# Christmas Layout Photos



## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I searched but could not find, a thread for Christmas layout photos. If there is one, I can move my post to that thread.
Otherwise, this could be the start of a Christmas Layout Photo thread.

I set up a 20 foot diameter circle in my front yard. I have run both electric and live steam. I have even run in the snow, in Houston. Believe it!

This is a live steam run (no snow).










This is a photo running my Pacific Electric interurban in the snow. Look carefully on the right side under the snow covered arrow head plants.










Model trains and Christmas go together. From as far back as I can remember (and that is many decades) there were always model trains at Christmas time. Usually around the Christmas tree, but more recently out in the front yard.


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## hans911 (Jan 9, 2008)

Here are a few quick shots of the oval I have in the front yard. Pretty simple but the neighborhood kids (& adults) love it and often stop by to watch it go.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Where's all the white stuff?


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

I have seen the white stuff from the sky and I don't really like it that much. Just looking at blizzard pictures chills me to the bone.
One more shot of my Christmas circle with my old (obsolete) LGB Mogul and my favorite drover's caboose.










Tomorrow the Christmas circle will be dismantled.


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## Mark Scrivener (Jan 7, 2008)

Just found this thread. Great work guys! A holiday layout is a wonderful way to celebrate and share your love of trains with the next generation. We have been running a holiday layout at my house for 6 years now. Started with a simple loop laid on the lawn and has grown to an extravaganza. From all the kids I've talked with I've learned that my layout has been a factor in some of them getting train sets.









I'm surprised more people haven't jumped in with pictures of their holiday layouts. In any case, rather than duplicate photos, I'll just point you to the thread with all my holiday layout photos - http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/11/postid/69835/view/topic/Default.aspx 


Happy New Year!
Mark


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

Mark,

Thanks for posting the link to your annual Christmas layout extravaganza. It's hard to believe all that started from a simple loop laid on the lawn.

Do you have track power or is it all live steam? (or battery power?) Your photos looked like all live steam.

I had only one live steam run on my Christmas layout due to 2 factors. 
1. I don't have "crowd control" to supervise wannabe junior engineers.
2. The grade of my front yard slopes down to the street about 1:20 (roughly a 5% grade). I lay the tracks on the lawn. End result is I could only pull 2 cars with my Sandy River #24.

Next year, I should make a project to elevate the loop to provide a level track more suitable for live steam.

I relied on track power to run my LGB Moguls and the Hartland interurban. Track power makes for easier interface with the neighborhood kids.


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## Mark Scrivener (Jan 7, 2008)

Don,

Very nice setup - and I agree there are some real advantages to a simple track powered setup. Reminds me how my Christmas layout began:











One year I bought a Ruby and discovered how serious a grade I had in my little yard. Before that I hadn't even noticed the grade. So....I built an elevated structure to level the track..










That year (2005) was the last year I ran electric. It went down hill in a major way from there, I sold my electric trains, built the permanent section, expanded across the driveway, expanded the elevated structure and hand laid track on it.....


Running only live steam has been great fun, but I'm seriously considering a battery powered loco to leave running when I don't want to baby sit the live steamers. Track power is no longer an option as I made my own switches when I re-did the track and none of the frogs are isolated. I also have a hand laid crossover (6 frogs!) that isn't isolated and no way am I messing with that. 


So....consider yourself warned. Your layout is wonderful as it is....yes, you can level it fairly simply and run live steam, and with a little more work you can expand over here, then add this, then.....well, you get the idea. But hey, it's all fun!

Happy New Year!

Mark


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

That is a major Christmas layout upgrade to go from a powered track loop to your current live steam "extravaganza". 

Thanks for posting the photo of your old electric powered layout. That's closer to the amount of effort I can devote to a Christmas layout. I will make an effort to elevate and level my next Christmas layout so I can run more live steam.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Now *that's* my idea of Christmas railroading!


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

Does that mean you don't go running through the green grass in bare feet chasing toy trains in the front yard at Christmas time? 
Is it really that cold up there?


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

What grass? You mean that brownish fibrous material under the blanket of crystalized water?


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## hans911 (Jan 9, 2008)

It's great to see some of the other "Front Yard Loops" like mine. Mark was a great help this year earlier with ideas on leveling the loop. Next year will be even better. Also was able to add interior passenger coach LED lighting and trolley lighting this year with the help of these forums.

Thanks one and all.

I have a crazy idea to build "Whoville" from the Grinch story for the layout next year. Maybe one more night of trains before the front yard loop is put away for the year and Whoville planning begins.

Happy New Year!









Paul H.


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## Mark Scrivener (Jan 7, 2008)

Whoville! I love it! 

BTW - lighting adds a great deal to holiday layouts - good move lighting the coaches. Don't forget the buildings. There is a nice little article in Garden Railways December issue which mentions using 5 mini Christmas lights in series at 12V for buildings - I happen to have a ton of these since I converted my house lights to LED. Oh, and I've found little strings of miniature "doll house" Christmas lights at Micheal's. The lights are LEDs in parallel and powered by 3V (2 AA cells). Make great exterior Christmas lights on buildings and even rolling stock. 

Cheers, 
Mark


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## Steamnutt (Apr 12, 2008)

Whoville, that's a great idea. My "Grinch" would fit right in on that layout. I tried to copy just my pic and couldn't figure it out, so here's the other thread, my pics are half way down the page 

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi.../postid/64697/view/topic/tpage/1/Default.aspx 


You'll have to let us see how that turns out. If you are looking for fiures for Whoville, Hallmark sells ornaments that you may be able to use. That's where my "Grinch" came from.


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## hans911 (Jan 9, 2008)

I figure I'll have to do the structures out of carved foam since the Whoville houses are very animated and don't have straight edges. Luckily I've worked some part-time at Universal Studios, Hollywood where the movie set still exists in part. I can get pictures for inspiration. 
Good thing I have a whole year to get this one off the ground. 

Any ideas on how to accomplish this I am open for suggestions. Though this seems like a topic for a whole new forum. 

Best wishes, 
Paul


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

You guys can get outside if you want too. Here in Houston we still can have mosquitos in December.
This is a video of my layout around the Christmas Tree a couple of years ago. It looked pretty much the same this year.
Merry late Christmas.


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

Art's video clip just reminded me.....

I can't believe I forgot to dust off my old LGB Christmas sound car and run it with my Christmas consists. 
I even converted the hook and loop couplers to Kadee couplers to interface with the rest of my rolling stock.
This photo is before that coupler conversion.










Oh well, there is always Christmas layout 2009!









Art, Thanks for posting your Christmas layout video clip.


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## Idraw4u (Aug 19, 2008)

Thanks for the posts SailorDon.
I guess H-Town is represented pretty well this year. I am in S.W. (Stafford) and managed to put out a few things for the holidays as well.

Let us know what side of town your on and maybe next year I swing over to watch your trains run and bring my father. Dad loves trains and being a retired USN - 'BT"... he loves live steam.





























I posted more photos of our home on your thread in the Beginers forum.

Thanks for the pics they are great. Espically the ones of the kids.... that is where it all starts.


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## Mark Scrivener (Jan 7, 2008)

Nice layout Idraw4U! I like the flat car load.

Art's video reminded me of an idea I have for next year - rather than just a simple music box car, I'd like to place an iPod and mini speakers inside a box car. Anyone tried this or know of a small speaker system that would work in a box car?

And keeping this thread on track, here is a photo of my house and neighbors house with the track lit up at night. None of the buildings or trains were out for this photo unfortunately. Oh well....next year.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Mark
You might look around to see if anybody has one of the Carousels with sound system left over from Christmas. I dont know whetr it could be powere with 12v or not. has a pretty good speake and sound with a lot of Christmas carols.
Also the bose speakes ar prety small.


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## SailorDon (Jan 6, 2008)

Mark,

With the elevated Christmas layout track across your driveway, you might consider a full size railroad crossing gate for your driveway.


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