New Postwar Display Layout - Progress/Pics

thanks for the update chris2035.love the roadbed and was wondering what mfg it is or if it's homemade?

your trackwork looks great and the layout as it is now is very pleasing.

cant wait to see how the upper level area will look when its finished,especially the tunnel portal's and the vertical area's from the main table to the upper level table.

thop.......

Chris,
I just noticed your new pics of your Lionel PW classic layout. Great looks showcasing all your Lionel PW accessories and trains, and beautifully photographed. Great job !!

I don't have any roadbed.  It's direct to the plywood. I've been painting it gray this week. I'll post pics in the next few days when I finish it. My goal is to replicate the look & feel of a mid 1950's Lionel department store display layout

Thank you

After building Hi rail layouts the last few times, I wasn't sure how I would like a postwar style layout, but it's a lot of fun so far!

The one I have is a Lionel PWC reissue

Latest update - painted the roadbed under the tracks gray this weekend,the sidewalks on the upper level & the touched up the roads on both levels - 

Very Nice,,, I have always been a toy guy and love the postwar style set ups... I am sure this makes some noise when its running...

it's VERY loud

as i age my eyes sure arent what they use to be chris as i could of sworn the tubular was on roadbed.

it was only after i got a magnifying glass out that i could clearly see it was indeed on the plywood.

nevertheless,it looks great and i know the trains run well over your track.great job!

thop.......

I love it.  It looks "right" to me.

Very Nice, Very Neat. Your photo's show the layout getting better and better.

You can be very proud, I know I would. Thanks for sharing.

This is taking me back to a time when all dad (he passed away in 1986) and I knew was "postwar" with a smattering of MPC.  It was so simple. I've been mulling over layout styles and options - been leaning heavily toward a hybrid postwar display layout with some switching/industrial action to keep me somewhat busy. I'm putting a ceiling track in the living room right now, so have time to continue "mulling" the other.  But, I really love the look of your setup (and you have some serious stuff on the shelves, too).  Thanks for posting!

Super nice job Chris. Reminds me of Christmas in Macy's when I was a kid. Don

Bravo Chris! Well done! I like the clean look of your postwar layout with tubular track.

Thank you guys.   After reading the comments, I'm glad to see that the layout is on the right track (excuse the pun!)  The fact that you guys are reminded of the classic store layouts & youthful memories is just the effect I am going for!   Thanks for your positive feedback.  For me, I obviously grew up after the postwar era ended, but yet that's what my Dad had & for the first few years, that was all we ran & talked about.   This takes me back to my childhood layout my Dad built using his Super O track. 

When I run them at night w/ the lights off, it's like I'm 8 again!  I still have his original sets too. His ZW is still powering the layout, just like it did back then

I'm a scale/hi rail kind of guy, but I gotta say that you've got a really sharp looking retro-style layout there Christopher.

Very well done!

Thanks.  My last few layouts were all hi rail, so I wanted to try my hand at something new.  Nostalgia was one factor which drove me to do a layout like this, space - not having a basement pretty much meant I was getting a small bedroom - A lot of modern scale stuff would look out of place on a small layout & kids - my daughter is 3 & my son is 8 weeks, I wanted them to be able to play w/ the trains & operate accessories to keep them interested

awesome, just awesome

Looks terrific.  I really like the shelving and the overall room set-up.

Thank you!!

I've been out of the game for awhile now and your layout really makes me want to do something similar. Great work Christopher.

16 X 16 Lionel tubular.  It's simple.

Nice, We need some close ups of your rolling stock John. Lots of nice stuff there...

finished the wiring on all the accessories & lights. Also picked up a 125 whistle shack & replaced my 256 freight station on the front of the layout w/ an operating 356

Love the charm of PostWar style. Great job Chris.

Took the words right out of my mouth!

Chris:  As they all have said, It looks great!  It maybe toyish, but that's what it was all about back then, and still is for me to this day.  Yes, others do great things with scale and detail, and that is to be applauded too! But tubular track, painted plywood, and when you finish that mountain with the crumpled  multi colored rock paper with the mica chips on it; it will have that  "WOW" factor.  Great job Chris.  Dennis M.

P.S.:  The camera takes fantastic pictures, it's like I'm in the room with you.

Chris, let me add one thing. Christmas 1950 something. Every time my parents took my sister and I to a dept. store I ran to the toy department and looked for the trains. Most were Lionel, a few American Flyer. It was always night time. Seeing Santa was alright but I wanted to see the trains more than anything. The magic of Christmas will never be forgotten by me. Your layout brings it all back. Thanks. Don 

Thanks Dennis.  The mountain is my next thing to work on.   I've done the Hi Rail layout a few times & each is cool in it's own way.   This type has a charm & magic that I felt was lacking w/ my Hi Rail layouts.   I enjoyed both though. When this is finished, I plan to build a small N scale layout, just b/c I still do enjoy trains in realistic settings

Don - This is one of the nicest things I've heard said about my layout

That magic is exactly what I am trying to recreate.  I'm glad you like it!

Awesome Christopher! We have the same taste. I am getting out of all the true to scale Lionel stuff, and continuing my PWC and CC collecting, along with MPC and Postwar. Nothing beats the look and feel!!!

Any other plans for the layout?

 I know!!!   

My next plans for the layout are to build the mountain & then paint it. once that is done, I will add the dyed sawdust ground cover - classic postwar look. 

Don't get me wrong - the scale stuff is cool too, but it was missing "something" 

plus the failure rate of these new trains was costing me a lot of money & headaches.   My last few layouts were Hi Rail, but The postwar & MPC stuff is what I grew up with.  

I went from this - 

to this - 

NO regrets

tried a little scenery on Sunday -

Chris:  Impressive, the ground cover adds a "real" dimemtion to the layout; it's coming along fine.

         How is the newborn doing?  Have you brought him into the trainroom yet?  Have you told him: "someday, all this will by yours?

         I hope and pray that he and mom are doing well and that life in the new home is taking shape.   Best to all, and keep the pictures coming.  Dennis M.

Thank you Dennis!

I have both kids in the train room all the time.  Lucia loves running them & Lorenzo loves looking at all the lights!  Everyone is doing great & the new house is coming together & starting to look & feel more like a home!

Here's my little helper - 

The last photo says it all.  Very cool.

Hi Chris,

You always do nice work!  Looks great!

Jim

Thanks Jim!

Todd -  I love having her in there!  That's what it's all about!

Chris,  I have always enjoyed the pictures you have shared of your high-rail layouts and I am enjoying these latest pictures of your post war layout just as much.  I currently have a tinplate layout that shares some space with the high-rail layout.  The post war and tinplate stuff is simple yet so fun to run.

Thanks for continually sharing with us your layouts. 

here's the latest -

started prepping for the mountain on Friday