N-Scale Model Railroading in Dallas

Welcome to the Dallas Layout

I was introduced to H0 gauge trains through a neighbor that had an extensive layout in his garage. I am talking a huge layout that he could run several very long trains at one time. This was long before DCC and wiring was done in blocks using toggle switches to control each of the many blocks. The layout was built on a wood framework. Wooden roadbed was used and he laid his track by hand along with custom built turnouts. He ran brass steam locomotives only and spent a lot of time building the rolling stock from kits made of wood. This guy spared no expense. I was allowed to run the trains under strict supervision. He had only a few buildings and had not really started adding the scenic details.

My own H0 train layout didn't grow very fast as a kid because I would have to use my allowance or money, I earned cutting lawns to purchase items for my layout. Funds were limited. I lost interest in the trains and cannot tell you what happened to my H0 trains. In my years after college, as a joke, one Christmas, my family gave me an N-scale train set.

It sparked my interest once again. I did enjoy watching the trains run and I have always liked to putter around with models. Many years after receiving the train set, while still living in the El Paso, Texas area, I was going through boxes in the garage when I came across a box of my old N-scale model railroading equipment that had been packed away for sometime. Not having a lot of spare time between working a full-time job and running a non-profit theatre company, I only had time for a small 3x4 layout. Although I preferred steam, I had two Burlington Northern GPs, very few pieces of rolling stock running on a double oval mainline with a small rail yard in the middle. These trains ran fine on the small 3x4 DC layout but I would get bored running them not having time to really spend on constructing a full-size layout.

Making a career change, we packed up everything and relocated to Dallas, Texas where I finally had the time and space for a layout. I started with a 3x12 layout in the garage and began to experiment with different track plans. I was introduced to DCC and fell in love with model railroading all over again. I had time to experiment and play around with DCC and really liked the realistic way the trains operated. I had this layout for about 4 years and had started detail work of laying down ballast, spending a lot of time putting building kits together and starting on the actual landscaping of the layout.

My first N-scale steam locomotive, a Consolidation 2-8-0 pictured below did not run well over the numerous turnouts that I had installed on the layout. I had purchased a Peco Double Crossover and became so frustrated with trying to wire it for DCC and having to install under the layout switch machines, I thought to myself, there had to be an easier way to get what I wanted out of my layout which was to run trains, have a working yard and not to have to work so hard installing track, switch machines and wiring. I had subscribed to several railroading magazines and had been reading a lot about the Kato Unitrack. One afternoon, I saw a Kato Double Crossover in a local hobby shop and talked to one of the employees about Kato Unitrack. He told me how sold he was on it and how it was eliminating derailments and down time when trying to run trains. I purchased four converter tracks and headed home to give the Kato track a try. After having worked with using Atlas flex track and Peco switches, I was becoming very discouraged with derailments and not having smooth running trains. I was sold on the Kato track and immedately replaced all my Atlas and Peco track with Kato.

One more move and we landed up in Uptown Dallas in a townhouse with a room that I could devote to my layout. Having built the previous layout in 3x4 sections, thinking that if we moved again it could be easily moved, I was sure it would fit in the new place. Turned out the room would double as an office and the layout didn’t fit. This gave me a perfect excuse to start a new layout from scratch. The above photo is my current layout. It has gone through many changes from the first layout in the townhouse. I started with just a flat double dog bone configuration. It did not give me enough room for storage of all my rolling stock and motive power. I installed a helix to store rolling stock on a lower level but it gave me more grief than it was worth and it was removed. I have now refined the layout by adding an upper level loop which allows me to add mountains to the layout and gives me more storage. Please click here to see the changes made to the old camp ground and how it has been transformed into the current configuration.

I currently run 9 assorted steam engines and 18 diesels, all DCC equipped, some with sound. Having a background in theatre, I have always enjoyed lighting and set design for musical productions. Adding the structures, roadways, backdrops and landscaping seemed like a natural for me. I enjoy creating a realistic setting for the trains to run in. This is what I intend to share on this website, my complete switch over to all Kato Unitrack, the step by step building of scenery on my layout, along with sharing images of finished sections.

I am tackling the downtown district currently. As you can see from the picture below, I am really spending time and attention to detail. You can see the Ringling Bros. train, most of which was scratch built before the introduction of the Ringling Bros. cars by Micro Trains, passing downtown on the mainline while looking down the street between the tall buildings.

With the downtown growing, three new seven story buildings from Custom Model Railroads have been added along with new Woodland Scenics buildings. Other buildings have been added along with working traffic lights at the intersection. You can see more about this on the Working on the Downtown District page.

In addition, please check out the other pages of my site listed on the Navigation Bar to the left including my layout in Pompano Beach that is currently under construction and in the infant stages of building.

Thanks for looking, Bill Logan