Senior Editor Kent Johnson used the walls of his basement to create impressive Canadian mountain scenery in a tight space. Learn how to recreate his rocky canyon walls in the March 2013 issue, and see trains traversing the rugged landscape he created in this video.
Kent Johnson’s modern O gauge layout
By Kent Johnson | January 21, 2013
| Last updated on February 11, 2021
Take a trek along rugged canyon walls on Senior Editor Kent Johnson's basement O gauge layout.
Great sound effects of the passing stack train cars!
It was fun watching the video. I always enjoy seeing great O gauge layouts.
Nice video, really like the wheel flange sound effects too!
Impressive!!
great
Superb!!!
The flat wheel sound is similar to that available from the Lionel Vision Line Ethanol cars of a couple years back…
The article is just in time as I am in the construction phase of an around the walls layout that varies from 20" to 30" in depth. Foam is a great construction material – I'm using 1" as sub roadbed supported on 12" centers by 1×2 stringers and this method compliments that perfectly.
Great video and scale quality. Where can I go to see the entire layout in action?
WOW!!! Very nice work, wish I could do as good. I'm an HO guy but love to read about and look at all scales as I get ideas from each one. Hope more of your layout makes it to video soon. Also, the sound was EXCELLENT, very realistic. Thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.
WOW!
Good catch there, Art F. — although his arms aren't waving, you did indeed see an Arttista no. 1306 Brakeman Holding On figure riding the rear deck of the CP van ("caboose" this side of the border).
As for the sounds, John M. W. — Lionel Legacy Railsounds diesels feature squeaking rail binding effects at low speed (listen to the CP GP35 at the beginning), but I confess to dubbing in the flanging and hammering (produced by flat spots on wheels) sounds as the intermodal train powers through the scene. To be faithful to the setting, I used a sounds clip on a CP train I captured in the Canada. Adding freight cars equipped with Lionel VisionLine Freight Sounds is another way to include this cool effect, but I'm waiting for that option to arrive on a intermodal car with a 53-ft well (soon please!).
Your layout looks great! Did I hear the sound of wheels squealing on rails? If yes, how did you generate those sounds?
Sure looks like the real thing coming down the tracks. Great Job!
Great modeling, Kent. Thank you for sharing a bit of it with us. Looking forward to being treated to more scenes from your creative layout.
That was fantastic! All the sound and scenery and I think the conductor was waving from the caboose. How did you do that??
The realistic personal touches were very impressive. To me its all about not what's on the rails but what surrounds the rails. A great professional job.
Great looking scenery & train action…gives me some good ideas for my new layout…the sounds were very real…hope to get my project up and running soon…and send the video in…
Kent, very nice work. What I've seen of your layout is really great. I'd like to see more of it in the future. Keep up the good work.
Wow, It sure doesn't seem like a tight space. Nice work Kent.
Must have cost an arm and leg for all those wellhole cars. Would be nice to see and article on working signals such as Kent has.
Look very real…must have cost a bunch
Thanks for all of your kind remarks! My layout is a work in progress, but I don't mind sharing my baby steps with readers who enjoy hi-rail modeling.
Anthony C. — the intermodal cars are from Lionel, K-line, Atlas O, MTH; my article the Nov. 2009 issue of CTT shows how I modified the appearance of the K-Line cars
Classic High Rail. I particularly liked your interpretation of the Hoo Doos [8 miles east of Banff] on the north side of the Trans Canada Highway. Those pinnacles look like earthen Christmas trees.Great Job.
Specatacular!
it makes me want to go out and start building my own layout.
Excellent layout.