Thomas Meleck, thanks for the comment. I wish I could have seen it finished but I moved to Wichita, KS upon completion. I'd always planned on getting back someday, but the owner died and the layout was demolished before I could. Our lives are like that in a lot of ways, we promise to say things to people that need to be said, but delay until it's to late. Hopefully the lesson was learned....

Steve Joshua, the layout was designed back then using a set of design templates tor all the turnouts and curves were laid out the very old fashioned way with a compass and flexible 1/8” styrene strips used to create the easements in the curves. High School drafting course paid off in spades. Hargreaves track was flexed into the curve dimensions by eye. Was a really fun project and the owner appreciated the work and the design.

Douglas Schultz, thanks for your comment. Was a long time ago but I have always believed that good bench work is essential to long term satisfaction with the project.

When we were designing and building layouts we tried to calculate costs by multiplying $ x square feet of layout. Most folks couldn’t understand that N scale layouts cost so much more per square foot. Sometimes as much as 6-8 times the cost of an O scale layout.

I shut the doors and retired about 5 years ago. Lots of fun but had a major back injury (motorcycle) and finally had to admit defeat!

Thanks for the compliment. This was done back in 92 and at 66 there’s no way I’d tackle this kind of project now! The layout was demolished when the owner passed away a number of years ago.

James Dennis This is off-topic but in your comment saying that the guy passed on and his children just got rid of his layout made me think of this . Enjoy all of your toys when you're alive and still can enjoy them or sell them for something that you'll really use. If not you're just saving it for someone else to either sell or throw away. I use to cherish stuff and keep it in boxes with the receipts and never open it to add to my collection. I don't look at things or think like that anymore, if I don't use it I put it up for sale or give it to somebody who wants it. I am happier having fewer things that are incredibly nice, well-maintained and do not sit around and collect dust. You would be surprised how much money you have lying around once you sell it all. There's my two cents even if you didn't want it, thank you for the video.

paul smith, I wish I knew. Layout was built in the early 90's and the owner was then in his 70,s. Assume he's died since then and the family disposed of the layout. It was built in the attic of a 100 year old house with limited access to the attic.

Soundtrack from the Majestic. A wonderful movie if you haven’t seen it!

what size are you thinking of completing as i do build for others. been at it over 30 years. nothing i enjoy more than making railroads. largest for me took 5 years to complete,and drove 40 miles per day. i have done so many to carry home i am unable to count. all scales other than z scale and a few outdoor ones.

ya me too , over 14 min. for not

13thBear Sorry about the partial, but the failure of the camera could never have been anticipated, but at least we got what we did. It was an amazing project. Ask me sometime how we got all the materials for that project up to the attic in a civil war vintage mansion with narrow twisting stairwells!

Not really interest in more info if you aren't interested in adding a vid of the completed setup. Stupid.

This was the sound track from the movie “The Majestic” starring Jim Carry.

@@jamesdennis6289 thanks James, good to see you replying to comments 👍

The layout was designed and built for the very distinguished, white haired gentleman who appears during the time lapse. I have no idea what happened to the layout following his death.

oh i see, thats sad that he died

also did you guys use gargraves track?

Nathan Cavanagh, used Gargraves and Lionel broadest radius turnouts. Would have used Ross Custom but they were just being introduced then.

John C. Smith thanks for the comment. Like so many projects, the original design didn’t survive first contact. Originally there was space in the room next door for a large staging yard to feed trains onto the layout but the wife nixed that plan. After we arrived I had to redesign a hidden staging yard under the layout. So the trains came out early to verify clearances.

I used to feel that way but it's about how much time, money, and energy you have. If the owner was in his 70s he probably couldn't do it any more, but wanted to enjoy his trains. Has nothing to do with being an American - it's about whether you want to spend all your time/energy cutting 2x4s, or enjoying your remaining years. No different than having a house built, hiring a plumber, or getting somebody to fix your car. Nobody can do EVERYTHING every time...

@@Guitaural. Yeah......I get that......but this side of the pond the main satisfaction seems to be the construction and always finding something else to do....... That said, it does seem a british thing........ive been involved in real loco restorations, most of which were finished.....although a couple are still....er......and have a OO layout round my loft that.....er.....isn't finished......and a Dublo 3 rail collection which.....um....isnt all restored yet and dosent have a layout........and a Triang collection which is mostly restored......oh.....but dosent yet have a layout........and my kitchen I built from scratch.......ahem.....which is almost finished.......and a huge mural around all the walls of my bathroom.....er......which presents a new item of work every time I look at it..... ......but then, its the fun of taking part....so I'm told....🤔

@@ianhudson2193 Nah, it's all through America too, especially the entire Midwest, South, etc. That pride of being able to do it yourself. But I guess we all know those very few guys that can't hammer a nail...lol. The older I get the more I can see the point of people that do what this layout owner did though - get it knocked out FAST, so you can enjoy it instead of working all the darn time like we all do. That said, half the fun for you and I is in the doing of the thing, so I get it : )

@@Guitaural. True!👆