Progress so far for my Fall 1963 layout

I like it.  Looks just like 1963 to me.  Good job.

Richie

I always enjoy seeing photos of your layout. It always inspires me to do more work on mine.

Thanks for sharing!

Love the traditional feel of your layout, like the ones built before the switch to high detail, scale.  keep up the good work

Hi,

   Thank you for the comments.  Once I get the MTH power terminals mounted I can start to run the wires.  I am still debating exactly where and how to deal with my ZW.

     Kevin

Every time I see a a traditional layout it makes me wonder why I moved away from it on my current layout.  I like it!

That layout just oozes postwar charm.  I love it.

awesome!!   Post more pics Kevin! I'm in the process of switching from scale back to postwar - love to see this kind of stuff - gives me ideas

It is a fun layout.  I agree with Christophere2035 - more pictures please!   This is a feast.

 Kevin,

  Great 50'-60's layout, you have to stay with that look and put the ZW transformer

on its own display set up, so it can be seen as part of your 50's-60's traditional layout.

PCRR/Dave

On many of the 50' & 60's layouts the ZW transformers had a spot on the corner of the platform where everyone could see it.

I am very old school and display my transformers, on their own control desk, even on my fair size layouts.

I love it.  Good work.  You can never have enough Plasticville.

Hi Kevin,

Really great use of Plasticville on your 50's style layout.

I do have a question about your layout. Would you send me your email at Dennis@brennansmodelrr.com

Dennis

Nice work Kevin. Classic Postwar, I like it!

Great job...makes me feel warm and fuzzy...

Chris

1963: The year I graduated from high school. "WHEW" 50 years ago, where did they go!!!!!

Me too.

Great stuff! Right up my alley.

After mulling it around for several months,  I’ve decided that my next layout is going to have a toy train look. I may even do one of the Lionel Dealer Display layouts.

Well done! I like the use of the center median for the streetcar, as well as all the Plasticville. 

May I ask what made you decide on that?  I just made the same choice.  I'm still on the fence if I want to go w/ a complete toy look or actually ballast the track & add scenery, but I'll be using tubular track & all postwar/pwc equipment & KW/ZW for control

Hey Christopher,

My main existing layout is tin plate and basically has a “toy train” look. Tubular track, green paint, painted-on ballast, tin buildings, accessories, vintage transformer, etc. In fact, my layout board looks sort of similar to Kevin’s above.  So, in thinking about my next layout I was already in the mindset of a toy train look.  A recent issue of CTT had a piece on a guy that has several cool Lionel Dealer Display layouts and that’s what got me thinking. It’s always been in the back of my mind and this put it over the top.

My problem now is finding track plans. That Roger Carp book on Lionel Dealer Displays is way too pricey ($60+ at amazon for a used version last time I looked).  I did get a forum member to send me a few plans that he had. However, still trying to locate a plan for the one I have in mind (I think it’s D-131, a 5x9).

Anyway, still mulling final details but this is the way I’ll go.

All my other layouts have been hi rail, so I'll be doing a complete 360

I've always liked the D-106 & D-132. You should check those out.  I came very close to builidng the D-106 right before  my wife took a job in Charlotte & we moved from NJ last year so glad I didn't start        I believe both are 8x8 & can give you 3 train operation.  I have the track plan for the D106 at home if you want me to scan it

I will check them out.  Sure, if you can shoot me the scan, that would be great. Thanks.

Hoping somebody here (hint, hint) has the D-131 plan.

That's the D-132

Very nice.  Love the look.

I’m starting to run out of room of in my “allotted train space” in the basement.  I have a long, but narrow, area to work with and not sure I can fit in an 8x8. That’s why I was looking at one of the 5x9 Dealer Display layouts.

Need to negotiate with you-know-who.

EDIT: It's got the go-to accessories, too. Coal loader, Barrel Loader, Water Tower, and the ever present milk and cattle cars to name a few. I will also have the 356 operating fright station on mine.

lol - I was able to squeeze a room out my "you know who"  but that was all  

Question for you -  what do you think would look/work better - having the track w/ ties &ballast & doing scenery while style using the postwar style trains/accessories or doing it like the layout pictured above.  I am torn!!  Want to make sure I make the correct choice. I know only I know what that is, but looking for opinions

Personally, I like the look of Kevin’s layout up above (I won't use Plasticville). I know from another thread he used the old ‘green saw dust’ method for his board and then added roads and track ballast using paint. His two colors (road and ballast) look the same in the pics but I remember they were slightly different pigments.  I’d like to incorporate a mountain into mine, but will probably not spend a lot of time on other “scenery.”

No real correct choice, either. I think it’s open to whatever you like, including mixing ideas from various layouts.

That's the D106. I attached the track plan scan as a PDF

Thanks for posting those, Christopher. More great looking layouts.  A lot of train action in that space, too.

Chris,

         I like that dealer layout and that mountain looks great.  I did some research on how Lionel made the mountains on their dealer layouts, their methods made me a bit nervous.

          Kevin

Kevin,

Do you have any more pics of your layout? 

I'm at the point where I am deciding to go tubular & postwar. Not sure if I want  a display type layout, like the ones pictured above & yours or something with real scenery.   What do you think?   Opinions are always helpful     I LOVE your layout btw

Chris,

     Before I jumped into Lionel I had a HO layout that I did quite a bit of scenery and such on.  I even went to the point of painting individual bricks on my Walthers kits before weathering them.  When I started my Prewar and post war layouts I wanted to get more into the toy aspect versus trying to replicate real life.  On my Prewar layout I used orignal lead figures that are way to large for O scale, but it is what was available during the 1930's when my father was running that train.  Here are a couple more of my Post war layout.

   Thank you DennisB, I am in the processes of redoing my original photos for Roger.

    Thanks to everyone for your comments, I am having a good time working on this layout.

    Kevin

awesome - keep the pics coming!

What are you using for power?

Hi,

   I am using an original ZW for the main loops and accessories.  The small 60W for my trolley line just died on me, so I need to get a new one for that.

    Kevin

Any one have plans or more info on the D-132??? It looks like it would be cool to recreate. THX

I'd be interested in seeing the full D-132 track plan too.  Looks interesting. has my eye now, lol!

Question on these mountains you always see in the Dealer Displays:   Are they one-piece jobs that were manufactured by Lionel and dropped on to the layout, or are they more like the ones that are custom built on home layouts.

Always wondered about them since they had to essentially mass produce these Dealer layouts.

I believe they were custom done w/ plaster cloth. etc.

Thanks. Also seem to recall seeing Lionel “mountains” in old catalogs. Although probably not as elaborate as these. And maybe even a few on ebay?