Today Bettina and I were lucky enough to go to another train meet here in the Valley at Bob K's house. His layout - like so many here in the Southwest - is located in his garage and is a good example of a work in-progress. Bob had been into On30 (O scale, narrow gauge, representing 30" between the rails) but switched to HOn3 (HO scale, narrow gauge, representing 36" between the rails). For those of you who aren't into building train layouts it's a good opportunity to see what goes into it. First and foremost it's a mess! I've never known a layout builder who could do this stuff neatly, but it's all a part of the territory and actually part of the fun. Secondly, benchwork can be a convoluted affair. You'll notice Bob - like many others - does not simply plop track down on a sheet of plywood. He uses what's called the 'open framework' style allowing him to raise or lower track levels as needed. Later, as scenery is added, the benchwork will all be hidden. Thirdly, the benchwork is built higher than normal so as to allow room for storage underneath. Enjoy!
Nicely done HO scale firehouse
The layout takes up most of the two-car garage.
A better version can be seen at YouTube: