Spaces to Places V | Highway construction, part 5

Host Gerry Leone sets his sights on highway construction for his HO scale Bona Vista model railroad. Catch up with his off-camera preliminary efforts, before following his technique for making authentic roads and streets using medium-grit sandpaper. As he notes, even more insights regarding this technique can be viewed in a prior Trains.com video series, […]

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How do I calculate the grade on a double deck layout?

Two levels of a model railroad seen above each other

Q: I need to calculate the grade on a double deck layout. Though I’ve been interested in model railroading since I was a child, it’s been quite some time since I was active in the hobby. Now that I’m retired, I’m planning a layout. After much deliberation, I’ve settled on a two-level around-the-walls design. My […]

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Spaces to Places V | A new path to the underpass, part 4

Our host Gerry Leone heads for the hills in this episode of Spaces to Places! More specifically, he works a bit on the topography of the underpass area and how the highway routes through it all. Wisely, Gerry elects to make a template of his initial design, and then uses it to guide his efforts shaping up […]

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Spaces to Places V | A new path to the underpass, part 3

In this episode of Spaces to Places, we find host Gerry Leone in the thick of two projects! The main objective of his efforts was to build out the highway underpass and scenery along a layout peninsula. But Gerry also scrambles to complete trackwork reconfiguration that will improved the operation of his HO scale Bona […]

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The Albuquerque Division Third District layout in HO scale

A model layout trackplan

Facts & features Name: Albuquerque Division Third DistrictScale: HO (1:87.1)Size: 50 x 50 feetPrototype: Santa FeLocale: ArizonaEra: 1953Style: double deckMainline run: 600 feetMinimum radius: 48″Minimum turnout: No. 6Maximum grade: 1%Benchwork: tabletop on wall bracketsHeight: 40″ to 56″Roadbed: plywood spline and 3⁄4″ plywood plus HomasoteTrack: code 83 flextrack (main), code 55 and 70 (elsewhere)Scenery: HydrocalBackdrop: tempered […]

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Trains.com Video BONUS | Behind Spaces and Places

Master Model Railroader Gerry Leone has been one of Trains.com’s most recognized and most prolific contributors for many years running. From the pages of various Model Railroader magazines, special-issues, and books, to the numerous video series he’s hosted for Model Railroader Video Plus, Trains.com, Trains.com Video, and Model Railroader DVDs, you’ll find he’s all about […]

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Trains.com Video BONUS | Behind Spaces and Places

Master Model Railroader Gerry Leone has been one of Trains.com’s most recognized and most prolific contributors for many years running. From the pages of various Model Railroader magazines, special-issues, and books, to the numerous video series he’s hosted for Model Railroader Video Plus, Trains.com, Trains.com Video, and Model Railroader DVDs, you’ll find he’s all about […]

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