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How to Build a Train Set in the House

Building a large scale model train layout in a house is mostly a project in space management. An O scale train set with its 1:48 scale ratio is nearly twice the size of the more common HO scale sets, which means you'll be devoting a larger space to your layout, often resulting in the use of an entire room or half of a basement. Large scale model layouts are more complicated to setup as well, with greater design considerations. The advantage of the scale makes up for the effort, allowing for greater detail and realism.

Things You'll Need

Table
Extruded foam boards
Electrical tape
2 mm screwdriver
Wood glue
Drill
Wiring
Paint
Paint brushes
Model railroad scenary

Instructions

- 1
  Design the layout for your model railroad. Your layout largely will be dependent on the space you have available for your train. Graph the track layout onto a piece of graph paper with a scale of one inch equaling 1 foot of your track layout. Along with track position make a map of your wiring needs and the scenery placement. Once you have the layout designed, take it to the room where you intend to build your layout and place the track on the floor for a dry run of your layout to be sure it fits the space and that your design is workable.
- 2
  Purchase or create the table and benchwork for your layout. Your table should be made of a soft wood and designed to be strong enough to support the weight of your train set. If you build the table, 1-inch thick plywood provides a good surface if secured to 2-by-2-foot posts for legs.
- 3
  Glue one or more sheets of extruded foam to your train table to serve as a sub-roadbed for your model railroad. The foam provides a stable surface that stands up well against the vibration of running trains. It also can to provide sub-surface areas for such terrain features as valleys or ditches. For deeper sub-surfaces, use more sheets of foam board.
- 4
  Install the O-scale track to the sub-roadbed using a cork base for track pieces to support the weight of the moving train over the foam sub-roadbed. After you've laid the track, put O-scale ballast around the railroad ties to cover the base.
- 5
  Lay the wiring for your train set, drilling holes through the table to run the wires through for a connection with your remote control unit. Gouge lines into your sub-roadbed using the screwdriver and run the wires through the lines to the drill holes, covering the lines with electrical tape.
- 6
  Build the scenery for your model railroad layout, assembling and painting your models before gluing them to the set base. Take advantage of the vast array of O-scale buildings offered by various model railroad supply vendors and use such multiple terrain elements as grass, trees, roads and mountains. With a large scale the scenery is where your train set really shines.
- 7
  Mount the scenery from the ground up. Connect the lighting to scenery elements where needed.
- 8
  Mount the train onto the track, connect the power and take it for a test run. Make sure all of the track is unobstructed and that the wired scenery elements work correctly. If the test is successful, continue to enjoy your new train set. If not, correct the problems and then retest.

Model Railroads