Page 1
Post 1, 5-16-2016, (write up revised 2-27-2024, Table of Contents revised 4-11-2024)
Overview of Building and Evolution of a Fun Action Packed 50’s Era, 027 Conventional Control, Operating & Switching Layout
Note: Table of Contents for this whole topic is at the end of this Page 1, Post 1
A major objective of this layout was to make the track plan and layout active and challenging to keep the engineers busy with operation, switching, operating multiple trains and including many operating accessories, all to keep up interest in running trains and improving the layout. An operating homemade turntable was desired and planned into the layout from conception. Another objective was to have fun building, operating and sharing the layout with others specially young children. While setting up three or five trains to loop is and can be done on this layout, experience has been that just looping gets boring quickly. I will refer to the train layout as a train board at times, as was done in the 1950's toy train board under the Christmas tree.
The layout is portable and has been on the floor for two months per year starting in mid December, from 1977 to 2011. It has been moved to five houses, due to job transfers, by packing layout sections in mattress boxes.
This topic or thread is about how I built a 1950's Era, Post War style Lionel and Marx 027 train running, challenging, action packed layout starting in 1977 and using conventional control. Initially, the layout had two Lionel LW transformers, 19 Marx 1590 switches, an Actionable Touch Track Diagram Control Panel and homemade $10, operating Turntable with pit and homemade Round House. Larger engines like the Lionel 4-6-4, baby Hudson's 2046, and 2056, the Lionel 6-8-6, S-1 Turbine 671, the Lionel 2-8-4, Berkshire 756, the K-Line 4912, GG1, the Williams BL2 and F7 ABA are successfully operated on this layout. It should be pointed out more modern, constant 18 volt remote control engines were not available in the 1970 and 80's yet so conventional control was the only system available and I have elected to stay with it and my 50's type engines.
We were job transferred, by ALCOA, from Mobile, AL to Kingston, Jamaica in July 1976. We rented a house and bought a used English, right side drive, stick shift, small Hillman Hunter four door sedan. We had some furniture, household goods and appliances shipped from the USA to Kingston, Jamaica.
1976 - 1977 We brought the family Marx 999 set, 027 track, Lionel 1034 transformer and four Marx 1590 metal switches to Jamaica in our moving shipping container in 1976. I also made purchases of 027 track and Marx switches, some additional engines, and cars on trips back to the USA in 1976 and 1977. We had a 1 ½ year old son and our daughter was born in Kingston in November 1976. We had a busy 1976, and no time for trains. The 4 year old ALCOA refining plant was about 35 miles from Kingston and the plant was 30 miles from the mine in one direction and 30 miles in the other direction, to the port where the alumina was shipped from. The plant had its own ALCOA switch engine for use in the plant spotting oil tank cars from the port, ore cars from the mine and alumina cars to the port and empties from all. The Jamaican Railroad transported all cars from the mine and port, to and from the plant.
I planned, made track diagrams, and started layout construction in the carport of our rental Manor Park house in New Kingston, Jamaica in 1977. The layout was ready for operation, on the family room floor, for Christmas 1977.
Layout plan started with features I liked about my childhood Christmas layout. The childhood layout was made in two sections from a 9ft x 5ft ping pong size piece of plywood and the layout was portable and only on the floor for the two week Christmas holidays. It had an oval and figure 8 track plan with 4 Marx 1590 switches. It had a removable mountain with tunnel in the far right corner and that mountain contained a Christmas tree and stand. A small control panel had a place for a train transformer and the four Marx switch twin control push button switches in a row. Almost all these features would be included in the new layout.
The layout has a unique compact Actionable Touch Track Diagram Control Panel utilizing mini push button and slide switches. This style of control panel was developed to allow quick and easy control of 19 Marx remote controlled switches by following the track diagrams on the control panels. The layout will have reversing loops and numerous un-coupling track sections. The layout started as a single train board with two independent relayed loops allowing two trains to operate on each loop with one or two engineers.
The inside loop includes an oval and figure 8 allowing train reversing in either direction and has 11 switches and an operating homemade Turntable. The outside loop has two alternate/storage tracks and has 9 switches. The outside and inside loops are joined by two pairs of inner connecting Marx switches. This train board can runs 4 trains with two trains per two blocked and relayed loops and numerous operating accessories. It includes a homemade $10 turntable with pit, homemade round house and now an operating Lionel Gantry Crane.
A second train board was added in 1988 forming an L shaped layout. This addition allows a third loop to be operated with a total of up to three engineers with three Lionel LW transformers. The layout now can be operated by one engineer or by two or three engineers at two control panels. This addition has a second Actionable Touch Track Diagram Control Panel and a third Lionel LW transformer. The third loop includes a double dog bone, giving train reversing in either direction for the outside loop for both train boards and has 11 switches. The layout can now runs 5 trains with two trains per two blocked relayed loops with one train running on the new train board and has numerous operating accessories and now has a Wye, that allows reversing train on both outside loops. It is a 027 gauge 50's era train operating and switching layout (initially 29 Marx 1590 metal frog, inexpensive switches). This portable layout has been on the floor in various rooms of 5 houses for 2 months a year, until 2011 when it was installed on legs, upstairs in a new two story two car garage.
The topic tells how layout operation stated with 2-4-2 Marx 999 freight set and Lionel plastic locos, evolved to 2-6-4 Lionel 2018 and 2026 locos and then heavier 2-6-4 Lionel 2035s with Magna-traction locos and even Lionel 4-6-4, 2046 and 2065 and the 4-8-4 Lionel Polar Express loco. Operating accessories were the Lionel Milk car with platform and homemade turntable and evolved to two milk platforms, a cattle pen, Icing station, lumber saw mill, drum loader, barrel loader, coal mine loading station, log dumper at the mountain and remote controlled gantry crane as well as numerous remote track sections for log and coal dumpling cars. Numerous rail cars have been added including operating dump cars, giraffe, cop and robber, ducking cars and others. Many unique homemade cars were made including Vanderbilt coat tenders, Life Saver car, cabooses, Mercury capsule car, rocket cars and many more.
A Wye was added on the outside loop between the two train boards, where the train boards form the L shape, by using two more Marx 1590 switches in 2020 for additional reversing action and the layout now has 31 Marx metal frog 1590 switches.
I hope to show that one does not have to have a lot of room, tools, skills or money to enjoy and have fun with this hobby. I will try to provide the logic and reasons for the choices I made in planning and building this layout and to describe, in enough detail and pictures, how I built it for hobbyists to be able to build their own layout.
The initial layout main train board described is 11 ft , 2 inches long and 5 ft, 9 inches wide. It is in two sections, is portable and easy to store and be moved by one person as it has wheels build into some layout edges. Simple portable power tools can be used and simple fifties type methods were used. The construction is inexpensive and used lumber can be used. Used 027 track and Lionel and Mark trains from the 40s and 50s were initially used. Lionel LW 125 watt transformers and 19 Marx 027, 1590 metal frog switches are also used which are inexpensive and easily found. The layout uses conventional control. Almost all trains and operating accessories were purchased used from individuals from ads or at train shows and most are from the Postwar or 1950's time period keeping costs for equipment low. I have other hobbies and interests competing for time and limited funds.
Suggestions and ideas will be shared that will show ways to keep costs low by train gear selection and modifying, kit bashing or scratch building simple structures and accessories including a turntable and roundhouse for less than $10 each. Construction of homemade, scratch built, copied and modified rail cars are also explained and featured.
I am encouraging viewers to quit just following and watching on the OGR Forum and hoping to have a layout and to get proactive and go for it, by spending time planning and then acquiring material and train gear and then building an action packed, interest maintaining layout.
I plan to make additional posts to this topic periodically or when I can, on different features of my 44 year old layout to show what might be included in a layout and to keep the topic rolling for a while. Your comments and suggestions are solicited.
Picture of overall Layout Main Train Board as it looked 1977 to 1988
Actionable Touch Track Diagram Control Panel showing the Track Plan of the Main Train Board
Red and green buttons are push button switches for the track switches and blue buttons are uncoupling and accessory operating push button switches. The black slide switches are for controlling the track sections and when the black is blocking the white track indication lines, the switch is OFF and the track section is not powered.
Photos below showing both Train Boards in 2020 with new Wye. The first train board was started in 1977 and second train board was added in 1988 to make this a L shaped layout. Lengths of the two L legs are 11 ft, 2 in original X 12 ft, 3 in including the original and the new train board making the long length on the right side below.
Details of the Completed L Shaped Layout in use since 1988
The two control panel track diagrams below show the total L shaped track plan of the completed Layout. The layout main train board includes an oval and figure for the inside loop of the Main original train board giving reversing in both directions and an includes a turntable. The second control panel, for the new train board, shows a double dog bone giving reversing in both directions for the outside loop of both original and new train boards. The bottom edge of the original train board shows the recently added Wye that allows reversing of trains on the outside loop, including the ability of moving a train from the outside loop of the new train board, to the outside loop of the original train board and also to the inside loop of the original train board. One can see the fun to be had with trains on the side tracks and the loops clear and one train allowed to roam freely all over the uncluttered loops and routes.
Below - Main Train Board, 11ft 2in x 5ft 9in, the only board to 1988 and the new train board track diagram (with new Wye) control panel in the same position as the actual L shaped total layout
Above - The New train Board , 7ft 6 in x 4ft 7in, added in 1988, which can Operate Stand Alone
Lengths of the two L legs are 11 ft, 2 in original X 12 ft, 3 in including the original and the new train board making the long length on the right side below.
The planning and construction of the Original Main train board are covered in the first 22 posts of this topic, then the planning and construction of the New Train board is covered in posts 23 to 30, making this a L shaped train layout. Posts 31 to the last post detail how homemade accessories, rail cars were made and other improvements and operational improvements like the new Wye.
The exceptional layout track plan with three loops, three Lionel LW transformers and 3 operating cabs on two control panels, train operation with two trains per two loop operation, homemade $10 turntable and round house, Wye, 31 Marx 1590 switches, homemade accessories, and many homemade cars make this a very challenging and rewarding layout to make and operate.
The inside loop of the original board allows reversing in each direction with an Oval and Figure 8. The outer loop has allows reversing in each direction with a double loop Dog bone and a Wye allows reversing with forward and reverse operation and allows movement of a train from the third loop on the new board, through the outside loop on the old board into the inside loop of the old board. Routing trains and operating is always challenging as there is no means to tell which way a switch is thrown other than to look at it or remember which way it is set. I am pleased to share the layout with you and hope you enjoy the write up and learn some new ideas, or hints.
Video of layout in 2022 operating 5 trains - two loops have 2 trains on 1 track and one train on the New train board loop
Charlie
Table of Contents
11T of C revised 4-2-2024
Page 1
Post 1 5-16-2016 Overview of Building and Evolution of a Action Packed 50’s Post War 027 Operating Layout & whole topic Table of Contents, last revised 2-1-2024
Post 2 5-17-2016 Layout videos and comments posted
Post 3 5-20-2016 The Beginning - My Childhood Layout
Post 4 5-24-2016 Resources- Books and Magazines & Layout Track Plan and Features
Post 5 5-27-2016 Procurement of Light Weight Lionel Steam Locomotives 1977 to 1980, O27 Track, Marx 1590 Track Switches, Lionel LW Transformers, Switch Transformer, etc. (revised 11-6-2023)
Post 6 6-4-2016 Project during planning – Tootle Wooden Pull Train
Post 7 6-11-2016 Main Layout Board (11ft - 2in x 5ft - 9in) Construction and Track Installation (revised 3-3-2024)
Post 8a 6-20-2016 Actionable Touch Track Diagram Control Panel Construction and Layout Wiring (revised 3-21-2024)
Post 8b 6-20-2016 Track Transformers and Other Transformers Installed on Layout (Revised 4-29-2023)
Post 8c 6-22-2016 Improving and Repairing Marx 1590 Postwar 027 Switches (revised 4-11-2024)
Post 8d 6-20-2016 Two Direction Automatic 2 Train Operation on 1 Loop - Manual and Automatic Relayed Track Loop Operation System (revised 4-11-2024)
Post 9 6-25-2016 Turntable with Pit Construction & Operation - Scratch Built and Inexpensive ($10 !) Can be any where and size (revised 3-27-2024)
Post 10 7-1-2016 50’s Type Buildings from Childhood Layout
Post 11a 7-8-2016 American Round House Construction when back in USA- Homemade
Post 11b 7-13-2016 More Wiring Details on LW Transformers, TT and Tracks
Page 2
Post 12 7-16-2016 Medium Weight (Lionel 2018, 2026) Steam and Diesel Engine Upgrades 1986-2000s
Post 13 7-22-2016 Layout Mountain and Tunnel - Construction Details
Post 14 7-29-2016 Bachmann 1975 Coal Station Kit-bashed
Post 15 7-29-2016 Coal Mine/ Operating Coal Loader Accessory - Homemade & Converted from Bachmann 1975 Coal Station
Post 16 8-6-2016 Lionel Style Cars -Homemade
Post 17 8-12-2016 Backdrop for Layout on the Floor
Post 18 8-18-2016 Lionel type Water Tower and Gantry Crane Superstructure - Homemade
Post 19 8-26-2016 Layout Lights, Building Lighting and Mini Christmas Tree Light Use
Post 20 9-2-2016 Alumina, Chemical and Industrial Cars and Plant Switch Engine (revised 10-30-2023)
Post 21 9-6-2016 Center Fill Reynolds Alumina Covered Hopper Car -Homemade
Post 22 9-9-2016 Hidden Track installed behind Background, Industrial Bldg., Track Occupation Signal System and Train Wreck Videos (revised 11-15-2023)
Post 23a 9-19-2016 New Layout Board Addition ( 7ft - 6in x 4ft - 7 in) Making an "L" Layout, with pictures and video (revised 1-17-2024)
Post 23b 9-21-2016 Nighttime Pictures of New Addition Train Board (revised 4-29-2023
Page 3
Post 23c 9-21-2016 More On New Addition Train Board with Videos (revised 4-2-2024)
Post 24 4-11-2016 New Addition Track Plan and Active Track Diagram Control Panel (revised 3-27-2024)
Post 25 10-4-2016 Homemade Operating Ice skating pond on New Addition
Post 26 10-10-2016 Train whistles and Diesel horns (revised 4-13-2022)
Post 27 10-13-2016 Main Street on New Addition
Post 28 10-18-2016 Roadside Diner for Main Street Siding
Post 29a 10-28-2016 Industrial, Local Train Station, Farm, Air Port, Microwave Tower on New Addition
Post 29b 10-30-2023 Installation of the Lionel 6-12703 Icing Station between the Two Train Boards with 19823 Refrigerator Car (revised 11-16-2023)
Post 30a 11-15-2016 Trolley for Main Street - Homemade Reversing Mechanism
Post 30b 1-9-2023 Layout Train Operating Capabilities and Schemes
Post 31 1/28/2017 Lionel 12834 Gantry Crane operating - Added to Layout (revised 6-26-2023)
Page 4
Post 32 4/20/2017 Renovation and Installation of Lionel 192 Railroad Control Tower (revised 5/31/2023)
Post 33 6/4/2017 Operating Accessories on Layout List and Photo of Locations on the Layout (revised 5-26-2023)
Post 35 6/22/2017 Unit trains Operated on Layout
Post 36 7/25-2017 Train Shelves - Economical, Wall Friendly and Moveable
Post 37 8/5/2017 Layout Moved to New Train Room 2011 and Layout Legs and Skirting Added (revised 1-1-2023)
Post 38a 11-23-2023 Heavy Weight Steam Engine Upgrades 1998-2011
Post 38b 8/12/2017 Operating Car Train (1st Post, Milk Car)
Post 39 8/18/2017 Operating Car Train (2nd Post, Cattle Car)
Post 40 8/20/2017 Operating Car Train (3nd Post, Barrel Car & Un-loader)
Post 41 8/24/2017 Operating Car Train (4nd Post, Ice Car & Icing Station)
Page 5
Post 42 8/31/2017 Operating Car Train (5th Post, Gondola or Coal Dumping Car)
Post 43 9/4/2017 Automating the Manual Lionel 6-12774 Log Loader Building to allow moving logs from Mountain to Lionel 464 Lumber Mill (revised 3-29-2023)
Post 44a 9/9/2017 Passenger Trains Run on the Layout
Post 44b 9/9/2017 Run on the Layout - Giraffe Cars and Train - The most Popular Cars on the layout (revised 1-26-2024)
Post 45 9/21/2017 The Christmas Train Run on the Layout (revised 1-4-2023)
Post 46 9/29/2017 General 4-4-0 Engines and Trains Run on the Layout
Post 47 10/9/2017 Wrecking Trains Run on the Layout Run on the Layout
Post 48 10/19/2017 Maintenance Train and Homemade Track Cleaning Car (revised 9-19-2023)
Post 49 11/24/2017 TCA Train show in Ponchatoula, LA Finds in November 2017
Post 50 12/28/2020 Layout on Christmas 2017
Post 51 1/17/2018 Space and Missile Trains and Cars Run on the Layout (revised 12-30-2023)
Page 6
Post 52 3/17/2018 Lionel 6413 Mercury Capsule Transporting Car - Homemade
Post 53 4/28/2018 New Diesel Engines, Track Upgrade with Track Nippers and Track Cutting Jig
Post 54 6/1/2018 Cab-Forward Engine
Post 55 3/15/2019 Vanderbilt Tender - Homemade
Post 56 3/18/2019 Small Engines Used on the Layout
Post 57a 9/4/2019 Longer 6 Wheel Vanderbilt Tender - Homemade
Post 57b 11/20/2023 Medium Steam Engines Used on the Layout
Post 58 9/24/2019 Large Steam Engines Used on the Layout and Fix for Lionel 2046 & 2025 Rear Truck Shorting on Derailment (revised 11-20-2023)
Post 59 2/3/2020 Lionel 561, 0-8-0 Switcher - New Engine
Post 60 2/9/2020 Lionel Style Life Savers Double Dome Tank Car- -Homemade
Page 7
Post 61 5/1/2020 Wye Installed on the Layout (revised 10-23-2023)
Post 62 5/10/2020 Flood Lights on Cattle Corral and new Milk Platform added after Wye Installation
Post 63 7-2-2020 Marx Trains Run on the Layout
Post 64 8-14-2020 E Z Wooden Ties Added to Layout to make a Semi-Super O27 Realistic Track (revised 1-5-2023)
Post 65 9-2-2020 Lionel style 193 Industrial Water Tower added to Main Train board -Homemade
Post 66 9-8-2020 Lionel 6407 Flat Car with an Improved Rocket -Homemade
Post 67 10-19-2020 Train Shelf added to Train Room - Newest and Last Shelf
Post 68 10-28-2020 Signal Bridges Now Operating
Post 69 11-18-2020 Lionel 6805 Atomic Energy Disposal Car & Homemade Electrical Pick Up (also see Page 7, Post 74 for additional details)
Post 70 1-4-2021 Transfer Caboose-Homemade
Post 71 1-18-2021 Bobber Caboose -Homemade
Post 72 1-19-2021 Adding an Ammeter to Layout's Three LW Train Transformers
Post 74 2-9-2021 SP and N5c Cabooses converted to Union Pacific & Homemade Electrical Pick Up - Colorful and Beautiful
Post 75 2-29-2021 Two Repainted Cabooses - Penn N5C and SP Santa Fe and Review of a latest Homemade, during Virus, Cabooses
Page 8
Post 76 3-18- 2021 A Lionel 6-8562, GP 20 - Latest Diesel Roaming the Layout
Post 77 6-19-2021 1930s Lionel 238 Streamlined Torpedo Locomotive and Tender - Revived with Marx motor and Paint Job
Post 78 8-11-2021 Engines Purchased with Previous Owners Modifications
Post 79 2-14-2022 NO-OX-ID A-Special Conducting Terminal Grease Treatment for My Layout Track to Prevent Sparking and to Eliminate Track Cleaning FOREVER !
Post 80 4-19-2022 Videos - Showing Two Sets of 2 trains running on 1 track and 5 Trains Running (Revised 4-20-2023)
Post 81 9-28-2022 Broken Lionel 2035 Classification Lights - Repaired
Post 82 12-22-2022 Covered Lionel Gondola Car - Homemade
Post 83 4-18-2023 Gondolas on the Layout
Post 84 6-7-2023 Homemade Borden's "Butter Dish" Milk Tank Car (revised 7-2-2023)
Post 85 7-10-2023 Homemade Sawdust Burner for Lionel 464 Saw Mill
Page 9
Post 86 9-9-2023 Steam Powered Switch Engines Operating on the Layout (revised 9-18-2023)
Post 87 11-8-2023 TCA 11-2023 Train Show Finds
Post 88 1-7-2024 Postwar (1945-1955) Steam Locomotive Weights
Post 89 3-15-2024 Passenger Cars Added and Run
Last edit Table of contents 4-11-2024
