Christmas Tree Train Layout....

pioneervato

Lunatic Member
Last year I bought a 6' pre-lit Christmas tree during the after Christmas sale and I have always wanted to set up a model train layout underneath it. Well since my grandson will be spending Christmas with us this year I decided it was time to do it. For my grandson, of course. :D

It will be a simple "N" gauge layout on a continuous over and under loop with no turnouts or switches that my grandson should be able to easily operate once I show him how. The layout board consists of 1/2" plywood that is 36" x 96" and will fit easily in the 11' niche where my couch now sits. I attached some homasote boards to the top of the plywood and drilled a 1 3/4" holed through the top and centered it along the length of the board but about 28" from the back where the wall will be to make sure the Christmas tree's branches don't press up against the wall. The base that supports the tree will be underneath the table top and it will be a simple matter of sticking the trunk of the tree through the hole to mate with the stand. The stand will be supported underneath with a box yet to be made and there will be plenty of clearance between the train layout and the bottom tier of branches as long as no long dangling ornaments are hung on the bottom set of branches.

I still have lots to do but I started on it earlier today and made some progress. The landscape/mountains/rocks are made of styrofoam which will be glued together and then fastened to the layout with screws that will be easily covered up with some well place "trees" and "boulders". There will be a few structures but I will keep it simple for now and add and adjust to the layout in the future.

Here are a couple pics from today's progress.


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Very Cool!
I used to have the train layout for under the tree, but it took up a lot of room, and then one year we had a new dog who decided to chase the train under the tree. That didn't go well.

I do miss it I must say.
 
styrofoam snow is a great idea. To bad my dads 1960's mint in the box locomotives in HO scale are just to valuable to risk under the tree. I did one back in the day when my son was young but that was a modern set.
 
Awesome! Haven't put my old Lionel up under the conifer for a few years so I'm def doing it this year. Timely thread, Pioneer. We always put up a real tree and that's scheduled for next weekend so ill post pics after that.

Choo choooooo...
 
Humm...we are getting a live tree this year. Maybe some kind of train is in order. Can't wait till you post the finished layout. Oh ya!!!!
 
I'm thinking you may have trouble with N scale under a tree. Even fake trees shed, and the 'needles' will probably derail that small scale. I use G guage and it takes up literally half my living room floor at Christmas - but no derailments from debris.

You sure will have fun with this though.

I've got a massive HO collection in storage as my house has no room. Used to have it setup in a 22x24 foot room - bigger than many club layouts. The buildings and rolling stock fill about 15 or 20 tubs! I sure do miss that layout. I don't foresee ever using it again, so I suppose I should sell it. I don't even want to think about the thousands of $$ I have invested in it.
 
That's a great idea, PV!

I too love those trains & model car track setups! You can easily spend hours enjoying some fun time before you know it.

Do keep us posted on the project!

Rome
 
Too cool!

There was a group of Lionel train enthusiasts at my old job. Every Christmas they built a huge new layout in the lobby. They were gorgeous.
 
You are well on your way to a really nice setup Jesse. I can't wait to see the final results.
 
Your Grandson will love it!:thmbsp: I hope he's old enough to remember that his Grandpa had a cool train set running underneath the Christmas tree. He'll expect it under the tree from now on.:D
 
Nice Jesse! Your grandson will Lobe it and I expect some "other" Vato may too. :D
 
My Lionel trains are long gone, but last year I set up an HO gauge Slot Car track at Christmas. That was a real hoot!
 
A coworker showed me his N gauge system a number of year ago and I thought it was just a perfect way to enjoy detailed model trains without giving up your basement to them!
 
Looks really cool! I have a half-finished N layout in the basement, keep thinking I'll get back to that one of these winters, but too many speakers and components to recap.

If you're not picky about perfect scale, there are a lot of small ornaments and xmas decs that are buildings, approximately the right scale. Perfect for a Christmas themed layout.
 
My Lionel trains are long gone...

Mine were the *only* thing that disappeared from a long-haul moving van when we moved interstate when I was six. (Aside from the recipe box my mother poked in the train box at the last minute, which included the best brownie recipe ever, which I still miss nearly as much.)
 
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