42 manual.

  I have many Plasticville buildings, some MTH, a few tinplate (Marx and foreign) and a few "scale buildings", more or less grouped into three "districts". Landscaping only includes a few trees and a lot of chicken grit in yard and open spaces ( I do not ballast between rails, but I have added rubber ties. )  I have a lot of diecast vehicles; mostly Corgi, both US and European but also others, with scales ranging from 1/64 up through 1/43, grouped together loosely by scale. I also have a few Plasticville vehicles, just because...  I especially like emergency vehicles and buses.  Locomotives are Lionel (mostly PW and MPC, but also pre war, LTI and some modern), Marx, MTH, K Line and KMT (static). Also have European...Bassett Lowke, Hornby, ACE and Leeds.

I am a runner, and only a collector by default. Just like to see longish trains run.

I am including one pic, which was taken a while back, and I probably should reshoot the whole layout. Ah, well...

This was my previous layout, a combination of O gauge and standard gauge.

@jay jay posted:

- I am a runner, and only a collector by default. Just like to see longish trains run...

When I was young and hanging around my grandfather - most of his train-pals were collectors that gave him a fair amount of shine for 'running his trains into the ground'.
Well, they aren't in the ground - they are all in my basement getting ready to run again

Also -
I also want to know about what looks like a tinplate wye switch entering the engine house in your pic. I've never seen one of that type, only modern.

@woodsyT posted:

When I was young and hanging around my grandfather - most of his train-pals were collectors that gave him a fair amount of shine for 'running his trains into the ground'.
Well, they aren't in the ground - they are all in my basement getting ready to run again

Also -
I also want to know about what looks like a tinplate wye switch entering the engine house in your pic. I've never seen one of that type, only modern.

That is a pre-war Hornby Train Shed set up with clockwork track, so I have Hornby pre-war Y turnouts  on either end. The three-rail track continues beyond the Y turnouts. I have one Hornby clockwork locomotive, dating to the late 1920s, that I can run through the shed. All my electric locomotives are prohibited from entry, unless outside force is applied, such as The Big Hand From The Sky.

Here is an image of a layout I recently acquired.  It is a reproduction of a 1948 dealer 10M display layout.  It was built for a TCA convention several years ago.  The set on the layout is a 1948 set.  The sets on the display tracks are newer, but some of my favorites.

A few photos of my layout, the photos are a bit old but the basic layout has changed very little.  Just 5 simple loops ranging from 0-72 to 0-42.  Indoor/Outdoor carpet with carpet padding under it makes for very quiet operation.

I love three-rail.  Here are three of mine.

Old attic layout.  Ten 4 X 8's.  1988, all conventional.

Basement layout.  Three rooms.  About 40 X 8.  Conventional, DCS, Lionchief+

Ceiling layout, about 35 X 16.  DCS.  Double-tracked, small yard over the fireplace.

Nice thread.  It was fun digging up the pics.  I love all these trains!

Regards,

Jerry

Traditional layouts are my first love - great thread. Thanks for resurrecting it Charlie!

I'll again share: About | WarrenVille RailRoad

Bump for an awesome thread.  Y'all are giving me inspiration.

I fall in the cracks here somewhere. Just getting back into it and threw down this temporary track for now . Not sure where I’ll go next. Did a couple track plans for permanent on paper but we will see. This is my living room floor that’s why it is temporary lol yes I’m single. I do have a basement room that could be permanent roughly 11’ by 22’.when I was married I built a permanent layout in that basement room that took about a year to build just to get divorced and took it all down because I thought I was going to sell the house. So it left a bad taste in my mouth so now I’m dipping my feet again. Sorry for the quality I have no shame lol.

@scottyhubcaps posted:.

.. so now I’m dipping my feet again. Sorry for the quality I have no shame lol.

Ain't no room for shame in this game👍 good on ye!

A couple of panoramic shots including some Postwar accessories and Plasticville in the marine railroad section of the layout.

Here's another one:

I stumbled across this topic and all I can say is that it's  very well timed for me.

My existing layout basement  8x8 with 3 loops is nearing its end.  But I shed no tears for my sainted wife decided to put an addition off the garage so that we can and I quote "age in place" what ever that means. It started as an 12x8 laundry, half bath, storage and that was it......so I  was told.  My 22 year old Amtrak MOW track gang son told me to get the layout out his soon to be bedroom. I asked why with a few no way you already have the family room and kitchen down there. He looked  at me like I  was the dumbest guy on the planet and says "Geez Dad didn't you  look at the plans for the addition"? I  snapped of course I did who do you think is paying for it! Again the look of pity and replies shaking his head  "you knuckle head mom is giving you  a 10 x 13 ft train room,  so you don't have to go up and down the basement  stairs any more and I get my own 3 room apartment so I can save money for a new pick up truck!"

So the final run of the old layout will Sunday March 5th for the big kids (39, 35 and 22), my four horsemen of the apocalypse grandsons (8, 6, and twins 4), my former partner at work and her 33 y.o son and 4 year old grandson and my 2 best friends bringing their favorite locomotives for a last run. Should be fun filled day and maybe a little sad!

But planning is starting for the new layout. I have decided on a couple of things so far:         

1.) I need to thin out the collection. This will be my first time offering anything  for sale anywhere. Please keep a eye on the For Sale pages.

2.) It will incorporate my Christmas buildings and accessories.  Plasticville will run on an upper level with my 1961 1055 Texas Special freight.

Sorry for the long post. Hope you enjoyed reading  it.  And yes, I will post pics of the mayhem  err last runs on the layout.

Stay well and safe my friends.

@franksansev posted:

@franksansev posted:

I stumbled across this topic and all I can say is that it's  very well timed for me. I  snapped of course I did who do you think is paying for it! Again the look of pity and replies shaking his head  "you knuckle head mom is giving you  a 10 x 13 ft train room,  so you don't have to go up and down the basement  stairs any more and I get my own 3 room apartment so I can save money for a new pick up truck!"

Great story! I wish you much luck, foresight and skill in your new endeavors!!!

George

My 8x20 3 rail traditional layout in all of its glory-or is it gory?  Nevertheless, I've had a lot of fun with it. 

@scottyhubcaps posted:

Sorry for the quality I have no shame lol.

Not to shame you but.... we would love to see what you have running with a bit of light on the situation!

Hard to beat traditional Lionel layouts. Looking at that track, it reminds me of the second thoughts I've been having about track for rebuilding my layout. Already have a bunch of Fastrak, but there's something about the traditional track that making me lean that direction. Brings back some great memories (and as a side bonus, it's quieter!).

Impressive layout, and some terrific MPC beer and tobacco cars on the move! Nice to see.

Well, 3-Rail Traditional Toy Train Layouts should have lots of action.

The picture below shows a Wye, for reversing on the out side loops, and several accessories.  The first is a part of a 362 operating barrel loader to the left, a 3472 milk platform and milk car, a 3656 cattle pen and cattle car next and a 464 lumber mill in the background.  Now that is some Real Action !

Charlie

Some postwar, but predominantly prewar:

It's all good.

PD

Hello Hokie sorry I already took the layout down and started a more permanent layout. I’m running legacy mp 70ace, 4-6-2 nyc tmcc, and gp7 legacy nyc. So far anyway. These are the two plans I came up with. After several attempts. Both are 080 outside loop and all 072 curves inside that. Both have a track leading up to a reversing loop .

The darker track is the gradual rise reversing loop. the room is my living room. roughly 95"x180" plan. I will say that I love the way the legacy engines sound Lionel nailed the sounds.

These pictures remind me a lot of my father's layouts.  Nice pictures everyone!

What says "3 rail Toy Train Layout" more than and original Marx 999 set?

Marx 999 engine (set is original but engine is retired due to worn out motor gear, this is a replacement).

Tinplate Marx LNE 13079, Leigh New England coal car with four operating hopper doors, our only addition that came the Christmas after the Marx 999 set

The Marx Uncoupling section

Charlie

Some photos from my Traditional 3 Rail Toy Train Layout

Rare photo of Homemade $10 Turntable without the Round House

Charlie

My home train layout came into being after medical incidents (TIA, mild stroke, and a cardiac incident) limited the scope of hobby activity.  With help from family and hobby friends, I designed and built a 15x19-feet L-shaped layout with two levels. I deliberately wanted a traditional-looking layout as a remembrance of the home layout built in the 1950s in the basement of our house. Track plans for both levels are attached for reference as JPG files.

The current lower level is comprised of two residential areas, a park, an industrial district, sidings for train storage for THOMAS-related trains, and a Dinosaur Park. The latter two features were installed for my two great-grandsons, Matthew, and Hudson. The platforms are hollow-core doors covered with green patio carpeting. resting on SKIL plastic sawhorses.
The tracks on that level are dual-wired via a knife switch that selects either:

1) Lionel's TMCC through a 135w "brick," a TMCC Command Base, a PowerMaster, and a Direct Lock-on at trackside. Most of my locos are equipped with Lionel's TMCC or Legacy with control by a CAB-1, or LionChief2. with control by a color-designated hand-held controllers for THOMAS, PERCY, JAMES, DIESEL, and a dinosaur train.  The layout radius is O42, with Lionel tubular track and O42 switches -- the maximum curvature possible in the train room. Action accessories are by Lionel, MTH, and (recently) by Menards. I mounted controls and power gear on two slide-out control panels. Accessories are controlled by pushbuttons mounted on the perimeter fascia boards; easy for kids to use with "gee whiz" reactions.

2) MTH's DCS (through a MTH 100w "brick" and a DCS Remote Commander - the cheapest form of DCS with the hand-held controller. Not as handy as TMCC, but it works OK. Another MTH 100w "brick" provides 14v power to switches, lighted buildings, and accessories.

The upper level features 35 DEPT 56 North Pole Village porcelain buildings as a year-round Christmassy scene, with thee short bump-and-go trolley lines running on DC track power provided by a computer power supply through a scratch-built control box. Some of the DEPT 56 buildings are animated - fun for visiting kids and families.

Because of the small dimensions of the Train Room (formerly a home office used by the previous owner of our house), the locos in my small  collection that require O6O (or greater) radius curves can't be run on the layout.  They are on display on shelves impatiently waiting for me to build a LARGER layout for them.

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394

Great thread! It's awesome to see some many toy train layouts. Wish you all lived in my neighborhood! Here are some pictures and a video link of my layout.

Running My Virginian Service Station Set

Jag, John, Mike and others

Great toy train layouts and photos.  This topic is becoming my latest favorite.

Charlie

The closest that I have come to the "traditional toy train" layout in many years is the recent D C Central*.

It started with the track from the Lionel Amtrak HHP-8 starter set (and a few extension pieces):

But I later replaced that track with Atlas O-72 and a few switches that I already had:

Oddly, I never took many photos of it, at least overall views. It got taken up as I was getting tired of accidentally stepping on the track and breaking it. Atlas is great track but just not meant to be walked on!

* Dirty Carpet Central

John E K

I love your layout, especially the mountain with two levels of tracks going through.  Do you have a track diagram to post so we can better see where the trains can go?

Charlie