Model Trains

My big project in the workshop this month was to build a permanent model train set for my niece and nephew in Philadelphia. All design decisions were driven by a single factor: it needed to fit in the back of our car. That meant a maximum width of 3 feet and length of 6 feet. The minimum turning radius for a typical HO scale train is almost 48", so I chose the smaller N scale (1/160th) train instead.

For the track, I chose Kato Unitrack, a track with integrated road bed; for the power supply and electronic switches, also Kato; for the trains, Bachmann. I designed and built a stained glass mosaic to serve as a mountainous backdrop. Once we arrived in Philadelphia, Alison and I took the kids to the local craft store and spent the afternoon decorating and personalizing the set.

I took the time to photograph the project as it progressed, resulting in a rough time-lapse presentation as pictured below.

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