Christmas Layouts Photo Album-2011

I'll be back next Sunday

I will feature this thread at the top of the page in the hope that all who have Christmas layouts or displays to share will do so in one place so a genuine online album can be created.

Brian WOW what a lovely view of your layout. It is just stunning !!!!! Thanks for sharing.

Thank you very much Allan, this is very appropriate for this placement. You are a class act.

Bill, you are always very complimentary. This means a great deal to me right now.

Beautiful photo Brian!

Brian,

That is some Christmas layout you've got.

I'll post mine again soon. It's nothing compared to yours, but I'm building it right now with my youngest daughter. Should be done in a week or so.

Mike R

Brian, It's not as impressive as seeing it in real life, but still looks fantastic. Hopefully Marty and I will get up and see it again someday.

That's a fantastic pic. I'd love to see more. You don't have a video, do ya?

Nice job!

Here's our upstairs Christmas tree. Our downstairs [real] tree won't be up for a couple more weeks.

Mark 027 tinplate.

Cannot do a Holiday layout this year due to shoulder surgery and we hope you like last year's versions. We're lucky folks and we wish you Happy Holidays 2011.

Brian, what a spectacular layout!! You have done such a great job...very special indeed. I join in Dotty Perry's (Dotty and Marty) comment...would love to come to Maine and see it in person!!

Eliot...extremely well done...and top notch music. Bocelli and Dion...what a great selection for the background music!!

Jim

Many thanks, Jim
Happy holidays to you.
Eliot

...and my very best to you and your family Eliot for a wonderful Christmas. Jim

Found this on a website which features Christmas Layouts somewhere in NYC. Really quite warming to the sight...could be an office or home. Not sure of the author.

Great start !

David, are those all tin buildings?

Don

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Rawlings:
Found this on a website which features Christmas Layouts somewhere in NYC. Really quite warming to the sight...could be an office or home. Not sure of the author.

I think that is the Christmas layout of NYCFan. He is a member of the forum and has posted photos of the layout.

yup that's NYCfan's!

i was hopiung to get back home to VA tomorrow to complete mine but wife and kids had to go and i had to stay here in PA to help my mom and grand father mom cracked her knee cap so hopefully south soon to finish layout and decorate.
Dave

Spiff...thanks so much. Just sent a note to Skip Natoli (NYCfan). Jim

Postwar Lionel:

Started work on mine Thursday, will post pics later.

Thanks for the compliment Jim. Here are a few more photos.

Thanks Brian for starting this thread for 2011 Christmas layouts...and Allan for posting it at the top for all to see..a great idea!!

Wonderful pictures everyone.....just beautiful!!

Happy Holidays to all of you!

Alan

Here's a shot of my Lionel scale Polar Express car with added hobo. I positioned it in front of my rock wall and tunnel. I then shined an Enlux blue LED flood light straight up at the ceiling(this cast a blue hue over my layout) and snapped a photo.

Skip:

You have one of the finest Christmas layouts I have ever seen. Your photos are terrific.

CandO (Keith)

What a wonderful photo. Sure gets you in the mood for this thread.

brr, that is a great looking postwar layout. Nothing signals Christmas more than postwar Lionel. How big is it and anymore pictures that show the entire layout ?

Keith, great looking picture and nice work on the modifications.

I was going for a layout like what would have been built in the 1950's.
The layout is 5x9, and uses a postwar design.

Two blurry overview pictures, sorry:

Here is my Christmas Layout with my Cloe and the General she is my little helper and loves to chase the trains

Keith... did you re-work the fire on that Polar Express Hobo car?

brr:

Beautiful job on the Christmas layout.

Wow! Everyone's looks so great! All that NYC steam makes my heart sing!

Here's some of mine...

Joe

Love it! Tinplate and pine...

Sweet smell of Christmas.

quote:

CandO (Keith)

What a wonderful photo. Sure gets you in the mood for this thread.

Many thanks Brian!

quote:

Keith, great looking picture and nice work on the modifications.

JPaul155,
Thank you very much!

quote:

Originally posted by Gandalf97:
Keith... did you re-work the fire on that Polar Express Hobo car?

This is a scale Lionel Heavyweight. I drilled a hole in the roof and installed Evan Designs' FIRE LED kit. I tapped into the interior lighting. My hobo is a repainted Arttista breakman with lantern. I cut off the lantern and then painted his hands red. The campfire piece is from Woodland Scenics...it comes in their campsite set.

Here is a closeup of hobo before painting his coat brown...

The Blue Comet rumbling through the Hellgate Bridge




Joe

Just a few pics from **** past...

Trainlover160:

Beautiful Christmas layout. Your D56 Empire State building is rare and hard to get. Nice display of your buildings and the integration of the trains.

WOW! There's some real art here. My little layout certainly isn't up to par with these beauties, but it was a great way to showcase a few of my ETS tin trains. I hope you guys enjoy it.


...and here's a short video of it in action.


I hope you all enjoyed the trip on the Christmas Train!

Rick

Santa gave up the sleigh this year and is using a 408E.

Joe,

When did they make the red 408E?

JoeG

quote:

Originally posted by Trainlover160:
Joe,

When did they make the red 408E?

JoeG

About a week ago in my basement.

Wow!!!
Very Nice!!

Will there be step by step photos in the next OGR??

JoeG

quote:

Originally posted by Trainlover160:
Wow!!!
Very Nice!!

Will there be step by step photos in the next OGR??

JoeG

No. This was one of those projects that just kind of evolved so I didn't take any photos. This engine was nearly tossed out the window a few times during the restoration. It was in a fire. The paint was completely gone. The wiring and some of the softer metal pieces were melted. Every piece had to be restored or replaced. Parts were sandblasted, buffed, polished, painted and coated. The body was painted three times before I was happy with it. It is now a dummy for display purposes only. It was a tough project.

Thanks for the compliment.

Christmas in the washroom

Joe,

At any rate this 408e is still a gem. It could either be pushed or pulled by another 408E. I would be inclined to looked for another 408e that runs well, but the shell is gone and take the motor from that one and put into this red beauty. This is a true example of how persistance pays off, and it really inspires me to do a tinplate restoration. You truely have some talent and patience. for sharing this photo.

JoeG

Thank you Joe.

Here is our Christmas Layout. This is my first ever layout under the tree.

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Joe: I'm sure MTH has replacement motors for that 408 - it's too good to just sit and look pretty. Great restoration.

Joe:

Love your engine. Very nicely done.

Rick:

Your early version Dickens Village Church (1985) is perfectly placed on your layout. Very good looking Christmas layout.

All these pics are wonderful!

Joe, your 408E looks great...very nice paint job.

I have at least a week left to go on mine, but this is always my favorite thread of the year. I love looking at every single layout. Some are whimsical, others literally take your breath away. Some are simple, others complex. I just love them all and get so many good ideas.

As soon as I can figure out how to post pictures I'll get some up of mine. Looking at all the photos sure is motivating me to get more done.

Put this little 4'x6' Super O Bedford Falls layout together this past weekend.



Still a work in progress but runs like a champ! Love that Super O Track.

GReat stuff, everyone!!

It really puts ya in the holiday spirit. Really does.

Jim

the layout remains the same every year,,,,hope you all have a merry christmas an a happy new year

Layout is still not up...trying to recreate the CP Holidays Train..1 more car and the engine to go...

GregJ410 visited my house today to see my Christmas layouts and my new J1a. Greg is a tradesman with a keen eye for measurements. So, he keenly noticed the gap between the trailers on my TOFC would nicely hold his iPhone for a video. It fit right in there perfectly. Man, he can detect fractions of an inch from across the room. Not whole inches though apparently, since the camera was about 2 inches too high.

Here's my past Christmas layout, which evolved into a year-round layout:

Skip, another great layout in progress. You really have a special talent.

Paul, what an absolutely fabulous layout!!! You have really done a spectacular job. Are some of your buildings Dept. 56? Jim

Paul....That is a dream layout!!! Do you have any more photos? I'd like to know what your track plan looks like.

quote:

Originally posted by NYC Fan:
Paul....That is a dream layout!!! Do you have any more photos? I'd like to know what your track plan looks like.

Ditto to that, my thoughts exactly too.

Merry Christmas from Pine Mountain Valley...

my very best regards...

Howard

http://www.littleglitterhouses.com

Here is a video of my Polar Express and Polar Railroad trains running...

Paul:

Your layout is just outstanding. Some of the best use of D56 products and trains.

Howard:

This is truly unbelievably good. This is the best under the tree layout that I have seen.

Keith:

Your PE video really shows off your craftsmanship on the scale passenger cars. Love the sights and sounds. Keith is one of my very best Forum friends and I appreciate his genuine friendship.

Skip:

Your work is museum quality. Can't wait to see the finished product. I like the Bedford Falls idea.

"Paul....That is a dream layout!!! Do you have any more photos? I'd like to know what your track plan looks like."

Thank you, Skip and everyone.

I don't have many good photos, unfortunately. However, Jim Barrett photographed the completed portions of the layout prior to dismantling and I was hoping it'd make this year's Christmas issue. If it makes a future issue OGR may choose to print the farily complex track plan which comprised four interlocking levels, assuming they can figure it out from my Elmer Fudd written plans

Fun video Keith!

Thanks Brian and Jeff!
Brian, I appreciate your friendship as well.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NJCJOE:
Santa gave up the sleigh this year and is using a 408E.




GREAT job Joe!! This is going to be my new screen saver and my new favorite holiday pic.

Paul

Here is the 2011 version of the Polar Expres/Christmas Story Layout









Happy Holiday everyone!!! Thanks for sharing all the great photos.

Todd

This is my second year putting up my Christmas layout. The layout is two interconnected loops running DCS. This year I am using the "track" feature of DCS and am running my dad's 1947 Lionel 2026 on this layout with the MTH RailKing stuff I ran last year.

Here are some pictures and a video. Thanks for looking and watching!

The antlers are from a Lionel Polar Express caribou on my Christmas General engine.
Dan

Jeff,
The video was wonderful! That 2026 set strecthed out in front of the depot could have been a "catalog photo."

Thanks for posting & Merry Christmas, Malcolm

Jeff,



I love your mountain! (and the whole layout)

^Beautiful photo, Brian

Jeff, your photos and video are wonderful...very nice Christmas layout.

Here is some pics of my first Tinplate under the Christmas Tree...

Trial run of the Christmas "platform." That's my grandson, Ryan. Our Jack Russell puppy learned right at the start of the video NOT to lick the track!



I'll post another when it's all scenicked out.

NJCJOE,

Your 408E looks fantastic. You obviously have great restoration skills. I would display that engine with great pride. Mundane question: Where did you get the miniature Christmas lights?

The Texas Special is leaving the Grand Central Terminal on a night run.

Wow, that's a beautiful 2026! One of my favorite postwar locos.

Jeff....did you make that small mountain/tunnel? I am looking to make something similar to what you have for an o-36 curve. Could you provide the particulars, and perhaps a close up shot?

Thanks,
Rick

Well this is my first ever train layout! I got the train last year for christmas, and got mom's old north pole houses that have been collecting dust in my sister's attic, and set myself up a little village. Hoping to add a little bit to it every year, seems a little more "sparse" than I was expecting. I think a circle track with a little christmas trolley or hand car going around the tree in the very center would work good.

But here's some bad photos

Mark, Keith, and Skip, thank you!

Skip, that engine is in one of my earliest memories, of my dad running it around switching cars. Except for in its early life maybe, it only saw service at Christmas time, as is still the case, so it is pretty well preserved.

Rick, the mountain is a wooden support structure, made from scraps, then crumpled newspaper covered with hydrocal mesh sheets, and covered with extra hydrocal for strength. It is dyed with woodland scenics hydrocal dyes: white with a touch of grey. The snow is woodland scenics snow soaked with scenic cement. The whole thing just lifts off. The side wings are white styrofoam sculpted to the desired shape, and covered with hydrocal sheets, etc. like the main mountain.

before snow:

quote:

Trial run of the Christmas "platform." That's my grandson, Ryan. Our Jack Russell puppy learned right at the start of the video NOT to lick the track!

That is so very, very cool! Thanks for sharing it.

Jeff, great looking Christmas layout, what are the dimensions ? The 2026 looks great and so many have a neat story like yours associated with them.

quote:

Originally posted by Timk:
Well this is my first ever train layout! I got the train last year for christmas, and got mom's old north pole houses that have been collecting dust in my sister's attic, and set myself up a little village. Hoping to add a little bit to it every year, seems a little more "sparse" than I was expecting. I think a circle track with a little christmas trolley or hand car going around the tree in the very center would work good.

But here's some bad photos

TimK love that christmas hudson! i think it's a cool little setup just wait till you get the urge to make things a little bigger every year!
Dave

quote:

Originally posted by SCD:
NJCJOE,

Your 408E looks fantastic. You obviously have great restoration skills. I would display that engine with great pride. Mundane question: Where did you get the miniature Christmas lights?

Thank you. I had the miniature lights for quite a few years now. They came from some craft store but I don't remember which.

Skip

Good think I don't live near you. You would find me standing at your window quite a bit.

quote:

Originally posted by CandO:
Here is a video of my Polar Express and Polar Railroad trains running...

Keith, really cool to recognize all of your small modification projects all in one video. I recognize all of them. Nice video and must have taken a while to stage up. I love both of those lines. I just can't get over how striking that color combination is.

Nice tinplate set too. You have it made.

Christmas 2011...almost done!

Brian, Jeff, Keith and Everyone,

Excellent job!!! What a great hobby we have, and its connection to Christmas just makes it that much more special. Thank you all for sharing your photos and please keep them coming.

just a small layout with thomas passing by.

I love it when everyone post their layouts at Christmas time. I have to admit that I am very much a seasonal train guy and not always as faithful year round. I love setting up a carpet central under the tree. I always pick up the Dec. 0 Gauge Magazine just to see the Christmas layouts as well. I truly enjoy when they profile a lot of members and their tree layouts. This is such a great hobby. When I retire, I can't wait to start building a large layout...

Here are a couple engine pics. The first from this year.




I'm not really set up for great pictures on the home Christmas layout this year because most of my buildings I used last year as backgrounds/props for those pictures (engine house for example), are at the Redford Theater on my display there.

Here are a couple from last year.

Brian - Your city is beautiful, mesmerizing!

Art

Here's a video I took of my home layout today.

Nice job Jake. I like the effect of mounds of snow - it that a snow blanket or fleece fabric?

don

It's not much, but I build for my three year old nephew. The gleam and excitement in his eyes is enough to make you want to buy a real train.



Merry Christmas to each of you,

Kenny

Nice layout Kenny.

I hope to set mine up this weekend. It isn't much, just a loop of G gauge under the tree. I'm planning on putting it on a 4x6 board on the floor and I'll probably run my Aristo Craft Egg-liner. May swap it for an LGB Steamer and cars occasionally.

After about 6 or 7 years of experimenting with different Christmas layouts, you'd think I would have found something that works the best. I've used HO, G and O and still am not totally decided on what I want to do permanently each year....you would think I would have figured that out by now right....

quote:

Originally posted by towdog:

quote:

Originally posted by CandO:
Here is a video of my Polar Express and Polar Railroad trains running...

Keith, really cool to recognize all of your small modification projects all in one video. I recognize all of them. Nice video and must have taken a while to stage up. I love both of those lines. I just can't get over how striking that color combination is.

Nice tinplate set too. You have it made.

Thank you!
Yes, it took a while to stage the video...I recently redid my track plan and am slowly adding things to the layout, but I found some areas to shoot a video.
I greatly enjoy the Polar Express and Polar Railroad lines from Lionel.

Here is a video of my loop under the Christmas Tree...

I found some more pictues of "Christmas layout past:"

No shots under the tree yet but here is some of the main layout decoration.





\

North Pole Interurban

Paul,

I sometimes make fun of people who say "awesome" all the time, but that layout was truly AWESOME!

Paul, I agree with Skip, you have a wonderful Christmas layout.

jonmuse...nice trolley. Who makes that?

Rick

quote:

Originally posted by Rixster:
jonmuse...nice trolley. Who makes that?

Rick

It's an MTH Semi-Convertable Brill with PS2. One of my favs

Under the tree.

Great Layouts and pics folks.
Here's our "Shrine to Lionel" as my Wife calls it LOL
Flying the flag on the other side of the pond .


50's style bubble lights and Lionel christmas lights and Hallmark Lionel Christmas ornaments brought back from the States. And Mason's favorite engine
Santa Fe F3.



Merry Christmas everyone
Best Regards
Nick H

Nice layouts everyone! Here is my standard gauge Christmas layout, new for this year!

2011 Christmas Layout officially up and running!

This video shows how I added some "stop and go" action to a small Christmas display, running two vehicles - a trolley and an inspector car - on a single loop. See if you can figure out what makes it work - a whole group of engineering students who came to a department party at my house were sure it involved some hidden electronics...


The "secret" is just a series of insulated track sections. Starting in the left rear corner of the loop, the outside rail is insulated. At the stopping section, the inside rail is insulated. The right hand end of the stopping section is isolated on both sides (plastic pins). Result: no power ground on the stopping section until another vehicle enters the insulated section. I got this trick from Peter Riddle's book, "Grandfather's Attic", a wonderful guide to prewar layouts.

Skip:

Just beautiful as always.

exhausted: very very cool!

Skip, your Christmas layout is gorgeous!

Thanks Fellas! Contemplated changing it up this year. This is the 6th Christmas for this layout. That's the longest I've ever kept the same layout. The tables are showing some signs of wear and tear from being put up and taken down, but it still runs great.

Hello,

My Christmas layout for this year is a continuation of last year's effort. Construction was stopped in January 2011 and resumed on the day after Thanksgiving. My plans were bigger than the time I had - no surprise there.

These are the pictures from last year showing the building of the base and the basic layout. It consists of 2 mainline loops of Lionel Fastrack on the lower level and a city with a trolley line using SuperStreets track on the street level.

A third level is now being built for a NYC Transit style elevated structure. This will be an automated point to point operation.

Simple oval under the tree with the Polar Express, a prewar station and the figures represent Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer television show. The blue Choo Choo with the square-wheeled caboose can be seen next to the track.

Merry Christmas everyone...

pd:

Very nice looking Christmas layout.

well it isnt much, but here is the Lawrence Family's christmas tree...

Garage layout with the new Christmas Beeps and Peeps!

Don, Your layout looks great. Looks like you and your kids are having a blast. Merry Christmas!

Ralph

Thanks Ralph! I've got all kinds of great plans for it, but everytime I go out to do something on it the kids come out of the woodwork & we just end up playing with it!

Merry Christmas!

quote:

Originally posted by DukeGG1:
Trial run of the Christmas "platform." That's my grandson, Ryan. Our Jack Russell puppy learned right at the start of the video NOT to lick the track!



I'll post another when it's all scenicked out.

Did you grandson have some sort of food on his arm? Your Jack Russell seemed to like it.

The cops caught the driver of that mustang vert just as he was trying to get away from robbing the coffee shop.

finally finished the christmas layout,heres a few shots hope you enjoy...

Our Christmas layout for 2011. Locomotive and track are from my childhood Lionel set given to me 55 years ago.

I so enjoy seeing all the different variations people can make with the same items and tools. Imagination plays such a large part of this hobby, and every layout picture is an inspiration to all. One day in the future I hope to post an O layout done up for Christmas.

Well done, gentlemen, well done!

Lionel Christmas Tree and MTH Christmas DAP boxcars

I trust all the guys who are posting their layouts here are also considering the competition, and are going to post their entry pics in the adjoining thread.

I'd love to enter, but it is restricted to 50 square feet or less for some reason. Boo.

LMS,

Love the Super O track! Very nicely done.

Here's a shot of my Bedford Falls layout which uses Super O.

@ LMS Lines

Really nice layout...I'd be wanting to lay on the floor and check it out from every angle. You should enter it into the contest thread...looks like a winner to me...

PD

quote:

I'd love to enter, but it is restricted to 50 square feet or less for some reason. Boo.

-Jeff

No problem, Jeff! Consider taking a series of high-resolution photos (wide, mid-range, and close-up views) and submitting them to the magazine for use in next December's issue. I'm always on the lookout for nicely done Christmas layouts, either individual photos or full features. They won't appear in print for a while, of course, but if/when they do appear you'll receive a nice check to help with next year's (train) Christmas shopping.

Same goes for ALL here who have taken the time to celebrate the link between toy trains and Christmas. Applies to holiday layouts of all sizes--large, small, and everything in between. Just send me a sample of your efforts via e-mail attachment (editor@ogaugerr.com) and we'll go from there. I will provide feedback on anything additional that might be needed.

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Paul

I created this small layout on a round table for our office holiday party. Everyone really liked it, especially the Christmas scented smoke. Station looks like the one in our town.

https://skydrive.live.com/redi...95D5EF7F672D9011!711

Hi all. First post here. First real Christmas layout.

Here's the video of the Redford Movie Theater layout.

Here is last year's Christmas Layout. A full article on construction with lots of photos appears in next month's OGR Magazine, January 2012. Here are a few photos that didn't appear in the magazine.

Here is a video of the layout with lots of action.
http://youtu.be/RQgr3AP-YlQ

Here is a video of our Christmas village and trains that I put together for our family. Enjoy and Merry Christmas.

A tinplate train around the family Christmas tree again this year.
Dan

Just a simple circle of LGB under the tree for me, although we do have from time to time a large caribou (Catzilla)
that blocks the tracks.

I am trying to do my part to get it up.
Lotta wiring and scenery to go yet?
Will I make it by Saturday?
Greg

I know the feeling, Greg. I've just started on my second 2011 Christmas layout. I hope it's actually finished before Christmas. ...otherwise, I might have to leave it up until next Christmas. At least mine are small. So you say yours is merely a Christmas layout? I wouldn't mind having that one up all year!

Rick

9 trains on the layout. 5 run at one time, 4 in staging.













Merry Christmas all

- walt

Here is a typical tree layout. Nothing fancy, just simple. Two trains running under the tree. A 1950's 671 turbine to a 2010 Texas Special. 60 years of Lionel magic! The fast track is an inverted figure eight.

Our 2011 Christmas Tree and Layout right after the first good snow fall.
This year I tried using an up and over folded figure-8 along with the TW Design bridge that when into the paint shop a year ago.


Santa waves at every train that goes by.

Here is a slide from arounnd 1979-1980. After running 3 ho sets around the tree.

I quit ho.


rat

Great job Rixster! I wanna live there

Rixter -- FANTASTIC layout! I hope Allan Miller is looking -- your work needs to be chronicled in OGR!

quote:

Originally posted by jeffzee:

jeffzee, you kittie looks like a maine coone, yes?

Paul, I like how you handled the crossover, right in front. Different. Very nice.

David, I'm looking forward to your piece in the magazine, and also to another video including some wind-up Marx trains!

Walt, interesting and complex track plan this year!

Rixster, you did a great job making it feel like a place and not just a collection of buildings. I wish I could walk around there!

quote:

Originally posted by jonmuse:


jeffzee, you kittie looks like a maine coone, yes?

That's Scruffy-Kitty. She's a rumpy Pixie Bob (or so we're told). Christmas is her favorite time of year. There's so much to play with.

Here are some more critter pictures.