How to Build a Model Railroad

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: June 29, 2021 References Approved

Building a model railroad is like creating your own miniature empire. You'll have complete control over the features, enabling you to construct a modern design, a western design, or even one with fantastical elements. Building a railroad involves many skills and will develop your handiness doing things like mechanical and civil engineering, carpentry, electrical wiring, artistry, and more.^{[1]
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Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Planning Your Model Railroad

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Assess the givens and druthers. The phrase "givens and druthers" comes from accomplished railroad modeler, John Allen.^{[2]
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Research source} It refers to the things that can't be changed when making your model, like the size or your room, budget, and so on.
- Make a list of these things on a piece of paper or a digital document to help keep these limitations in mind.
- Use an online document service, like a cloud based one or Google Docs, so you can check your planning elements easily with a phone or tablet.
2
Choose your theme. The theme of your railroad includes its purpose, setting, the type of trains or equipment you want to use, and the service the train will provide (like transporting industrial goods or logs). These aspects will influence your planning and how you actually build your layout.^{[3]
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- A long coal train, for example, might run through the mountains and carry coal from mines to power companies, steel mills, or residential areas, to provide heat for homes.
- Locale should also be taken into consideration. Locale includes things like region (East or West Coast, Mountain, etc.), specific towns, or general areas, like the plains of Kansas.
- The era in which your model train exists will also need to be decided. A model planned for the 1920s would use a steam engine. You won't have modern cars either, in this era.
- The season you set your model in will change setting drastically. Fall will need to have trees with leaves changing color, winter will need snow, and so on.^{[4]
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3
Determine the scale of your railroad. Grid paper is great for drawing out a to-scale design of your railroad. One of the simplest scales you can use is a 1-inch to 1-foot (2.5-cm to .3-m) ratio, where a 1-inch (2.5-cm) square on your grid paper equals 1 foot (0.30 m) (.3 m) in real life. When planning scale, keep in mind:
- The space available for your model.
- The amount of money you can invest in your model railroad. Larger models will be more expensive.
- The focus of your model. Scenery focused models will be much different from train focused ones.
- Your personal limitations. If you don't have good eyes or nimble fingers, smaller models might be unreasonable.^{[5]
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Identify the kind of display you intend. Display in railroad modeling refers to how you show off your model. You can arrange ceiling lights to point down on it, direct lighting to it from floor lamps, and so on. Should you be building your model for your own enjoyment, you might not want to devote a lot of time and money to display.
- Railroad models built for children and grandchildren might only require a limited display. Adjust your display needs with the purpose of your railroad.
- If you intend on adding to your railroad and make it part of a larger design, keep this in mind while planning your display.^{[6]
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5
Plan your track. There are many different styles you might use for your railroad track. Some common track designs include a simple oval, a figure eight pattern, and a barbell shape. You should have an overall idea for the plan of your track before drafting your track plan.^{[7]
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- When first starting out, you'll likely want to keep your train level to minimize more complicated aspects of planning, like grade (steepness) and clearances.^{[8]
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6
Draft the track plan for your railroad. If this is your first time building a model railroad, you may want to use a prototype track plan. These are provided by companies and take a lot of the guesswork out of your track planning. Prototype track plans can also be used as an example from which you make your own design and can be purchased online or at hobby shops.
- Use grid paper when drawing up your track plan. Keep your track plan to scale with your real model so you don't have to make adjustments later on.
- You may find that some track plans that you thought would work in reality do not. This is not uncommon, but a prototype track plan will help prevent this.^{[9]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Building the Foundation

1
Put together your benchwork. The bench is the surface on which your landscape will be made and your track laid. Model benchwork consists for three parts: the supporting structure, a platform or grid, and a sub-roadbed.
- Your supporting structure is a sturdy, reinforced frame on which your platform and sub roadbed sit upon.
- The platform forms the base of your model. This sits on the supporting structure or is attached to it, and the subroadbed is laid on top of it.
- The subroadbed is the topmost part of your benchwork. This is where your model layout will be built. Use 3 to 4 sheets of extruded foam on top of your platform to make the subroadbed.
- Your benchwork could be as simple as a 4x8 piece of plywood or 3x6 ft (.91x1.8 m) door on top of a folding table or old wooden table. Lay your subroadbed on top, and the benchwork will be done.^{[10]
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2
Create a backdrop, if desired. Your backdrop doesn't have to be a work of art. A blue wall in the background can give the impression of a blue sky backdrop. You could also paint a mural or buy/print a pre-made backdrop.
- Make sure your backdrop is consistent with your theme choices. Failing to do so can make your model look less realistic.
- For a city nighttime scene, you might have a mostly dark backdrop with the silhouettes of skyscrapers on it.
- If you're planning on making a model in a mountainous setting, you might have larger peaks drawn on a backdrop of blue sky.^{[11]
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Plot out your track on the benchwork. This can be done either by drawing out your track plan on your benchwork or by laying loose tracks on it. Once your track is drawn or laid out, sketch out where you'll be placing surface features, like mountains, rivers, roads, buildings, and so on.
- Although a sketch on the benchwork of structure placement should be sufficient, making simple cardboard mockups can help prevent planned structures from getting in the way of your track.^{[12]
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Complete the terrain. The terrain is the contoured surface of your model that represents the ground. This is usually made by shaping chicken wire or screen material to fit your vision for shape of the terrain. Cover this with wet plaster cloth, allow it to dry, then paint the exterior.
- Plaster cloth can be found at hobby shops and may even be available at hardware stores. If you lack plaster cloth, use paper towels soaked in plaster.
- There are many unique ways of creating the terrain of your model. You can cover mounds of wadded up newspaper in plaster cloth, use foam sheeting similarly, and utilize many other techniques.^{[13]
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finishing the Model

1
Lay the track. You may have to build up your track a little on curves, as these will be likely places your train can derail. S-curves especially, if you have them, can be tricky. Make sure you have enough clearance in your curves to fit your longest train cars. Cork or foam model train roadbed should be used under tracks and can be bought at hobby or hardware stores.
- If you're just starting out modeling, it can be difficult to know if you have enough clearance for long cars. Before installing your track, use your hands to guide your train around curves to see if it fits.
- Track installation may vary, but in many cases, you'll need to solder rail joints to connect them. Avoid soldering turnouts, where a train transfers from one line of track to another. These often need to be replaced.
- Use a metal file to smooth bumps or ridges on your track that may cause a wheel to jump the tracks or get stuck.^{[14]
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Wire your track. Attach feeder wires as indicated by your model set. In most cases, feeder wires will connect to the bottom or outside of your track rails at 3-foot (.91 m) intervals. A beginner set will likely come with a power converter, but more advanced sets may requires you to choose between DC (Direct Current) and DCC (Digital Command Control) power.
- Starter model train sets will likely come with a control panel, but DIY models may require you to build one. Search online for tutorials on how to wire one that is simple and organized.
3
Add the scenery. This includes almost all surface features, like trees, rocks, tunnels bushes, roads, bridges, houses, and so on. Use glue to attach scenery pieces after the terrain is formed. Use paint to represent flat surface features, like rivers and roads.
- Keep perspective in mind when making your scenery. For example, large trees should go in the foreground and small ones in the background to create the illusion of distance.
- Dioramas are a 3D representation of a scene, like a house. These are great additions and can add a sense of realism to your model.^{[15]
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- You can buy scenery props at most hobby shops and craft stores. There are also plenty of resources online that illustrate how to make your own.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I clean my model train track?

BryanWTL

Community Answer

Use a static free cloth or rag to clean off any excess oil. Don't get it on the wheels, or else they won't work.
Question

Can I combine other models in one platform?

Community Answer

It depends on whether the models are compatible. Check with the directions to see what models are compatible with one another.
Question

Where do I find cheap materials?

BryanWTL

Community Answer

Try going To Michael's Arts and Crafts store for cheap stuff. Their prices range from $2.99 to $30.99.

Warnings

Always use care when operating tools, especially a solder gun which gets very hot. Failing to use these properly could result in injury or damage to your home.

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Be careful when wiring your set and hooking up power to it. Poor wiring can result in you getting shocked or it could result in an electrical fire.

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Model railroading can be an expensive hobby. Carefully planning can help prevent unexpected costs from cropping up.

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If you are under 10 years of age, ask an adult to help you in constructing your model.

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Things You'll Need

A model train set (or its components parts, including metal and wiring for the rails, a model train, a transformer to power the train, etc.)
Carpentry tools
General purpose tools (like a hammer, screwdriver, nails, etc.)
Soldering gun (and solder)
Wood (for making the benchwork, like 4x8 piece of plywood)
Art supplies (paintbrushes, paints, etc.)
Bench work supplies (like chicken wire and plaster cloth)