My 15x19 L-shaped layout is probably ly my last O-gauge, three-rail Lionel-oriented layout. It follows several years of presenting holiday layouts in the living room (and later) in our two-stall garage. We invited 200+ friends to our Holiday Open House events, and my wife Carol prepared a table filled with snacks. Some foodies probably favored the table more than the trains!
After the years of hosting our Holiday Train Open House events, I joined (and later led as its President) a local O-gauge train club. Members built several layouts open to the public at local venues during the calendar year.at a local venues. Later still, a corps of area hobbyists built and operated a large O-gauge layout at Layman Library during the holiday season. During its five-year run, more than 22,000 visitors dropped by.
Then I focused on designing and building the current L-shaped layout. It's not a "hi-rail" layout; rather, it's a deliberate attempt to create a 1950s-ish layout with no scenery but filled with buildings, operating accessories, and a modest track plan of Lionel tubular track and switches.
The lower level has an industrial district with sidings and operating accessories, a Victorian neighborhood with houses, a suburban neighborhood, a city park, a downtown area with appropriate operating accessories, and a Dinosaur Park (for kids to enjoy). The minimum curve and switches are all O42 - the largest size that would fit in the Train Room.
The upper level has three short trolley lines - all of them with Christmas décor- plus 35 Department 66 North Pole Village lighted porcelain buildings.
The lower level is wired for Lionel's TMCC and MTH''s DCS control technology - selectable through a knife switch. Trains respond to a CAB-1 or a Remote Commander respectively. The upper level is wired with DC through a PC power supply routed to three separate voltage control knobs.
A track plan for each level is attached. Also some pix of the layout.
Mike Mottler LCCA 12394
