Los Angeles HO Scale Model Railroad Layout - Atlas, Athearn, Walthers and Intermountain Model Trains

Published on August 13, 2023

In this video we learn that you can build a small model railroad layout even on a small footprint. Robert Strachan, a model railway enthusiast from the United Kingdom, has built his model train diorama, called “Underpass”, on an area of 5 feet 8 inches by 13 inches, approximately 180 cm x 30 cm. The model rail layout is completely self-contained, with no staging or fiddle yards. It is a shelf layout respectively a small shunting model railroad layout or switching model railway layout.

Inspired by the grimy urban areas of Los Angeles, Underpass is such an area, set underneath a large highway overpass. A small, cramped forgotten yard, surrounded by rail and road served industries. Visitors to the area can get refreshments from Bob’s Liquor and Mutt’s Grill, while watching a selection of motive power and rolling stock. Robert’s miniature world was inspired by a computer game, a fictional version of Los Angeles, but had urban switching yards hidden under large highway overpasses.

Robert has set the time period for the model railway layout to the mid 1970’s to the late 1970’s. The model train layout is completely handsfree, with switch motors and magnetic uncoupling. Usually, a single locomotive is needed to switch the yard, but Robert likes to show off his large collection of rolling stock. The rolling stock is a mixture of boxcars, gondolas and flatcars - made by Athearn, Walthers, Intermountain and some scratchbuilt items. Finally, these boxcars, gondolas and flatcars have been modified where needed and fitted with number 58 couplers.

Locomotives come from Atlas, Athearn, Walthers and Bachmann. They have all had modifications to closer replicate the prototype engines, and have been fitted with Kadee Number 58 couplers which are closer to scale in size. The track is Peco Code 83, which is designed specifically to emulate North American trackage. Robert has used Peco Number 4 Wye points to increase space in the sidings.

To present his model railway layout on Pilentum Television, Robert used the “Video Submitting Service” from Pilentum Television. Robert created many single video recordings of his model train layout and transferred the video footage to Markus, the author and editor of Pilentum Television. Markus created a video presentation from all the single video files and dubbed it with realistic sounds.

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