What do you feel is the "wow factor" on your layout? (Pics)

Interesting and good question. Saturday, we held a summer outing at our home for a group of our friends, most who had not visited our layout before. What struck them all, more than anything else was our replica of the Newport Bridge. This bridge was not planned to be the focal point, I just wanted a representation of my home State on the layout. My guess is what draws every bodies attention is the lights and the size of it. You can't miss it.

 

 

Brian; I love that shot.

Thanks Spence, your comment means a lot.

That is a stunning image, the bridge itself, the harbor...there is just so much to take in.   

Wow factor is not necessarily "big"

my layout has several mini wow factors, that needs time to discover.

here is one of them, that if you watch my layout you will never know that this bench vise work like a real one or like the saw can cut.

AG.

Here's my double tracked bridge... BTW my wow factor for people is the layout is very big, and it takes up the hole room up.

This was mine. Too bad as it no longer exists due to major changes to the city scene.

 

jim r

Without a doubt...

 

I think Red Rock will always be my favorite:

 

 

 

Jim

Brian - I tend to forget about your Newport bridge, but I can see from the photo that it has a big "wow factor" in person.  I'm sure when you added the lighting it made a huge difference.  Your newest passenger station that Alex made has to be very impressive too.  Isn't it interesting that sometimes visitors are more impressed with features that we begin to take for granted.  Great picture.

 

Art

 

AG - I definitely agree with your point that your "wow factor" doesn't have to be big.  Those pieces are very impressive.  Wow!

 

Art

From the looks of this photo and others you've previously posted, you certainly are a "Passenger Train Collector" (and operator).  A very impressive lighted bridge.  Did you buy this in a kit, or was it scratch built? Those lights are remarkable. Nice going.

Paul/Matt - Your bridge definitely has a "wow factor" and makes me want to see more of your layout.

 

Jim - Love your el track supports.  You have really captured that big city look.

 

Elliot - Your whole layout has the WF for me, but the helixes are over the top.

 

Jim P. - You have so many on your layout, but the Red Rocks are very spectacular.  They must really get your attention when you enter the train room.

 

Great pictures everyone!  Please keep them coming.

 

Art

Definitely the decorations on top of the mountain

 

 

Nice work, everyone!

 

Brian and Jim, I really enjoy seeing your pictures.

 

Jeff C

Thanks I have a lot of more work to do, like the yard and whare you see bare ply wood is whare I half to do more seanery and the white hill needs plaster cloth and grass,trees ext... 

The Wow for mine is when people reach the top of the stairs and see the whole thing.

i have the most densely packed layout I have yet seen. But, as I get more room it is coming down.

Chris & Vern:

 

Thanks for the compliments. Vern, the bridge is scratch built from aluminum and steel. Therefore it is pretty heavy and stays put without being secured to the benchwork. It measures 6 ft. long and the towers are 38" tall. The towers are a replica of the Newport Bridge and the color is the original in a light shade of green. Today, the bridge is painted gray. The lights are by Evans Design and what is not pictured is the two flashing red lights at the top of the towers. I agree with Art, the lights make a huge difference. The real McCoy is below. Please click on this photo to expand the picture and you will get a much better look at this beautiful bridge.

 

News Flash....... Just received an e-mail from our Rhode Island connection Wood Foss who informs me they are now painting the Newport Bridge to the original green color so that it matches mine  .

 

 

I have to be a "me-tooer" impressed with the Newport Bridge/Harbor scene...the lighted cars passing make the whole scene almost touch reality.   And the Red Rocks are the kind of scene I would like on my layout, and look to be a combination of Colorado Nat. Monument, and Arches (Utah) Nat. Mon. (the auto entrance reminds

me of the steep drive up into Col. Nat. Mon.)

Hi Chugman • Spectacular Features • Shelf Layout

 

I would like to say spectacular feature is the overall layout design, Called

Shelf Layout.  Over the years I have read several article about Shelf Layouts in the popular Model Train Magazines.

 

Model railroaders & non-model rail roaders, tell me that I have pack a lot of model train into a small basement and still have room for other things in the basement. Like a full Black & White Darkroom. Digital photography has cut into that business. The only thing I do now is restore & print classic negatives.

 

Below you will see three photos of the Shelf Layout, about 25 feet long and 10 feet at the widest point. Along with a cover of a book that I used while building the main parts of the layout.

• Click Picture to Enlarge

That's pretty much what I was aiming for - glad you could recognize it.

 

With a touch of the Canyonlands from the other side of Rt 191 in Utah thrown in, too.

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

on mine right now, it is the Mess!

Looks good guy nice layouts!!!

Live catenary.

 

"Live catenary."

 

would count as a "Wow" for me.

    I don't know how to download pictures yet so hopefully I can describe this well enough. I have 2 Atlas double track Prat Truss bridges with A 5 1/2 foot double track box beam curved 90 degree scratch built trestle between them. The inside line on the curved trestle has A Ross switch witch comes straight off the one end of the curved trestle to A single track scratch built straight trestle to make my reverse loop on the upper level. I know everyone keeps telling me not to put switches on trestles but its only way to make my reverse loop work out. Choo Choo Kenny

Jim, 

Can I ask you how you created these rocks?  Thanks. 

By far the Great Lake Car Ferry that Alex Mallie had built me a few years ago.  Here it is on the old layout just after it was installed.  The new layout it will be the main feature and I will have realistic operations designed around loading and unloading it to move goods across Lake Michigan for the war effort.

 

Great topic Chugman!

 

My wow factor is temporarily back in the box. But, when the Lionel #213 Lift Bridge was out people of all ages had to operate it.

 

 

Definitely the cup holders.....naturally they're big enough to hold a tumbler of bourbon too!

 

 

 

Thanks for all the great replies!

 

Marty - Live cantenary is very impressive.  So is your fabulous custom built station.

 

Jdeveleejr - Your Great Lake car ferry is a major WF.

 

Pete - That Lionel lift bridge is really cool. 

 

Drew - Great building, very realistic looking.

 

Witz - You're making me thirsty.

 

Art 

People seem to like this especially at Christmas. 

 

 

Chris - Beautiful scene!

 

Art

So far... this

 

It would have to be the double bridge crossing the stairwell in the attic.

 

 

 

Gilly

The whole layout!

It sits in a corner of the living room and when folks first come in they quite often say something like, "Wow, you have a train set in your living room!"

 

Then it goes down hill from there with "Are they your kids' trains?" or "You still play with your old trains?"