Thanks for taking time to share your thoughts, Mike---very helpful---!!!

I spend many hours and days to weeks deciding what should work or go in place on my layout. All your ideas are good considerations and all should do some form of deciding before making a permanent decision which may be costly. Thanks for this post.

Wow, the passion you have for this hobby is so apparent. It makes me motivated to start my own layout. I could listen to you talk all day

Hi Mike, just checking in. I have enjoyed watching your old and now the new layout. Thanks for doing what you do -- and supplying N scale product. Please keep doing what you do. - Dean from cold Minnesota

Hi Mike, another great video, thanks for posting. Really interesting to see your thought processes and reasons as you design and build your layout. I will be following your layout build with interest.

Great info Mike, I picked 2 plans I liked and went for it I have modified them for my needs and have no regrets I model the East coast (the D&H) up in the Adirondack mountains keep up the great work and thanks for sharing

Some very good considerations for all of us, thank you

It's always prudent to take your time and do adjustments as you go. Sometimes what you invision at first might not work or look right. But having a good vision and ideas is key. Well said Mike.

great info Mike.. thanks for sharing.. vinny

Hi Mike, Perfect place for a lake. I have built a few HO and N scale layouts in my time and I found that as the track layout progresses different ideas come to my mind as far as scenery goes. It really changes as your layout develops. Next thing you know it's nothing like you originally planned.

These Are the Kind of Discussions I can love to get into and I have issues Specially when you work a Single level layout Like mine was Goin 3 lines now I am goin for the time Being.later I am gonna go Lifelike With my Bachman N Gauge.my Wife is Going Bachman,and Lifelike As well too It’s gonna Be Nice When Done.

Hey Mike, some good tips for planning, the work bench area looks good, the rambling did make sense lol

thanks mike

Rod Stewart Atlanta Crossing album sitting on the workbench. Great taste in Music!!! That's a fantastic record. 😁

Good ideas. I too took the El Tarasco down because it jutted into the room and the lift up bridge became a hassle. Not to mention since I was usually the only one running it was allot of work to run around switching. The new one will be much smaller, allowing to also bring the N into the house. You may wish to use glue dots to stick stuff the backdrop. I have had success with the dots.

The cloud looks 3D if you look back at the video and over the foam i love this 3D effect

Timely that this older video came up in my feed as I plan my new N gauge layout (contractor only just broke ground on my train building).

Good thinkin there.

nice update Mike

3D mountains...Velcro...🤔🤔😳😁😁👍. Love the gradual curves!👍👍👍. Good advice. Car models!!!!!yeah!👍😎😎. I sniffed a fair bit glue growing up. Before we knew it was bad.

Great stuff, I never considered a 3d backdrop before

Good ideas Mike. Thanks.

That’s HUGE! Great guns! I’m guessing scale length would equate to at least a mile? Lovely paintwork and the track work is inspiring.

so true

After about 44 years of modeling in n-scale, it has occurred to me that many modeler tend to copy the modeling of another model railroader instead of actually modeling a specific railroad and/or a specific area. We tend to "stuff" as much track as possible into the limited space we have and then tweak it until we are pleased. Thanks for sharing this video. Food for thought.

This is off the subject. Sometime ago you had a video of the local layouts and featured was a layout with a moveable staging yard. My club is considering something similar so we want to know more on how it as done.

Mike, nice and a lot of work ..

Mike thanks for sharing your ideas with us, it's good to talk things through, and your sharing with us is good, but I do have a question as to how wide your asles are with this layout are to accommodate the people you plan on....

Hi! Great videos! What is the purple material on the bottom of your layout?

mike great videos. I have a kato 10-377 E2 Shinkansen bullett train. any idea how to put in a decoder? I have a small layout and am using a dighitrax zepher. keep up the great videos.

I love the idea of the lake an the fack that it wasnt planned no layout should have to be planned track wise yes to a point but scenery an such just do it as u think of it thats my theory :) none of my layouts ive ever done was planned an didnt represent any particular area or town i just built it as i visioned it :)

I am currently creating an N scale layout and I have already bought a DC transformer w/track. I have two locos and want to create a realistic freight scene (since freight trains usually have more than one train pulling freight). If I put two locos coupled together on one DC track, then move the throttle on the DC transformer, will both trains move?

Hi Mike - Healthy Happy New year! Christmas theme. N scale. Kato. Hollow door layout. Got the 2" foam down, got the risers set but not glued. No turnouts, etc. - simple. Tested with cars - all clear - runs well. Stuck - what do I do next? Cut out the river and skating pond? Glue down inclines? Build Rock formation? Thanks.

Hi Mike, What color paint is on the risers? One computer looks like olive green and my other computer looks like gray. Thanks Mike

Hi Mike,did you use plaster cloth on your foam risers and then painted them?Many thanks as always.P

I know that on my new "small" layout I'm using a popular track plan. I'm trying to personalise it. I know it'll be a mountainous, industrial RR. I'm looking seriously at Woodland Scenics snow effects scenery material.

Mike I have asked before and sorry about asking again. I am rebuilding my layout like you I was not happy with what I had I use Unitrack and considering using Kato turnouts with Atlas Flex track. I know that you haven't done this but are there pros and cons to this method. I only ask because I do have some long straight sections, and I have a sweeping curve that I am plaining but just can't get it right with the unitrack. So I ask have you heard of anyone doing this. Thanks

Could you tell me what you're using under the track to elevate it?Thanks

2 inch thick and 18 inches deep per section for the base foam ?

Is that Kato unitrack? After being away from the hobby for over 20 years, things have really changed. I left the hobby for the very reason you mentioned - I was so anxious to get the trains running that I didn't plan and painted myself into a corner. Now I'm going N rather than HO and taking my time planning. I started with the Kato Super Chief set - I cannot believe how beautifully it runs! So I'm trying to decide whether to go back to good 'ol Atlas (or Peco?) flex track (this time code 55) or spend the $ and get Unitrack. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. The sooner the better - though just watching her round that oval and running v-e-r-y slowly is still mesmerizing, if I don't get some turnouts and track soon I'm going to lose my mind. I already have a theme and scenery ideas, I just need to decide on the tracks. I await your wisdom... :)

I hope you're still monitoring your video here. Can you tell me how the clouds were painted? Especially above the mountains where you said you were going to add a lake. Nice layout, I'm going to look through your videos and see if I can find it finished. Thanks.

Did u paint that tape.if so . Im going to do that

How many layouts did you Build? Which one was the Best?

What is the max grade for the layout?

I dont have a plan so much as i have 5 scenes i want to model 2 are terrain and blend easily. One is a curved trestle not to hard. Two are track features

Mike did you e Ed put a trestle min as per this video? Thanks, George

Hi Mike are you using Kato unitrack?

Hi Mike. I'm going crazy trying to find bus wire 16 gauge and feeders 22 gauge. Blue and white. I was wondering if you sell them? Thanks Mark.

Why not have the back part of the track at a high level and bring it down in front..this will create feeling of depth and 3d effect rather than a flat level layout...

His other motives were to keep his wife the hell out of there